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  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Try asking in the General Questions about Leasing Vehicles discussion.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    The closest thing I can think of right now is the Best Vehicles for Taller/Larger Drivers discussion. Maybe it's time to let him drive .... :)

    The Article Comments: Small AWD SUVs Comparison discussion and linked article may help.

    This one may give you some leads too:

    Forester Interior & Passenger Comfort Questions
  • puck6633puck6633 Member Posts: 1
    Hi, I'm hoping I get get a pointer in the right direction here. I'm 21 years old and looking to get my first real job. I'm currently unemployed, and where I'm living the only option for work is to commute. There are no bus routes, no nearby (within 20 miles) rental locations, etc. I have flawless credit, but very little of it, and of course I'm sure any bank is going to recoil at the fact that I'm currently unemployed, so I seem to have run across a catch 22: I need a car to get a job, but I need a job to get a car.

    My question is, well, everything basically. Do I even have any options? What are my chances of getting a loan in this situation? Would it help at all to have a co-borrower with poor credit (perhaps with good income)? Would it help if I were set for an interview at a job or tentatively hired? Are there any particular cars I should aim for (Currently I'm looking at the Chevrolet Aveo for its price tag and used car dealerships, less money lent means less risk)? Any particular lenders? I understand there are non-profit organizations to help low income citizens with down payments on houses, are there any organizations that might help me out?

    Any information at all is appreciated. I'm sure my situation can't be completely unique, but it seems rather difficult to escape without any reliable family members or connections to speak of. :confuse:
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
  • madmanmoomadmanmoo Member Posts: 2,039
    You have to have some means of income in order to get a loan. The bank isn't going to lend money to someone with no means of repaying it.

    You need a cash car to start you out or buy a bike.

    If you can find someone who will go on the loan as primary (someone who has income) and then you can sign secondary, you should be able to secure financing. That is about the only way I can figure you could get a loan.
  • sallen10sallen10 Member Posts: 30
    However, your first comments are not true evidently for a house loan over the last 5-10 years or so. Seemingly there were many house loans made for which people had little or no means to repay. (See tongue-in-cheek!)
  • jim306jim306 Member Posts: 1
    I would like to drain the radiator of my mazda.neo and cannot find a bung. Please help me as to how to go about this. Thanks
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    There is a Mazda 323 discussion here, so try posting in there.

    I'm not up on this model, but if yours is newer, I think the equivalent model in North America would be the Protege, in which case you should try posting in the Mazda Protege Maintenance and Repair discussion. A Mazda fan in either discussion should be able to steer you in the right direction.
  • cynar10cynar10 Member Posts: 10
    My wife are in a difficult financial situation (like most amercians) and we were thinking of purchasing a second car since the one I had is very beat up and literally falling apart. I just wanted to take the time to say, that we did a lot of research and we were still torn as to what to buy. Gas prices, the amount of passenger room (I have 4 children) and different kinds of variables. So after contacting more then 12 dealerships via internet we came to the conclusion that no one really wants to sell us a car. I'm one of those customers that just wants to know the payment. Yes I'm shopping around but after I give someone the parameters I just want the best payment. I told all of the dealers that credit is not a problem, and I wanted to put a total of 2k down, and lesser mileage is fine for a lease. Would you believe out of all the dealers I contacted 2 THAT'S RIGHT 2 were willing to give me what I was looking for. I'm a very reasonable customer I know a lot about the buisness, and I'm willing to listen via internet to what they want to say. Needless to say after I got the 2 dealers to give me what I wanted the vehicle I was looking at just didn't fit our budget. I'm still in the market and still not sure what I'm going to buy, but I thought it was interesting how much these dealers just ignored me, gave me the run around, etc. given that car sales are so bad. One dealer told me their having some of the best months ever and that I should come back when I know what I want!!!! Needless to say I won't be buying from them. Thanks for listening.

    Steve
  • Karen_SKaren_S Member Posts: 5,092
    I'm sorry you are having so many disappointing auto shopping experiences. If you like, you can post reviews about the dealerships here: http://www.edmunds.com/dealerships/drr/jump.html

    You also might try these discussions in Smart Shopper for some advice.

    Purchasing Strategies

    Internet vs. Traditional Car Buying

    Got a Quick Question for a Car Dealer?
  • oboringoboring Member Posts: 2
    i recently bought i house with a three car garage and the garage is full of car and motorcycle parts. I have found several V8 engine blocks, valves and carbs. I am not very engine familiar and was wondering if there is a way for me to find out what the blocks or other parts are out of without finding someone who knows more about them. Any info would be appreciated. Thank You
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    An engine block will likely have the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) stamped on it. Our How to Decode VIN Numbers should help you after you find those numbers.

    tidester, host
    SUVs and Smart Shopper
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    If you took photos of the engines and posted them in our

    CLASSICS FORUM



    we could probably tell you what make of engines they are, and from that, we could then tell you where to look for ID numbers.

    But without photos, no way, as all engines have different ways to be identified.
  • bolivarbolivar Member Posts: 2,316
    Older (don't look at newer stuff) General Motor blocks have the VIN number stamped into the metal at the right, front where the head bolts down. A head in its correct place will not cover this VIN. Get the VIN and run it thru the VIN id link given in tidester's message.

    But if a motor was rebuilt in its past, in many cases the machine shop doing the rebuild would 'deck the block' which means they mill down the block, removing the VIN.

    There are some blocks that could be worth a lot of money. But, something that someone abandoned in your new house probably don't fall into this case.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Don't think that will work for engine blocks, using vehicle VIN decoders, although you are right there are #s on GM blocks on passenger side in front of right side cylinder head. Some GM cars match vehicle VIN to block but are often incomplete sequences + a suffix + a date code. This can be very confusing.

    Mopar has some ID on left front cylinder head, (engine type) or above water pump, or along oil pan on passenger side. Ford engines are very difficult to identify precisely as engine codes are often on discarded metal tags. Casting numbers on various blocks can also help. Photos are really needed to know what block we are looking at.
  • cardude09cardude09 Member Posts: 4
    i have a door and a rear seat that i dont know what they go to. i believe the door is from a 50-52 belair. maybe seat is too i have pics that i can send.
  • 80srockgod80srockgod Member Posts: 15
    How about an Audi Q5 forum in the prices paid / lease questions forum?
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    You could try posting the pics in the Mystery car pix.... discussion. They might be able to tell you what car the door and seat belong to.

    Please see the Help link at the bottom for pic posting instructions. And your CarSpace page is a good place to put the pics for posting - we have free photo albums for car pics there.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 234,725

    Edmunds Price Checker
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  • cardude09cardude09 Member Posts: 4
    i also have a bumper piece. it looks like it is part of a 3 piece bumper. there is also a pic of the tag i found on the underside of the seat

    car pics
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Looks like you found a good place to ask in the Mystery car pix.... discussion.
  • mavrick83mavrick83 Member Posts: 3
    Hi,

    This is my first post here. i'm a 25 year old guy who is looking to buy my first car (when i say my first, i mean i will be paying for it, been driving for years). There are soo many choices out there that i have no clue what i want. here is a list of cars that i have thought about over the past year.

    Jetta
    GTI
    GLI
    Audio A4
    Challenger
    G37 (sedan)
    C300 sport

    I'm trying to get something sporty but something practical as well.

    In this recession, i am not sure if i want to spend a whole lot of money on a car, so now I'm trying to get the most for the buck.

    any ideas? maybe something else that's not listed?

    I'd prefer to lease, but i know a whole lot of people who tell me to buy, any ideas on this as well?

    Thanks,
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    Help Me Choose! might be a good place to start.

    tidester, host
    SUVs and Smart Shopper
  • macmacmoomacmacmoo Member Posts: 3
    DH and I want to buy a minivan. now it's up for grabs on whether we really need one or not, DS was born recently and we are sort of musing over having another DC in the next year. DH is currently deployed. when he get back in May we get to move from Atlanta to Seattle. We currently have a Honda Civic and a Saturn SL2 both are 2002's or is it 2003... anywho the thing that is given us the most want for getting a minivan now instead of later is the thought of moving cross crountry in a sedan. granted all our stuff will be going by way of moving van. its just the getting of DH, DS, and I to the other side of continent that is a little concerning. if we buy a van we will sell DH's saturn

    Anywho we have been setting aside money to go towards a minivan for a little since it is something we knew we wanted to get at some point. basically since both out current cars are paid off we been putting aside $300 a month to "pretend" we have a payment and eventually use to go towards a down payment.

    So I suppose the first question I have is when to buy? DH gave me the ability to be able to buy without him and all trusting my judgement and all. I'm okay with that but i prefer not to. Or do I wait till he get back and we try to do it during the two we have in atlanta before we actually move? or do we suck it up and just wait till we get to seattle... or do we just flat out don't get a mini van?

    The next question is if we get one which one? Our biggest thing is Safety. but after that we don't really know. I suppose cost would be next. we are looking at $300 a month payment... $350 if we really really had to... We are leaning towards new and perhaps a Toyota, Honda, Kia, Hyuandai or Nissian. I'd like some comforts: power seat controls, tinted back windows, nothing too fancy. We aren't really fans of the wood looking stuff and prefer cloths seats to what ever the other thing is lol.

    hmmms not sure what else i can add... but yelp!
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    Those are tough questions. You may get some guidance in What's the best vehicle for my needs? and Help Me Choose! for starters.

    Good luck!

    tidester, host
    SUVs and Smart Shopper
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Ok, DH I recognize as Dear Hubby. DC I'm guessing is Dear Child. But I'm stumped at DS. :shades:

    I've gone cross-country in a minivan and we really like them (and no DCs or DSs - hmmm, Dear Son?). But you may not want to buy one just for one trip if you are used to tooling around in sedans.

    In addition to Tidester's suggestions, you may want to skim the Minivans - Domestic or Foreign discussion and you may get some ideas from the SUV vs Minivans discussion.
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    Yes Steve, dear son is correct! Though there are times for all of those abbreviations when the "D" does not have to mean dear, depending on what the referenced person just did. :shades:
  • madmanmoomadmanmoo Member Posts: 2,039
    Something about this person's handle is awfully familiar........ :confuse:
  • tallman1tallman1 Member Posts: 1,874
    lol... at first I thought it was you playing around with a new profile. However, after reading the post... I figured that you wouldn't be impersonating a woman. Especially with a legit question. :shades:

    An admirer perhaps???
  • madmanmoomadmanmoo Member Posts: 2,039
    Ya, definitely not me. Perhaps I do have an admirer. :)
  • caseysdubs1caseysdubs1 Member Posts: 11
    My brother in law lost his job and can't pay his lease. He is going to go back to school so a high paying job is not in the near future. He obviously does not want to ruin his credit history but can't pay his $350 a month lease anymore. He has 10 months remaining. The vehicle appraised over $3k under the FMV.
    Does he have any options besides trying to get someone to lease or buy it? Does anyone think Ford Motor Credit would work with him or accept like a $1K (or less) payment and let him out?
    Lots of questions for him but he does not have internet at home anymore.
  • KCRamKCRam Member Posts: 3,516
    A couple of resources to try:

    General Questions about Leasing Vehicles

    Lease Termination Fees and other costs

    kcram - Pickups/Wagons Host
  • caseysdubs1caseysdubs1 Member Posts: 11
    Thanks for the links!
  • asp123asp123 Member Posts: 3
    Looking to lease a sedan within the next week. Just wondering if I'm losing out on any deals by not signing up by the end of this month as opposed to some time in the beginning of April?
  • KCRamKCRam Member Posts: 3,516
    Probably a little too late to really get March incentive info, but you can check the Prices Paid: Buying & Leasing Experiences Board, where most cars have a "Lease Questions" discussion. You can ask there for what the curret incentives are for each make/model you may be considering.

    kcram - Pickups/Wagons Host
  • artnjartnj Member Posts: 4
    Woops sorry....new user, cant seem to post, I can only reply so I posted my ultimate question in this thread. Maybe someone can clue me in to how to repost it in the right place. Substantive Part of the post below:

    For 6 months or so, once a month, when it rained HARD for HOURS (not in light rain), and my car (2004 Accord EX) was outside, I would experience the nav unit (which includes the radio and clock) quickly flickering off and on until the car warmed up. My mechanic told me "well, you could bring it in and pay me to fish around, but it doesnt seem worth it. Wait and see if it gets worse."

    Last Friday, torrential rains, car outside all day. Nav unit was again flickering on and off, with greater rapidity than I have seen. Over the course of 15 minutes (before car warmed up/dryed out I guess), it probably flickered on and off 75 times. Maybe 15 times, the flicker was accompanied by the ABS and Brake indicator lights on the dash flickering on the dash itself (i.e. as far as I know, it was just the indicator lights flickering), and the gas cutting out. These are super quick flickers, the gas cutting out was noticeable, but over so quickly it didnt seem overly dangerous and I crossed my fingers and drove home.

    I am very concerned I got ripped on the repair work that was done. The tech essentially admitted to me that there was no thorough testing of the electrical system. Sounded like he stopped at a visual inspection of the wires/connections. He noticed that by jiggling the key in the slot, he could make the power flicker and decided the ignition switch was bad. He recovered a code that had led to the check enginge light being on, which reported a problem with the main computer control system, which he said was hopefully just from the power spike. He reported that he "used a hose" on the car but was unable to recreate the problem. He took the car for a "test drive" today (no rain today.) So "maybe" it was the ignition switch. I am getting a bill for $390 for this!

    Hope I'm wrong, but my guess is that the next time the car is out in/after heavy rain, I'm going to be cursing up a storm when the problems reoccur. Most of my drive to work is a busy highway, so its probably not to safe either.

    What the heck? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Electrical gremlins can be hard to track down but here's hoping you got it fixed with the switch.

    Try posting in the Honda Accord Hybrid Electrical/Lighting Problems for other suggestions.
  • generic_clonegeneric_clone Member Posts: 1
    I'm in the market for a new car and I've narrowed my choices down. I'm ready to buy, but I really don't want to spend hours haggling. I've read many, many, many posts and articles where people have gotten great deals, quite a few times paying less than invoice by email or over the phone. Things is, they just say they did it, but not how they went about doing it. I've tried sending out for quotes using websites, but when they email me back, they just give details about the vehicle and tell me to call for an appointment to come in and talk face to face. Can anyone give me any tips and/or hints being able to perform a transaction like this with out geting screwed over?
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    Internet vs. Traditional Car Buying would be a good place to start.

    tidester, host
    SUVs and Smart Shopper
  • mattygumpmattygump Member Posts: 3
    My wife and I are moving from New York to Northern California are going to purchase a car. Since we'll need it almost immediately when in California we were wondering if it's better to buy it here while we're still in NY and ship to Cali or to talk with dealers in Cali and try and buy over the phone and pickup when we arrive. Any thoughts or concerns we should be aware of?
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    There's a Buying used cars from out of state discussion but nothing for new ones. Internet vs. Traditional Car Buying may help or some of the other topics in Smart Shopper.

    Perhaps, as a third option, you'd be interested in Rental Car Experiences?
  • bolivarbolivar Member Posts: 2,316
    There are millions of cars in CAlifornia. Why buy one and ship it yourself clear across the country?

    Rent a car for a few days when you get there until you can buy a car.
  • mkimpalamkimpala Member Posts: 1
    I recently purchased a 64 Impala Coupe and someone told me there had been a recall around that time regarding the hood latch. I can not find any information on this subject. Where would I go to find out about any recalls to a 64 model Chevrolet?
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    There may be some useful information in Chevrolet Impala TSBs/Recalls/Problem Codes or you may want to have a look at A Quick Guide to Recalls .

    tidester, host
    SUVs and Smart Shopper
  • uflawyeruflawyer Member Posts: 6
    Hi,

    I figured this would be the best place to ask my question. I purchased a 2007 G35 Certified Pre-owned w/ Elite Warranty on April 4th, 2009. I asked the Infiniti dealer at the time if there were any accidents and salesman shows me Autocheck showing clean history. Today I notice the two clips holding the rear bumper/side sill are loose/broken. I creep under car and discover that metal bumper (under plastic exterior bumper) has been dented badly. Also, there are some bolts missing from bumper assembly. I run an autocheck on my car and low and behold, there is an accident listed on 3/5/2009. The report the dealer handed to me on April 4th had no mention of the accident. I called the dealer and they were rude. I called Infiniti customer service and they said they would work with general manager of dealer to resolve this. Woman at the other end seemed to agree that this was fraud/cover up.

    What else can I do? Anyone been through this with Infiniti? Please help. I don't want to drive car with my children in the backseat because of safety concerns.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    It looks like you found a good place to post over in the Infiniti G35 G37 Prices Paid and Buying Experience discussion.
  • quintainquintain Member Posts: 1
    I am a new owner of a 2004 Santa Fe GLS SUV 3.5 auto 99000 miles with no service history and am new to Kissimmee Florida area zip 34746.
    Can any one advise me on a reliable independant service agent.
    I will instructing repair shop to carry out timing belt, plugs and other major service needs.
    Thanks in advance.
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    Someone in Hyundai Santa Fe Maintenance and Repair (2006 and earlier) may be able to help you.

    tidester, host
    SUVs and Smart Shopper
  • ejm99ejm99 Member Posts: 1
    A Connecticut dealership is displaying MSRP's about $200 greater than what is posted on edmunds.com. When I asked why that was, the sales person said it was because of the Connecticut PZEV costs. Is this a normal practice?
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Try asking in the Edmunds Pricing & TMV discussion. Please clarify that the price difference is on the Monroney sticker (and not just on a dealer added sticker) when you post over there.
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