By accessing this website, you acknowledge that Edmunds and its third party business partners may use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to collect information about you and your interactions with the website as described in our
Privacy Statement, and you agree that your use of the website is subject to our
Visitor Agreement.
Comments
BTW, any word on the "rubber treatment"?
Anybody have any wiper brand recommendations yet????
They may prefer to put you in a rental at their expense, rather than have you rack up all those miles on their loaner car!
Meade
The blades I have are ANCO 31-series (no, I'm not that anal about blades, but I just found 'em on their website). I got them at Wal-Mart for a good price. I like them so much -- much more substantial than the OEM ones -- that despite the little clip problem, I'll be staying with them. I've been using ANCO blades for about seven years now and this is the first problem I've had with any of their products. They have been around since the beginning of time, after all -- and if you don't recognize the name, you'll probably recognize the logo once you see it:
http://www.federal-mogul.com/anco/wiper_anco.html
Meade
Just my opinion.
Meade
Meade
BTW, one reason I like the Ancos is because they're not all metal -- the important parts are, but much of the blade is that high-impact nylon stuff. They look great (not shiny) and won't rust or "white out" on you.
Meade
"Wipers that do not work are dangerous!! At ANCO, you're safety is important to us"
http://www.salemboysauto.com/auto-parts/wipers.htm
Meade
Meade, Most manufacturers make different grades of blades. Trico is OEM on some vehicles, but it probably wasn't the cheapies you bought. Unless the frame is bent or seized, I would only change the inserts and leave the factory frame there.
Woo-hoo! Finally a MAPP without a bad forecast! (Hang in there, forecast, HANG IN THERE!!!)
I'm gone. See you guys tomorrow at MAPP - 1 Day!
Meade
I usually find, on sale, the complete wipers at about the same price as replacement inserts.
From them on its strictly full replacement of the blade and housing for me, $20 for a set of Boschs is the way to go in my opinion.
Tonight. Occasional showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the upper 40s. North winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90 percent.
Saturday. A chance of showers until mid-morning. Otherwise decreasing clouds. Much cooler with highs in the upper 50s. North winds around 15 mph. Chance of rain 30 percent.
Saturday night. Partly cloudy. Lows in the upper 30s.
Oh well, I spent a couple hours giving both Pros a final detailing last night. Looks like they won't be arriving in pristine condition though! So what else is new -- three MAPPs and I can't schedule one completely dry one!
Meade
Meade
It's pretty simple, really --
Just get on I-66 West from D.C. and stay on it until you get to Front Royal, Virginia. I *think* it's about an hour or so? Maybe a tad longer? Anyway, the main drag going through Front Royal is Route 340. You'll want to head south on Route 340 and go through the town. The park is well-marked and about 5-6 miles south of Front Royal on 340.
Meade
The specific models are Bosch Microedge or Microedge Excel, Anco Aerovantage. I've liked them all.
Stay away from Trico. Terrible designs. The rubber wiper isn't pressed down evenly over its length so you're left with big, wide streaks.
I've never bought a car before and I think I probably have sucker written all over me.
Em
1) See if you can get a complete maintenence history (ie. oil changes, belt changes, etc.)
2) Check to see if the vehicle has been in an accident. Look first for obvious signs (ie. many paint scratches in one area, misaligned panels, etc.) Also, if you can get the VIN, then you can run it thru a company like Carfax to get a complete history of the vehicle (ie. if any insurance claims have been made for accidents).
3) If the vehicle is a manual, start it up and then stall it. The vehicle should then start up without any trouble. If it doesn't start right away, this could be a sign of impending troubles.
4) Check for any sort of fluid leak. If you can see where the car usually gets parked, you'll easily be able to see any signs of fluid leaks on the ground. Also, check the engine bay for any leaks.
5) While in the engine bay, check for belts. Are they still good or are they worn? If the rubber for the belts feels brittle, they may need to be changed soon.
6) Check the function of accessories (power windows/locks, air conditioner, etc). Do they all work well?
7) Check the tires. Tread depth ok? Are they worn? Are there any bulges in the side wall? Also check the spare and make sure the jack and other tools to change a flat are there.
8) Test drive: How does it drive? Any unusual sounds? Is the steering good or is it loose? How is the alignment? Does it pull to one direction?
There's probably a lot I'm missing, but I hope this was somewhat helpful!
Good luck!
Ask the owner what problems he or she has had in the past. Drive it and listen to the engine for odd sounds. Check under the hood, if the engine and parts are dusty or dirty it probably hasn't been serviced in a while. That isn't all bad. A clean engine could mean the owner cleaned it up to hide
leaking parts.
Look at the belts (alternator and A/C) and see if they look worn. Ask if you can have a mechanic check the car over. Check the tires for wear.
Read Edmunds for more tips on checking cars.
Get the mileage and tell us what condition the car is in. Maybe we can give you better advice after your test drive. Also, check Ednunds True Market Value for used cars and see what you should pay for a 1991 Protege with the mileage on this car.
Keep in mind that you may have to spend additional money to bring the car up to basic standards to pass inspection. It may need new tires and you should have the oil and filter changed. Deduct service and parts replacement costs from what the seller is asking to get a fair price.
You will probably find, that with the cost of the car plus parts replacement, you would be better off with a later model Protegé.
fowler3
Uneven tire wear (i.e. just on one side, cupped or scalloped edges etc.) may indicate worn strut cartridges or springs, misaligned wheels. Evenly worn tires just means you'll need new tires.
Check the A/C and heater function and other electrical systems.
Make sure all gears in the transmission work. Had someone who got a used Starion (remember those?) and found out afterwards it wouldn't engage its top gear (didn't take it on the freeway so never tried it out).
fowler3
Meade
Think about a 1997 or later Protegé. And you said it is in classifieds, try AutoTrader.com for a much better selection of used Protegés from a wider area. You can search up to 50 miles from your hometown, and farther away.
I'll bet you don't buy the 1991 Protegé.
What is your price range?
fowler3
After much deliberation, I decided that a new car was going to be only slightly more expensive than a used one PLUS there was warranty on the new car.
For my situation it was good to get a new car. However, I understand that we are all in different situations and all have different needs.
fowler3
This works for those who's "situation" means they buy an entry-level model instead of the car they really want. Think of the entry-level car as a temporary ride until you can move up. There's plenty of time for that ideal car later.
fowler3
Meade
Most cams have the ability to change the resolution of the pics that it is going to take. The pics on "regular" settings are nice, but you'll notice a huge difference if you goto the "high res" selection.
Ahem..now to get back onto Protege topics
Anybody know how much the AEM short ram air intake costs? I got a quote of $343 for one yesterday! Seems more than a little steep.
So be careful what you "nyah" at, Paul.
This sucker was $995 two weeks ago. No small potatoes camera. It beat out top-line models from Nikon and Olympus. I bought it after a lot of research. My camera can beat up your camera.
Meade