Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with newcar

How to get a longer, more substantial test drive of a new car.

IndigoRain — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 19:07:07 -0800

Do dealerships still loan out cars you're interested in buying for an hour or two? Years ago before I was of driving age, I went with my parents to a dealership to look at some cars. I can't recall if we were buying a new or used car, but the dealership let us take the car for a couple of hours. (Perhaps it was a used car and we took it to a secondary mechanic?) For those of you who recall my recent thread about buying a new car after my accident, I've test-driven a Honda Fit and a Civic. I liked the Fit, but the problem was, the test drive lasted about 5 miles and maybe 10-15 minutes on roads I'm not familiar with... not really long enough for me to get a feel for the car, especially since Consumer Reports and bloggers say the ride tends to be rough. Also, it's the first time I've ever test-driven a car where they did not ask me for my driver's license to photocopy it. Of course the salesman rode along, which I don't mind.

Also, the Fit Sport model (the one I'm interested in) has something I'd never heard of before - it has paddle shifters. (If you're clueless like I was, you put the car in S instead of D and it's like shifting without a clutch. It will still automatically go up to 3rd gear on its own if you don't tell it to and it needs to, but you can choose when to shift.) I had no opportunity to try out this feature.

Do I go back to the dealership and ask the salesman to take me on a slightly longer test drive? Or would they let me take it out on my own for an hour? I'd just like to take it to an area I typically drive in, or at the very least take it for a longer drive and see how it feels.

I did have a once-brand-new car that was destroyed in the accident but my parents paid for it, and they had told me "we're taking you to the Chevy dealer and getting you a Cobalt" so this is the first time I've really shopped around for a new car. My used cars have never been acquired from a dealership.

If they won't let me take it out I might rent one for a couple of days, if I can find one available.

A few questions about cars.

IndigoRain — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 21:23:51 -0800

I have a few questions about buying a new or used car. Having recently had my car totalled by a 17-year-old with no license who pulled out in front of me, I need a new or used car. I have a few questions.

1. Having grown up in a "buy American" family - yes yes, I know - I'm not very familiar with Toyota, Honda, etc. I've had a Saturn SL1, a Chevy Lumina Euro, a Mercury Topaz, and the one that was wrecked was a Chevy Cobalt. My parents have had Fords, Lincolns, and Mercuries, most of which are out of my price range. (I'm looking for the under-$20,000 range.) For reasons I don't understand, they were always anti-Pontiac and anti-Chrysler, perhaps due to bad experiences. How do I get comfortable with other brands? Should I just take them out for test drives?

2. Back when I went to buy my Cobalt, brand new, I was intending to get an Aveo. However, my parents (who were signing with me) insisted I should never get the cheapest car they make, because it's usually crap and also unsafe. Does this hold true? Do the cheapest cars tend to fall apart faster and also perform less safely in car accidents? My mom is convinced that I or my friend would be dead if we'd been in an Aveo in the accident.

3. My parents will likely co-sign on this car too and so have some say in what kind of car I get. Mom wants me to get a huge car for more protection, despite the fact that I was not terribly injured. I am far more comfortable in smaller or midsize cars, like the ones I've owned, than I am in huge cars like a Grand Marquis or a Crown Victoria. As a compromise one model I'm looking at is a Saturn Astra. Does it drive and park like a smaller car? (I haven't actually seen one in person.)

As my dad's pointed out to me, while I loved my Cobalt, I'm not sure I want another one. He thinks I may have flashbacks being in a car with an identical dash. I'd just have to test drive one to know for sure.

4. Edmunds.com and Motor Trend don't have the safety ratings for the Astra. Motor Trend says "they're coming soon." Where can I find safety ratings for cars that haven't had them published yet? Do they exist?

5. Would you buy a car from CarMax? Are they trustworthy?

To Keep the Jeep or Dump the Jeep?

ElmerFishpaw — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 10:35:33 -0800

Moving to the UK. What to do with my car? Sell? Store? Roadtrip across the Atlantic? I will be in London for at least a year. Maybe longer. If I decide to keep it, I'm not entirely sure about how to store it. Parents were and option at one point but not any longer. Paying a storage facility cant be cheap. 2006 Jeep Wrangler. Bought new for $22k. 40k miles. I love it. The Kelly Blue Book is $12,000 which I'm feeling would be hard to get. Buying a new car and selling it 3 years later is generally a bad idea financially, I know. But gas prices are on their way back up and a couple years from now it might be harder to sell than now. I dont want to come back in 12 months and have to hunt for another car. But there is a chance that I will be gone for several years. Leaving for UK in 3 months. Keep? Sell?

Help me choose a new family car!

dellsolace — Thu, 14 May 2009 10:29:44 -0800

Help me find/decide on options for a new, family-friendly car. My 2000 Neon has served me remarkably well, all things considered, but now that we have a little one (attached to enormous car seats), we are in the market for a larger and safer vehicle.

I would really like something that meets the following criteria, more or less: a hatchback or station wagon, manual transmission, decent mileage, under $30,000. I am not averse to used cars, but I want something with modern safety devices, particularly side airbags (have you ever watched those horrible side-impact crash tests?), and something in decent shape (not more than 40 or 50 thousand miles).

We currently have one 1-year old daughter, and may be in the market for another child down the line (2-3 years). Rear-facing car seats behind the passenger seat in our current cars means one of us has to sit in the back. Packing the whole family with luggage and presents for Christmas is already almost impossible and could get worse. You get the picture.

I've been particularly taken by the Mazda5, which seems to be a very versatile and fun car. We have a 3 now, but the backseat is a bit tight. If the car is roomy, I'd consider a regular 4-door, but I like the style of hatchbacks and wagons, actually.

Any suggestions?

Cost to dealier of new car. Cost to pay?

If only I had a penguin... — Sun, 10 May 2009 11:46:41 -0800

How much does a Chevy Uplander cost the dealer and how much should my mom pay fin Toronto today? My mom wants to buy a Chevy Uplander. Today. I know..I know...I know there are web sites that tell you how much a car costs the dealer but I can't find any that work for Canada. Do you know of one?

And how much is a reasonable mark-up for the dealer?

Any other tips on getting the best deal?

p.s. We know nothing about cars and my mom buys one every 12 years or so. I've never owned a car and hope I never do.

What should I do with my new car that has paint problems?

toocan — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 06:15:21 -0800

I bought a brand new vw scirocco on the 15/3/2009 last week i noticed a character from the badge on the boot had fallen off and on closer inspection it appears the paint it cracking behind the lettering. So i took it to my nearest VW body specialist as i assumed it would be covered under guarantee however he said it had been resprayed and they wouldnt touch it and to take it back to where i bought it. can i demand a replacement boot? can i throw the car back even though its over 30 days (im in the uk). help suggestions appreciated

What can I expect from the dealer when I try to cancel my extended warranty?

lychee — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 16:44:48 -0800

So I didn't research as much as I should have, and I financed my new 2008 Toyota today with the extended warranty. Now it sounds like I should have waited or gotten other quotes, but with all the number juggling, I lost sight of the bottom line. I'm going back to the dealer tomorrow to cancel the extended warranty. Can I expect the dealer to try to change the APR or any other aspect of the financing of the car? I called Toyota Extra Care customer service, and it sounds like I can either talk to the dealer to redo the agreement without the extended warranty price included or cancel through Toyota Extra Care in a few weeks. I think the dealer might then take this opportunity to raise the interest rate. But if I wait to cancel through Toyota, then my monthly payments won't go down, I'll just see the warranty price subtracted at the end of the loan. I'm not sure my stomach can take a renegotiation, but it feels like they'll be "keeping" my refund for 3 years.

Sorry for the long question, just new car buyer jitters and regrets.

2008 Cars with great gas mileage.

Telf — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 09:56:14 -0800

My parents are looking for a new car with great gas mileage. They don't want a Hybrid. What are their options? Here's the problem, a Honda civic is out of the picture. My parents dislike Hondas, they believe Hondas feel cheap and have crappy interiors. I don't drive a car so I have no opinion on this. They have looked at the newest Hondas and they stand by this opinion.

I've been looking into diesel options but there is no usable information out there. VW is supposed to have TDIs, but their site is devoid of any info. Furthermore, I've checked out http://www.fueleconomy.gov and there is no info on the diesel models from VW or Audi.

Basically my parents would like a 30+ mpg car with a nicer German or European feel.

Is there a model you recommend? Is it feasible to get cars directly from Europe? It seems that just like with bicycles they get all the really cool useful models that never get marketed to Americans.

Tons of car and insurance questions

lpctstr; — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 14:49:18 -0800

I just moved to a new area and bought a car for the first time and have a list of questions about new cars and insurance. Feel free to answer whichever ones you want. A) When renting a car and declining their supplemental liability insurance, does that mean you don't have liability insurance at all? Doesn't the law require all cars to have liability at least?

B) I read on the California DMV website that you have to get a CA license within 10 days of moving there. What address would you put on your license if you don't have an address?

C) Will the car insurance company adjust your premium when you finally get an address? I can put the hotel address right now but will probably be living in a different zip code when I get a place.

D) Common sense dictates that driving your car to work can't be tax-deducted. However, why does my company say you can use pre-tax dollars to get tickets for public transportation to work?

E) Is there a minimum amount of time you need to be with an insurance company, or is there a startup cost? If not, what prevents you from switching to another insurance company after 1 week with one company? Will they refund the prorated amount of your premium?

F) When I was in the dealership to byu my car, the finance manager suddenly pulled out my credit score. I had not authorized them to check my credit or anything beforehand. Can they just get your score without you knowing?

G) What's the use of un-insured motorist insurances? Would my health insurance cover me if someone without insurance hit me? Wouldn't collison insurance also cover me if someone without insurance hit me? If not, what about in states with no-fault policies?

If any of this matters, the new car is a 2007 Ford Focus and I'm living in the South Bay Area in California and staying in a cheap hotel for now.

NewCarFilter: Changing car dealerships.

jimmythefish — Sat, 16 Dec 2006 12:39:18 -0800

I'm living in Calgary and ordered a 2007 VW GTI in October. I'm expecting delivery in February or March. I'm applying for work in BC and AB and there's a chance that I might be in BC by then. What's involved with changing dealerships? Am I right in assuming that anything warranty-related will be billed to VW directly and that a dealership in, say, Victoria, will want my service contract rather than not? I'm anticipating that the car will be like other VWs and develop a few problems somewhere down the line.

I'm also aware of paying PST if I'm in AB for less than 1 year. Is there anything else I should be aware of? It's not a big deal if I lose things like free oil changes from time to time.

Must-have accessories for my car?

Ekim Neems — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 16:07:45 -0800

What are some must-have accessories for my new car? I just got a 2005 Mazda3, and the previous owner left me with a few extras: The first is an extra-large dimming rear-view mirror, which allows me to see not only everything clearly out of my back window, but also my blindspots if I shift slightly. The other is a bottle of RainEx, which makes rain glide right off the windshield (I barely need to use my wipers at all).

For their price, both of these have greatly improved the quality of driving for me. What else is out there that can make my driving experiences better without breaking my bank? (Already have a navigation system!)

Keep new car to 50mph for 1st 500 miles?

crepeMyrtle — Fri, 19 May 2006 07:19:20 -0800

I just bought a new car. I seem to remember hearing that you should keep the speed to, say, 50 mph, for its first couple hundred miles - something to do with tires or brakes... Is that right? Do I need to do this?

Do I have to pay "document fees"?

coach_mcguirk — Wed, 22 Mar 2006 01:46:07 -0800

[UK] Buying a new car from a dealership - do I have to pay "document fees"? I'm about to order a new car. I wanted a brand new 3 door model, but this would incur a 4-6 week wait (they're new and popular). The dealer offered me the 5 door model - which is £300 more expensive - but with free metallic paint (normally £350). I'm happy with all this, but not happy at all with the £150 they want to add for "document fees".
The manufacturer details exactly what their on-the-road price includes on their website (VAT, warranty, roadside assistance, 6 months tax, first registration fee), but it also adds the following :

"Any other costs for the services or goods supplied by agreement between the Dealer and the customer is not included".

So, am I right in assuming that the "docs fees" are just a notional fee added by the dealer to bump up their profit a little? If so, is it worth playing a little hardball with them, and asking them to waive it? I'll be paying "cash" (i.e. lump sum via bank loan), and it's near the end of the month, so they're wanting to hit their targets (and they've said as much, un-prompted). I've already told them I won't be taking them up on their offers of GAP insurance (for double the going rate) and paint / fabric protection (double the going rate, or three times the going rate if I were to do it myself).

Any advice much appreciated.

Car Deposit Trouble

burhan — Sat, 15 Jan 2005 08:49:00 -0800

I've just purchased my very first new car. However, in the process, I visited nine dealerships - 7 of them asked me for a cash deposit before they would even discuss prices with me. The one dealership that I gave a $500CDN deposit to (I later changed my mind on it) took almost 2 hours to refund my deposit. What are my rights, and what are strategies to get around this deposit requirement?

New vs Used Car

smcniven — Wed, 13 Oct 2004 10:50:57 -0800

Our second car went belly up this weekend, and we are now looking for a replacement. I'd like to get some advice on the new vs. old dilemma [More Inside] My old beater car has kicked the bucket and we are looking at purchasing a minivan to suit the needs of our growing family. We are leaning towards the base model of the Toyota Sienna (CE 7 passengers), and have generally been looking for 2004 models. I've used Auto Trader and the local papers to build up a list of available vans in my area and have found that the vehicles seem to fall within a $3000 range. But last night I priced out a new 2005 model from Toyota's website. To my surpise, the new van was not much more expensive than the used models (between $3400 and $6000 more expensive).

Mileage vs. Price difference from new model:
10000km to 30000km: approx $3400 less then new model
30000km to 40000km: approx $4300 less then new model
40000km + : approx $6000 less than new model

My questions are as follows: would the new model make more sense than a used model? What would be a good choice with price point vs mileage in the used car field? Is the full warranty worth of a new model worth the extra cash put in? Anything else I should be considering?

Any advice would be great.

Note: all prices are in Canadian dollars

Can I Use a Student Loan to Buy a Land Rover Discovery?

geoff. — Sat, 12 Jun 2004 13:53:18 -0800

I need a new vehicle and have been looking at payment option. I figure my current car is worth $6000 and I can effectively put another $5000 down in cash. The car I'm looking at (Land Rover Discovery) will be $20,000 total (including taxes). This means a $9000 loan. Since I am a student I qualify for student loans. Can I use a student loan to do this? What's the best student loan for doing this with? I'd take out a traditional loan but I figure seeing as how I'm a student that this would get me the best rates. And if anyone has Land Rover horror stories feel free to add. The CPA at the company I work for says he did this, but that was back, before I believe, the French-Indian Wars. I was hoping someone else tried this as I really need a new car before the one I have (1995 Grand Jeep Cherokee) goes past the "point of no return". It is in immaculate condition interior-wise, but is beginning to show mechanical problems. I got a good offer on it and want to take it.

Yes I realize the environmental ramifications of buying a car with the aerodynamic properties of a box, but the "chances of me getting laid by hot girls" factor overwhelms the negative impacts.