I don't know enough about cars. Should we trade in the Subaru for a pick-up truck? If so, how do we pick a truck? [more inside]
posted by blue_bicycle on Apr 26, 2012 - 20 answers

Hey! So i am about to buy my very first vehicle and am pretty excited about the whole deal. My budget is no more than 5k and I am looking to get me a used small pickup truck. It seems like my best options are either a T100, Tacoma, frontier or a b2500. Are those considered reliable used pick ups? What kind of year/mileage y'all think 5k could bring? I am thinking a 2000 with about 120000 miles. Does that seems reasonable? The truck should be very reliable and could take some abuse, I don't really care about towing much because it will be used mainly for tools. I know VERY little about cars and mechanics and wouldn't even know the first thing to look out for when looking at a potential truck... I've been told to insist on a clean title, see that the engine and transmission are in good order, and pass it by a reliable mechanic. Anything else? Thank you for your time!
posted by Sentus on Jan 3, 2012 - 17 answers

Help me decide how to finance my vehicle purchases. I need to get two cars for my family. Could be new, could be used. I want both of these cars to have very high safety ratings. Everything else doesn't really matter. I could pay cash for two new cars, but that just seems stupid to do on a depreciating asset. Is the best course of action to find two used, yet reasonably new cars and pay cash? What if we like having new cars? Should we just lease two new vehicles? I have read that the best course of action is to buy a used car and drive it into the ground. That's great, but what if I leave the country again in 5 years. And do I really want to be driving around in a Hooptie in ten years. How do I approach the whole buy new / used, lease issue.
posted by jasondigitized on Aug 10, 2011 - 16 answers

I'm selling my car. I'm pretty sure that this offer to buy is a scam, but how does it work? [more inside]
posted by Sutekh on Mar 15, 2011 - 14 answers

I have about $9k to spend. What car should I buy? And where should I buy it? [more inside]
posted by exceptinsects on Feb 19, 2011 - 13 answers

Where do LA-based sculptors go to buy/sell used equipment? [more inside]
posted by Scram on Mar 13, 2010 - 2 answers

We just lost our car in a garage fire, should we now lease or buy? We live in a condo, and a bunch of us homeowners lost our cars (and other belongings) in a garage fire. My wife and I want to know the hive-mind's opinion on whether we should lease or buy now that we're forced into the market for a new car. Some information: we're "tree-huggers" so we appreciate good gas mileage (and we're enamored with the upcoming 3rd gen Honda Insight). But we also drive the cars a ton, we drive everywhere. We live in Indianapolis, but our parents and families are on the east coast, so we drive to NYC and the D.C. area multiple times a year; not to mention the Chicago area, too. So that would also be a consideration whether we lease or buy... Thanks for anyone's opinion.
posted by lonemantis on Mar 23, 2009 - 14 answers

So I need a stethoscope for a costume but I don't want a cheap plastic kid toy, I'd like to get the real thing. [more inside]
posted by PowerCat on Jul 24, 2008 - 11 answers

Trying to find a used scooter to buy in or around Yokohama or Yokosuka, Japan, any ideas for a gaijin with no Japanese skills. [more inside]
posted by nintendo on Mar 2, 2007 - 3 answers