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GoGoGadgetChris posted:Yeah but aren't you a fellow of Means who probably has driven many cars that are expensive and fast? i think the Renault Twingo is one of the greatest cars ever made
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Aug 20, 2018 21:01
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KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:i have driven numerous kia souls and have never thought oh man this is a good handing car I find my Mom's 2013 Soul fine to drive, and given that people are cross shopping it with other crossovers and SUVs, it drives great. She thinks it's a sports car because she has driven minivans for years, and an 80s pickup before then.
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Aug 20, 2018 21:10
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My 2004 BMW 325i is dead. Two shops say the engine needs replacing, because one of the pistons sucks in oil. I do not want to buy a car, I just want to get as much money for this thing as I can. Considering its condition, what are my options? I genuinely have no experience with this, as this was my first car.
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Aug 20, 2018 21:46
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lord funk posted:My 2004 BMW 325i is dead. Two shops say the engine needs replacing, because one of the pistons sucks in oil. Sell it to whichever of the two shops offers more, or a junkyard.
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Aug 20, 2018 22:32
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The only other option would be "part it out yourself" but that's a lot of time for probably not a lot more money.
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Aug 20, 2018 23:06
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Is it the engine or just rings?
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Aug 21, 2018 00:44
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Thanks for all the car seat chat y'all, that's really helpful. I like the idea of getting one that can port between backseat and stroller. I think based on what I'm hearing + what I've shown my wife we're going to check out the Honda Fit, Honda CRV, and the Kia Soul to start. We're not in a rush with this, which is nice, and we may even hold off til December so we can benefit from the end of year sales dynamic. Appreciate everyone's input!
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Aug 21, 2018 02:59
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Pretty sure the end of model year sales are happening here pretty soon or now
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Aug 21, 2018 03:32
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Seriously if your Pacifica is still in good running order, why run out and replace it? A kid adds tons of gear to your life, even if you try to pack light with them. The Pacifica is a pretty large car, and if you step down to a Fit and add a baby you're gonna be hating life. If you want to get more bang for the buck, look at buying sedans as it seems like they don't hold their value as well as the crossover style vehicles that most people want these days. Friends of mine bought a barely used Honda Accord sedan recently for ~15k and it's a pretty nice car.
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Aug 21, 2018 06:35
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n8r posted:Seriously if your Pacifica is still in good running order, why run out and replace it? A kid adds tons of gear to your life, even if you try to pack light with them. The Pacifica is a pretty large car, and if you step down to a Fit and add a baby you're gonna be hating life. If you want to get more bang for the buck, look at buying sedans as it seems like they don't hold their value as well as the crossover style vehicles that most people want these days. Friends of mine bought a barely used Honda Accord sedan recently for ~15k and it's a pretty nice car. Also, kids will destroy your car's interior so fast.
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Aug 21, 2018 07:09
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lord funk posted:My 2004 BMW 325i is dead. Two shops say the engine needs replacing, because one of the pistons sucks in oil. You'll get at most 1k for it regardless of how nice or terrible it is. You have a 3000lb paperweight in wheels; everyone knows that you're not in a particularly strong place to bargain since they're technically the one doing you a favor.
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Aug 21, 2018 09:36
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Sits on Pilster posted:Pretty sure the end of model year sales are happening here pretty soon or now 2019s are being delivered right now so model year end time is now, yeah. I’ll throw the CX-5 and the outback in to the mix, pig slut Lisa. Worth checking out. People I know with kids love the goddamn outback.
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Aug 21, 2018 12:40
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YMMV but the Honda dealers I’ve worked with in the past had no interest in budging on CR-V pricing for the outgoing model, even when it was the old version 17 vs refreshed 18. The best they would do is a few hundred under and a promotional APR on financing. Mazda might work with you but CUVs are so popular now.
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Aug 21, 2018 14:13
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Most model year-end sales are done by now, unless its a vehicle with a late model year start. They're generally strongest before memorial day.
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Aug 21, 2018 16:45
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I wasn't thinking about model year switches so much as end of calendar year sales and inventory quotas. Maybe that's not a thing, but I've seen several reputable (?) sites mention it. Like I say, not a car guy, so relatively low competency to judge between Real Online Car Knowledge vs Tricky Online Car Bullshit. That's why I'm looking here for guidance as well 
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Aug 21, 2018 17:17
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Auron posted:Most model year-end sales are done by now, unless its a vehicle with a late model year start. They're generally strongest before memorial day. what? the model year end sales will kick off in September, and prior year inventory will mostly be off lots by Thanksgiving or so year end inventory quotas aren't really a thing - most dealers are financing their inventory through a bank and have a certain amount of inventory they're allowed to carry through the bank. model year end is more of a thing than calendar year end.
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Aug 21, 2018 18:13
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Hey all looking to purchase my first vehicle. I was gifted one in high school 15 years ago or so. However I moved to NYC and have not driven a car in 10 years. Fast forward to today and I've moved to the south where that isn't gonna fly. Proposed Budget: 3000 New or Used: Used Body Style: Car not truck or SUV How will you be using the car?: Until it falls apart What aspects are most important to you? I just need it to go to work and pick up groceries I looked on craigslist and found a couple that might suit my needs. Wondering if my gut instinct is right on one of these? https://tricities.craigslist.org/cto/d/2002-honda-civic-ex/6676410333.html Has 146k on the odometer and he says timing belt and sprocket were replaced at 120k whatever that means. https://tricities.craigslist.org/cto/d/2000-buick-park-avenue/6676391682.html I like the look of Buick's and the mileage is very low(86k) which jumped out at me despite the minor body damage. Anything I should know going forward? FayGate fucked around with this message at 10:03 on Aug 22, 2018 |
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Aug 22, 2018 09:20
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We should probably have a guide to buying a sub-$5,000 car somewhere. At three thousand bucks, you're definitely going to buy a car with problems. You also don't get to have opinions like "I prefer this color" or "I don't like the way the Mercury Grand Marquis looks" 1) Maintenance records matter a lot more than the make or model of the car. If the car has been well-maintained, it's less likely to immediately consume a bunch of extra money. 2) get it looked at by a mechanic as with all cars, unless you're in the sub-$2,000 range where it no longer makes sense 3) set aside an additional $1,000 for immediate maintenance, repair, etc 4) stuff like new tires is nice to have but it's preferable that the PO put that money in to maintenance rather than tires. your specific cars: the park ave needs a new replacement seat. It's not too awfully hard to go to a pick-n-pull and get a new seat for a W-Body since they're a dime a dozen, but it requires a bit of mechanical aptitude and a friend. civic: i believe the white faced gauges area aftermarket which would give me great pause If I were looking, I'd try to find in no particular order: Various GM W-bodies with the 3800 like the Buick Regal, Impala, Pontiac Grand Prix. The 3.1 and 3.4 are not good engines. GM G-platform, Park Avenue and Oldsmobile Aurora. Ford Panther platform - Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis Early 2000s Ford Focus Zetec Mid 2000s Hyundai Sonata domestics tend to be more available, do not command price premiums like Japanese cars, and have good parts availability for cheap. GM powertrain will last forever as the car progressively falls apart around it and rattles and squeaks like hell.
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Aug 22, 2018 13:00
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pig slut lisa posted:Hmmm...this seems a little backward to me, like the $200 decision would end up driving the $20,000 decision and not the other way around. It seems like there are lots of lists online when you Google "recommended car seats for [make model]" that we could make use of. You'd be surprised. My sister lives in NYC so she rents cars to visit family. The car seat she chose fits just fine in an older Kia Soul but not in the newest model. The car seat fits better in a midsized sedan compared to the upright compact hatches.
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Aug 22, 2018 16:15
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Just wanted to pop in here and say thank you to all the people answering questions and providing advice. I had purchased all my previous vehicles from a family friend who ran car auctions, so he always steered me to good vehicles so when my 2002 Camry with 201k miles that I've had for 8 years reached the end of the road I had no idea where to start since our family friend has since passed. Looking through posts and replies here though helped me ID the best steps to take, narrow down what I wanted, and got me prepped for dealing with the people at the dealership. Went from a 2002 Camry to 2015 Mazda 3 Touring, only 36k miles, with all the fancy stuff inside and I was able to bring it in under budget (not much but like 3 payments worth) after everything was said and done. It was a lot more simple than I thought, especially going in with a list of my cars I knew they had that I wanted to look at and already pre approved from the credit union. Its super nice driving a car that doesn't make weird noises or make me wonder if itll break down on me today.
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Aug 22, 2018 20:11
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So far since my last post, I've lost out on two cars (sold to other buyers) because I insisted on getting an independent mechanic to look at them—which caused me to have to wait a week because all the good mechanics near me are busy—and refusing to put a deposit down for them to hold the car. It's frustrating but I know according to this thread the whole "refundable deposit guaranteed" thing isn't exactly guaranteed, and there's no way I'm not getting every used car I'm looking at inspected first. I have a pre-purchase inspection scheduled for Saturday. The car he was supposed to look at being sold, hopefully I can find another car for him so I don't have to keep pushing things back. I assume people will tell me to suck it up and be patient but it's been a month and a half since I really started looking and I'm tired. As a refresher, I'm looking for a used Toyota or Honda sedan with sub 50k mileage.
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Aug 22, 2018 20:26
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Is there a reason you don't want to go to a dealer?
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Aug 22, 2018 20:44
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SciFiDownBeat posted:As a refresher, I'm looking for a used Toyota or Honda sedan with sub 50k mileage. You and everybody else. There will not be any outstanding deals on those cars. If you want a great deal, widen your search. If you go to a dealer, bring your own financing and you'll be fine.
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Aug 22, 2018 20:45
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If you are not buying from a Toyota or Honda dealer, they can both do ppis that are fine. You just don't want the selling dealer to do a ppi. A week is a long time, my buddy was able to get an air cooled Porsche ppied by a fancy shop in 48 hours. It isn't rocket science on a honda or toyota. Also, I will put a small deposit on a car I want before the PPI, but make sure you have the price and terms written out. I've not had an issue.
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Aug 22, 2018 20:49
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IRQ posted:Is there a reason you don't want to go to a dealer? Maybe you misread my post, I didn't say I was avoiding dealers. In fact I've only been going to dealers and haven't seen any private sellers. Twerk from Home posted:You and everybody else. There will not be any outstanding deals on those cars. If you want a great deal, widen your search. I don't want a great deal—well I do of course, but that's not my problem. My problem is that it's difficult to schedule a PPI with an independent mechanic when so far I haven't been able to get a PPI on a weekend earlier than a week after I actually check out and test drive the car. And It's hard to schedule that sort of thing in advance. I'd prefer not to take off work for a PPI during the week on the off chance that I end up wasting my time with a clunker. nm posted:If you are not buying from a Toyota or Honda dealer, they can both do ppis that are fine. Yeah I've been attempting to get PPI's with independent mechanics but the cars sell before it can happen because I have to schedule them for the weekend which is usually busy. I like to go there to speak to the mechanic in person but I guess I should start allowing the dealers to send the cars? Have you ever gotten your deposit back on a car after the mechanic didn't sign off on it? Conversely, if the mechanic did sign off, did the deposit get worked into the cost of the car? My fear is that I'll lose a couple of hundred bucks on top of the 50-100 I'm spending on a PPI.
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Aug 22, 2018 21:44
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I personally would not worry about a PPI on an under 50k Toyota or Honda. Use that as a bargaining chip. Aim for 3 yrs old around 30-35k miles and your looking at primarily lease returns anyways.
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Aug 22, 2018 22:22
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Re: winter tire chat Is it better to buy a wheel and tire set, or just change tires and keep the same wheels? My Audi has summer tires and 19” wheels. I am going to get Michelin X-ices. If I buy a set of 18” wheels and tires from Tire Rack is it feasible to do it myself? Better to stick with 19”? Or am I gonna f it up and better off going to the tire shop for changes? I have the storage for the extra set. I have a jack inherited from the PO of house but I’ve never done car poo poo ever.
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Aug 22, 2018 23:13
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IRQ posted:Is there a reason you don't want to go to a dealer? Because a private seller might try to rip you off whereas a dealer will try to rip you off?
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Aug 23, 2018 01:18
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howdoesishotweb posted:Re: winter tire chat Buying a smaller set of wheels and tires is definitely the way to go if you have the space to store them. I do the change over twice a year, under an hour each time, with just a jack and a lug wrench.
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Aug 23, 2018 01:22
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With Japanese cars that maintain huge premiums used (Tacoma, any Subaru) is there any reason NOT to buy new if you can afford it?
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Aug 23, 2018 01:23
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howdoesishotweb posted:Re: winter tire chat Buy whatever the smallest size will clear your brakes. For an Audi I am fairly sure you could go to 17s. It’s very feasible to do it yourself. I did it with the car jack for years.
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Aug 23, 2018 03:06
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shovelbum posted:With Japanese cars that maintain huge premiums used (Tacoma, any Subaru) is there any reason NOT to buy new if you can afford it? I can tell you that a slightly used Tacoma is almost never worth it over the new one because of insane resale values.
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Aug 23, 2018 04:09
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FayGate posted:Hey all looking to purchase my first vehicle. I was gifted one in high school 15 years ago or so. However I moved to NYC and have not driven a car in 10 years. Fast forward to today and I've moved to the south where that isn't gonna fly. Ended up talking the guy selling the Buick down to 2000 and bought it. Of course as soon as I got home after a lengthy test drive the service engine light came on. Guy said he changed the oil a few days ago so I'm hoping it is something as simple as pressing a reset somewhere! The tires will need to be rebalanced so hopefully when I get that done I'll have them read the ODB2 code and it isn't some insanity. I have about 1000 set away for misc. repairs so here's to hoping. edit: the seat isnt nearly as bad as I thought it would be i picked up one of those stretchy seat covers from walmart and it is holdin together very well with a bit of ducktap to keep it flush on the rip FayGate fucked around with this message at 04:58 on Aug 23, 2018 |
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Aug 23, 2018 04:53
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FayGate posted:Ended up talking the guy selling the Buick down to 2000 and bought it. Of course as soon as I got home after a lengthy test drive the service engine light came on. Guy said he changed the oil a few days ago so I'm hoping it is something as simple as pressing a reset somewhere! The tires will need to be rebalanced so hopefully when I get that done I'll have them read the ODB2 code and it isn't some insanity. I have about 1000 set away for misc. repairs so here's to hoping. Autozone will check it for free.
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Aug 23, 2018 05:04
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FayGate posted:Ended up talking the guy selling the Buick down to 2000 and bought it. Of course as soon as I got home after a lengthy test drive the service engine light came on. Guy said he changed the oil a few days ago so I'm hoping it is something as simple as pressing a reset somewhere! The tires will need to be rebalanced so hopefully when I get that done I'll have them read the ODB2 code and it isn't some insanity. I have about 1000 set away for misc. repairs so here's to hoping.
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Aug 23, 2018 15:39
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Meydey posted:I personally would not worry about a PPI on an under 50k Toyota or Honda. Use that as a bargaining chip. Better safe than sorry, in my opinion. shovelbum posted:With Japanese cars that maintain huge premiums used (Tacoma, any Subaru) is there any reason NOT to buy new if you can afford it? I can't afford it. nm posted:I can tell you that a slightly used Tacoma is almost never worth it over the new one because of insane resale values. Does this apply to any other brands?
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Aug 23, 2018 16:13
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SciFiDownBeat posted:Does this apply to any other brands? Any Ford/Chevy/Dodge full-size pickup truck is like this.
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Aug 23, 2018 16:27
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CannonFodder posted:Did you get a pre-purchase inspection? No. Did not seem worth it for a 2k car. Maybe I'm wrong? Check engine light was due to an o2 sensor showing low voltage.
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Aug 23, 2018 16:35
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Eric the Mauve posted:Because a private seller might try to rip you off whereas a dealer will try to rip you off? Everyone will try to rip you off. But regardless, it's going to be really drat hard to find a Toyota or Honda sedan with under 50k miles that just sits around waiting to sell.
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Aug 23, 2018 17:50
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FayGate posted:Ended up talking the guy selling the Buick down to 2000 and bought it. Of course as soon as I got home after a lengthy test drive the service engine light came on. It was on before, he cleared the codes and hope you wouldn't make it through an entire drive cycle on the test drive.
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Aug 23, 2018 18:00
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