Ask MetaFilter posts tagged with car

Where can I buy reasonably cheap, reliable air filters for my 1997 Saturn SL2?

RobotHeart — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 07:10:25 -0800

Where can I buy reasonably cheap, reliable air filters for my 1997 Saturn SL2? I would prefer to walk into a store where I can talk to someone. I live on the border of Cuyahoga and Lake County near Cleveland, Ohio, if anyone wants to give region-specific advice. My car drinks oil a bit because the seals on the engine are getting old. I used to get my air filter checked every time I went for an oil change, but now I find it needs oil every 2k miles or so and the oil doesn't seem to be thickening, so now I top off the oil myself and go for professional changes a little less often. So I figure I should have a couple of filters around, too. But I don't know much else about cars. I can tell you I recently had to have my muffler, muffler strap and catalytic converter replaced (in a really good experience at Rainbow Muffler in Willoughby Hills -- seriously, ask for Ed, you'll love him), so I'm betting my air filter is pretty disgusting by now.

Trusted collision repair shop in Arlington, VA?

UrbanEconomist — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 18:33:00 -0800

Arlington, VA filter: My wife had a parking lot mishap when a lamp post jumped out in front of her car; now we need to find a good collision repair place. We drive a 2001 Honda Civic and live nearby to the Pentagon. The car is in fine shape to drive, so we don't mind going out of our way far a good and honest body shop. Thanks very much for your suggestions!

Can I fix my broken car a/c myself?

shinyshiny — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:44:18 -0800

The a/c in my car died about 2 years ago. I'm moving to the desert [SE corner of CA], so now this is a problem. I have no car knowledge, and no money. How can I fix my a/c? 1. How do I find out what's wrong without going to a mechanic [if possible]?
2. Is it worth fixing on a car ['98 Pontiac Grand Prix SE] that hasn't been driven in a year?
3. If I can find out what's wrong, can I fix this myself? Or should I get my fixit brother to do it?

I got the car in 2002 used. Also around 2 years ago, there was a serious over heating problem, leading to a new radiator and new hoses. I don't know if that had anything to do with the a/c dying, since I don't know what they took out or messed with. I also have no idea if not using the a/c in so long damaged it.

I just checked the weather, and its over 105 for the rest of the week. I really don't want to melt, and I move in a few weeks. Help!

Weird Car Electrical Symptoms

jimmyjimjim — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 18:19:47 -0800

2002 Toyota Camry, 64K miles. No previous symptoms. After a long drive, I stopped two minutes, then tried to restart the car. Nothing. Electric systems got a little screwy: windows wouldn't go down, clock and radio stations reset, automatic shifter stuck, as did key (wouldn't come out of ignition). Strange. But then all that stuff started working again (100% ok), but car still wouldn't start. At this point, I'd get a metallic staccato sound, but no turning over. Jump start worked perfectly, car drove home perfectly (note: it was night at this point, and my headlights were on) EXCEPT when I flicked my brights for a sec. Mayhem ensued...car kept running, but laggy/weird, and speedometer went dead and random dashboard lights went on. After a few minutes, all returned to normal. I got home, parked, shut off car, and tried to restart (headlights off, of course). Nothing. Is this alternator? thanks!!!

Was I taken for a ride?

Brocktoon — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 17:54:12 -0800

Did I get ripped off by my mechanic? I have a 1988 BMW 535i sedan, 6 cylinder. Today he replaced the power steering hoses and the antenna. He charged me $344 for parts and $570 in labor. Service includes a hand car wash. Was I ripped off?

What kind of car did you buy for your new teen driver?

sandra194 — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 11:16:12 -0800

Daughter is 16 and got her license a few months ago--she had her permit for a year before that and drove often with us (parents). So now we are looking at used cars for her--preferably under 10K, safe and decent city driving gas mileage. Of course she has her ideas--BMW, Jeep, Infinity, etc. Yeah right.

Seems like a good idea?

6:1 — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 16:50:07 -0800

Is LoJack really worth it? We've been quoted $695 (after taking $100 off) for our new vehicle. Does anyone out there have any first hand experience? Thanks.

THIS is why you shouldn't lease!!!

keep it tight — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 05:46:33 -0800

How to get out from a car lease filter.... okay, my girlfriend leased a car about a year ago that has really high payments ($500/mo) and she is already 2500 miles over the yearly allowance. She is just at the end of year 1 of a 3 year lease. What options would someone have to get from under this without paying a ton of money? The lease is with Honda Cars of North America. Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks

____ is a privilege, not a right!

sixcolors — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 10:13:59 -0800

What are some LESS obvious things that can disqualify someone from obtaning a job, car, or an apartment? I think it's well known that if someone has a criminal record, they'll have a lot of trouble finding employment. Or, if you get a DUI, your driver's license may be suspended or even revoked. But, I'm sure there's less obvious things that can cut off your access to housing, transportation, and employment.

It almost happened to me a few years ago. My father is one of those people who do not like to put his vehicle documents in his glove department or anywhere else in his car. He fears that if someone steals his car, they may steal his identity also, or the thieves may locate his address and stalk him. When I was younger, I let him talk me into doing same thing. Well, I got into a little fender-bender, and the cop asked me for my vehicle documents. I didn't have them, and the cop told me that was a somewhat serious offense. I asked what could happen. He said, depending on my record, I could lose my driving privileges for a year and have to pay a $1000 fine. We did NOT learn about this in drivers ed!

Fortunately, nothing happened, but it was a wake up call that the possiblity of me losing my driving privileges was a lot easier than I previously thought. As I am transitioning into "adult" life, the fear of me not being able access (or losing access to) transportation, housing, and employment is increasing.

So, what are some less obvious things:

1. That could prevent me from getting a job...or get me fired?
2. That could prevent me from buying a new car, having my license revoked/suspended, or having my car repossesed?
3. That could prevent me from renting out a house or apartment?

Radio on while getting gas safe?

alitorbati — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 23:47:15 -0800

Is it safe to keep my radio on while I refill my car's gas?

Need a Somerville MA mechanic

Lisa S — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 20:45:22 -0800

Does anyone know a good, reliable auto mechanic in the Somerville, MA area? We drive a 1997 Toyota Corolla and need some help finding someone who'll keep it happy -- competently, honestly, and, preferably, cheaply. Referrals?

How to replace a car's stock CD player with an aftermarket?

WizKid — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:50:38 -0800

CD player in my car stopped working (everything else works tape and radio) and when I asked from the dealer I was quoted around $400 to repair it. Since it's not worthwhile spending $400 for a repair I thought of getting an aftermarket player. 1) I'm looking for a low cost player (below $100) and I'm not too picky about sound quality (even the sound of my stock player is good enough for me). Support for a SD card or a USB thumb drive is preferred. Any suggestions?

2) This is a picture of my current CD Player. As you can see it's height is about 3-4 inches. So If I remove that player and fix the aftermarket player (which are generally about 2 inches tall) there will be an empty space. How do you fill that space? Are there any face plates or something that's specific for my car model that would allow you to fix after market players?

3) If I can leave the current setup intact and find a CD, MP3, USB or a SD Card player that I can have in the glove box or the trunk that would be great. Any ideas?

- The reason I'm not using an adapter with my MP3 player is, it's a pain to switch it off every time I park the car and go somewhere. So basically I need something that will be turned off when I just stop the car and took the key out of the ignition.
- The car is a Avalon and CD player gives the "Error 1" and after going through some forums I tried a solution they have provided. Disconnect the battery for 15 min and reconnect. After that it worked for about 2-3 days. Tried the same trick again but no luck. If you have suggestions on how to fix it pls share them.

how do i sell my car registered in CT to an New York resident?

nanhey — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 17:07:53 -0800

Selling my car (registered in Connecticut) to a New York state resident, who is not a US citizen. please help me with my forms checklist! I am selling my car that is registered in CT to a New York state resident who is not a US citizen. I am going with him to the DMV tomorrow to sort this all out. what else (if anything) do i need besides a

bill of sale
title
statement of transaction (sales tax form)

Thanks!

How to protect my car from being broken into at a motel?

lpctstr; — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 15:50:04 -0800

I'm driving from San Jose to Seattle with all my belongings on Tuesday. It's a 14 hour trip so I plan to stay one night at a motel. How can I best protect my car from being broken into and robbed at night? And any suggestions for places to stay?

When gas goes above 4 bucks a gallon, it's the premium cars who hurt the most...

rileyray3000 — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 15:39:11 -0800

I want to use cheap gas in my 2006 Audi A4. Will this void my warranty? Basically with gas so high, filling up on premium is more of a pain than it used to be. I'm looking for any savings I can 30 cents a gallon difference in California wouldn't be bad. That said, I OWN the car and don't lease it so I don't want to ruin it. I plan on giving the car to my nephew when the warranty runs out in 2010 to be a cool uncle.

That said I would need to know

1) if it really hurts the car in any real way

2) If I DO use cheap gas, is there a computer or sensor doohickey that will tell the Audi people when I bring it in for scheduled maintenance

3) If they CAN tell somehow, will this void my warranty?

Any automotive or Audi experience will be appreciated.

Because the alternative is to have her drive me everywhere.

sinfony — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 10:16:53 -0800

Auto insurance in Illinois: what to get, where to get it? Caveat: the car is insured already; I'm not. My SO's parents are giving us their old car, and are very nicely continuing to insure it (and her). I, on the other hand, have no such insurance, and I'm given to understand that I would need some basic level of insurance in order to drive the car. What should I be looking for? All the insurance company websites ask about the car that's being insured when I try to get a quote, and I appear to have lost my phone, so calling up and asking is out. I'm in Chicago, FWIW.

Bonus issue: I also need to pick up renter's insurance as a condition of the lease on the apartment I'll be moving to soon. Any recommendations for a good company for this? Any chance of a discount if I get both types of insurance through one carrier?

Why won't my car start?

torpark — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 18:45:37 -0800

Why won't my car start? I have a 94 Toyota Camry. When I put the key in and turn it over, I get nothing but a click from under the hood. I've replaced the alternator, the battery, and the starter twice.

The car used to do this occasionally when I would start it, stop it, and try to restart it in a short time period, such as getting out to fill up my gas tank. I took it to an electrical shop, and naturally they couldn't reproduce the problem.

Now it doesn't even turn over at all. All the dash lights are on like normal, no fuse warnings or idiot lights. When I turn the key, the panels dim, and we just get a click from the starter. No cranking. Just turn-click. Turn-click.

Any ideas? What can I do? I really need this car to work tomorrow.

How do you choose tires for a car?

Chuckles — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 19:49:24 -0800

How do you choose tires for a car? In particular, what is the best deal on all-season long lasting tires for a 2004 Toyota Matrix XR Front Wheel Drive, size 215/50/R17 in Southern Ontario. Some backstory...

So, my Mom needs new tires. The original equipment tires were some kind of performance compound type which have a wear rating of 200. She wants something that will last much longer, and perform well in winter weather (that is, cheapest possible tire per km driven, while not sacrificing utility in Canadian winters).

Problem is, she has been told by at least a couple of local shops that she has to replace the tires with similar performance compound type models. The local shops say that handling will be effected by any change, and they won't do it (or at least they don't want to).

This seems insane to me (Note: I've never driven, but I am technically minded). Sure, soft tires are going to handle better in ideal conditions, that's the whole point, but that doesn't seem relevant to my Mom's driving, or safety, or to anything other than up-selling an old lady.

Current status...

So, this whole 'replace with similar' issue may have been solved, because she has been shopping around and found places who are suggesting (or at least accepting her choice - whatever) a couple of relatively long wear tires. However, that doesn't really address the important question - what is the best value available.

Candidates...

Goodyear Assurance Triple Tread, at $195 each installed (and balanced, although why you'd quote an installation without it being a complete and proper installation is a mystery to me). These have an apparently extraordinary wear rating (according to tirerack) of 740!

Falken ZE-912, at $150 each installed. These have a wear rating of 480.

Finally, real questions...

Better deals around S. Ontario? Will the Goodyears really last 1.5x better than the Falkens? Remember that these have to be good in snow.

How can I dry out the insulation under my car's carpeting after a big leak?

Askr — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 07:48:32 -0800

How can I dry out the insulation under my car's carpeting after a big leak? How can I dry out the insulation under my car's floor carpeting when I can't pry up much of the carpeting?

I found a puddle in my car's passenger side the other day, flowing back and forth from back to front as I accelerated and braked. I'm not positive how it got in there, but I'll work on that separately (sunroof, window seals, underside plugs, etc.).

Here's what I've tried:

+Bailed out as much water as I could, then got as much as I could with a wetvac, but I could still hear water moving under there when I pressed down on it.

+Pried part of the carpeting away from the rear footwell as much as I could, which is just barely enough to snake a hand in there, and have been sticking a chamois cloth and little carwash towels in that opening to absorb and then wringing them out a couple times per day, hoping that wicking action will draw water from as far as the front all the way to the back there.

+Bought a dehumidifier, ran an extension cord to the car, sealed up the window where the cord went in and let it run all night and all day. I got almost nothing that way. Could be a bum dehumidifier, I suppose, but maybe the problem is that the water is not exposed to the air enough.

+I leave the windows open whenever I can to air it out.

There's no more standing water, but the insulation is like a sponge, still wet enough to keep making the towels pretty damp. I can't get under the carpet in the front - I can't see how to remove the paneling to even get at the edge of the carpet to pull it back. I'm sure mold is happily colonizing by now, five days later. It stinks up close in the area where I've peeled it back, and the whole car stinks if I have to leave the windows shut for a while. I don't want that permanent stink, but that will be a separate issue I'll deal with and I've seen other questions here that address that. What else can I do to dry it out quickly?

I looked at DampRid, but that seems to be more for moisture in the air, which won't do much if a dehumidifier didn't do much. I read about people running a hair dryer on it all night, but that sounds like a fire hazard. Other internet forum ideas on this topic haven't quite hit it.

Ideas?

"Do I need a new transmission?"

girlmightlive — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 10:34:44 -0800

Have you ever had your car's axle stuck in the transmission? What did you do about it? I drive a 2001 Kia Rio. The driver's side front axle is stuck in the transmission and, after taking it to a local mechanic and a national chain mechanic, I'm not sure if I should get a new transmission or just live with the clicking noise the car makes when I make hard turns. That what the national and local places told me are my options, respectively.

Both said this is rare. On the off-chance that any of you have had this issue, how'd you deal with it? Thanks.

What's wrong with my car?

amro — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 18:33:34 -0800

What is wrong with my car? As you can hopefully see from this photo, there is something large and metal that I believe is a part of the rear axle pressing hard into my rear passenger side tire and making it bulge out rather dramatically. There are more photos here. It's clearly not driveable, and I'm having it towed to a garage in the morning. But I hate looking like a dumb broad when I describe what's going on with my car to a mechanic, and I also fear that, to someone less than scrupulous, I have a big target on my head that says, "I'm a sucker and you can charge me anything!" Unfortunately, I don't yet have a trusted mechanic in my town (although I'm asking around tonight among local friends for recommendations). Therefore, I'm hoping to get at least an idea from you fine folks as to what could have happened. I don't recall going over any large potholes, and I didn't have an accident. The car just began making a loud noise, faster or slower depending upon how quickly the tires were rotating, as I drove home from work today. The noise obviously came from the metal pressing against the rotating tire, but I can't pinpoint anything that might have caused the axle, or whatever is pressing into the tire, to come... undone. Any thoughts from the more mechanically inclined? I'll be checking in and happy to provide any additional information. Oh, and it's a 2006 Saturn Ion, automatic tranmission.

How can she get there from here?

epersonae — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 16:07:59 -0800

My sister in CA is looking at a job in Federal Way (WA) and would be staying with us in Olympia. However...the job starts at 6:30 am (so no bus) and she doesn't currently own a car. Suggestions? It sounds like she really wants this job, which would start in a couple of weeks, but 6 weeks or so of staying with us could be a deal-breaker.

The extra quirk is that it's a split shift job, with an early morning shift and a late afternoon shift. The afternoon shouldn't be a problem for public transit, but the morning is pretty much impossible.

She has a small amount of money saved up, but that's about what she'll need for a deposit on an apartment.

I have suggested that she talk to her bank about getting a (very small) car loan and buy as cheap a car as she can manage. Also that she try calling a car rental place about a long-term rental.

We're going to talk again this evening, and I'd love to have more ideas from the hive mind for her.

Or, if you think this is nuts and she should just keep looking in LA (she has a part-time job & lives at home), I wouldn't mind hearing that POV either.

Can't get a backwards lug nut off a tire.

xorry — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 04:39:39 -0800

Five lug nuts, one needing a key. While looking for the key, I managed to throw the other nuts back on the tire bass-ackwards. I now have two of these silly things that are refusing to come back off. Any suggestions? Should I be trying to loosen them to the left or to the right ( now that they're on backwards? ) Thanks!

Medical suggestions for accident victim in India?

maya — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 21:40:33 -0800

Earlier this week I witnessed a pedestrian/car accident while traveling in Calcutta, India. A boy was pinned between two vehicles and his leg is badly injured. [warning] Here is a photo of his leg a few days later. His care is deficient as best and I am looking for advice and suggestions. Inside is an excerpt from my blog where you can find the full story, including known medications administered. His leg was stitched at the government hospital, under dire conditions. He has no broken bones. He has received an IV saline drip continuously except for the 4th day when he received 2x250ml of blood (about 1 pint). He never lost consciousness and responds to questions. He has no feeling around or below the wound (right calf, extending behind knee). There is obviously nerve damage, but I have no idea how extensive. His right foot seemed cold the first night but blood flow seems to have returned. He told me he can move/extend his right leg at the knew but it is extremely painful. He is very thin and his leg is somewhat swollen. Around the wound his skin is warmer.

Advice so far:
*try squeezing a toenail, it should blanche and then return to normal
*make sure he can move his foot
*Pus, if it is a white/thick substance is obviously a sign of infection and he needs stronger antibiotics. However, if it's blood and a more-or-less clear/yellowy liquid, that's normal as part of the healing process.
*the abrasion on the left of the photo should have a different bandage than the rest of the wound, and should be kept moist

As mentioned in my blog, I know advice without face-to-face consultation is inadequate. Anything stated will be taken as suggestion only, and I will consult a doctor that can see him before suggesting or administrating any changes in his care.

How do I sell my car?

imposster — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 05:42:00 -0800

Where can I find information about how to sell my car? (Ohio) I've never sold a car before and I'm unsure of all the steps I need to take (and in what order to take them). The BMV website doesn't provide much guidance (unless I'm missing some sort of obvious page that explains it all). When do I sign over the title? What do I do with the plates? When do I notarize the mileage? What steps am I leaving out?