#car shopping

[bomberqueen17]

ongoing

ok well so. the Subaru is declared a total loss. I'm just gonna witter on about that for a bit. But outside the cut I will ask for submissions and suggestions for Most Unhinged Bumper Stickers / Car Decorations, because this is how I'm getting through this, I'm making myself cry-laugh at all the incredibly unhinged bumper stickers out there on the Internet. I'll start the ball rolling with this one:

True Patriots Brake For America's Only Native Marsupial

I got irritated with the insurance company, because I was like ok, the sum total of information I have here is that you'll give me $X for the car. But what's actually wrong with it? You're not mentioning it but I know in the past I have had a car declared a total loss, and have taken it as salvage and repaired it myself, I know that's an option. Oh yeah, said the guy on the phone, you can do that. Want to do that instead? I can find out how much we'll give you for that instead. Well, I said, it depends on what's actually wrong with the car, don't you think? And he was like... not understanding me. He put me on hold and came back and rattled off a different figure and was like "so you wanna do that?" and i was like no because i do not know what is wrong with the car please tell me what is wrong with the car and he was getting increasingly confused and I was getting increasingly frustrated so I said please can you email me both figures you quoted me plus the repair estimate for the car so I can make an informed decision and he was like oh yeah sure.

and emailed me two identical letters with two different figures, which I think did match the ones he'd quoted me earlier but there was no text anywhere within the letters to explain what the difference was. Most notably, nowhere did it tell me what it's called when you take the total loss settlement, keep the vehicle, and repair it yourself, and I still don't know what that's called, so I sound fully idiotic when I try to describe it. There's a like two- or three-word phrase that means that, but IDK what it is! Owner Maintenance Something, or Owner Management Something, or-- I don't know! It was never written down for me anywhere.

Anyway. I called the repair shop, and said ok, I need to see the repair estimate, and they were like legally we cannot tell you that. What. But when I dropped the car off they'd texted me a link to a website with status updates, so I went and looked at that. And the $$ amount of repairs was extremely similar to the $$ amount they'd give me for the car as salvage. So I'd break even if i just kept it and fixed it. But it would then be worthless in resale because it would be marked that it was salvage, and it's likely those repairs aren't the only work it's gonna need. And I wasn't expecting to get a ton for this car once I'd driven it into the ground, but-- I also knew it had underlying problems and did not know if those problems were included in the repair estimate.

I emailed the insurance company and said, ok, I know we were not understanding one another at all on the phone, but what part of "i need to see the repair estimate so I can make an informed decision on this" was unclear? Please let me know so I can clarify. I don't know how you expect me to decide whether to take the payment and let you scrap the car, or keep the car to fix it, if I do not understand how much it will cost to fix or what is broken about it. I genuinely do not understand what part of this desire of mine is unclear, and I don't understand how other people make this decision without any of this information. Please can you send me the repair estimate, because I can't actually proceed without it. Please let me know if you do not understand this request. I don't know how else to ask it but I can try to explain further if it is still not clear.

So they sent me the repair estimate with a terse note, and I feel like some kind of jerk but I genuinely-- do people not ask?? Does nobody ever want to know what's broken??? HOW do other people make a choice about this without knowing ANYTHING????

The repair estimate was grim. Things I have zero doubt were actually broken-- the right suspension arm, but not the left. The radiator supports, god damn it. A hood is cheaper than I thought, but painting it is not cheap. The fucking plastic bumper, I knew was going to cost a mint. The engine was fine, the radiator was fine, but like. nothing else was.

And the underlying defect with the steering that my buddy Chris at the shop had grimly diagnosed and told me he couldn't fix without a warranty recall, which was in effect for every other model of this car but not this one-- wasn't on there, they hadn't noticed it. And the transmission sticks sometimes in Park. And the wheel bearings were just replaced, but if the suspension is damaged on one side, how do I know it's all right on the other after all....

The previous Subaru, a third-hand stick-shift Impreza, died at 125k miles, which is objectively reasonable but I thought was premature. The starter motor failed, along with something I can't recollect now about the steering. It was driveable but I had to start it with a hammer. Coming on for winter, I gave up on it, and got this one, which was fantastic because that was the winter we suddenly had a bunch of Great Plains blizzards the Impreza absolutely would not have made it through.

This one was at 94k miles.

So, reluctantly, I figured, I've got to let it go. Someone who can turn a profit on the labor can rehab it and make it drivable for another 50k miles probably, but that someone isn't me. I hope they sell it cheap and some college kid moves home and back another five times with it. I hope it has a lovely second life and someone actually uses that roof rack. But I had to let it go. I turned in the spare keys and cleared it out and cried.

I'm shopping for... something similar I guess. I can't get by with less cargo space, I stuff that thing full on the reg. I don't like a low-slung car, I need ground clearance just for my parking spot on the farm let alone anything else; ideally I want any vehicle of mine to be able to make it up the forest road and around the loop in reasonably dry conditions, so that if something happens to block the loop at the barnyard end I could still get out, and so if I need to haul something up to the compost I can make it there in my vehicle (or like if I want to collect woodchips or something).

I was hoping electric vehicles would have advanced enough for me to get one of those. But I need either a 300-mile, foolproof, not optimistic but will really do it in all weather conditions range, OR there to be reliable, available charge points at intervals halfway, and the Thruway rest stops are so torn up that there are many points at which there's nowhere to get gasoline, let alone an electric charge. And all the articles I read were about the etiquette of waiting in line for a charge-- oh my god. if I were a different person this would be fine, i would make it work, but I am not that person, I cannot cope with that kind of uncertainty, I would forget to plug it in or something, with my luck there'd only be one charge point on the whole westbound I90 and there'd be some jackass charging a dead truck on it for two hours-- I can't do it yet. Dude's next car can be electric. But mine can't be, not yet.

I might get a hybrid, even though they are an expensive, inefficient half-measure.

I have the incalculable privilege that I can get by without a car nearly indefinitely. It's complicated and difficult, but I can borrow cars each end, and thank God, the Amtrak runs, and I'm on it now. It's pricey but not that much more than the cost of gas, and it's pretty direct and I have friends at each end who'll pick me up, even though there's no public transit to speak of either place. So I can wait for the check to come from the insurance company, and I can use it for a downpayment on something, and if what I want isn't available I can order it and wait. I'm much more fortunate than most.

I'm just bummed, so please, send me the worst / best / most hilarious bumper stickers you can find.

#car shopping #thanks i hate it

[gothfemmefatale]

Car shopping tomorrow. 😕 I'm so anxious I can't sleep. I just wanna be done with it. And if it doesn't go well I'm saying fuck it and ordering a car on carvana and having it delivered.

#personal #carvana #car shopping #social anxiety

[nikidanger]

#keep in mind I record/work from home so I wouldn’t be putting miles on the vintage like that #BUT it is a Mercedes & those repairs & basic maintenance costs are a bitch #ORRRR I could Weil around the practical sports car & do fun stuff like put my surfboard on top for beach days #but also #if I pick the luxury sports coupe I can half whip & play half sunday cruise control #polls #car shopping #vintage cars #cars #decisions

[cosmiccarrotcake]

Does anyone remember that post about the girl helping her friend buy a car that had a step by step guide on how to buy a car? I'm looking for it but I can't find it and it was super helpful.

She was sitting at a computer and had a small notepad where she wrote down options. Just to try to jog your memory.

Let me know if you know what I'm talking about or you find it!

#car shopping #looking for video #help if you can

[monkeymeghan]

So I need a new car. I’m doing research, but I’m nowhere near ready to make a purchase. So here’s my question: what kind of car do you drive, and do you like it? What do you like/dislike about it?

I still have a long way to go, but as of this moment I’m leaning toward the Nissan Kicks. I test drove one and really liked it, and it is in my price range. But I want to make the most informed decision that I can. And I’m a very indecisive person. Yay.

#car shopping #new car #cars #nissan #nissan kicks #personal

[nopizzaaftermidnight]

This comic is dedicated to my City Hopper scooter (better than Razor)

#cartoonist's cartastrophe #scooter #car shopping #jessica #coolest cat in town #cartoonist corner

[moosewings]

So I've been in the process of buying a car (which should be considered a circle of hell) and I need you all to know that Chevrolet refers to their symbol as "the bowtie logo" and that's so important to me

^^^this one, to be clear

#car shopping #chevy #i didnt even buy a chevy it was just a chevy dealership #at least my salesman was nice #car shopping is so scary

[toyotaofclermont]

Our top pics for the best cars for dogs

Are you car shopping? If you're the type who likes to bring four-legged friends along for the ride, then you definitely need to consider what makes a vehicle suited for pets. Toyota of Clermont is here with a guide on how to pick out the best cars for dogs.

What makes a Clermont Toyota one of the best cars for dogs?

Here are the characteristics our Clermont Toyota dealership recommends looking for when it comes to the best cars for dogs:

A low height

Ground clearance is important if you have a dog that's going to be jumping into the car - some larger dogs are difficult to lift, so you want them to be able to enter and exit the car themselves. Choosing a new Toyota with a low ground clearance will work in your favor for this factor.

A durable interior

Dogs' nails can do a number on your car's interior if it's trimmed in SofTex or leather. Even a seat cover or hammock can't prevent damage sometimes. If you really want a Clermont Toyota that's suited for dogs, you should opt for fabric and seat covers or a hammock to prevent staining and dirt.

A big cargo space

Let's preface this by saying you should never put a dog in the bed of your truck or the trunk of your car. That being said, if you're SUV shopping and want one of the best cars for dogs, you should definitely look for an SUV with a large cargo area - large enough to fit a crate or carrier, or to comfortably restrain your dog in some other way.

Our recommendations? The Toyota RAV4, Camry, Highlander, and 4Runner... and if you want to see any of them in person, stop by today! Toyota of Clermont is open seven days a week at 16851 State Road 50 just west of the Florida Turnpike.

#pets #dogs #driving #Toyota #new car #car shopping

[my-magical-story]

Next week is gonna kick my ass. But at least I'll get the chance to do new things.

#car shopping #program learning #craft day #president's day #stage presence #my-magical-story

[keepasecretx]

#cars #car aesthetic #aesthetic #carporn #sparkle aesthetic #sparkle #sparkleandshine #lamborghini #lambolove #big mood #current mood #moodboard #luxary #luxary cars #expensive #decals #car show #car shopping #aesthetics #love #beautiful #sexy #gorgeous #vehicle #motor vehicles #sportcar #financial vehicles

[bomberqueen17]

car shopping part 1

ok i had capslock on when i started typing this and i startled myself, lol. i am. a bit tired and punchy. BUT. All hail my lovely middle-little sister, who volunteered to come take me to car dealerships last night.

Here are my extremely scientific notes on how that went, so that I can narrow down my car choices for definitely for sure:

1) Honda: we went to a Honda dealership, and my mom has a CR-V which I've driven and it's... fine, so I tried the HR-V, which is smaller. The sales guy immediately without asking was like "here you want this one" and had me test-drive a used 2020 model-- low mileage, nice car, but used. "Won't be here in a couple days tho, act fast," he said, and gave me his card. I'd told him this was the very first car of my search and I wasn't in a hurry. He didn't show me anything new, or tell me about anything new, but did say there were often quite long waits for new cars. Gotcha. Like, I'm not mad, but I'm also not going to pay $23,9 for a three-year old car when the current year's model is $24k. You know? I don't care how long the warranty is.

2) Subaru: we went because it was right there. Wandered around the parking lot. Crosstreks look... lower now?? somehow?? than mine? Much lower, don't know why. Specs said same ground clearance but. I'd have to look up what the specs were in 2014. Sales guy came out, asked if we wanted to see anything. M-L said I should try the Forester, so I was like sure, why not; one of the farm workers has a 2020 Outback I figured I'd ask his opinion on, and actually the part time veg helper guy has a recent Outback too, so there's no shortage of those around. So I test-drove a Forester. And like. I hadn't even got out of the parking lot and the guy was like, all casual, "so how's the visibility," and I really looked around and was like holy shit okay i can see through time so I really liked it. It was a higher-end package (had a huge sunroof, i actually really liked that, i'm a shallow bitch i guess) and kept trying to nanny me about leaving the lane on the winding back road but the guy reached over and pressed the button that disables that and it stopped yelling at me, which was great. Anyway. I did not expect that. M-L and I theorized about what kind of guy I'd be to be a Forester guy. "A middle-aged wealthy lesbian with a lot of large dogs," M-L said, and I was immediately depressed to realize that only one of those things is actually applicable. I have no wife and no large dogs. These are major failings of my life. But. I mean. We don't always end up the person we thought we'd be when we were nineteen.

3) Then we got to the Ford dealership, and a guy named Joey was like "ay what's up," and i listed the cars I was interested in and he was like "i can't get those or those but I got Broncos, let's go see one" and walked incredibly fast out into the parking lot without looking like he was hurrying, seriously it was eerie how fast he walked while looking like he was just ambling, and he led us to a "cactus gray" Bronco Sport, said "you wanna try this one? aight hang on" and went back into the building. I was like uh sure, we poked around the parking lot, and then he came back, handed me the key, was like "yah you two go for it, you know the roads around here? yah go see if you like it, I'll be here til eight." and off we went, slightly bemused. But yes, we were quite near M-L's house so she led us around a winding path. The Bronco's hood takes up rather a lot of the view out of the windshield. I raised my seat, which helped slightly. I could not find the right edge of the car and kept straying over into the shoulder. It was so boxy. The visibility out of the windows wasn't fantastic. But it had a lot of zoom and handled all right. Not terrible. I'm not a Ford Bronco guy I don't think, but I liked the Ford dealership folks, they were funny.

The sales manager came out and talked to me briefly and was like "well i mean how many cars are you looking for" and i was like "i have a spreadsheet" and he was like "a what now" and i got my phone out and showed him the spreadsheet Dude made and he was like "your guy is something else" and i was like "i mean, he sure is", and I did feel better about not being a wealthy middle-aged lesbian with large dogs if this is what I have instead but like. I mean. The road not taken etc.

"take notes," M-L said as we got home (after i bought her a sushi dinner bc there was a place right by the dealership and also i wanted sushi), and i was like "yah ok" but this is my notes. i'm sure i'll be able to make sense of them later.

#car shopping #about the author #real life

[thgoodsteward]

#car shopping #buy a car

[teaboot]

Whoever needs to hear this. Please know.

"Closed at 6pm" does not mean "The entry door locks up at 6, but if you're already inside you can keep on shopping."

It means, "you should be finished and out of the store at 6pm."

This is not up for debate

This is just how things work

#The lights went out 20 minutes ago and this woman is comparing ingredients on soy sauce #Straight up shopping in the dark peering into black freezers and shit #Her car is parked in a fire lane and I hate her

[alex-guerin]

Does anybody know the answer to this question? I am saving money to put a down-payment on a new old car, trying to save up about $2,000 (right now, with work, it SHOULD only take me two maybe three more weeks to get that saved up...yay better paychecks time!) for the down-payment, not toally comfortable going over 10k on price (even though two of the biggest contenders are 11k/11,490). My credit is...as far as I know "fair" according to Credit Karma. So, my question is this...

If I go in with a $2k down-payment, for a car that is - let's go the highest amount I'm looking at - $11, 495...would I be able to get it without a co-signer, do you think?

Here is why I ask. A year ago, my dad needed me to co-sign for HIS new car...which, frankly, was out of his price range and the payments were way too high on...so he ended up missing 3 payments right off the bat with it. Result? BANG went MY credit. Having my name attached to his car loan is screwing me over big time. It looks like I have a $23k auto loan, when in reality MY current car loan is down to 4500, and is dropping by $50 every week, cuz I have been paying $50/week extra trying to knock it down as fast as possible. I have suggested to him once before, to go into HIS bank and see if they would be willing to refinance his car loan now that he's had it for a year so that a) it gets my name taken off the title and the loan; and b) it lowers his payments so they're a little more manageable for him. He was not keen on this idea, apparently, since he never answered me and my name is still attached to it. So, y'know, I'm still stuck with a car loan that isn't even mine on my record. So I'm worried if I go in to try to get a new car, with only like $700-$1,000 down-payment, they're gonna tell me I have no chance in hell unless I have a co-signer. Which, I have quite literally no one who would be able to co-sign for me.

My mom's credit is and has been for quite some time, tanked. Same with my brother. I don't speak to my sister at all (and haven't in well over 10 years at this point). My dad had co-signed on my current car, but I seriously doubt he'd be able to do it again at the moment.

So like, I am really desperately trying to figure out if I have a large enough down-payment for a car that isn't overly expensive, if I have a shot at being able to finance it without a co-signer. Anyone have any clue or ideas?

#car shopping #auto financing #why is this so hard?

[nopizzaaftermidnight]

#cartoonist's cartastrophe #jessica #slug adventures #car shopping #porsche #I guess I never mentioned I went back to the bank and got another check and it all turned out fine.. but man it had me worried

[devon-the-fool]

I love car shopping.

#devon talks #lmfao #car shopping #cars #this is fucking hilarious to me #$1000?? #for real?? #the only thing this car will be good for is PARTS my man