Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with auto

Can auto claim be reopened?

elizfield — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 12:48:45 -0800

After I settled an auto injury claim I found out the adjuster mislead me on a number of issues. Had I known that I would have obtained an attorney. Can settled injury claims get reopened (Adjuster says no)?

Car insurance in New Orleans

goneill — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 14:24:44 -0800

I bought a car!! It is a 1993 Honda Civic. I need to buy insurance. I will be driving my car about once a week, to buy groceries - otherwise I will be riding my bike around New Orleans, Louisiana. I don't know anything about car insurance. I am 34, have a perfect driving record. Can anyone help me figure out what kind of insurance I should get? I will be fine if the car is totaled or stolen and I cannot ever drive it again. I have health insurance for myself so I do not need to protect myself in that way.

I need help in just understanding the basic terms that insurance companies use, what I should look out for, and how much coverage I should get, and any other information that I'm not thinking of!

Thanks!

Older car, cold weather?

Richat — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 08:12:40 -0800

My car's getting older, and I have recently moved to a new place with no garage. I'm worried about it starting in cold weather. More details inside! I've got a 2000 VW Golf, gasoline, not diesel. I've had a garage for years, and so never bothered with a block heater, which is pretty standard issue hardware in Northern Ontario.

I'm wondering, I suppose, if there is a better approach to the old block heater idea, which warms the oil in most I've seen. My battery is orginal as well. So far, at -15 celsius, the car's starting ok, but beginning to sound like it's not liking it too much.

Up here...we'll hit -25 to -35 Celsius (which is down to -31 F) eventually. Part of me would like to avoid a solution that means sucking electricity all night.

Any ideas?

Why does my diesel run fine but start so poorly?

esereth — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 02:02:27 -0800

My diesel-powered car doesn't want to start but once it does, it runs fine. What's up with that? I've got a 1984 Mercedes Benz 300D that for the last two days doesn't want to start but, after a few touchy seconds, runs fine. Right after starting, it seems like it isn't getting fuel or air or something. It just runs very wispy, in fact "gasping" is the word I want to use. I can have the pedal to the floor and it barely stays running.

Then, all of the sudden, it starts revving and running better.

Possibly useful info: we are in a sudden coldish snap (dipping below 30 F), the fuel is a few months old (more than 3 but less than 6), and I just had an oil change a week ago, before this started, and nothing was noted.

sexy or shameful?

afabulousbeing — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:42:32 -0800

[nsfw] I found out that a guy I once briefly dated and who I expect to reunite with again in the very near future is capable of auto-fellatio. The idea of it doesn't exactly turn me on, but the gawker in me wants to watch him in the act. A while back he told me he was embarrassed about it; should I pressure him to show me anyways? I'm partially asking this question here, because it suddenly occurred to me how rare an ability this is and I doubted it was something I would want to bring up around my friends. Maybe later. The thing is that some puritanical side of me finds this auto-fellatio business a bit disturbing, but I still managed to find the courage to ask the guy in question about it. According to him, it was something shameful and 'freakish,' but on the other hand at some point he had bragged about it anonymously online. Yes, this is how I myself came to find out about it.

I'm confused because I think that asking him about it further might upset him and that if I did happen to watch, it might make me squeamish or, worse, completely turn me off. I care about him very, very much so the latter possibility seems unlikely. Am I being ridiculous? Is this something you would be comfortable seeing a potential boyfriend do? Alternatively, if you could do this, would you want your potential girlfriend to watch?

How to drive home a car bought in another state?

HopperFan — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 19:01:41 -0800

So I bought a car from out of state...please help me with the logistics! I bought a Volvo on eBay for a good price, yay. It's about 6 hours away, though. (Ohio to Virginia)

I've read this question, and this, this, and several others - but I still have questions, because there seems to be some conflicting information.

Step 1 : Insure vehicle. I'll be doing that tomorrow, I have the VIN.

Step 2 : Go to Virginia, meet seller with car. Make sure VIN on car and title matches with what was posted on eBay.

Step 3-4-.... : ?

The questions I've thought of so far are:

1. Does the seller need to have access to a notary? Otherwise, how would signing the back of the title and the bill of sale be valid?

2. Is it true that with a signed over title and a bill of sale, I could drive this vehicle back to Ohio and placate any police officers that happen to stop me?

3. It seems like a very bad idea to fedex payment down without a title in hand, trusting he'll send me the title in exchange, just so that I could obtain temp tags here before driving down. He hasn't asked me to do that, anyway.

The car does not currently have plates. I checked auto shipping companies, but the cheapest quote is around $300. This may or may not be worth it, depending on what I learn about this registration process.

What is a dead car worth?

anastasiav — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:40:59 -0800

I own a 1997 VW Golf that threw a rod in 2004 and has been sitting (inside a garage) ever since. Donating it to charity has no tax benefit for me. It needs to go. Does it have any cash value at all? If so, how much? I've been looking on Craigslist, and there have been some '97 Golf "parts cars" listed recently in the $300 - $500 range, but who knows if those sold? Would a junkyard pay me anything for it? If the engine and tires were replaced, I suspect it would run ok - is there some DIY High School car enthusiast who is dying to take this car off my hands and make it into their ride?

I saw this but my car has no KBB value because it doesn't actually run.

What are my best options if I only need a car for a year or less?

frippsie — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 04:34:03 -0800

My car lease is ending soon. I thought I wouldn't need a car for any longer than my lease terms. But now I do. What are my best options if I only need a car for a year or less? I only got this car because I accepted a job and moved to a city where a car is necessary for reliable transportation. I didn't expect to be here for longer than two years because my job is very stressful, and I see it as a stepping stone to something better. (I don't want to get sidetracked as to why I'm still here, but rest assured it's not the situation I want to be in.) I'm leaving my current job in a year's--or less--time. I would most likely be relocating to a place where I don't need a car at all.

However, I do still require reliable transportation for the rest of the admittedly indefinite time I am here. So should I get a new lease, buy out my current lease, buy a different car, or what?

Complications: I don't have the cash to buy my leased car outright--I'd have to get a loan. I don't want to be stuck with trying to unload the car in the middle of a lease or before the loan is paid off. Unfortunately, public transportation and walking/bike riding aren't good options for me. I do carpool sometimes, but I don't want to be begging rides 100% of the time.

I know this sounds a bit all over the place...that's why I hope AskMe can help me think about this more clearly, and hopefully offer some good suggestions! Thanks in advance.

Auto-broker, good or bad idea?

furtive — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 10:13:48 -0800

Does buying used through an auto-broker make sense for me? I'm in the market for a used car (1-4 years old, one owner, still under warranty) but I live 90 minutes away from the nearest urban area with a proper used car market. To compound things my truck is on it's last legs and every trip out I expect it to be the last. This makes shopping around for a used car rather difficult.

It dawned on me that there must be a market for auto-brokers, and googling them found me several in the nearest city. Does anyone have experience with these? What should I be aware of? I don't mind paying a few hundred extra for the convenience.

Did the seat belt fail?

Anonymous — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 07:57:18 -0800

Automobile accident: Did the seat belt fail? What should we do? My wife was recently involved in an automobile accident. She was driving our 07 Kia Spectra and rear-ended a large SUV on an exit ramp connecting two major highways(no intersection or traffic lights involved), traveling at about 45mph. The ramp has 2 lanes, and the collision occurred when she was switching from the left-hand lane to the right. She was ticketed by a state trooper for "unsafe lane change."

Her injuries are, thankfully, limited to some severe bruising across her abdomen and shoulder, and pain that she describes as muscle soreness. The other driver did not leave the scene in an ambulance, injuries were probably less severe than my wife's.

My actual question concerns the seat belt. After the collision, the seat belt was fully extended and hanging loosely, and the buckle had come undone. The seat belt did not retract after the accident, and appears to have not locked during. That doesn't seem normal. We have photos of the seat belt fully extended and hanging loosely, not retracting, but when we went to check out the car a couple of days ago, the buckle seemed to be functioning normally, so it would be difficult or impossible to prove it came undone. Of course, I can't put nearly the same force on it by yanking that a high-speed collision would cause.

Should we contact Kia? A lawyer? Or is that totally normal and we should let it go? We're really thankful that the injuries aren't any worse than they are, but we also think something should be done about that seat belt, if it indeed malfunctioned.

If it matters, location is north-east edge of DFW metroplex.

Thanks.

Trade honda for diesel Benz?

toastchee — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 09:57:17 -0800

Thinking about trading my 97 Accord for 1980 diesel benz. My car: 1997 Honda Accord, 160k miles, stick shift, good condition. Blue book probably ~2000.

His car: 1980 diesel benz 300 sd turbo diesel. good + condition. No AC. Needs back seat replaced. Asking 1500 or trade.

I am interested in diesels and possibly bio/veggie conversion. Primarily this would be a safety issue as well. I have two little kids and if the Benz is significantly safer this would be a strong rationale.

Can bank charge off auto loan with totaled car despite continued payments?

Nickel — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 22:55:56 -0800

Car was totaled, bank that gave auto loan charged off the loan account because the collateral is gone despite us continuing with full and on time payments. What are our options? Our car was considered totaled by the insurance company, but the insurance company is refusing to pay for various reasons (not the point of this post, we've already hired a lawyer) so we can't pay off the loan in full. We've continued to make monthly payments in full to the bank that holds the loan.

However, the bank then sends us a letter saying they are charging off the account. A check of the credit report confirms that they have listed it as a negative account there. We call/write with proof that all payments have been made on time and in the full amount, they respond that it is their policy to charge off loans that have lost their collateral.

Is this legit? What are our options? It just seems wrong that they can charge off an account when we've been making all the payments and have proof of our payments.

My Vehicle is a Piece of Crap

Sassyfras — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 11:54:10 -0800

Car repair: I have a 2003 Kia Sedona. Due to a humming sound coming from the front end, we've taken it in to be diagnosed. It gets complicated . . . The vehicle is a 2003 and has 54,000 miles on it.

We took it to our usual repair shop where it was determined that it needs new bearings and (possibly) hubs. For the shop to do it the cost would be about $900.00.

However, we decided to check to see if is still under warranty and called two Kia service (dealership) places.

1. Kia Place 1 told me that the bearings and hubs would be covered under warranty as long as we have proof that our timing belt has been replaced. He said that needed to be replaced at 5 years or 60k.

We have not replaced our timing belt because it has not hit 60,000 miles yet (even though it is over 5 years old).

Kia Place 1 then told me that if I got the timing belt replaced (a $540.00 chore) then the bearings and hubs would be covered.

2. I called Kia Place 2 (which is located about 2 HOURS away) that has our service records from another Kia service center that closed down. I explained what was happening.

He said that what Kia Place 1 told me wasn't the case. He said the timing belt doesn't need to be replaced until 60,000 miles and that the bearings and hubs would be covered as long as we showed minimum service on the vehicle (oil changes every 7500 miles).

3. I called Kia Place 1 back and told them what Kia Place 2 had said - that we just need proof of oil changes and that the timing belt doesn't need to be replaced until 60,000 miles. Kia Place 1 told me that Kia Place 2 didn't have it right and that it was 5 years or 60,000 miles - which ever came first to get the timing belt changed. He also said that he's known of cases like this going to court and that Kia has won.

So, who do I trust if anyone? Why get the timing belt changed before 60,000? What if I only drove it 10,000 miles in those 5 years, would I still need to get it changed?

I guess my question is: where do I go from here? Kia Place 2 spent a lot of time on the phone with me and looked stuff up for me telling me as long as I had oil change records the bearings and hubs would be covered. The problem I see with Kia Place 2 is that it is 2 hours away (one way) and if I take it there, there is a chance that they'd renege on that and require the timing belt be changed in order to get the bearings and hubs covered. I'm pretty sure they won't guarantee anything over the phone without looking at the vehicle first - and two hours one way is a long way.

My car is like a mullet - sometimes business, sometimes party

Lucinda — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 09:31:51 -0800

How to put a bumpersticker on fiberglass so that it is easily (and instantaneously) removable and replacable? I like to have many bumperstickers on my car. However, I cannot permanently affix them to the car.

To solve this, I put my bumperstickers on magnetic vinyl and attach them to the metal parts of my car. However, I'm running out of steel parts on the back of my car and would like to move to putting stickers on the (fiberglass) bumper of my car.

My requirements are that whatever I use, it has to be easily removable/reattachable (the stickers are removed from the car 1x to 2x a week), and leave no residue on the car.

(I saw this question but I'm not sure the low-tac adhesive would stand up to repeated removal/attachment.)

Need Minivan for Growing Family

fozzie33 — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 07:25:23 -0800

It's that time in my life where my family is outgrowing our vehicles, and we are looking for something larger. I'll be the main driver and I am pretty big (6'3" 230 lbs). So we want something both economical and comfortable. I looked at the Mazda5, but it is too tiny for carseats and me... So... Which 2009/2010 minivan/crossover should I choose? I have no preference on make/model, but I do get a pretty good discount if American made from my credit union...
I'd prefer to stay below 35k.
Thanks for all and any suggestions.
Mazda5 is too tiny, little drivers space, can't sit comfortably in rear.

Car/Sound practical/meta (u choose) question.

Jiff_and_theChoosyMuthers — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 09:15:20 -0800

What is this mechanical (automotive in this case) sound called? Does it have a name? I'm trying to describe a sound that is happening in the suspension of my car...

The only way I can describe it is:

If you make a circle with thumb and pointer finger,

Place other pointer finger inside the circle,

Now (in 5 year old speak) "pretend your hands are metal"...

what's the sound it makes?

a warble, a clanking, a wobbling clanking, the sound of a worn/broken "widget"?

Thoughts... either on the sound's name or WTF is wrong with my front drive, "independent" strut, 2000 Ford Focus?

How can I tell if my auto glass was repaired?

snorlaxx — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:50:39 -0800

How can I tell if the crack in my car windshield has been repaired? You would think it would be obvious.. but apparently it's not. My car windshield got hit by a small rock which made a really small ( the size of 4 or 5 matchheads ) "star" fracture. I took my car in to an auto glass repair place and picked it up later. It looked EXACTLY the same, so much so that I questioned the repair. The tech came out and said he used a syringe to inject a resin into the fracture and heated it up with the UV light thing. He said they don't always clear up visually like they do in the ads on television. I've run my finger over the fracture and it still feels.. well fractured.. Shouldn't it feel smooth? Also the area around the fracture wasn't clean. I would think they would clean the work area? What signs am I looking for to tell if they really did the work? I feel crazy because as he explained it to me and pointed at the fracture I couldn't see anything different from when I brought it in.

Where is a good spot to take pictures of a car in Seattle?

-harlequin- — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 11:00:39 -0800

What's a good place in or near the greater Seattle area, to park and photograph a car? I'm looking for somewhere which is a nice area or has a nice backdrop, has space to stop a car, and which is generally fairly deserted (so that camera etc. can be set up without constantly being the path of people/cars, and pictures can be taken without having to wait for people to leave the frame, etc). To make things harder, this would most convenient during the day on a weekend, but if a good place is most empty during office hours (or whatever), it might be worth the inconvenience.

Calling all MeFi Greasemonkeys!

stevyb — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 08:14:33 -0800

Could brake pads wear down from 50% worn to metal against metal after one 12 hour round trip to Yosemite? (See details) I have a 2004 Honda Accord. Had it checked by a mechanic friend before we went on a trip to Yosemite and he said the brakes were fine. At least 50% of the pads were still there. We came back and noticed the A/C wasnt working, so since it's still under warranty we took it to the local dealer. Brakes were working fine to this point. they replaced some parts and the AC works fine, driving back we noticed the brakes were suddenly squealing quite loudly and grinding on the rotor!! Before I accuse of them of foul play, could the brakes pads wear down that quickly?

How to temporarily re-attach a car's side mirror?

Majorita — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 23:01:23 -0800

I smashed my car's passenger side mirror against some scaffolding leading into my garage tonight. The mirror and plastic casing are still intact, but now dangling from a wire still attached to the car. I have to drive somewhere early tomorrow morning. What should I do until I can get to a garage? Duct tape it back in place? Will that damage my car's paint? Should I cut the wire and remove the mirror? TIA...

Car loan and CarMax

crapmatic — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 14:22:23 -0800

Are there reasons I should avoid CarMax auto financing and go with my local bank? We're intent on buying a used car this week at CarMax and my wife wants to use their in-store financing to keep the whole thing simple.

I know conventional wisdom posted all over the Internet holds that you should line up financing at your bank, on the other hand I think it's common knowledge that CarMax is not run like a shark tank. So my question is whether I need to be on guard getting a loan with them and what I might want to watch out for doing the deal. Our time is more important than merely saving a few bucks, which is why we're doing CarMax and trying to get it over with as smoothly as possible, so a few APR points or a few hundred dollars here or there is not a big deal.

I'm already doing a little due diligence by calling both places, but I'd like to know what to ask for or look for. My bank rep admitted to me that their rates aren't as good as dealers right now; she said they offer 8%, no downpayment, and require 2 years of tax returns (I'm self employed). The guy at Carmax would not answer any questions about downpayment, rates, or paperwork requirements until I submit to a credit check. So that's where I'm at now. Both places appear to allow early payment without penalty (this is even stated on the CarMax site) so maybe it's all good and I need to relax.

Where do you install this filter in this Renault?

upc_head — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 12:02:11 -0800

In a 2006 Renault Kangoo (french car) where you do you install the passenger area air filter (filter's AC, heater vent air etc). In french it's referred to as the "filtre d' habiacle". My father has a replacement filter, but can't for the life of him find where it goes.

1.6 16V engine

What Causes Traffic Noise?

rhcclark — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 08:25:49 -0800

Traffic noise. What percentage of it is caused by: 1) The internal combustion engine and associated systems (as opposed to an all electric vehicle) 2) Air turbulence of the vehicle moving through space, 3) Other mechanical issues.

Knife catching isn't just for real estate

MrMulan — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 05:59:04 -0800

How can I increase my chances of buying a new car below dealer cost? Would you get an additional discount if you paid cash in full? There are many articles on how to negotiate a good deal for a new car which usually involves offering slightly above dealer invoice.

I am trying to increase my chances of scoring a new car that has become a sunk cost to the dealer.

Some reasons I am choosing new over used:
-It is an apples to apples comparison once you have the configuration you want.
-It is easier to weed and screen dealers via email, as there is no reason to have to come in to the showroom
-There is a chance of getting a sunk cost car for about the same price of a used car.

I am looking for Hondas or Toyotas, preferrably top of the line Rav4s and CRV, but not opposed to sedans or other brands.
I had an offer of $27k for an Honda CRV EX-l w/Nav, and I wanted $25
I also had an offer for the above without Nav for $25k

These offers came two hours of very frustrating blah blah blah from the dealer.

I know the cash for clunkers program may have an effect.
I plan to have financing lined up with my own bank.
I plan on doing all negotiations through email.
I am in the New York area, so there are tons of dealers.

As always, thank you in advance.

Insurance is good and I'd like to keep it.

Anonymous — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 07:18:39 -0800

Is filing too many claims always a death knell for your insurance? Our neigborhood has been going through a crime wave that is rather unprecented and ongoing. We've been broken into twice in the last three years and filed claims both times. The claim for both adds up to around $6,000. Great.

Then some schuck injured himself on a used tool he bought from us on Craiglist. Insurance company provided a lawyer who says "they have no case, surprised they had the balls to try and file this."

Yet, of course, we all still have to go through the requisite motions. We have been with this insurance company for home and auto for 10 years or so, but everything online I've read indicates that they are about to drop us like a hot potato. Do individual agents have the ability to protect us from whatever algorithm wants to dump us? Can we raise our deductibles, add some coverage something to get us some leverage?

Anyone have any experience with this? What did you do? What insurance company did you find to take your high risk butt?