Car buying advice? Fix it, repair it, how do I do it, what's the best part to use, and now: how do I get there?

[langston]

[lantius]

[Nicholas]

[btm]

[lantius]

[btm]

[joeball]

[henry]

[langston]

[jeff]

[henry]

[gsbarnes]

[lantius]

[mcrawfor]

[jimmythefly]

Holy shit, CW McCall!!!! His songs are basically the soundtrack to family vacations I took as a kid, plus Snoopy vs. The Red Baron, of course.

Back on topic,

Take it to a shop for a check over. Totally worth it on any car over $1000. Never buy it on your first visit, unless you've already looked seriously at 2 others of it's type(and hear what the mechanic says to watch out for -what noises are normal, etc.) and really know what you're after. Ask the owner not to start it until you get there, you want to see how it starts from cold.

Take a friend along to an empty parking lot where they can drive around and you can stand outside. This is good for hearing things you might miss when inside the vehicle, also good for checking all lights/turn signals work, nothing dripping, no serious smoke from the exhaust.

[btm]

[key lime]

[lantius]

[fatasian]

Gremlin


Pacer


and the pinto, all wonderful driving machines.

[langston]

[Alex]

[Alex]

[derrickito]

[ethan]

[GingerMac]

if you really want a cheap car, you could go to the Impound Auction up on Aurora (every Saturday morning at 10am).

You can find some really good deals there. The actual impound cars can be sketchy (may or may not have keys and titles), and you can't start them up before buying (you can't actually test drive anything).

But, they also have donated cars (cars donated to charity just get sold at the impound auction). These all have keys and clean titles, and you can start them up and hear how the engine sounds.

I bought a 1998 Ford Escort Wagon in 2002 for $400, drove it for a year, then I drove it on an 8,500mi road trip around the country, then I drove it to Chicago, where I sold it for $500. In the meantime, I put about $1,200 mechanical work into it. All in all, it was a nearly 100% satisfying experience. (as opposed to my experience owning a fancy newish car).

Next time I need to buy I car, it will cost less than $500, either from the impound auction, or because i ride by one on the street with a For Sale sign on it.

[tehschkott]

I bought my 83 BMW 528e for $700 from a farmer in Sedro Woolly. Has a little over 400K miles on her and I get around 35mpg. I put a muffler, a shift kit, and a water pump in her over the last 5 years.

I'm with the others. Buy cheap and drive it till it dies. Do not get a car you have to make payments on. Do not consider it "an investment". That said, if I was going to drop 10K on a car I might do what Lee did.

Too bad REI doesn't sell cars. Yet. I'd totally buy a car from REI in a heartbeat.

Oh, cars older than 25 years old do not require an emissions test, though mine passed at 24yo at the time.

[henry]

I'm thinking about getting the Lesbaru detailed this week. Any recommendations on places?

[key lime]

[GingerMac]

[fatasian]

time to end this:

buy this if it runs.



Saw it walking the hound this afternoon.

[joeball]

that's it

i just sold my car, I am no longer LesbaruMF compliant.

[derrickito]

ive got a 97 jetta for sale. langston price.

[-jason]

[fatasian]

[jimmythefly]

[joeball]

I saw Joby at 2:05

[key lime]

<img src="http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk153/lemkor/joby1.jpg">
<img src="http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk153/lemkor/joby2.jpg">

[ethan]

hey car owners and soon-to-be car owners! in case you've ever wondered, all of the following license plates are in WA State:

POINT83
BIKEJRK
BIKEGRL
BIKEBRO
HRSECCK
SAFETY
SFTY3RD
CHEZBGR
83CHAN
LHTMF

just sayin..