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f13.net  |  f13.net General Forums  |  General Discussion  |  Topic: Buying a new car, need some advice 0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
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Author Topic: Buying a new car, need some advice  (Read 341567 times)
MuffinMan
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Reply #140 on: May 08, 2011, 09:10:41 AM

Bought a 2008 Honda Fit on Thursday. Love it so far, sips gas. It's amazing that it's so small from the outside but feels huge on the inside. With the way the rear seats fold around I can fit anything in there.

Thinking about getting the windows tinted but I'm afraid to from seeing all the crappy bubbly tints on everyone's cars here.

I'm very mysterious when I'm inside you.
TheWalrus
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Reply #141 on: May 08, 2011, 12:24:33 PM

You should put a spoiler, some ground effects and spinners on that shit yo.

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ghost
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Reply #142 on: May 08, 2011, 03:04:41 PM

I just bought a Ford F150 gas guzzler.   Oh ho ho ho. Reallllly?
Sky
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Reply #143 on: May 08, 2011, 05:02:26 PM

After moving a couple tons of soil I'm missing my pickup.
sinij
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Reply #144 on: May 08, 2011, 07:53:03 PM

Thinking about getting the windows tinted but I'm afraid to from seeing all the crappy bubbly tints on everyone's cars here.

The only type of tint that wouldn't bubble or turn purple involves baking glass with chemical additives. Generally if it isn't from factory, it will go bad in only couple years.

Eternity is a very long time, especially towards the end.
Ginaz
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Reply #145 on: May 09, 2011, 05:51:18 PM

An update from the OP, I ended up going with the 2011 Hyundai Tucson GLS AWD.  After taxes (go go no provincial sales tax in Alberta) and fees, they wanted over $32,000.  I managed to get them down to an even $30,000.  With my trade in (got what I was looking for there too) and a small cash down payment shaved another $5k off and my payments are being done bi-weekly with 0% interest over 6 years.  Overall I'm pretty happy so far.  Its the perfect size for me (Sante Fe was a little too big), the 4 cylinder engine has some surprising power, its nice to drive, looks good inside and out (vastly different appearance from earlier models) and the radio controls on the steering wheel is great.  I even was able to make use of the heated seats a few times. Heart  If you're looking for a smaller SUV type vehicle, I'd recommend giving the 2011 Tucson some consideration.
murdoc
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Reply #146 on: May 10, 2011, 07:03:04 AM

Thinking about getting the windows tinted but I'm afraid to from seeing all the crappy bubbly tints on everyone's cars here.

The only type of tint that wouldn't bubble or turn purple involves baking glass with chemical additives. Generally if it isn't from factory, it will go bad in only couple years.

I've gotten the windows on all my vehicles I have ever owned tinted and not ever gotten a single bubble. The last car I had, I had for 7 years.

Have you tried the internet? It's made out of millions of people missing the point of everything and then getting angry about it
TheWalrus
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Reply #147 on: May 10, 2011, 07:36:13 AM

In my area it really depends on the quality of the work. Some "discount" dudes here, stuff falls apart in about year and a half. One guy in town that you have to arrange a meet to look at the car first though, I've never seen his stuff bubble. Our climates pretty mild though.

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sinij
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Reply #148 on: May 11, 2011, 08:30:53 AM

100F weather for 6 months of the year. The only tint I see here is factory or bubbling/peeling kind.

Eternity is a very long time, especially towards the end.
SnakeCharmer
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Reply #149 on: May 11, 2011, 11:20:00 AM

Good ol' LA.

Unless you're lucky enough to have covered parking where you work, you can count on your dash warping, your tint bubbling, and the steering wheel / gear shifter leaving burn marks on your hands like that nazi dude in the first Indiana Jones movie.  And that's using a window screen.
Sky
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Reply #150 on: May 11, 2011, 12:00:10 PM

Weigh that against having your roads over-salted and eating away your car from underneath. I understand some salt in the proper conditions, but our roads are white in the spring. I THINK YOU GOT IT, DPW.
ghost
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Reply #151 on: May 11, 2011, 12:02:58 PM

I live in San Antonio and have had aftermarket tint on 3 cars and they've all done fine.  It's like anything else, I think, in that you generally get what you pay for. 
MuffinMan
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Reply #152 on: May 11, 2011, 01:30:49 PM

Have you been going to the same place for all 3 in SA? I'd take a recommendation from someone that's had tinting done here in Austin, as well.

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Sheepherder
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Reply #153 on: May 11, 2011, 11:55:40 PM

Weigh that against having your roads over-salted and eating away your car from underneath. I understand some salt in the proper conditions, but our roads are white in the spring. I THINK YOU GOT IT, DPW.

Look at it from the bright side: at least it makes deer hunting easy. why so serious?
ghost
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Reply #154 on: May 17, 2011, 06:03:33 AM

Have you been going to the same place for all 3 in SA? I'd take a recommendation from someone that's had tinting done here in Austin, as well.

No.  My father in law got his done about 2 years ago at Mother's window tint and it has been good.  Many dealerships will have an aftermarket person/group they can recommend as well or they may have people that can do it in house.
KallDrexx
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Reply #155 on: July 26, 2011, 11:08:32 AM

So I have a question, and I didn't feel like creating a brand new thread for it.

I have a 2010 Ford Fusion I bought new and have taken good care of it (regular and on time oil changes).  I am considering whether it's worth buying an extended warranty (official one from Ford, not the scam ones).  Usually I am against extended warranties as they are scams in Best Buy and the like, but I'm wondering if it's worth it for a car I plan on keeping for a long, long time.

Right now my car comes with a 3 year, 36k mile bumper to bumper warranty.  A 6 year, 75k mile complete extended warranty (I drive about 13k miles a year) will cost $2285. 

Have people found extended car warranties worth it or not really?
Mazakiel
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Reply #156 on: July 26, 2011, 11:13:29 AM

With the truck I had, I got an extended warranty, and it ended up being a waste of money.  Things didn't start breaking down on it until the extended warranty had expired. 
shiznitz
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Reply #157 on: July 26, 2011, 11:30:57 AM

So I have a question, and I didn't feel like creating a brand new thread for it.

I have a 2010 Ford Fusion I bought new and have taken good care of it (regular and on time oil changes).  I am considering whether it's worth buying an extended warranty (official one from Ford, not the scam ones).  Usually I am against extended warranties as they are scams in Best Buy and the like, but I'm wondering if it's worth it for a car I plan on keeping for a long, long time.

Right now my car comes with a 3 year, 36k mile bumper to bumper warranty.  A 6 year, 75k mile complete extended warranty (I drive about 13k miles a year) will cost $2285. 

Have people found extended car warranties worth it or not really?

$2285  will cover a ton of problems on a Ford Fusion.  That seems insane.  Have you had any issues with the car?  I have found that a car will hint early about its long term condition.  Assuming your car is now only 2 years old and you haven't needed any non-standard service, I would think that price is nuts. 

Do you have to get your car inspected before you buy the warranty?  How does that work?  What prevents you from buying the warranty at the first sign of trouble?

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KallDrexx
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Reply #158 on: July 26, 2011, 12:12:35 PM

$2285  will cover a ton of problems on a Ford Fusion.  That seems insane.  Have you had any issues with the car?  I have found that a car will hint early about its long term condition.  Assuming your car is now only 2 years old and you haven't needed any non-standard service, I would think that price is nuts. 

Do you have to get your car inspected before you buy the warranty?  How does that work?  What prevents you from buying the warranty at the first sign of trouble?

Nope, the only problem I have had is my Stereo's amplifier is bad and needs to be replaced (awaiting the part now) but other then that the only thing that's needed to be done is oil changes (which is good considering someone hit it while it was parked 2 days after purchasing and did $7500 worth of damage to the rear side of it).

I guess that's true, that $2.2k can cover a lot of damage if the need arises.
Viin
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Reply #159 on: July 26, 2011, 01:17:20 PM

I think an extended warranty is worth it. Around year 5 random things will start to break .. Of course, you may get lucky and never experience a problem - but if you were, wouldn't it be nice to know you don't have to drop 5k into the car to keep it running another 5 years?
« Last Edit: July 26, 2011, 01:19:30 PM by Viin »

- Viin
MisterNoisy
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Reply #160 on: July 26, 2011, 01:18:42 PM

CV boots ($900 each), wheel bearings ($700 each), etc.

I think that you need to find another repair shop if those are the price quotes you're getting.

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Viin
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Reply #161 on: July 26, 2011, 01:20:04 PM

CV boots ($900 each), wheel bearings ($700 each), etc.

I think that you need to find another repair shop if those are the price quotes you're getting.

Heh I just took that out of my post - I realized I was quoting prices for sets not singles.

- Viin
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Reply #162 on: July 26, 2011, 01:33:46 PM

If you are going to drop that on a warranty, you might want to just stick that into a saving account and bust it out when you need it. Not a whole lot of repairs that would cost that much at a sitting, especially if you know a guy...

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sinij
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Reply #163 on: August 07, 2011, 06:44:11 PM

Consumer Reports severely downgraded new Honda Civic. Surprising.

Eternity is a very long time, especially towards the end.
Murgos
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Reply #164 on: August 08, 2011, 05:04:46 AM

I think an extended warranty is worth it. Around year 5 random things will start to break .. Of course, you may get lucky and never experience a problem - but if you were, wouldn't it be nice to know you don't have to drop 5k into the car to keep it running another 5 years?

One of the things to be wary of with extended warranties is that they are often structured to be for a set period of time.  Usually 24-36 months.  What is often obfuscated by the contractual jargon is that the coverage period usually starts from when you get the contract, not from the lapse of manufacturers warranty.  I.e. you will have a period of overlapping coverage not a period of extended coverage.

Read the contract carefully and remember that you are NOT dealing with the manufacturer in most cases when negotiating an extended warranty.  It's usually some third party insurance firm.

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Salamok
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Reply #165 on: August 08, 2011, 07:15:38 AM

Consumer Reports severely downgraded new Honda Civic. Surprising.

Just an extension of the trend from the previous year, looks like the new models in our new economy are mostly the previous models with many corners cut.  Consumer reports downgraded a few models the previous year as well (the Odysey being 1 IIRC). 

Personally I think Honda is slipping quite a bit across the board, after my car shopping/buying experience from 3 months ago I would say that over all the fit and finish on Toyota's seemed much better than what Honda had to offer (I've always been a bit of a Honda admirer as well).  I realize there are a ton of Honda Fit fans out there but the interior felt pretty bottom of the barrel to me and maybe I'm just used to bigger cars but it was pretty gutless during the test drive.  I realize it isn't a luxury car but I think for similar money I'd rather roll the dice on a Psion, Corolla or Hyundai Elantra.

Maybe it is all in my head and I'm just sour because the Honda dealer I went to pissed me off beyond belief.
MisterNoisy
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Reply #166 on: August 08, 2011, 08:04:25 AM

Consumer Reports severely downgraded new Honda Civic. Surprising.

Just an extension of the trend from the previous year, looks like the new models in our new economy are mostly the previous models with many corners cut.  Consumer reports downgraded a few models the previous year as well (the Odysey being 1 IIRC).  

Personally I think Honda is slipping quite a bit across the board, after my car shopping/buying experience from 3 months ago I would say that over all the fit and finish on Toyota's seemed much better than what Honda had to offer (I've always been a bit of a Honda admirer as well).  I realize there are a ton of Honda Fit fans out there but the interior felt pretty bottom of the barrel to me and maybe I'm just used to bigger cars but it was pretty gutless during the test drive.  I realize it isn't a luxury car but I think for similar money I'd rather roll the dice on a Psion, Corolla or Hyundai Elantra.

Maybe it is all in my head and I'm just sour because the Honda dealer I went to pissed me off beyond belief.

They're doing the same thing that VW is doing for their US-market Jetta and Passat and decontenting them somewhat to become more price competitive with the likes of Kia and Hyundai, who have really stepped their game as of late - the Elantra is probably the best small car available in America right now.  The basic plan is to just make it bigger, skimp on things like interior materials and stuff people don't see (remember when the Civic had a proper independent rear suspension?) where possible and make sure there's a headline grabbing stripper model 'Starting at...'  Hell - they've been doing it with the Accord for years - they sell the Euro Accord here as an Acura.

While most enthusiast publications/blogs (and even CR) have expressed their disappointment with these new downgraded versions, I don't think the average American car buyer cares - most people just want something fairly inexpensive, roomy, boring and reliable anyway.

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sinij
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Reply #167 on: August 08, 2011, 08:51:59 AM

I personally test drove many pre-"facelift" Honda and Acura cars and could not see much difference between upper trim Hondas and any Acuras. Personally I felt Acuras interface was too cluttered with unnecessary buttons, as if designers had to ask themselves "what rarely-used feature can we add to differentiate from Honda"? I see "cheapening" as justified to bring it more in line with the brand, but it isn't accompanied by equivalent price drop. In my mind there is no doubt that Civic (and Accord to a degree) over 1997-2010 era became too luxurious and well engineered, to the point that aftermarket performance parts weren't doing much for them. Now, I think Honda went wrong way about cutting costs - eliminating independent suspension will piss off enthusiasts (one of core markets) and cheapening interior well make upper trims a dud (who would buy anything but a base model?).

It would be interesting to see if kids still rice Civics in a couple years or switch to something else.

Edit: Out of curiosity I went to look up 2012 Civic and website still states Multi-Link Rear Suspension for all trims and models (both Si and DX), now they don't explicitly state "independent" but I think its implied.
« Last Edit: August 08, 2011, 09:13:29 AM by sinij »

Eternity is a very long time, especially towards the end.
Trippy
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Reply #168 on: August 08, 2011, 09:17:46 AM

It's the Euro model that has the torsion beam rear suspension.
MisterNoisy
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Reply #169 on: August 08, 2011, 10:37:16 AM

It's the Euro model that has the torsion beam rear suspension.


Woops - looks like I mixed them up.  :P

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Merusk
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Reply #170 on: August 24, 2011, 04:44:51 AM

With a 75% chance that the Saturn's going to the auto graveyard I'm faced with finding a new ride.  First instinct will, as usual, be to find a pre-leased in great shape and run with whatever I can get that I enjoy driving and has the closest amount of features.

However.. I can get a decent deal through USAA on a 2011 Ford Fusion Hybrid.  It's tempting since I know gas is my greatest expense after mortgage & student loans.  Anyone have any info or anecdotes on these other than what I can find on the usual car sites?

The past cannot be changed. The future is yet within your power.
KallDrexx
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Reply #171 on: August 24, 2011, 05:24:44 AM

With a 75% chance that the Saturn's going to the auto graveyard I'm faced with finding a new ride.  First instinct will, as usual, be to find a pre-leased in great shape and run with whatever I can get that I enjoy driving and has the closest amount of features.

However.. I can get a decent deal through USAA on a 2011 Ford Fusion Hybrid.  It's tempting since I know gas is my greatest expense after mortgage & student loans.  Anyone have any info or anecdotes on these other than what I can find on the usual car sites?

I have a non-hybrid 2010 Fusion and I love it.  The Microsoft Sync system is fan-fucking0tastic, especially if you have a decent smartphone.  I know with the hybrid version you don't have as much trunk space so if you do a lot of travelling you should make sure you have enough for a suitcase (I don't remember how big they said the battery was).  Also, 2 people at the ford dealership told me it's still not worth paying extra for a hybrid unless you do an extreme amount of city driving so I would definitely look at that (though who knows how high gas prices will be in 3 years).

In the last 1.5 years I've only had to have standard oil changes done, one minor recall fix (so minor they just waited till my next oil change to do it), and the ampliphier in my stereo blew not too long ago (which they fixed under warranty).  Other then that I've had no issues, although my back side was heavily rebuilt after my car was hit 2 days after purchasing it ($7500 worth of repairs).
ghost
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Reply #172 on: August 24, 2011, 05:52:43 AM

With a 75% chance that the Saturn's going to the auto graveyard I'm faced with finding a new ride.  First instinct will, as usual, be to find a pre-leased in great shape and run with whatever I can get that I enjoy driving and has the closest amount of features.

However.. I can get a decent deal through USAA on a 2011 Ford Fusion Hybrid.  It's tempting since I know gas is my greatest expense after mortgage & student loans.  Anyone have any info or anecdotes on these other than what I can find on the usual car sites?

If you're looking for good gas mileage in a nice car a non-hybrid Corolla is a really good value.  You're almost always going to be better off going for a non-hybrid with higher gas mileage because hybrids are so expensive and the maintenance on my father-in-law's Civic hybrid is expensive.  You might examine the Auto Trader website for a 2-3 year old used car.  That will be the overall best value you can get. 
Numtini
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Reply #173 on: August 24, 2011, 09:25:14 AM

For gas mileage, I'm seeing fantastic reviews for the new Hyundai Accent which gets 40mpg. It's a completely new car--the old one wasn't much to speak of. It's far larger and supposed to be quite nice.

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Reply #174 on: August 24, 2011, 09:51:48 AM

The trouble with Asian cars is they always fail to have the features I want.  If I wanted such a bare-bones approach I'd just buy one of the cheapest and lowest-mileage used vehicles I could find.   I really enjoy having a multi-disk CD & sunroof and I haven't seen those on most of the "good, cheap" cars from those manufacturers.  Hell, I don't think any of them actually do sunroofs now that I think of it.

Plus the only way of getting a non-hatchback accent is to get the base vehicle.  Ohhhhh, I see. 

The past cannot be changed. The future is yet within your power.
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