Car Buying Tips

Editorial: Camaro Versus Camaro

By Jim Sutherland
October 11, 2009 The 1969 Camaro is an automotive icon. Because of this juggernaut tag there are tens of thousands of these late 60s pony cars restored or under restoration. The late Reverend Jimmy “drink the Kool-Aid” Jones would have been humbled by this kind of blind loyalty-the sole reason the 09 Camaro exists was GM’s critical need [...]

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Posted in Car Buying Tips | Editorials | Nostalgia | 43 comments

Editorial: A Turbo By Any Other Name

By Joseph Kaitschuck
October 10, 2009 I recently came across a brand new Lincoln MKS. I’m a pretty hard core Japanese car fan but I had to admit that this car looks pretty slick. I had heard that it was pretty fast too. I like fast. Upon inspecting the exterior of the car it came to my attention that [...]

Editorial: A Turbo By Any Other Name editorial continued »

Posted in Car Buying Tips | Editorials | Green | 128 comments

Editorial: The Truth About Car Awards

By Edward Niedermeyer
July 1, 2009

In the wake of JD Powers' Initial Quality Survey, several other lesser-known awards are giving OEMs a whole new reason to cobble together a press release touting their top place, improvement or mere presence in one of these meaningless satisfaction surveys. And why not? It's summer, and things (sales, in specific) are slow. And the award fandango is win-win. The awards allow OEMs to ridiculously inflate the importance of their results, while publicizing the research firms that created the awards. Case in point, the Dodge Ram.

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Posted in Car Buying Tips | Editorials | Sales and Marketing | 16 comments

Editorial: The Truth About CarMax

By Mike Solowiow
March 5, 2009

CarMax prides itself on creating a dealership experience unlike any other. Well, now that Saturn is going Tango Uniform. CarMax emphasizes no haggle pricing, easy financing, and a process that involves only one person. No more having your salesperson go back and forth between you and "Bubba" (or "Cowboy" if you are Dodge). You're greeted warmly, shown any car you like, and guided through a completely transparent transaction, with nothing hidden. That's the theory. How does it hold up in practice? In true TTAC tradition, I offer a personal critique of one of our biggest sponsors.

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Posted in Car Buying Tips | Editorials | 69 comments

Editorial: MSRP RIP

By Steven Lang
November 3, 2008 Everybody who knows me knows I'm a tightfisted son of a bitch. I may own Benzes for their profits, but gas sippers are my daily drivers. My wife's daily driver has been an old Volvo wagon (which she loves). And like many of you, I'm nearly OCD when it comes to buying quality on the cheap. When Robert asked me to find him a $5000 car, I found a $4000 car. Why? Because $4000 is the new $5000. For those of you contemplating a new ride and have the cash, now's a good time to buy. The Manufacturers' Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) is dead.

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Posted in Car Buying Tips | Editorials | 49 comments

Lifers

By Steven Lang
August 14, 2008

For 33 years Jane Hoyt has been driving her baby blue 1975 VW Beetle. Is it love? Madness? A '70's thing? When I asked her about the appeal of her longtime automotive companion, it was none of the above. "It's a story of inertia. Really, it's a metaphor for my life. I always stay too long at the fair." That last word struck me as kinda funny. If a car ownership is a metaphorical "fair," can you get a lifetime of kicks from a four-wheeled Ferris Wheel? 

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Posted in Car Buying Tips | Editorials | 72 comments

Dealing with Dealers

By Steven Lang
July 31, 2008 Once a car salesman "data captures" you, the calls never stop. Some are rude. Some are sweet. All are pushy. The salesman's goal: get the sale. Meet the quota (placate the Alpha Dog). Pay the bills (placate the Ex). In America's cratered new car market, the chances of a car salesman making his nut are only slightly less than that of the squirrel in Ice Age. Has this stopped dealers from getting up to their old tricks? Hell no. If anything, they're abusing their customers MORE. Still, if you know how to handle the heat, this is The Mother of All Buyer's Markets. Here's how to work the system...

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Posted in Car Buying Tips | Editorials | 68 comments

SUrVival Guide

By Steven Lang
July 22, 2008

All across the nation, SUV Sally's and Sam's are cussing at the pumps. They're watching the readout with mounting horror: $80, $100, $120+ per fill up. The automotive source of this pain of portly plenitude is has become the pink elephant of the American lifestyle. And it's true: SUVs suck. Not just gas. Depreciation, insurance and street cred. And so, the "Livin' Large" folks of the Oil War Era are giving up their SUVs en masse. Which brings us to a simple question. Should you?

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Posted in Car Buying Tips | Editorials | 84 comments

PT Cruiser?

By Steven Lang
June 24, 2008

$11,800. That’s the price for a 2008 Chrysler PT Cruiser down at my local Chrysler dealer. Throw in the “Refuel America” $2.99 per gallon guarantee into the equation and you end-up with a pre-tax, tag, title price right around $10,200. Not bad. Not bad at all. Then again, is it? There are a lot of factors to consider when approaching any of the bargain basement cars currently on offer during this, Detroit’s [most recent] dark days. Join me as we journey down the PT-shaped rabbit hole…

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Posted in Car Buying Tips | Editorials | 62 comments

Negotiating Today’s Car Parts Mine Field

By Steven Lang
April 29, 2008

Last year, I scored over $400 worth of auto supplies. All it cost me was sales tax, a few stamps and about thirty minutes of my time. It was a lot of good stuff too: 24 quarts of synthetic motor oil, six gallons of coolant and a seemingly endless amount of top quality car waxes and detail products. Heck, I was even able to get three different tool sets and free wipes once all my maintenance work was done! Unfortunately, for a frugal enthusiast like me, that was then and this is now.

Negotiating Today’s Car Parts Mine Field editorial continued »

Posted in Car Buying Tips | Editorials | 29 comments