Where can I wash my convertible? I bought a '92 Infiniti M30 convertible recently. The original soft top (plastic window) is on it. I live in an apartment building, and can't wash my own car, except at a wash-it-yourself place, which is kinda far from my house. That said, there are tons of car washes here in LA at all levels of automation. Can I bring my car to a traditional carwash? The kind that drop the soap on the car from on top but they wash it with towels? What about the automated kind? I've never owned a convertible, I need some guidelines.
posted on Jul 12, 2008 - 6 answers
We want to rent a car in Las Vegas, and drive it on dirt roads in Arizona and Utah. What is the cheapest company that allows this (or who will be unlikely to notice we've been doing it)? Bonus points if they provide reasonably-maintained cars. Also, should we get a "Standard SUV" rather than "Mid-Size"? Do they use GPS tracking, and if so does it just check that we stay in permitted states, or do they also check that we stick to paved roads?
posted on Jun 2, 2008 - 11 answers 
What's the best 1-2 yr old 4WD-capable car? Best for us means: fuel economy, reliability, non-behemoth-SUV-ness, aesthetic and reasonable cost (<$25k). Also: any knowledge about Subaru Outbacks and SoCal 4WD dealers. [more inside]
posted on Apr 29, 2008 - 24 answers
Why don't car manufacturers make pink cars? [more inside]
posted on Apr 24, 2008 - 44 answers
I am trying to sell a car privately and am afraid of getting scammed. What forms of payment should I accept? [more inside]
posted on Feb 4, 2008 - 35 answers
I need to buy a low-mpg, reliable, manual transmission, four-door used car for under $3500. What models should I look at besides Civics and Accords? And do you know of any other major car classified websites besides Cars.com, Carmax, Autotrader, Edmunds, and Craigslist? [more inside]
posted on Jan 18, 2008 - 22 answers
Help me figure out what to do about my driver's license and my car's tag & title (mainly FL but also GA). [more inside]
posted on Jan 11, 2008 - 1 answers
Are there any websites that compile historical MSRPs for cars? Like if I wanted to know how much a dude had to pay for a new Camaro in 1979. [more inside]
posted on Jan 4, 2008 - 3 answers
Is it true that it is good for a car to fill it up with higher grade gas once in a while?
I usually fill up at Shell, and there is 87, 89 and 91 kinds of gas, with 87 being the cheapeast and 91 being the most expensive. I usually get 87. However, I heard that if you own a car and want it to last longer, it is beneficial to fill it up with the most expensive gas, to "clean the engine". Is that true? If so, what is the explanation behind it? I drive a 2002 Kia Rio, if that makes any difference.
posted on Dec 22, 2007 - 22 answers
I have a 1995 Ford Thunderbird in NYC/upper Manhattan. I suspect my battery is dead. Where can I get it replaced? [more inside]
posted on Oct 24, 2007 - 5 answers
UsedCarFilter: Is buying used from a rental car company, specifically Enterprise, a good idea? First hand experiences appreciated. [more inside]
posted on Sep 14, 2007 - 26 answers
The unmarked black cars cars: why is their existence a secret? [more inside]
posted on Sep 8, 2007 - 14 answers
car question: timing belt replacement on Hyundai 2003 Accent at 60k? [more inside]
posted on Sep 5, 2007 - 13 answers
My hatchback car (Honda Fit) doesn't have a separately-locking trunk or glovebox. Can I add a lock-box or secret compartment somewhere inside the car for stashing a few items, for those times I must turn over my keys (parking garage, valet)? Ideally I'd only be securing/concealing 3 deck-of-cards-sized items: iPod, GPS, EZPass. There are no official Honda accessories that do this, nor can I find any Fit-fanatic mods that have addressed it.
posted on Aug 1, 2007 - 4 answers
When buying exhaust flex pipes like these, to fit over an H-pipe with a diameter of 2.5", would you buy the flex pipes with the 2.5" outlet diameter or do you need something bigger? [more inside]
posted on Jun 2, 2007 - 1 answers
What is the REAL life span of auto spare parts compared to what the manufacturer or the auto mechanic tells you? Is there some sort of graph showing risk of failure of parts versus time out there? Specifically I am interested in Peugeot cambelt life spans. How dead am I if it fails?
[more inside]
posted on May 24, 2007 - 11 answers
My 1991 Jeep Cherokee automatic seems to be "trembling" while it idles. The shaking decreases once it's moving, but persists- albeit in a much reduced state. On top of that, the engine just sounds like it's working harder than it used to. Help! [more inside]
posted on Feb 21, 2007 - 7 answers
Help me find and buy my dream car. [more inside]
posted on Feb 9, 2007 - 8 answers
We got a great deal from a car dealership. What should we get the salesperson as a sign of gratitude? [more inside]
posted on Dec 20, 2006 - 19 answers
We're looking to buy a new or pre-owned car. We have a pretty good idea of what we want from a car, but not what exact model. So I was looking for suggestions on which one we should get.
[more inside]
posted on Nov 25, 2006 - 21 answers
How hard/expensive is it likely to be to get a ten-year-old Jeep to pass California emissions standards? [more inside]
posted on Oct 19, 2006 - 8 answers
How hard and expensive it would be to import a Toyota from Canada into the US? We're looking at the Yaris, but the love of my life wants the 5 door hatchback and Toyota only sells the 3 door in the US. This is new for us, so please help out! [more inside]
posted on Aug 21, 2006 - 25 answers
Installed a cold air intake on my car. How does one maintain a CAI?
posted on Jul 27, 2006 - 4 answers
How do I mount a front license plate on my Scion XB? I got a fixit ticket for having only a rear plate, but there's no holes to screw on a front plate. [more inside]
posted on Jul 24, 2006 - 12 answers
Sometimes when I try to start my car, it doesn't seem to "catch". This only happens sometimes, and when I took it to the shop, they couldn't find anything wrong. [more inside]
posted on Jul 3, 2006 - 17 answers
Was there ever a plan for a public art project which would placed a giant rearview mirror next to Chicago's Lake Shore Drive? [more inside]
posted on Jun 29, 2006 - 3 answers
Buying a used car. Basically paying the buyout of a lease. Am I getting a good deal? [more inside]
posted on Jun 3, 2006 - 16 answers
Best hard-wired solution to connect an iPod to my car? [more inside]
posted on May 24, 2006 - 17 answers
Yet another "time to buy a car" thread [more inside]
posted on May 20, 2006 - 44 answers
Buying a used car in Vancouver, BC, dealers you'd recommend, or conversely, those to absolutely avoid? [more inside]
posted on May 12, 2006 - 7 answers
All about gasoline. [more inside]
posted on Apr 26, 2006 - 26 answers
Buying American: Does buying a foreign *used* car matter? [more inside]
posted on Mar 1, 2006 - 54 answers
What is the origin and significance of furry dice (or fuzzy dice), which some motorists hang from their rear-view mirror?
posted on Feb 27, 2006 - 5 answers
What kind of car is the safest to drive? There are lots of studies on which cars are best in a crash, but I suspect that some cars crash less often than others, so I am interested in statistics that take the rate of accidents as well as crashworthiness into account. [more inside]
posted on Dec 27, 2005 - 24 answers
My fiancee's car is a 2003 Altima that I would like to put some snow tires on. I have used 4 tires on my vehicle for work (paid for by the company) and am wondering how much difference there is between using 2 or 4. I am not cheaping out on her of course, but we both have concerns over the cost/benefit ratio as we are just starting out. I am very familiar with using 2 new tires on front wheel drive cars with less tread on the back with all seasons and summer tires, and experienced no difficulty in seasonal months. If you have used 2 tires snow tires only, what was your experience? More inside... [more inside]
posted on Nov 14, 2005 - 19 answers
Does anyone have firsthand (or second-hand, I suppose) experience with City CarShare? [more inside]
posted on Oct 17, 2005 - 4 answers
Should we fix the scratches and dents on our (relatively) new car? [more inside]
posted on Oct 12, 2005 - 11 answers
I drove for about nine months on a bad oxygen sensor. Will my car suffer any long-term ill effects? [more inside]
posted on Oct 8, 2005 - 12 answers
What is the best grease to lube my truck chassis? [more inside]
posted on Aug 6, 2005 - 3 answers
I want to buy a used station wagon in Los Angeles, California. I'm a Japanese car guy through and through but I can't seem to find anything that's not too old. There are a few Saturns, though. I heard they're alright. Are Saturn cars actually any good? [more inside]
posted on Aug 3, 2005 - 33 answers
I'd really like to see what tricks of the trade you guys have to make sure your car is getting the most mileage it possibly can. [more inside]
posted on May 29, 2005 - 38 answers
How can I figure out what's leaking from my car? (And other maladies...) Does anyone know of a site -- like WebMD, but for cars -- where I can type in symptoms and narrow down what might be wrong with a car? I know that I can go to a mechanic, but sometimes the first question is whether it's even safe to drive the car to the mechanic. [more inside]
posted on Mar 31, 2005 - 10 answers
I love my car, but am becoming increasingly concerned about gas mileage and environmental responsibility. It isn't a guzzler, but I know I could do better. What are your experiences with diesel cars? [more inside]
posted on Mar 17, 2005 - 11 answers
Car Repair filter. Leaking radiator help needed. [more inside]
posted on Mar 4, 2005 - 12 answers
I'm going to need to buy a car sometime soon and, from past experiences, I find this to be completely unpleasant. How can I make this easier or less painful? Have you used services that take care of negotiations/haggling? [more inside]
posted on Feb 18, 2005 - 28 answers
I've been driving a car for about a decade now, and it's suddenly occurred to me that I'm now completely paranoid about anyone else driving me somewhere. I'm constantly checking the mirrors while they drive, and getting stressed because I think they should be braking sooner or driving in a different lane. It even happens when I catch a bus. Has anyone else experienced this? How did you get over it?
posted on Feb 8, 2005 - 27 answers
Strange sight seen recently in a car park: A small car (a Toyota Echo, I think) had a tow-ball sticking up from the left-hand side of its front bumper bar. Why could this be?
posted on Dec 13, 2004 - 9 answers
My sister-in-law is looking for a low-priced new or used car, probably a Toyota, but she's also looking at a Kia or a Hyundai. We're in the metro Atlanta area [MI]...
posted on Nov 19, 2004 - 27 answers
What's the best car you've owned in terms of reliability, longevity and generally fun to drive? I'm in the market for a used car and I'm leaning towards a luxury sedan. I'm curious to learn what cars everyone loved.
posted on Nov 4, 2004 - 25 answers
Arranging at transaction with someone 1000 miles away : I'm selling my 1958 Mercedes 2 door coupe, and I have a potential buyer. He's in Chicago. I'm on the East Coast. He suggested 50% down and 50% when he gets the car (he arranges shipping), but I'm uncomfortable with that. Any suggestions ? (More inside)
posted on Jul 22, 2004 - 13 answers
My company recently moved to Silicon Valley, and since I live in San Fran and the commute via public transit is 1.5 hours (vs 30 mins in a car) I've decided to buy a car for the first time ever. But I am totally flummoxed by the range of possibilities. I know I want a used compact 4 door that gets good mileage. Seems like it would be good to get it from a dealer so I can get extended warranty. But I don't know where to go from here. Any advice for a first time car buyer would be greatly appreciated. My price range is flexible but would like to spend no more than 15k. Also, I would love to hear recommendations-- some people have told me to go for a Civic or a Corolla, are there other cars 'equivalent' to those? I am not a fixer-upper so reliability is key. I know older cars are cheaper but seems like they'd be more prone to mechanical trouble-- not sure how much of a trade off it is to go old vs new.
posted on Apr 12, 2004 - 33 answers
How do I protect my car from thieves? I headed out to work this morning and was confronted by this. (that would be all four tires and wheels - $750 worth) I have a Clifford alarm system, I always park in highly visible areas, I stay out of "bad areas", there is a police academy 100 yards from where this picture was taken. What do I do to make this never happen again? [more inside]
posted on Feb 19, 2004 - 30 answers
