Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with cars

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?

Junk in my Trunk

Pennyblack — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 09:17:53 -0800

I want to make my car into a truck. Do I just buy a blow torch, superglue and bubble wrap? I will soon be inheriting a PT Cruiser and I've become fixated on a strange idea. An open bed sedan/truck (El Cruisero) would be perfect for my mini farming/gardening pseudo-country lifestyle. How does one go about doing that type of auto conversion? If it is cut down from the back of the front seats and a rubber lined bed created would that be more subtraction than addition? I know it is more than a hack saw job, but how difficult could it be? The PT has very low mileage and the body is in newish. I can't help but think the end result (painted Ford '49) would be adorable. I am in MA which isn't exactly the best place for auto exotic fixations. Any ideas on where to start? Other than picking out the paint, there is no way I could do this myself.

Roofjob

gilgamix — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 19:38:19 -0800

How much would it cost to repair/replace the roof of a 1988 BMW convertible? We are thinking about buying a 1988 bmw convertible for my brother-in-law for Christmas. Apparently "the handle for the roof is broken, so the hood can't go up (very easy to fix). "

I have no experience with convertibles, and the car is cheap enough that we could afford to put some work into it, but I need some idea of what it will cost.

And so I turn to the hive mind, my trusted guide in all manners esoteric and then some.

Replace 1995 Integra Door Handle

token-ring — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 22:20:47 -0800

Does anyone have any information on a good source for getting a replacement door handle (driver side) on a 1995 Acura Integra and any tips on how to replace the broken one? My googleing has turned up a few OEM part retailers but none of them have pictures of the parts and I want to make sure I am getting the right part in the right color. In my door jamb the color sticker tells me my color code is “BG-33P”. This website tells me that color code is “Paradise Blue-Green Pearl” but every OEM dealer I have found online that has door handles sells both “Paradise Blue” and “Green Pearl” separately and I don’t know if this means they are the same color or not.

I found an online guide for replacing the handle and I’m relatively confident my roommate and I can replace the handle ourselves. I don’t want to pay someone else to do it, I just need the part. Tomorrow I am going to give the nearest Acura dealership a call, but I doubt they will have the lowest price in parts.

Can any one offer first hand advice with a parts supplier or experiences with replacing the door handle on an Acura or Honda?

Picture of the Door sans handle

Is This Really Death Metal... For My Car?

Rewind — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 12:31:41 -0800

While performing routine maintenance on my car, my mechanic noticed a hum coming from the (standard) transmission. He then changed the transmission fluid and noticed pieces of metal when draining the old fluid out. Crap. This car only has 85,000 miles. How many more can I realistically get out of it? The car in question is 2002 Ford Focus, which has had a not insignificant amount of work done on it over the years (particularly around the tires, wheels and clutch) because a) it’s a cheap car manufactured with cheap parts and b) I’m primarily a city driver who drove the thing hard in its early years (when I was younger and just as stupid.)

When I asked my mechanic how long he thought it had, he was somewhat noncommittal and said, “Maybe a year. Maybe more or less.” I understand him not wanting to give me a definite time because it’s probably a hard thing to pin down, and he probably doesn’t want me yelling at him if it turns out he was wrong. While I’ve never noticed the hum he alluded to, I also fully admit that I’d have no idea what to listen for. To me, car acceleration sounds like car acceleration. I trust my mechanic implicitly, and don’t think for a minute he was trying to get me to spend more on additional work. In fact, based on the transmission issue, I ended up not replacing my timing belt, thinking it would be wasted money if the car only has a limited lifespan.

So, I guess my question to you mechanical folk out there is if you have any type of experience with this and if so, how long did the car last, and do you have any additional insight you think might be useful? I’m actually reading some information online which says that metal in the transmission drainage is actually normal. I’m tempted to trust my mechanic on this, however. At the root of all this is me questioning whether or not I should buy a new car. Eventually, I’m going to have to, of course, and now seems like a great time to buy one given the economy and some of the deals I’m seeing, but not if my current car still has a reasonable amount of miles still left on it. Thanks in advance.

Is the SLK 55 AMG really worth it?

Anonymous — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 21:21:26 -0800

'Best car for the money' questions have been asked over and over, but now it's my turn! I'm young, single, and fast... These 'best car for the money' questions have been asked over and over, but now it's my turn!

I am a young, single guy looking to buy my first car. I would like something sporty, but haven't actually driven that many 'sporty' cars.

My budget is no more than $35k. Looking at used cars only. Purchase date 3-6 months away. I am looking for a car that is simply fun to drive. It would be my daily commuter (and only car).

I have been looking at the Mercedes SLK 55 AMG 2005-2007 and have a few questions. How do the repair costs of the SLK 55 compare to that of the SLK 350/280? Is the SLK 55 worth the extra $5-7K over the lesser SLK models? I would love first hand accounts for anyone who has driven these cars.

I have also looked at the new 370Z but am unsure about the seemingly cheap plastic parts--door handles, interior components. I would love this car if it looked less like a toy. Is this a better option over the Mercedes?

I like the Porsche Boxster S and am wondering how it compares to the previous cars. I have heard the costs of ownership can be very high for Porsches. Is an older, higher-mileage 911 better than a newer Boxster?

I also realize insurance will be through the roof, but maybe some of these cars are cheaper to insure than others.

I would love any advice for a young professional looking for a fun, reliable car to drive. I really appreciate any and all input (maybe even some cars I forgot about). Thanks in advance!

Sorry for anonymous, just would like to maintain privacy about this (because of money, status associated with these kinds of cars). Throw away email: funcartodrive@gmail.com

Narrowing down a used car search.

MeatyBean — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 10:08:57 -0800

Looking to narrow my search for a used car down to just a few options. Seeking something around $5k, reliable, low maintenance and compact. I'm looking to buy a used car in the States. I know little about cars and believe my best bet is to narrow in on a select few cars in particular and search for a good deal from there. I'm not sure which I should look at. Here's what I'm looking for:

1. Under $5000 - I can go above that if it's warranted
2. Reliable, low maintenance - I can't afford something high maintenance, I'm looking for a runner, a non-temperamental vehicle
3. Compact, good mileage - I don't need a lot of space or a big vehicle, enough to get me around is fine

I have no preference towards a make or model. Anything else I can think of to look for, original owner, no accidents, would apply to the car for sale and not a make or model concern.

So I have two questions for anyone that can help:

1. Anything else I should be looking for in a vehicle?
2. What are my best options (make, model and year)? It would help to include a link to an article, site with statistics or your background as it applies.

Is there a family-sized Echo substitute?

nickmark — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:36:00 -0800

Our family has grown 50% this year. Sadly, the laws of science are a harsh mistress, and my Toyota Echo is unable to grow at the same rate. What car would you recommend to replace it? The new car will serve two main roles: As my car-about-town (dropping off Baby at daycare, commuting to work, assorted errands) and as the Family Trip Vehicle. We became convinced of the need for a larger car after the last family trip, when Baby's various gear, plus our own luggage, threatened to overflow our larger car, a Honda Accord. The need to replace the Echo (rather than the accord) became apparent when it turned out that our rear-facing infant seat only fits in the car if you move the front passenger seat so far forward that there's no room for a front passenger. So the Echo is out, and the new car needs to provide more space than the Accord, in order to work for trips (plus the potential future addition of Baby Two).

Here's the thing: I love the Echo. It's the first and only car I've owned; it's a 2001 purchased new, so I've had lots of time to grow attached. I'm not in love with my car specifically, but its features. I'd like for the new car to have as many of the features I love about the Echo as possible. There's a lot of cars out there, so can you help me narrow down the list, based on what I like about the Echo?

- I love having the instrument console in the middle of the dashboard, instead of on the other side of the steering wheel. I find the steering wheel keeps me from seeing the speedometer when I drive the wife's Accord. (I'm not aware of anyone but Toyota doing this in the US, though, and I think only on the Prius, which may not have the space we're looking for.)
- The visibility is tremendous (I suspect due to the high ceiling) - when I've driven rentals of various makes, they've made me feel like I'm looking through a tunnel to see what's behind me. In the Echo, I always know what's around me.
- The upright seating is great. In other cars I often feel too reclined; I like how my joints can make right angles in the Echo. This, too, may be due to the unusually high roof.
- I love how efficient it is. 32 mpg city! Woo! I know a larger car means lower efficiency, but I just get depressed at the idea of buying a car half as efficient after the industry should have been advancing for eight years. So decent mileage would be nice (I recognize I may have to revise my concept of "decent," since I'm in the habit of sneering at 27 mpg)
- Lots of convenient compartments!

It's just a great little car. Basically, the only problem is the "little" part of that sentence. What should I be looking at for a replacement that will hold Baby?

Inflexible requirements for the new car are: more space than the Accord and automatic transmission. Bonus points for safety and efficiency. We're pretty much imagining something in the wagon/crossover categories, but we're flexible on style.

My car stinks and I can't blame it on other cars forever.

zvs — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 09:42:34 -0800

Should I bother fixing my catalytic converter? Worth it to fix my catalytic converter? It periodically smells like rotten eggs and the mpg is down from 16 to 13 or 14 on the highway. '97 Mountaineer, but I don't use it to commute so it accrues 2500 mi/yr, tops. The car's only about 100K miles old.

Don't know how much this costs to fix. Would it just be cheaper to leave it alone? The car passed the Seattle emissions test by default a month ago, since it's too old to plug into the computer. But am I going to be sorry if I don't fix it when the car ... explodes or something?

Is there a GPS device for me?

btkuhn — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:42:32 -0800

Is there a GPS device for me? I have an old Garmin unit in my car that I love and is great for navigating unfamiliar cities and towns. I am in the market for a new unit and I'd love to get a device that I can use both in my car and to take with me walking around. I think it'd be really useful when walking around an unfamiliar city for the same reasons that it is useful in the car. However, the car units aren't really marketed as "pedestrian-friendly" so I'm not sure if any of them can be used for this purpose, and if so, which ones are good for this.

Or...would it be better to buy a "trail" GPS (like this). It looks like there are accessories that can adapt this for auto usage, but again, it's hard to tell how good it would be for this purpose.

Ideally, I'd get a smartphone with GPS and then I'd have it for both driving and walking, but I don't want to have to buy a data plan, which it looks like is a necessity to activate GPS capability on smartphones. Another option would be to buy an iTouch, which, from googling, looks like it has some apps for GPS, but I can't figure out how this would work since I don't think that the iTouch has a GPS chip that tracks location.

Are there any solutions for my needs? I'd like to spend $200 or less, although I could go above that with the iTouch if it is an option.

Thanks.

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.

1999 Toyota Camry Check Engine Light Problems

Lacking Subtlety — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:29:30 -0800

Calling those w/ more knowledge of cars than I... 1999 Toyota Camry with a well-documented Check Engine light problem. How can I convince people/mechanics that the problem is a low-percentage systemic design flaw and not something that needs replacing if there's never been a recall issued? Okay. Qualifiers:

-I have a moderate knowledge of cars, but nothing special. I have enough of a working knowledge to know when a mechanic is telling me I need something I don't really need, but I wouldn't be confident doing labor myself.
-I certainly know the behavior/history of my own cars.
-I don't have a lot of money.
-I'm a point A point B kind of guy.
-My family has bought nothing but Camrys for over 20 years. They have been wonderful.

The only minor problem came when my mother bought new 1999 toyota camry and in the first year the check engine light came on. Naturally, she took it for service and it was an "EGR Flow Insufficiency" "EVAP vent control malfunction" and EVAP Ctrl Incorrect purge flow." Basically these are all things that indicate problems with a variety of parts that deal with emission control. She got many of the parts replaced and soon after the check engine light came on for the SAME exact problems. So my ma and her mechanic finally realized after much research, that the car has a significant history of being overly-sensitive to these specific emissions problems. There's absolutely nothing wrong with the parts of the system it is actually the system and design of the car itself. So he refunded her a lot of money and any time her check engine light came on he would check it out to be sure it was just those problems and turn it off, and pass her for any inspections, etc. Yeah, this mechanic was a genuine class act.

So two years ago I bought this car from her and now operate it in California. It's in great condition for a ten year old car, I do all regular maintenance. And it passed it's first smog test 2 years ago and all that (the check engine light was off at the time, like I said, it's temperamental).

So a few months into owning, I was getting maintenance done at a pep boys (they charge the lowest prices) and was convinced that this problem didn't exist and I was crazy and I need 900 dollars worth of repairs done to this system. I finally caved and low and behold the NEXT DAY the check engine light came on for the same set of problems. Needless to say I started a big thing with Pepboys to try and get some for of restitution which is neither here nor there (it didn't work. mechanic companies can't be held responsible for convincing you to get service you don't need).

So basically i went on with my life and got maintenance on my car and thankfully ignored nonsense EGR/EVAP issues and life has been fine.

Until I needed a recent smog test pass for my California registration renewal. I can't get passed because of my check engine light is on and registering the same nonsense 3 codes. The car checks out great in all other areas.

I told my story to the Smog check guy, and he believed me and recommended me to a refugee station, where I could plead my case. I prepped for a week (printed out 100s of people with similar complaints) and had the entire history of my car documented and at hand. I went in this morning to talk to the guy about my problem, and he listened, realized I knew what I was talking about, and felt very sorry for me. Because it turns out, he can't do ANYTHING unless there's been a recall. He wasn't even sure why I got recommended to him. I responded that I thought it was a place for exactly this kind of gray area, but he said "yeah, but you need a recall."

Now I have friends who have worked for car companies. I know what it takes to get a car recalled. (And for those who've seen fight club, it's not far off). Basically there is no way that a car gets recalled for a maintenance problem that doesn't effect vehicle performance and accidents/people's health. No way a car gets a recall for my problem. No way.

So basically I was telling him this and that there is literally nothing I can for for my car, which again, has nothing actually wrong with it, but spend 900 dollars for repairs, and hope I can get a smog test before the light comes back on (which could happen instantly). And more over this is something I will have to deal with again at the very next smog inspection down the road.

But of course all the guy said was "my hands are tied."

And that's all that's happened. I've called every dealership (they all won't commit to any answers), toyota corporate office (they stonewall me), and mechanic I can think of and asked for solutions but all I get is "My hands are tied", illegal suggestions, or offers of things to do that charge me exorbitant amounts of money.

Side note: Tampering with a check engine light can get you jail time in California. But still... it's a last resort option and one I don't want to get to.

So tomorrow morning I'm going to walk into a Toyota dealership and try and I have to convince them I don't need any work done. And to just pass me for a smog test. But this likely will not happen. I can't just drop 450-900 dollars on nonsense, but I just know that's what I'm going to end up doing. I can apply for a test program in California that will pay up to 500 dollars of it, but that will take months. Months I don't have.

Is there anyone here who can help? I am completely at a loss of where to go from here. There has to be someone somewhere out there who can just look at this situation and say "your car is okay to drive and in fact safer to drive in California than every SUV in the road."

There's obviously some precedence for legal action, but honestly that is expensive and drawn out, and I NEED TO GET MY CAR ON THE ROAD. Any ideas?

Car rental insurance: vital or scam?

cgs — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:50:14 -0800

Car rental insurance: what should I get? - I don't have any primary auto insurance (don't own a car).
- This is just in the states (NY, NJ, PA)
- I am renting via my credit card which has Master Rental Insurance (http://www.citibank.com/us/cards/gen-content/en.htm). They said on the phone that they become the primary insurer since I don't have auto insurance, that it is the same category (damage/loss... mentioned in that document as well).

Does this mean I just need to worry about hitting someone else?

I don't understand the various insurance labels and want to be as well informed as possible when I get to the counter. I hate feeling pressured or like they are taking advantage of me.

Thanks for your help-
cgs

Cruise control is caps lock for.. wait a minute..

srrh — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 17:09:29 -0800

Is using cruise control all the time bad for my car in any way? To prevent myself from speeding, I like to use cruise control almost all the time. I did this with my old car, a 2000 Pontiac Firebird, with no discernible ill effects. I just got my first NEW new car (a Nissan Cube SL with a 4 cylinder CVT transmission), and want to make sure I'm not doing anything that could damage it.

I do not try to use the cruise control in stop and go traffic, but other than that, I do. Whether the speed limit is 25, 35, 45, 55, 65... you get the drift. If I'm going a long-ish stretch at any particular speed, I just set the cruise control. Could this cause any problems for the car?

Is there a way to calculate the relative cost of buying an older used car vs a later-model one?

lunasol — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:45:29 -0800

Is there a way to calculate the relative cost of buying an older used car vs a later-model one? Taking into account depreciation, maintenance costs, etc. I'm looking to buy a small, inexpensive car, most likely a Toyota or Honda (although later-model Kias seem appealing as well). I've had two mid-90s Toyotas with high (140K+) miles and was planning to do the same thing again. But it occurred to me that both of those cars, while fairly reliable for their age, actually had a lot of problems - I ended up spending about $1K/year for repairs on both. And having had each for less than a year, one I ended up selling for parts and one I sold for $1k. Also, finding a decent older used car takes a lot of time, something I have a lot less of now than used to. I started thinking that spending a bit more might actually yield better value in the long run.

So now I'm thinking about taking the $3k I'd budgeted for a rustbucket and using it as a down payment on a later-model used car in the $8K range. Some examples of what I'm thinking about: a 2003 Toyota Corolla with 70K miles, a 2004 Kia Rio with 60K miles, or a 2003 Honda Civic with 90K miles, or a 2005 Hyundai Elantra with 50K miles. These examples are all based on asking prices I saw on kbb.com.

So now I'm trying to figure out how I can accurately crunch the numbers and figure out the true cost/value of buying a newer car vs buying an older one. I know that you can never be certain about whether a car will last for 1 year or 10 years, or whether you'll have to replace the head gasket after a year, but there's got to be some information out there that can help me figure out some expected values.

Is there a website that keeps information about things like average yearly maintenance costs, depreciation, etc? Or has some kind internet soul posted a calculator that helps you figure all this stuff out?

I'm a 26 year old guy. Is the car I want a car I SHOULD be getting?

creative — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 15:54:14 -0800

I need to get a car, but I don't do much driving... so I don't want to spend a lot. That means I'm looking at the new Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Mazda 3 class of cars (all 2010). Of the group, the Mazda 3 is my favorite by far. Thing is, I don't really know much about cars + I'm a 26 year old guy = is the Mazda 3 a chicks car? I'm not at all a "car guy" and I don't really do much driving, but I do NEED a car.

For all of these reasons, I'm looking at something new (2010) but in the lower priced class of cars. This is the class that includes the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Mazda 3, etc..

After doing a ton of research, looking at tons of pics and videos, reading a ton of reviews, and sitting in them all myself, the 2010 Mazda 3 is BY FAR my pick.

I'm thinking black exterior for sure, probably black interior as well.

However, there's a potential problem. I don't know crap about cars, but I somehow associate the VW Jetta with being a chicks car. The Nissan Sentra too.

The combination of this, the fact that I don't really know car stuff, and the fact that I'm dude has made me want to check in with smarter "car people" to help ensure that I don't end up with a chicks car myself.

So I guess my question is, as a guy in his 20's, is the 2010 Mazda 3 (all black) a car for me?

And yeah, I know, there really is no such thing as a chick car, or a guy car, or a young person car, or an old person car, a straight car, a gay car, blah blah blah.

I'm asking this knowing full well that it's all superficial BS.

Still though, I'd like avoid being the dude getting out of his Jetta or the middle aged guy getting out of his [insert some non-old guy car here]: etc. etc. if I can.

And if it happens to turn out that this car really isn't a car a 26 year old guy should own, is it at least the closest thing to one out of the class of cars I'm looking at?

How to reliably rent an AWD vehicle when flying to the Tahoe area?

brain — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:27:20 -0800

I'll be regularly flying in to ski near N. Lake Tahoe this winter. Which airport should I fly into and which rental agency should I use to be most assured of getting an AWD vehicle? I drove my trusty AWD-equipped car from the Bay Area to Tahoe many many times last season, but now the both the car and myself are in PDX. How do I get to Truckee and the slopes when chain control is in effect? Should I fly to Reno? Sacramento? Will any rental agency make a guaranteed reservation on a Subaru or other appropriate vehicle?

I suppose I could buy some tire chains and lug them along in my luggage, but what size? Is there a size that's going to fit most/all of the common small rental cars?

Headlights won't turn on, any ideas?

mattsweaters — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:53:21 -0800

Headlights won't turn on, any ideas? So I was driving this evening and people where flashing their headlights at me and when I pulled over I realized that my headlights were not on.

Everything else works on my car fine, but no headlights or high beams will turn on. Is there anything I can check before I take my car to the mechanic [i'm kind of poor these days]

My car is a 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer, stock nothing fancy added to it.

thanks!

To key or not to key

AlliKat75 — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 20:33:38 -0800

What is the probability that the worst will happen? My girlfriend lost her keys. What are the odds that someone will find all the right places to use these keys? The details: We live in the East Bay. She works in San Francisco. She took the Bart this morning and is positive that her keys were in her backpack around lunch time. The lost keys include our car key, our house key, our mailbox key and her work key. What is the probability that someone will find these keys (were they possibly stolen?) and know where to use them? Should we re-key everything?

Nothing of value was taken.... or was it?

twiggy — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:23:41 -0800

Why would someone break into a bunch of cars but ignore valuables only to rifle through paperwork? Last weekend, my car was broken into (well, it's possible I may have left it unlocked, though that's a very RARE thing for me). No windows were broken, though, so I either left it unlocked, or they used a slim jim.

A few interesting things:

1) I park in a gated lot behind my building, so someone had to hop the fence to get in.
2) Nothing of value was really present in my car, but not even what few things of value I did have were taken (a few CDs, a phone charger, etc)...
3) Whoever it was rifled through my glove box, my console and took out my (unused) ash tray, and left all of them open. My car is pretty messy, so they could've easily made it look like they were never there with about 10 seconds effort.

I thought nothing of this at first. I figured they didnt' find anything of sufficient value and moved on, and while it bothered me that my stuff was rifled through, I figured there was no sense worrying about it.

However, I'm on an email list for my local neighborhood, and just got an email noting that this same thing has happened to several other cars in the past week in their area - just a few blocks from where I'm at.

So - why would someone do this? My first thought was ID theft, but I don't think getting my auto insurance card is going to do you a whole lot of good. My social security number shouldn't be on there. It's also not on my license, but I keep my license with me at all times anyway, it wouldn't be in my car.

Has this happened to anyone else? Have you ever figured out what it was the thieves were after?

Why are my headlights blinking off while driving?

COD — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 09:20:17 -0800

The headlights on my 2004 Dodge Durango randomly blink out for a few seconds while I'm driving. As you can imagine, this is a bit unnerving, not to mention dangerous, on a dark road at night. It is not consistent. It may happen a few times one night, then not again for a week. I do not have the automatic headlight feature. It does not seem to be connected to using the brakes, or turn signals, or anything like that. It's not even connected to moving as it has happened while the truck is not in motion. The 2nd generation Durango's do not have a headlight relay, which was my first thought on a part to check. The lights are apparently digitally controlled. I took it into the dealer and of course, the damn lights wouldn't act up there and the on board computer is not reporting any error codes, so the dealer didn't do anything but overcharge me for an oil change and tire rotation. I'm worried the lights will go out for good at a very inopportune time, like on one of our two trips in the next month. Has anybody had this problem, or have a guess as to where I should be looking for the cause?

Lead Foot Equall/Not Equall Need Brake Job

Liver — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:35:49 -0800

Theoretical brake wear: Do brake pads wear out faster, slower, or at the same rate if you brake later and harder than normal? Let's say you have two drivers, Alice and Bill, each with their own identical car.

Let's say Alice is a professional race car driver and Bill is a normal vanilla defensive driver. Alice drives her regular car at legal speeds on the open road, but because of her professional skill and training, tends to brake much later and with greater foot pressure than Bill would making the same journey.

For instance, while traveling 60 MPH, they both see an approaching red light. Bill applies the break gradually and takes 1000 ft to come to a stop. Alice doesn't apply the break until she is closer to the light, and applies more foot pressure, coming to a stop in 500 ft.

Over the long run, does Alice need new brake pads before Bill, or do they both need new brake pads at roughly the same time?

I can see it going either way. Either Alice needs pads sooner because she brakes harder, applying more force to the pads, or Alice and Bill both wear pads at the same rate, because they are doing the same amount brake use, only with different short-term usage patterns.

Or maybe I'm missing something entirely and you can help me understand.

Help with my brake dance

ecorrocio — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 11:20:01 -0800

Give me a brake!...I'd like to have a clue about brake rotors. I'm getting my brakes repaired today, and don't want to replace brake rotors if I don't need to. Thing is... I don't know squat about brake rotors so could be easily taken for a ride on the rotormobile. How can I ask the right questions to make sure I really need rotors if the mechanic recommends they be replaced?

I got pwnd.

Tu13es — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:24:50 -0800

When I bought my car from out of state, the dealer never collected sales tax. Now I moved to that state and the state wants to collect! Help! In August 2008, I purchased a car from a dealer in MA. I was a NH resident at the time. I was under the impression that, being a NH resident, I was not obligated to pay MA sales tax (we don't have sales tax in NH). I picked up the car at the dealership and drove it home.

Fast forward to last week. I recently moved to MA and went to the RMV to get my MA plates. Prior to my visit, I had asked the dealer for a letter saying I was from out of state when I purchased my car, and that I was exempt from paying sales tax. The dealer sent me a notarized Letter of Delivery. I handed in all the forms, and the clerk at the RMV stated that the exemption form needed the salesman's home address, since he delivered the car. I (stupidly?) told her that I picked up the car at the dealership, and that it wasn't delivered to my house. The clerk went and talked to at least one supervisor, as well as someone from the Department of Revenue. They all confirmed that, since I picked the car up in MA, I owed sales tax. (If I had let the dealership deliver the car to me, I would not owe sales tax.) She also confirmed that the dealer should have collected sales tax when I purchased the car. She gave me a printout showing the sales tax that I owe (about $1600) and also the penalty (another $500 or so) for not paying the sales tax when I purchased it.

I called the Finance Manager at the dealership and was basically like "WTF?" She told me I should try and go to another clerk at the RMV, or to another RMV office, and not tell them that I picked the car up in MA. (Apparently the dealer was basically pretending that they delivered the car so that I wouldn't have sales tax. Except they didn't let me in on this little secret. Fun.) I told her that that wouldn't work, as the RMV had documented my case and the clerk had also mentioned that it was possible tax evasion by the dealer. The finance manager basically said "Oh, that isn't good. Well, good luck with all that." and left it at that.

I realize I owe the sales tax to the state and there's nothing that can get me out of that. Of course, if I had known I'd be out $1600 for picking the car up at the dealer, I would have had them deliver it. But since the dealer never told me about the fact that picking it up would force me to owe sales tax, and because they never collected it, I'm now out $2100.

What can/should I do? I realize I can probably call the BBB and Consumer Protection, but is there anything I can do that will help offset the money I owe? I realize YANML, but should I consult with one? Should I just suck it up and pay the $2100 and move on with my life?

Here are some links to save you some time digging for them:

Converting an Out-of-State Registration
Form MVU_29, Affidavit in Support of a claim for Exemption from Sales Use Tax for a Motor Vehicle Purchased Outside of Massachusetts

Dating in San Francisco : will the women here expect me to have a car?

Anonymous — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:46:55 -0800

Dating in San Francisco : will the women here expect me to have a car? I am a man who just moved to SF from NYC, and I plan on living in the city -- although I don't know which neighborhood yet. I lived in NYC for 6 years, and nobody there really has a car, so it wasn't expected. However, I know that SF is more car-oriented, so I'm wondering if being car-less will hinder my dating life.

I am considering getting a car anyway for recreational purposes, so this wouldn't be my only reason for getting a car. However, I can certainly live without a car, especially if it won't effect my dating life.

Please hold back on answering if you're going to respond with something like "You don't want to date a girl who expects you to have a car." That's not really helpful and doesn't answer my question. I also know that car ownership in the city can be a pain, so there's no need to go into that either.

Specifically, I would like to hear from men and women who live here or have lived here in the recent past. I would like to know what I'm in for, with as little sugar-coating as possible. Buying a car is a big decision, and I want to know as much as I can before I make this decision.

Also, I know there are various ZipCar / CityCar options. How is this seen in the dating world? Is it seen as a "he's too cheap to buy a car" option, an "it's perfectly fine" option, or an "it's perfectly fine, I guess, but why doesn't he have his own car?" option?