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Our TMV new car prices, used car pricing, used car values at Edmunds should also be helpful.
I also recommend joining in on the Questions About Auto Insurance & Accidents discussion.
Good luck!
tidester, host
tidester, host
Just when you've got the bugs out of the last set of changes, you've done it again.
I'm old with bad eyesight. I run my monitor at 800x600 resolution. Your changes do not automatically re-size the screen for different resolutions - making your topic index and the detail messages scroll off the right side of my screen. (Your changes are obviously set for 1200x800 resolution, and as I said, does not do auto-resize.) To see message counts and read all of the messages, I have to constantly scroll my screen left and right.
You also did this in your previous change. And it took months to get it changed.
Why, why, why are you making changes, with no significant 'real' changes, in the format of the forum?
What are other good options?
thanks for help.
tidester, host
I can't switch back from one forum to another. When I want to go to "Smart Shopper" to "Suv's", I have to exit the system entirely then start over. The only way I can get to the "Inside Line" where the forum are, I have to scroll down the first page of Edmunds to the really small words at the bottom and click on "Forum's".
I would think a lot of new comers here are really missing out on connecting to the right threads. If I try to hit "forums" on the Car Space page and type in "SUV" for that Forum, it says it doesn't exist.
I hope they fix this navigational problem for the new folks coming here.... it would be easier for me too although I have managed to get around the quirks.
Thanks, Mark156
I'm not sure why you're having to "exit the system entirely and start over." What I do is to "track" the discussions I am interested in so I can go directly to where I want to be. You can "track" a whole group or a single discussion by clicking the "track" link at the bottom of the page. Afterward, using the "My Tracked Items" link on the left side of a page will take you directly to where you want to be.
You may also want to look at Forums Software! Your Questions Answered... where you can read comments others have made about site issues and post your questions.
Hope that helps!
tidester, host
I read this article link title
but I am not sure if it is accurate. Thanks.
tidester, host
either. That was years ago. Now I have a decision to make. I just bought a
1990 Prizm base model, auto, only 112,000 miles for $600. It already had a
new radiator, and a transmission with a cooler installed about 3 years ago.
I put in another $600 for a starter, timing belt, some gaskets and seals,
new serp belts, and a few other things. This car passes emission like a new
car with almost 0 reading and had only one owner and generally taken care
of. It's the 5 door hatchback and has a cracked dash and drooping ceiling
fabric but the body and paint are nice and shiny. I was going to keep this
for myself. Then I was enlisted to find another good deal for my brother in
law and a week later found the following:
1994 Sentra XE, 2 door, manual trans with 135,000 miles for just $800. Again
only one owner and generally taken care of. Had to replace the original
clutch and replace the crankshaft seal (I think) and dished out about $600
for that. It passes inspections as well with flying colors. It came with a
new alternator but nothing else has been replaced since brand new. The
interior on this is almost perfect and the outside has a bit of a dent but
other than that the body and paint are in excellent condition. It's a lot
sportier than the Prizm, it's got a spoiler and some nice aftermarket
wheels.
Alright then, so if you guys owned both of these cars which are pretty equal
in their condition mechanically and somewhat cosmetically, which would you
keep? There are no recalls on either of them but I'm not aware of any
notorious problems with either, except for Nissan's alternators. I'm also
taking into consideration that this Prizm was perhaps one of the best
designed bulletproof motors Toyota ever made. What I wish I could do is
switch out the motors and then hands down I'd be picking the Sentra. But I'm
not going to do that. So, I welcome your opinions and thanks in advance. If
you need more info to make the decision, let me know.
tidester, host
I am looking to get a car dealers license so I can do online sales only. However, in my state you still are required to have a car lot. I do not want to carry all the overhead and hassle of owning a car lot I only want to purchase and sell cars over the internet.
My Question: I know of or heard of companies out there that, with a monthly fee or per-purchase fee, will allow you to hold a dealers license under their dealership. You simply pay them monthly for your license or whenever you purchase a car from auction. I was wondering if anyone has heard of such companies and if so could give me more information on these companies or could point me in the right direction? I would greatly appreciate any help I can get.
-Mark
I thought it was on either here or Yahoo but I can't find it anywhere. :confuse:
tidester, host
I actually did look on Google before posting but kept coming up with "How to choose a car" and it just wasn't what I wanted.
tidester, host
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I'm looking to repalce this vechicle with something that will fit 3 car seats(I don't think there's enough room in the Tribute for 3 seats).
Can anyone provide me with some vehicles that will sit 3 car seats(either minivan or SUV).
Thanks in advance
Dennis
tidester, host
Check out our Coupes & Convertibles forums section. That's where other members are talking about these vehicles. If you don't see a discussion that fits, you can add one using the "add discussion" link on that page.
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It must be right in front of me, but apparently the blind part of me does not see it...:):):)
Might some directions be in order???
Bob
You probably missed this post I wrote as a heads up about two weeks ago: tidester, "2007 Hyundai Santa Fe" #1507, 15 Oct 2006 11:28 pm
and this one where we made it "official:" tidester, "2007 Hyundai Santa Fe" #1527, 24 Oct 2006 10:45 pm
Sylvia has been discussing the reasons in the Software Questions Forum and this one spells it out: Sylvia, "Forums Software! Your Questions Answered..." #3221, 26 Oct 2006 4:15 am
Not every Make/Model board has undergone the changes yet but we have most of them done now. I hope that helps and that you'll enjoy the new format.
tidester, host
I am a bit confused. I'm trying to get a reliable car for in the 19K-23K range that will be safe and also handle ice and snow well. (I live on Long Island and travel to West Virginia). I have looked at the Jeep Compass, the Subaru Forester, Honda Element, and Hyundai Tuscon. The Mitsubishi Outlander is also an option.
All of the cars are in the same price range, but I keep getting conflicting information from dealers, forums, and friends/family.
1) Is it true that AWD really isn't good for winter and that it's just something to trick consumers into paying more and thinking they can "go anywhere in the snow/ice"?
2) Is it a fact that it's a really bad idea to buy a Mitsubishi because of their financial problems?
3) The Jeep is SUPPOSEDLY a true 4X4 as opposed to an AWD. Is this going to help me on the highway or just in off-road situations (of which I forecast few)?
4) Would I be silly to lease a Hyundai despite the fact that it has all the safety features and includes BOTH AWD and 4WD?
Any help or insight is greatly appreciated!! :confuse:
Which car company has the best AWD system?
4WD and AWD systems explained
and best of all, where you'll get PLENTY of advice:
Please help me decide between...
You can re-post in any one of those discussions, or ask a different question entirely. Good luck!
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I am in the market to buy a pre-owned (used) car about 2 or 3 yrs old in the luxury category. We are going on vacation from the 20th until about the first week of next year. I was wondering whether it is best to buy the car before end of the year vs after the new year.
If it is best to buy before the new year, we only have one week before we leave for vacation so your advice will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks much!
Mag
tidester, host
These forums (a friend recently told me about this site) look like a great source of information, but I have no idea where to start. Any help/advise would be greatly appreciated.
I just graduated college last month, and am about to move to Maryland in the next few weeks to start working full-time. They are providing me with a rental car for the first week, however I need to buy a car when I get there.
At this point, I still know very little about cars or car buying and have very little road experience (I just got my license a few months ago). I will be earning a nice salary when I start working in a few weeks, however I do not know what my monthly budget is going to be. I am also applying for graduate schools for the Fall, so I'm further unsure what will be happening (financially) at that point, depending on where I am accepted.
I need to buy a car now, and basically be able to either fully pay for the car by the end of August (or at least have the remaining money to cover payments in savings by then), or be able to sell the car at that point without having any remaining debt. I have up to about $3000 saved that, if I stretch my budget, can be used towards buying a car now. (My parents aren't able to help me out in purchasing the car, except as far as co-signing a loan if necessary).
The problem is, I'm moving to a new area, do not know much about purchasing cars, nor do I know anybody in the area that can help me in checking out a used car. I need something that will be safe, reliable, and have been told it should have ABS brakes. I've test driven a 2007 Hyundai Accent and liked the handling, but don't think I can afford it (again, I don't want to lock myself into long-term financial commitments that would prevent me from leaving to go to grad school later). A relatively recent used car is probably my best option, but I still don't know enough at this point to have strong feelings about what type, model, or year to get, just that it be reliable.
I also have a few concerns about the process of buying a car. Namely, would there be any issues if I start purchasing the car (ie with registration & insurance) in Maryland before I have a permanent address there? My drivers license and my (parent's) home is in NY.
Thanks,
- David
Here are a couple of links to get you started:
Selecting and Buying My First Car
What's the best vehicle for my needs?
I would advise you to think seriously about what your needs are or will be. That will help enormously in narrowing down your choices. Also, being fresh out of school, you will need to carefully budget your spending even if you do have a great salary. And don't forget that taxes will reduce the size or your paycheck!
Once you've narrowed down your choices and options a bit we can further direct you to suitable discussions and resources.
Good luck!
tidester, host
There's so much lease information out there to help people get educated but its also enough to confuse the c**p outta people and break them down enough to just sign and drive.
Which direction do I go for a bit of bottomline guidance???
Thanks,
Mara
General Questions about Leasing Vehicles
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I’ve been reading a lot of leasing tips but there’s so much involved that I’m becoming a bit overwhelmed and I’m not sure how to apply the information that I’m reading. :confuse:
I’ve been pricing several different cars to see what I can get that fits my criteria. My requisites are: $300-$320 pm, $2500-$3000 TOTAL out of pocket and 15k miles per year. I also need a 3rd row seat and AWD. I’ve considered Saturn’s Outlook, GMC’s Acadia, Buick’s (now discontinued) Rendevouz, Toyota’s 4Runner and Highlander, and Mercury Mountaineer.
I’ll use my experience at the Chrysler dealer as an example. The Touring version had an MSRP of $31,110, dealer said he’d give it to me at his price of $29,110 (now that’s 31,110 - $1500 Chrysler cash for $29,600) and he’s knocking another $500 off. (I didn’t ask for the money factor or residual because I felt the lease payment of $339 he quoted was still too high) Here starts the confusion Edmunds says invoice is $28,588, so did he give me a good price or was there more room to negotiate down??? If there’s more room, how much more? Do I offer $25k? That’s sounds like a good number to me but probably won’t get me a deal. Help!!
Also, is there a better time in the year to be leasing? Is September better than February?
One more question: Is it better to go thru an independent leasing company rather than to attempt a lease thru the dealers’ finance companies?
Thanks in advance!!
Mara :sick:
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I've been reading guides, but I still had a few questions -
1) What things should I look at to make sure the car is still in good shape and won't need too much maintenance? Are they certain tell-tale signs that can provide a good indication of the reliability? I think this is my biggest worry - being saddled with the proverbial lemon.
2) What is a good used car to get, in terms of reliability? I'm not looking for anything fancy or powerful - just an A to B car that won't give me too much trouble and won't guzzle gas.
3) My budget is 8-10k (cash). Is that good? Bad? Ugly?
4) I'm really confused about whether to go through a dealer or an individual or a manufacturer certified program?
I'm sorry if these questions seem stupid or redundant, but I'd really appreciate any assistance.
Thanks!
Varun
Either of these discussions should do it for you..
Selecting and Buying My First Car
Used Vehicles: Best Values
regards,
kyfdx
Edmunds Price Checker
Edmunds Lease Calculator
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When I've done a Carfax title search it states that the vehicle is a private lease. It names the location where the lease company or leasee registered the vehicle.
I'd like to find the NAME of the person not the lease company. I believe it would be invaluable to me of I could get their feedback on the vehicle. (if I can find them)
Do DMV's allow viewing of personal information, such as name and address of a vehicle owner. OR, is that nonpublic knowledge? Are tracing services any better?
If I'm paying over $30,000 for an off lease, I'd like to have more than a carfax. I have Autocritic doing a 160 point inspection. The dealer has had only 1 complaint in 36 months and has been in business since 1989. I feel pretty good but would feel a lot better talking to the person whose driven the car for 3 yrs.
Any thoughts, directions?
It wouldn't hurt to ask the dealer to contact the party that leased the vehicle and see whether that person would be willing to talk with you.
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
I live in PA and am looking at a certified used car in NJ. I would need financing for the car and would therefore have a lien on the car. I would be getting a temp tag from NJ that is valid for 20 days. My problem is because there is a lien I technically don't have possession of the car. When I apply for PA registration, it says I can't even get plates unless I have the title on me or the bank sends the title to PennDOT (if the bank sends it to PennDOT, the plates are issued from PennDOT, which may take weeks). Given all the red tape, I am afraid I might have a car with expired plates sitting for a while since this surely would take longer than 20 days.
Anyone have experience with this type of purchase? I am curious to hear how you did it.
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
Edmunds says the PP value is $18754 with a clean title.
So how much to offer? Should I just run the other way?
Thanks in advance for any help.
Marc