I recently bought a used car and I don't particularly care for the color. Can I have it repainted to a different color? Nothing special, just a new solid color. I see they do this to the extreme on shows like "Pimp My Ride" etc.
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posted by clgregor
on Aug 10, 2005 -
17 answers
A friend of mine has just taken on a large amount of debt since splitting with his girlfriend. What can he do to keep on top of it?
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posted by jeresig
on Aug 8, 2005 -
20 answers
I drive a 2005 Scion xB. I have the opportunity to switch it for a 1999/2000 (I'm not sure which) Oldsmobile Alero sedan. Should I?
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posted by amandaudoff
on Aug 7, 2005 -
21 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?
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posted by redteam
on Aug 3, 2005 -
33 answers
Our car was broken into today for the fourth time in about two years and the stereo was stolen for the third time. The car is getting pretty worn out overall, so we're probably going to sell it and get a newer one once we get the window replaced. What should we consider when shopping for a newer car and associated car audio, to avoid being a target?
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posted by xulu
on Jul 31, 2005 -
19 answers
I am looking for the coolest, sharpest, most sporty Coupe or Convertible that is a 4 Cyl. up to 5 years old that would cost under 20k today that can come in automatic (or some version of SMT) I am aware of the Toyota MR2 Spyder ... and the Eclipse.. but I am not a huge fan of the latter... and would like more options then just the prior!
Thanks!
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posted by crewshell
on Jul 20, 2005 -
47 answers
I backed into a parking garage column a couple of months ago (it was in my blind spot) and tore up my rear bumper pretty bad. Would it be worth it to report this to my insurance, or would they probably increase my premiums as a result? (FWIW, the accident happened several months ago.)
posted by designbot
on Jul 20, 2005 -
11 answers
Does anyone have any experience with Personal Contract lease of cars? I'm just working out how to spend my new car allowance in my job - and I like the idea of leasing a car (replaced every three years, maintained, get some cash back for my old car etc etc)
The sites on the web look a little hard-sell (obviously) and I'm stuck for good clear guidance of whether this is a good option or not. This is in the UK btw
posted by mattr
on Jul 15, 2005 -
1 answer
I've heard stories before about how the first automobiles did not have their own steering, and were meant to be driven on rails. But I've not been able to find any corroborating evidence. Is this just an urban myth, or has anyone heard of this as well?
posted by jgballard
on Jul 11, 2005 -
6 answers
So I finally have to pay for my own car insurance. Any ideas on good places to start looking, tips, things to consider, etc.
In case you need it: my chief concern is price, I will be insuring me, my wife and our two cars and, between the two of us, we have had three accidents in the past five years and zero traffic violations.
posted by JPowers
on Jul 5, 2005 -
14 answers
I am in the market for a new car. Does anyone have some remarks on Pro’s and Con’s of buying new vs. used? I am looking to replace my 95 Subaru wagon which was totaled last weekend. I am considering buying a used Subaru outback (99-04) range or a new 05 outback. Some Pro’s I see for buying used are price obviously, Con’s being unknown history, no warranty, won’t last as long etc. Pro’s of buying new would be Warranty, one owner etc. Anyone else have some insight on these pro’s and con’s and maybe what else should be taken into consideration?
Also, I read a thread a while back about tricks to prevent overpaying at the dealer for a car, anyone know where that is?
Thanks,
posted by retro88
on Jun 28, 2005 -
23 answers
Help me secure my car: For the seventh time in two years, I'm buying replacement window glass for my car. For the third time in two years, I'm shopping for a new stereo. For the second time in two years, I'm wondering what in the heck petty thieves want with my car registration and insurance forms.
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posted by u2604ab
on Jun 14, 2005 -
31 answers
What are the best games to play in a car on a long road trip?
posted by smackfu
on Jun 14, 2005 -
29 answers
Has anyone ever had to take a broken out of a car ignition? While trying to start my 1994 Nissan, my key snapped cleanly, with most of it still in the ignition. I have an extra, so all I need to do is get the key out with damaging the tumblers or the mechanism. Has anyone had to do this before? What did you do?
posted by Snyder
on Jun 11, 2005 -
10 answers
I own a 1994 850 Volvo Wagon with approximately 168,910 miles on it. Last night, I reset the odometer to show zero miles after filling the gas tank. This morning, on the way to work, I noticed that the odometer never budged. Still sitting at zero. So, the car is still showing 168,910 miles despite having gone an additional 20 miles or so. What do I check to get the count going again? Do I need to take my car to the shop? Is this something I can fix myself (read: have my handy-dandy husband fix for me)?
posted by onhazier
on Jun 7, 2005 -
10 answers
I found an enormous cockroach in my car. How do I get it out of there?
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posted by cmyk
on Jun 7, 2005 -
10 answers
My boyfriend and I are leaving from Ottawa to Honolulu in 10 days for 10 days. Should we book the hotels, car rentals and inter-island flights in advance or can we get away with doing it when we get there?
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posted by KathyK
on May 31, 2005 -
11 answers
I'm purchasing spinning rims off ebay and I'm looking for people who have used ebay frequently to inform me...
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posted by AMWKE
on May 29, 2005 -
27 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.
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posted by BuddhaInABucket
on May 29, 2005 -
38 answers
So the old "Helmet Law" debate flared up on a motorcycle mailing list I'm on. A new twist came about this time though; the claim is outstanding that it's actually illegal to wear a helmet while driving a passenger car or truck on public roads.
Is this true?
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posted by de void
on May 27, 2005 -
19 answers
I need suggestions for a site to list my neighbor's antique car. He's a nice old fellow and I want to help.
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posted by drakepool
on May 23, 2005 -
5 answers
Sitting in a car today as my friend was filling her tank, and my colleagues and I wondered aloud why there doesn't seem to be a standard for which side of the car has the gas cap on it. The car we were in had it on the right, as do both my cars, but the others in the car had cars with the caps on the left. What logic do car manufacturers use to determine from which side fuel is delivered? Some vehicles have the delivery point at the rear, and I believe I once saw a car with the gas cap near the front somewhere. Anyone know a rough ratio of left / right on North American cars? If there is a majority, is it an ergonomics thing? Just curious.
posted by galto
on May 18, 2005 -
45 answers
I've got a 2003 Mazda Protege5...which, over the past 3 weeks or so, has developed a noticeable fuel odor in the cabin.
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posted by tpl1212
on May 18, 2005 -
8 answers
My mechanic just told me that my 98 Saturn wagon (125,000 miles) needs a new clutch. Nothing dramatic happened; I just brought it in for a pre road trip checkup. The clutch has been getting stickier & stickier, and sometimes it's very hard to wrench it into first gear, but it's drivable. He said he had no way of knowing when it would go completely, but it definitely was going to need to be replaced soon. Since inspecting it involves pulling the transmission, you might as well commit to fixing it altogether. I have two questions.
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posted by mygothlaundry
on May 17, 2005 -
23 answers
Either I'm way too sensitive to the phenomenon of having an oncoming car's brights flashed at me, or it actually is happening too often to me. So, my question is: who out there is flashing their brights at other cars and why?
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posted by achmorrison
on May 11, 2005 -
23 answers
It seems whenever I drive my 1996 Ford Contour over 40 mph or use my air conditioning, the car begins to smell of sulfur or rotten eggs. What do I need to do to fix this on my own?
posted by JFunk2800
on May 5, 2005 -
7 answers
This question spurred another: When jumping a dead battery, do you attach the cables to the positive node of the dead battery or the live battery first?
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posted by rhapsodie
on May 5, 2005 -
8 answers
[AutoRepairFilter] - While jump-starting my car a while back, I placed the jumper cables backwards on the battery, and since then some of the electrical things in the interior of the car don't work.
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posted by stovenator
on May 5, 2005 -
12 answers
My girlfriend was rear-ended a few days ago and the rear of her car is damaged. It's still very driveable, but she has to do a ton of little things like meet with the adjuster, get estimates for repairs, etc. The insurance company of the guy who hit her has been decently accomodating so far, but I'm wondering if she's eligible for compensation for the time it will take to comply with their procedures? And how do we go about asking for that if indeed she is?
posted by Mayor Curley
on Apr 28, 2005 -
17 answers
I am being sued for damages related to an auto accident. The lawyer from the insurance firm is representing my case. Should I get my own lawyer?
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posted by sophist
on Apr 26, 2005 -
13 answers
I was in a car accident about four years ago where I rear-ended another vehicle. AFAIK, it was my fault, but no one seemed injured at the time, and now I'm being sued for thousands more than my liability auto insurance will cover. If they are awarded what they're asking through arbitration or through a judgement, what are my options for paying the portion which my insurance won't cover? Background and other related questions inside.
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posted by xiojason
on Apr 26, 2005 -
12 answers
When I gas up my car, I don't squeeze the lever on the pump handle, but, instead, I slide the lever into the little notch so that my tank will fill itself up while I squeegee the windows. When the tank is full, the pump shudders, the lever dislodges itself, and the filling ceases. However, probably half of the time, the filling ceases much, much too early. The result is that I can't tell when my tank is full, nor can I squeegee while my car fuels itself. What gives?
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posted by waldo
on Apr 25, 2005 -
25 answers
I just bought a 1999 Honda Civic Ex coupe. The front grill "H" emblem was missing. The salesperson ordered one and told me that it was easy to replace as it affixed with double sticky tape, or something like that. The H arrived, but . . .
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posted by Juicylicious
on Apr 16, 2005 -
11 answers
My wife and I are likely to be moving from the US to Australia in the next few months. I have a 2004 Audi that we would need to sell. I would like to sell the car to a private buyer, as opposed to a dealer, to make as much back as possible. How do people deal with having a lien on the title while trying to sell the car?
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posted by qwip
on Apr 14, 2005 -
15 answers
AirFilter: I have a 92 Camry XLE with a dirty air filter. I bought a new one hoping it would help with the tobacco smoke smells, but I can't see where to install it...
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posted by icetaco
on Apr 13, 2005 -
11 answers
I swear in the last year of so I saw a post on the blue linking to a bunch of photos taken by some guy who awoke to find some drunk driver had blown thru his neightborhood and hit every possible car around. Anyone have the link. I cannot find it for the life of me. Thanks in advance.
posted by pwb503
on Apr 3, 2005 -
5 answers
My friend owns and 93 M. Benz 300E and it wont start. When he attempts to jump the car his alarm goes off... What can he do to fix this?
posted by crewshell
on Apr 3, 2005 -
5 answers
I'm looking to upgrade my Infiniti sound system for cheap. Is there an order of importance/value to the various available upgrades (deck first, then amp, then speakers, then subwoofer, maybe??). If so, what is this order, and what are some particularly good components for their price? Are there any particularly cheapie ways to acquire components (in Los Angeles or on the internet)?
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posted by sirion
on Apr 1, 2005 -
10 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.
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posted by xo
on Mar 31, 2005 -
10 answers
