Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with car and vehicle

My speeding citation has turned into a shit snowball.

desjardins — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:19:22 -0800

Please help me navigate a mess involving an expired car registration, a speeding ticket, a lost insurance card, a license held as bond and a omg I can't even think. This involves Illinois and Wisconsin. 1. My car is registered in Illinois and I have an Illinois driver's license. The registration expires today; the license is good for awhile.

2. However, I'm (technically?) a Wisconsin resident, in that I have a lease on an apartment there, but I work in Illinois and sleep half the week in Illinois and the other half in WI. This is meant to be as temporary as humanly possible until I can stay permanently in WI.

3. I did not renew the registration yet because I was planning to get my Wisconsin license & registration this coming Friday, and hopefully avoid getting caught for the next 3 days while it's expired. Before I can register it in IL I have to get an emissions test. Of course, there will now be a late fee.

4. I got stopped for speeding today in a suburb of Chicago, I could not find my insurance card, and so I received another citation for that & my license was taken as bond. My court date is at the end of December. My driving record is otherwise clean.

5. So, I can't register my car in WI or get my WI license until I have my IL license back, correct? It's my understanding that if you have a valid license in another state, you have to forfeit it to get a WI license. I don't know about registering the car.

6. What's the ABSOLUTE CHEAPEST yet legal way to handle this? I am broke, like really broke, and the thought of having to pay to register my car in Illinois and then re-register it in WI when I get my license back is really disheartening.

7. I am freaking out and not thinking clearly, see above about being broke.

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.

How ofter is my car going to get towed?

T.D. Strange — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 11:12:22 -0800

I just moved to Northern Virginia for a new job- how likely is it that my car with out of state plates will be ticketed or towed? The Virginia inspection law seems very onerous, and I've read horror stories of shady towing companies towing cars without inspection stickers from apartment parking lots even with valid parking passes. My car is registered out of state under my Dad's name and currently has a broken right front turn signal, so it certainly won't pass any kind of inspection at present.

I'm currently renting a room in a residential area about 90mins outside of DC and commuting in towards the city on a daily basis. I haven't had any problems yet and don't expect to get towed from the garage under my office building, but I plan on finding an apartment in one of the NoVa suburbs after the new year and I'm more concerned.

Assuming that I fix the turn signal, how likely is it that I will have problems driving my car around on a regular basis with out of state plates? I REALLY don't want to move into the city and walk out for work one morning to find my car towed by some shady towing company, so I'd like to give them a few reasons as possible.

Some questions about selling a car

crapmatic — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 09:01:22 -0800

Car selling questions: (1) Is there any reason for me, as a seller, not to disclose the VIN in a car ad, say on Craigslist? A Carfax lookup would reflect favorably on this car, but I don't know if there are "car identity thief" issues here. I know dealers list VINs all the time. (2) What is considered a reasonable precaution if someone wants to take a test drive or have their mechanic inspect the car? I'm not sure what would stop a thief from asking for a test drive and then never coming back. This is an older model car so I don't have any loss/damage coverage, but I'm guessing I should until it's sold.

Please help me find the make/model I want, so I can focus on the next steps. Thanks!

iamkimiam — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 13:56:05 -0800

I need to buy a new, used or certified used car real quickly. I could use some help deciding on a make and model that meets some specific criteria. I have ~$4000 I could put down on either a brand new or certified used car (not to exceed $25k). I could manage about $6000 for a direct-from-seller used car.

I want something fuel efficient and/or hybrid, but I am not currently not keen on buying a hybrid from a individual seller (hybrids are more expensive and if I am going to invest in one for environmental and economic reasons, I would prefer the extra up-front cost to count toward the public financial record of support of this type of innovation – an individual seller has already paid for the car and I might as well buy a fuel-efficient used car for less from them).
It'd be great if I could put >$4k down on a car that is also less than ~$12k. That's a most comfortable loan amount for me.
The newer the better.
I would prefer a hybrid.
Must be able to transport bikes and surfboards (shortboards inside with seats folded down) and longboards (at least three) up top. Cars like Prius's are NOT designed for this...curved roof and significant drag make it not practical.
The smaller the better. I like finding parking and not being a big bohemoth on the road.
Good track record, reliable. I tend to sell cars when I suspect they are going to start causing problems a year or two down the road, and so I don't want to take on something with a short life span, known problems, or high repair cost.

I currently have a Mazda Protege5 wagon, which is a pretty great all around car, minus the fact that mine is almost done for, its no longer made, and the gas mileage is 'meh'. I used to have a Mini Cooper, but that thing was too small.

Any suggestions, both car-wise and perspective-wise?

How to buy a car from a person

exceptinsects — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 22:26:59 -0800

I am looking to buy a used car for cash from a local (CA) private party, not a dealer. What do I need to know? I am mainly looking on Craigslist, but other suggestions are welcome. I'm looking for a Toyota Echo, if it matters.

So...what should I look out for in terms of scams? (I am already aware of things like shipping cars from far away, etc.) I will of course get it checked by a mechanic but what else should I be aware of?

How should I actually pay for it? Certified check? Giant wad of cash? Goats? I'm expecting it to be in the $5k range.

I am also going to be selling my old car, which is a 1997 Corolla in "fair" condition. Is it better to try to sell it myself, or should I go to Carmax? If I do sell it myself, how should I ask for payment?

Smoky...

Christ, what an asshole — Thu, 28 May 2009 08:27:13 -0800

As a non-AAA member, what are my cheapest options for transporting a broken vehicle 12 miles? Radiator cracked and began smoking off the freeway last night. Car is basically undriveable, and having already put so much money into fixing it, it's past the point of further maintenance. I just want to get it home and sell whatever's left of it on craigslist. Issue 1? Most inexpensive method to bring her 12 miles.

Thanks.

60K Mile Services a Joke on the Unwitting or Not?

roundrock — Fri, 08 May 2009 21:25:00 -0800

60,000K Mile Car Servicing, good idea or not? I own a 2003 Mazda M6 and I'm 3K miles from 60K. I'm torn between just getting an annual checkup at my local Firestone or paying for a 60K mile checkup at a Mazda dealership. Should I just go with the dealership or seek some other way? Is it just me or do car salesmen, mechanics, and lawyers (of which I will be one soon) rank at the bottom of professional respect because of their perceived unscrupulous actions?

Video game "playing cars" is fun!

BaxterG4 — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 10:08:16 -0800

My son and I love playing in the cars on Lego Batman: The Video Game (Wii). What other "vehicle toy" games are there? It's a lot of fun to have your characters jump into the cars on Lego Batman and just drive around, running amok, especially 2 players. Smashing into things, people, and each other. Trying to tip over or bounce as high as we can, etc! Just "play", not racing or trying to get anywhere, though that could potentially be fun too as long as fairly low on the competitive/difficulty ladder. Easy controls (at least for the basics) a must.

Split-screen/"second-person" perspective a la Mario Kart isn't necessarily a dealbreaker but definitely isn't preferred. That sort of game is fun, but "play" really needs a shared context where both players can be about equally seen in a single view. Likewise, not having a timer/other "arbitrary" interruptions is a plus. It's really cool and funny when you on occasion run into something that blows up, so destruction/EXCITEment would be good.

Have a Wii, so Wii or GameCube (including VC or WiiWare) would be preferred; might be talked into a PS2 since I already "need" one and it's always nice to have an excuse.

Source of creaky sounds in an older model vehicle plus general maintenance questions?

limonade — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 18:26:01 -0800

Source of creaky sounds in an older model vehicle plus general maintenance questions? I have a car that is well over 10 years old. It's a Honda and I've always gotten regular oil changes and other critical maintenance, so I hope to have it run to another 80,000 miles (until it reaches 200,000 miles).

I have a few different questions. First of all, the car has started making rather creaky sounds towards the rear. It sound sort of similar to what you'd hear riding in a big school bus. Just as the car hits bumps in the road, things sound creaky and a little bit loose. What would this most likely be?

Second, how important is maintenance of the outer body of the car to making it last? For example, I've had some rather large dents and other things that I just left as is. I don't follow the dealer recommended maintenance. But I am religious about oil changes. What is the most essential maintenance for making a car last?

Finally, at some point I will have to get a new-to-me car. What are the best ways to maintain the appearance of your car over time? Since I live and park on the street in a city that has a lot of snow, my cars have always a beating and after a while, they just look scratched up and worse for the wear. I'm wondering if there are any simple and expensive tips for maintaining their appearance and new look longer or if really, on NEW cars will stay looking new for long.

Can I bring my car with me?

xanthippe — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 11:52:02 -0800

I love my Peugeot, but I might be moving to the USA. Can I bring it with me or am I just stupid to want to? I didn't think I was that attached, and it's not that valuable, but I just like it a whole lot. I understand that Peugots are not sold/present in the USA; French car parts are also expensive and far away, as are, presumably, mechanics who know about French cars. (So far away that Peugeot's "USA" webpage is defunct.) Solution?

And what about actually getting it there? I googled around and it seems like people put their crazy expensive vintage/custom/luxury vehicles in cargo boxes for extremely high rates. Isn't there a ferry across the Atlantic I can just drive it onto? Seriously, what's the economical way to do this? (The car is only worth about $8,000 for the record.)

Oh yeah, and won't there be some customs issues? Duties and inspections and such? This is all very expensive and stupid, non? I will appreciate being informed nonetheless. Thank you.

Will carrying heavy weight a long distance damage my car?

misled — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 07:04:39 -0800

Will transporting a weight set weighing roughly 600 lbs in my car for a long distance damage the vehicle in any way? I have a 2002 Honda Civic EX coupe and I need to transport my weight set (weighing about 600 lbs) over 520 miles because I am moving.

I was wondering: is this going to damage my car in any way? A friend of mine was saying that it might damage my struts, but then again he has a biased opinion because he wants the weight set.

LCD display on the fritz

reenum — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 07:00:27 -0800

The digital odometer on my 2000 Honda Accord is not displaying numbers fully. Any way to fix this? I have a 2000 Honda Accord LX. Last year, I began noticing that the numbers on the digital odometer were not fully displaying. Meaning, the numbers would look scrambled. Only when I push on the dash do the numbers on the odometer display correctly.

Anyone have any experience with getting the LCD display on a digital odometer fixed? Do any repair shops even conduct such repairs? If so, how much can I expect to pay?

[WA,US] Overdue initial car registration?

Anonymous — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 17:57:00 -0800

Washington State: Embarrassingly overdue car registration, what do I need to know? I moved to Seattle two years ago, bringing my car with me with already-expired out of state tags. Early on, my job was within walking distance and I never drove recreationally, so I was content to let it sit in the garage gathering dust.

Now I'm commuting, I've been ticketed once for the expired tags, and I'm wondering if anyone knows what I should be prepared for as I register it.

For example, the form the DOL uses says the following:
"Private automobile was purchased and used by me in another state for a minimum of 90 days while I was a bonafide resident, before I entered Washington on _____"

Does this mean they're going to put me on the hook for two years' of taxes? That's fine, if that's the law, but if there's a way to legally avoid it I'd prefer to do so.

That, and any other advice from anyone who's been in a similar situation would be much appreciated. I was born without the part of the brain that makes one able to understand and navigate bureaucracy.

First-time car seller looking for best way to sell a car in NYC

dcjd — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 08:55:45 -0800

First-time car seller looking for best way to sell a car in NYC? I moved to Manhattan a few months ago, and I brought my car with me. I hardly ever use it now, and its costing me a lot of money and aggravation. I'm thinking that it might be time to get rid of it, however, I've never sold a car before.

What's the best method to get rid of my car and not get ripped off? Should I have the car inspected before listing it, or is that something the buyer would want to do themselves? I'd like to be safe, as I'm sure there are plenty of people on craigslist who might try to scam me out of my vehicle. The car is registered in NY, gets decent gas mileage, and I have the title to it.

Car accident. "I will write a cheque" turned into "Who are you?"

kmennie — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 11:35:59 -0800

Car accident in Sept. Swapped info; didn't call police. Now the guy who hit us has never heard of us. What can I reasonably expect? Back in September, I stood watching on a corner as an SUV clipped the Civic my husband was driving. Much of the side of the plastic (!) bumper got left in the street.

Information was swapped, cops weren't called. (That last part was not my idea...) Very long story about why we didn't get around to pursuing it until now -- part of it having to do with my holding our newborn daughter while I watched him get clipped -- but, anyway. I finally called the dude (who had liquor on his breath at the time) yesterday.

He was very nervous and bullshitty of tone and claimed to own a grey Cadillac, not an SUV. No idea who I was. Then went into some story about how he owns a company and maybe a car there... Well, could he call me back? Give him 24h. Yeah, right.

What, if anything, can I reasonably expect at this point? Estimate for the damage is about C$1,400. We're in Ottawa, Ontario.

What's wrong with my car's clutch?

killdevil — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 21:23:05 -0800

Standard-transmission-filter: the point of engagement of the clutch (in my mid-90s Acura Integra, if it matters) has suddenly moved, and I now have to push the clutch pedal almost to the floor in order to get the transmission to disengage. What's going on, and how much is it likely to cost to repair? Coupled with a shift in the pedal's point of engagement has been a drastic loss of "springiness" in the clutch pedal until it reaches the point at which the transmission engages.

Any ideas what might be causing this?

Need a BMW mechanic near Fort Lee, NJ

SampleSize — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 14:49:22 -0800

Anyone know a good BMW mechanic in the Fort Lee, NJ (Near the George Washington Bridge) area? I have a 1988 325ix and need someone trustworthy and competent to take care of it. Service at the BMW dealer is outrageously expensive. I've tried various BMW message boards and come up empty. Something in a 30 minute radius would be nice, but I'll take what you got!

Can I get a North Carolina owned and registered vehicle inspected in the State of Vermont?

doomtop — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 18:27:16 -0800

Can I get a North Carolina owned and registered vehicle inspected in the State of Vermont? My wife has an Audi that is registered in North Carolina and the title is in the name of her father, who lives in North Carolina.

We currently live in Vermont. The car has North Carolina license plates. The inspection sticker from North Carolina is several months expired. I would like to get the inspection up to date.

Would this require transferring ownership and registering the vehicle in Vermont?

Need professional (in Brooklyn) to make car smell better.

blapst — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 13:20:54 -0800

Know of any car care specialists in or around Brooklyn that can make my car stop smelling so bad? About a year ago my girlfriend left my back window down overnight and it rained. Ever since, the entire car -- front seat, back seat, floor mats, and trunk -- has reeked (I can't tell if the air blowing from the vents also smells or not). The smell is not acrid, just very musty and pervasive. I assume it is some sort of mold or mildew, but can't say for sure.

I've tried most of the tricks suggested in related Ask MeFi threads -- fabric softener, Febreze, Borax, activated charcoal -- all to no avail.

I've also gone to two professionals so far (one in Boston, one in Brooklyn) both who claimed they could do it, but they just did a standard shampoo and sprayed the car down with some nasty perfume, which did not dampen the smell, just made it temporarily more complex.

Because of this, I feel I can't trust anyone I call. I need hard core anecdotal evidence from a group of strangers on the internet. Any suggestions?

Help me replace my boxy, sedate sedan.

perissodactyl — Fri, 19 May 2006 06:23:21 -0800

Suggestions to replace a 1995 Volvo 850? My 1995 Volvo 850 has 160,000 miles on it and finally needs replacing. I'd like a comparably-priced sedan that's similarly sized, but maybe a little more fun and sexy than the Volvo has been. What cars should I be looking at? I'd also be willing to go up in price a bit, if it's warranted.

I have a preference for non-domestic cars but will consider just about anything.

how to junk a car

|n$eCur3 — Sun, 12 Mar 2006 11:18:38 -0800

In California, what are the steps that I should take to sell my totaled car to a dismantler? I want rid myself of all liability for the vehicle and get as much money as possible for the parts. I was rear ended last week and my car was determined to be a total loss. Fortunately, no one was injured, and the other driver had good insurance. I was able to financially recoup my loss without penalty to my own insurance.

But, I have a totalled vehicle in my driveway that I am required to junk.

My questions are:

1. Do I need to register my car as a salvaged vehicle before I sell it to a junk yard?

2. Do I need to give the dismantlers a title to the car?

3. How do I know how much my car is worth to a dismantler (I was rear ended so the engine is entirely intact)?

4. Since the vehicle is still intact and drivable, how can I rid myself of all liability in case they decide to joy ride?

Any horror stories or other general pieces of advice are welcome.

New truck, old truck, big truck, small car?

Kickstart70 — Wed, 07 Dec 2005 17:06:08 -0800

We need a new (used) vehicle, but can't decide what we're seeking...I'd like to hear some more opinions from disinterested parties. We currently have a pickup truck with a two-person bench seat (1996 Mazda B3000). We bought the pickup because A) the 1994 Ford Aspire we had was reaching its 'things need fixing' era and wasn't terribly useful, B) we hope, but no guarantees, to move to the rural 5 acres we own in the next two years.

But In June we have a baby coming, and the pickup will not (safely) handle a baby seat. We still want the utility of a pickup for our rural needs, but we're going to either need a replacement for it or an additional vehicle. We own the pickup outright, and could store it for $15/month. We don't really want to pay monthly insurance on two vehicles (around $100 each per month).

So...a baby-seat-friendly pickup truck replacement, or parking the pickup and buying an additional car...which makes more sense, or is there something else I need to consider?

Make of Green 2-Door Car Driven By Shelley Duvall's Uncle in "Nashville"?

trivirgata — Sat, 15 Jan 2005 23:37:05 -0800

Does anyone know the make and model of the green(ish) two-door car driven by Shelley Duvall's uncle in the Robert Altman film Nashville? I just watched the film again and that car was stuck in my mind the entire time. Do you happen to know this particular vehicle from within a film full of great looking cars?

How do I fix my car's ignition?

reishus — Sat, 25 Dec 2004 07:41:32 -0800

Locked out of my own vehicle's ignition. (More inside). I attempted to start up my 1997 Toyota T100 yesterday only to find the key would only move halfway between "LOCK" and "ACC". Upon consulting the manual, I found a blurb instructing me in the event the key is stuck in the LOCK position: gently move the steering wheel from left to right while attempting to turn the key. I tried this to no avail.

After turning the wheel about 90 degrees to the left, the wheel was locked in that position. Now the key wouldn't even make it halfway between "LOCK" and "ACC" - it's just 100% stuck at lock. By giving the wheel a firm nudge to the left, I was able to free it and now I'm in the first situation again.

I'm going to contact a locksmith on Monday. In the meantime, can anyone offer advice?