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Most brake problems are either: Bad brake fluid. This should be done every 2 years, at minimum. This can lead to bad brake feel and bad power. Pads: euther worn out or glazed over. Reduces modulation and ultimate stopping power. Note also that if your pads aren't properly bedded this can cause this as well. Bad rotors: if warpped, will pulse. May also reduce power. Bad tires: If your tires can't grip, you can't stop even with awesome brakes. No car sold in america in the last 10 years will have bad brakes unless something is worn or broken.
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May 15, 2016 23:37
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I'm looking to buy a prius from the early 2010's partially because of this thread. Is there any red flags I should look for in the maintenance report? Part of the reason I'm getting it is because it is reliable and I hopefully won't have to put much money into it. So if there's something that routinely wears out at a certain point I'd like to go in knowing that.
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May 16, 2016 00:46
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packsmack posted:I'm looking to buy a prius from the early 2010's partially because of this thread. Is there any red flags I should look for in the maintenance report? Part of the reason I'm getting it is because it is reliable and I hopefully won't have to put much money into it. So if there's something that routinely wears out at a certain point I'd like to go in knowing that. Not really. The gen 2 prius (to 2009) had a water pump that can develop a leak. I don't know if that carried over. It is a pretty cheap replacement, I think (the PPI found it in the car my mom bought and it was fixed before she bought it, so I don't know exactly want it cost). I would recommend a PPI by a Toyota dealer on a prius as the batteries and stuff still confuse a lot of indy mechanics. Otherwise, no rentals, no accidents and you should be fine. They are incredibly reliable.
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May 16, 2016 02:32
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The only reason I brought up the brake issue is that some cars perform better or worse than others in their same size class. For example, the Honda Pilot has a longer stopping distance than other mid-sized SUVs. I wasn't sure if something like that could be improved by replacing the stock pads with something aftermarket, like you would do with stock wheels on some models. Obviously replacing worn out brake pads is par for the course of car ownership. inkblottime fucked around with this message at 03:30 on May 16, 2016 |
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May 16, 2016 03:27
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inkblottime posted:The only reason I brought up the brake issue is that some cars perform better or worse than others in their same size class. For example, the Honda Pilot has a longer stopping distance than other mid-sized SUVs. I wasn't sure if something like that could be improved by replacing the stock pads with something aftermarket, like you would do with stock wheels on some models. Those numbers are almost certainly some sort of nexus between weight of vehicle and tire choice. Put some sticky tires on your car and you'll out brake almost anything. If you can engage ABS, you have essentially all the stopping power your car can provide without a swap of tires.
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May 16, 2016 03:32
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As long as a car's brakes can lock up the wheels then there is no maximum braking performance gain to be had by changing pads. Different pads can change the feel or responsiveness of brakes, but any functional set of brakes should be able to lock up the wheels if you stomp on them hard enough. The threshold of lockup is largely determined by the quality of your tires and how much grip they have. This is of course assuming that your brake rotors, pads, and fluid are in some nominally maintained state and aren't hosed to poo poo by neglect. Also most drivers are pussies and won't jam their brakes hard enough to get maximum braking force. Guinness fucked around with this message at 03:36 on May 16, 2016 |
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May 16, 2016 03:34
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Guinness posted:As long as a car's brakes can lock up the wheels then there is no maximum braking performance gain to be had by changing pads. Different pads can change the feel or responsiveness of brakes, but any functional set of brakes should be able to lock up the wheels if you stomp on them hard enough. I think the proportioning of braking between front and rear wheels also plays a role but these days it's a thing that carmakers generally understand well and there's a shitload of electronics in the car to make sure everything is maxed out. GM is somewhat famous for making a whole generation of 75hp FWD compact cars that suddenly turned into 930 Turbos because of poor brake proportioning and the need to save $0.15 per car on the rear drum brakes. Enough people died that Reagan's NHTSA went to court to try and get them to fix it. http://www.nytimes.com/1987/04/15/us/judge-supports-gm-on-brakes-in-1980-x-cars.html
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May 16, 2016 03:54
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Guinness posted:Also most drivers are pussies and won't jam their brakes hard enough to get maximum braking force. You'd be surprised how easy it is to fall into that trap. Even with power brakes, you really need to be on the pedal hard to induce lockup and/or ABS.
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May 16, 2016 04:16
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This is interesting stuff. Thanks guys!
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May 16, 2016 06:37
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Proposed Budget: $8,000 New or Used: Used Body Style: Wagon is ideal, otherwise hatch or sedan How will you be using the car?: I have a wife and two dogs, and constantly help everyone with driving errands, so five-ish passengers is common; we also road trip and car camp. I enjoy driving, even commuting, but my family cannot all drive manual. What aspects are most important to you? Cost of maintenance is a huge factor, although most modern-ish cars seem to be expensive in every aspect of that; my father-in-law is a die-hard Toyota fan and is a service writer for them, so Toyota repairs can be considerably cheaper (I don't have a personal mechanic or shop and would love to find one that's easier to work with); I would like to drive something from this century; I live in Las Vegas. This car http://cargur.us/8Gs_P caught my eye, but I don't know poo poo about Mazda's long-term reliability and repair costs, nor do I know what things are common "look-out" items. Time is NOT a factor, we will not be buying until the holidays when I return from deployment.
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May 16, 2016 09:05
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Legacy wagon or outback. Modern cars are on balance significantly cheaper to maintain because they break less.
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May 16, 2016 13:25
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IOwnCalculus posted:You'd be surprised how easy it is to fall into that trap. Even with power brakes, you really need to be on the pedal hard to induce lockup and/or ABS. Not to mention the fear factor when the ABS makes the pedal vibrate. People who haven't felt it almost always decide it means the car just broke down. IMO the most valuable part of the Teen Defensive Driving class I took with my daughter at Mid-Ohio was the ABS stop and steer drill. All the kids were amazed at how hard a car could brake and how controllable it was once they got past their fear of such an abrupt and vigorous force.
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May 16, 2016 19:11
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Is there a substantial difference or advantage to the plug-in versions of the Prius vs the regular? Is having that worth it over the regular at all?
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May 16, 2016 21:13
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That Works posted:Is there a substantial difference or advantage to the plug-in versions of the Prius vs the regular? Is having that worth it over the regular at all? If you live within 6 miles of work, maybe.
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May 16, 2016 21:28
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Slo-Tek posted:If you live within 6 miles of work, maybe. Or not paying for electricity. Wasabi the J posted:Proposed Budget: $8,000
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May 16, 2016 21:53
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Nitrox posted:Or not paying for electricity. Or if having a plug gets you HOV access and the premium is worth that to you. Outside of that, the plug in Prius is a tough sell. You're saving a very small amount of gas driving, in a car that already uses very little fuel. Even before gas plummeted it was a long payoff compared to a regular Prius.
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May 16, 2016 22:03
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The only time the plug-in version of the Prius makes any goddamn sense at all is if you're in California and commute on HOV-lane equipped freeways. You can get a sticker from the DMV that will allow you to drive solo in those lanes with the plug-in; you'll sit there with us plebes if you get the standard version. This also applies to the plug-in Fusion and C-Max's as well.
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May 17, 2016 03:31
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I though that regular hybrid Prius was enough to enjoy the HOV lane? I'm not in California and my info may be outdated, sorry
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May 17, 2016 03:33
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It was at the beginning, but the DMV only issued a set amount of hybrid HOV placards and then stopped, citing congestion concerns. I want to say it was 50,000 placards, but don't quote me on that. I wouldn't be surprised if they did the same thing to electric cars in the near future, seeing the popularity of the Tesla, Leaf, Volt, etc. in California metro areas.
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May 17, 2016 04:16
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Cool thanks. Just didn't know if the difference was worthwhile at all / knew little about the purpose of the plugin. Sounds like it's not gonna matter for my situation.
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May 17, 2016 13:36
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I'm going to look at two mazdas on friday, a 2013 mazda2 sport and a 2010 mazda3 isedan. The 2 has 72000 miles and is listed for about 8900 dollars while the 3 has 67000 miles and is listed for about 9600 dollars. Reliability is my main concern, they are both manuals because I prefer them and I find them to last longer. Is there anything I should know about these and does anyone have any anecdotal information?
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May 19, 2016 04:01
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I have a 2013 Mazda 2. If it is a manual, they're a lot of fun. They're also quite spartan and the sport is the base model, so it has no features beyond a radio and an a/c. If it is an automatic, I'd leave it because 100hp tied to a 4 speed auto kinda sucks. This is really on a car worth buying if you want to have fun (and also commute and stuff) because it gives up a lot to be light (and ergo, fun). Putting adults in the rear seat is ill-advised. The mazda 3 is less fun, but will be a better choice for someone who doesn't really like cars. I'd much, much rather have the hatch though. I'd venture, passengers aside, the mazda 2 is actually more useful for carrying stuff v. the sedan (as long as you're willing to drop the rear seats) -- I can fit a 61cm road bike in the back of mine while only removing one wheel. Look out for rust. $10,000 seems like a lot of a 6 year old mazda 3.
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May 19, 2016 04:23
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Thank you, I was leaning towards the mazda2 because I do enjoy driving and the price seems right. How do they do long distance driving? Have you had to do any expensive repairs?
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May 19, 2016 06:37
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Goodtime Pancreas posted:Thank you, I was leaning towards the mazda2 because I do enjoy driving and the price seems right. How do they do long distance driving? Have you had to do any expensive repairs? Fine and I believe in jinxes. I'm also not out of the B2B warranty though.
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May 19, 2016 06:52
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nm posted:Fine and I believe in jinxes. Gee, I wonder why? 
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May 19, 2016 14:43
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AriTheDog posted:CapnAndy have you considered installing a new entertainment console? There are ones that support Android Auto and it's bound to be much cheaper than a new car. And yes, the plan I'm trying real hard to hold to is "wait for a Tesla 3" but Tesla is taking foreeeeeeeever with them 
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May 19, 2016 16:34
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Proposed Budget: Could probably go up to $30k for the right vehicle max; Would much rather spend less given that I only have six months left on my job contract and uncertain income after that. But I have the savings to pay in cash if needed. Currently don't own a car, moving to Houston. Have only ever briefly owned a 2015 Kia Sportage while overseas, didn't have to deal with maintenance and don't know too much about car upkeep although I can change a tire and could probably change the oil in a pinch. New or Used: Either. Probably new or certified used - don't really trust myself to properly evaluate a used car. Body Style: 4-door, mid-size sedan or SUV/crossover. How will you be using the car?: City driving in Houston primarily with the occasional drive 360 mile roundtrip to Austin. I won't have a commute for now, but that could change (both wife and I working from home). Do you prefer a luxury vehicle with all the gizmos? Don't really care about luxury features. What aspects are most important to you? reliability, low cost of ownership/maintenance, and good MPGs (hybrid???) would all be great. Other major considerations: I'm 6'4''. Need headroom. We've got two toddlers with carseats, and there is hopefully a third in our future a few years out...wide enough to fit three carseats in back? Hufflepuff or bust! fucked around with this message at 21:41 on May 19, 2016 |
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May 19, 2016 21:38
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I would consider a used prius (maybe prius v, though I don't think they're old enough to buy cheaply) that you can comfortably buy for cash. Though I would check the car seats as I suspect a rear-facing won't fit behind you. Also, I have headroom issues in priuses at 6'4", but I have weird proportions. Given your temporary job issues, I'd buy something reliable, in cash. I would not buy the car for the 3rd kid until you need it. You may need a 3 row for that and those are not cheap.
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May 19, 2016 21:51
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nm posted:I would consider a used prius (maybe prius v, though I don't think they're old enough to buy cheaply) that you can comfortably buy for cash. Though I would check the car seats as I suspect a rear-facing won't fit behind you. Also, I have headroom issues in priuses at 6'4", but I have weird proportions. Hah, I'm giant and tall also - I'll go take one for a test drive, I was considering a new Prius already. Would a used one be more likely to have battery issues? Good point on the planning for the future. The only other thing I need to check on possible purchases is if it can fit our giant-rear end stroller in the trunk.
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May 20, 2016 11:17
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Bit of a different type question. I'm looking at a private party Volt, and since I've only ever done private party sales I,not sure how this works. The seller currently is currently leasing it, but wants to sell it now a few months before the lease terminates. He's saying that you can pay it off early, and then be done. Price is fair and car looks good, but I have no idea how leases work. Is this a real thing? And how would I go about getting title?
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May 20, 2016 12:57
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blugu64 posted:Bit of a different type question. I'm looking at a private party Volt, and since I've only ever done private party sales I,not sure how this works. The seller currently is currently leasing it, but wants to sell it now a few months before the lease terminates. He's saying that you can pay it off early, and then be done. Price is fair and car looks good, but I have no idea how leases work. Is this a real thing? And how would I go about getting title? Yes it's a real thing if the lease company allows it. None of that is your problem: no title, no money to the seller. He's gonna have to figure that one out on his own, which may end up being a whole like like private party purchase of a vehicle with a note on it. You'll probably end up at a local office of the company along with the seller (or a bank designated by the leasing company) where you will pay them the money for the car, they will cut a check of sufficient size to the leasing company and the rest to the seller and transfer the title to you.
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May 20, 2016 14:46
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kaishek posted:Hah, I'm giant and tall also - I'll go take one for a test drive, I was considering a new Prius already. Would a used one be more likely to have battery issues? There aren't really serious battery issues on gen 2 or newer priuses. The fix is also cheaper than the internet claims. Buy a used one. The new one is ugly as sin and the prius is the most reliable car in the US, so no need to pay the new tax. A 2009 will save you 20 grand and just need oil changes.
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May 20, 2016 17:42
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Proposed Budget: 25-35-ishk New or Used: Either Body Style: Small or midsize SUV How will you be using the car?: Mainly commuting, grocery getting, minimal road trips, eventually a kid. No towing or lots of stuff to tote around. In medicine so I need solid AWD to make sure I can get to the hospital. What aspects are most important to you? Reliability and resale value over 5-7 years. Comfort. Decent power and driving dynamics. I would like some of the newer tech features - most important is blind spot monitoring, but all the other stuff like adaptive cruise are nice. Right now I drive a Subaru Crosstrek, which will be going to my mom. It is nice, but I want something a little bigger, with more power, better fit and finish, and more smooth and comfortable. Also want some tech. The top contenders at this point are a used 2014ish MDX with Tech package, new Forester XT touring and Outback 3.6R Limited. I feel like the Subarus would depreciate faster but if I sold at the 5-6 year point probably wouldn't be much different value wise given that they would have a 2-3 year head start on the MDX and it would be pretty equal at that point. I don't really want to add any cars to the list at that point, but I'm having some trouble deciding between the MDX and most likely the Outback.
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May 22, 2016 04:36
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Short-form question: if the no longer produced Toyota MR2 Spyder is my dream car, would it be a terrible idea to try to get one (maintenance issues, obsolescence), and if so what cars would be a reasonable alternative in current production?
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May 22, 2016 16:18
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It shouldn't be too hard to get parts. Working on that car is very cramped. Storage space is non existent. Comparable is obviously the Miata and an S2000, although the Honda is much more hard nosed. You could also look at a used Sky/Soltice.
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May 22, 2016 16:32
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Bovril Delight posted:It shouldn't be too hard to get parts. Working on that car is very cramped. Storage space is non existent. Some good suggestions; I really avoid American cars so the Solstice less appealing, the S2000 though is cool though a little longer than I like. I love the stubbiness of the Spyder; btw convertible is not important to me, honestly would prefer hard-top. Miata... it's just a really femme car, cute though it is. There's been rumors for years that Toyota will bring out an electric Spyder, which would be loving amazing, though I'm concerned they'll put it in a much larger body and lose all the charm of the old ones. I've idly pondered getting a used Spyder and having it converted to electric, but I reckon that costs $$$$.
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May 22, 2016 16:50
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The S2K isn't in current production though? I don't think it really matters, if you like the MRS just buy it. WIll parts be expensive? Maybe but how much do these cars cost to begin with? There are probably better performing mid-engined sports cars out there but is that really what you are buying it for?
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May 22, 2016 17:09
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Proposed Budget: $5000, but preferably closer to $3000 New or Used: Used Body Style: Hatchback How will you be using the car?: We're buying our first home in a couple months and will need a car because the house is not easy walking distance to groceries anymore. My husband will also use it to drive to work and it will allow him to take a job further away from public transit. We plan to start a family in a couple of years. I'm leaning towards hatchbacks because they offer more cargo capacity than a normal car when folding the seats down. I like this versatility and think it will be really useful as we get more furniture to flesh out our future home. What aspects are most important to you? My husband wants a car with automatic transmission and one that isn't too large. We live in Edmonton Alberta, so most of our driving will be city driving, with the occasional trip out of town for family gatherings. My husband would be most comfortable with a vehicle he can easily maneuver. Safety is also fairly important since we'll be having kids in a couple years. And since we live in Edmonton, I have a preference for heated seats. It's not necessary, but it's definitely nice to have in this climate. A friend of mine really loves her Nissan Versa, while another friend has had a lot of problems with hers. There are a couple Ford Focuses on Kijiji with heated seats. Is 2005 too early to go with a Focus or do they start to get better by then? I was also recommended VW Golf, Honda Fit and Toyota Yaris. My dad is a tow truck driver and mechanic and once offered to get us a car for free and fix it up himself, but I haven't seen him since mid December and he doesn't answer his phone, so I don't actually expect any help from him.
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May 22, 2016 20:22
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Throatwarbler posted:The S2K isn't in current production though? I don't think it really matters, if you like the MRS just buy it. WIll parts be expensive? Maybe but how much do these cars cost to begin with? Parts won't be that expensive, it's mostly Corolla mechanicals. The car isn't very fast, is the major downside. If the motor goes (which it won't, the 1ZZ is really reliable) you should just swap over to a 2ZZ anyway. The SMT is a loving god awful terrible transmission so don't buy the SMT. You should try to find one with the LSD, I think that's 2004 cars and newer. The S2000 is only about 9 inches longer, will cost more money, is a vastly better car in pretty much every respect, and will retain value like crazy.
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May 23, 2016 14:39
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Nessa posted:Proposed Budget: $5000, but preferably closer to $3000 The Focus is probably going to be the best value for the money, but not all of them in that era come with ABS brakes. Make sure yours does! Any car you buy is going to be not all that safe compared to a new car. Not that cars from 2005 are inherently unsafe, but the state of the art has progressed significantly. IIHS has good information about safety on cars. You should make sure the car has airbags, antilock brakes, and ideally stability control. Side impact ratings tend to be more important for the safety of children in the car. Make sure the car has LATCH anchors for carseats. I think almost everything did, but best to be sure. Frankly, you really aren't spending enough money to give you a lot of choices. I would stay away from the heated seats requirement - if you luck out, great, but you need to focus on maintenance history, safety features and mileage. I would avoid the Golf, Fits are likely to be out of your price range, and the Versa isn't all that good. The Yaris tends to be expensive. An option would be to look for cars that have sustained some cosmetic damage, like hail. The price of the car will drop significantly. Avoid cosmetic damage due to accidents, it's too difficult to tell what else went on. Are you or your husband handy enough to do basic routine maintenance?
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May 23, 2016 14:44
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