#advice

TTAC Commentator Seminole95 writes:Dear TTAC, I enjoy this page every day. Thanks for your great work. I especially enjoy the business news and analysis. I will be shopping for a new car in the next year or so and would like a car with low NVH. Do you know of a publication that tests cars for this extensively? I have been unable to find one on the web.I am looking for a low NVH car with a stick. I am guessing the Lexus IS 250 might work but I haven’t driven one yet. I like to listen to podcasts and music in isolation from the daily grind of a commute but still want to enjoy the pleasure of controlling the car via a stick shift. I am a long time Honda buyer but don’t think I’ll buy another for this very reason. I drove a 09 Accord V6 stick Coupe the other week. Nice looking car and sweet power train but man was it loud. Thanks a lot.

Matt writes:

Sajeev,

I have a 2007 Mustang GT that I bought new. I love the car, but hate having a car payment ($372/mo for another 2 years). A local Lincoln dealer has a 1998 Mark VIII for six grand with 72k miles. My father had a then-new ’94 Mark VIII, but it got parked underneath a F-250 before I was old enough to drive it.

I’m also thinking about getting a Grand Marquis, since used low-miles Panthers are plentiful here in Florida. My commute is short and littered with deputies, so something low-key has it’s appeal. I imagine the Mark VIII would be more work, but while Panthers will be plentiful here for years to come, the Mark VIII is a rare breed.

Harley writes:

I’m considering buying a Mercury Grand Marquis. Maybe it’s not the most popular car on the road today, but I want a large, solid, comfortable, quiet car with rear-wheel drive, decent low-end torque and a V8. I don’t care too much about a lot of the new bells and whistles and I prefer a soft comfortable ride rather than sporty handling. The Grand Marquis seems to fit the bill.

I plan to keep the car for a long time. So, do I buy new and have the benefit of knowing the car’s maintenance history and the way it has been driven since day one? Or do I go with a year or two old Grand Marquis (most likely, from what I’ve seen on the used car market, a former rental fleet vehicle) to avoid what I gather to be the relatively steep depreciation cost I’d incur if I buy new? I guess what it really comes down to – what do you think about buying a Grand Marquis that spent its first year or two as a rental car?

TTAC Commentator npbheights writes:

Hi Sajeev, I have a 2009 Toyota Corolla XLE with just over 45,000 miles on it. I purchased the car brand new with 52 miles on it and have had every oil change performed at the selling Toyota dealer at the recommended 5,000 mile increments. I know it sounds a little silly, but before you laugh, the dealer gives you free tires and batteries for life if you have all of the “scheduled maintenance” performed there. On a Corolla, the book specifies oil changes at 5K and air filters once in awhile and that’s about it. I am playing this game because it’s not worth getting crushed to death by a car over an oil change (like someone in my area two weeks ago) and I intend on getting my fair share of tires. They have already coughed up two. When it comes to unscheduled maintenance, such as replacing the alternator at 38,000 miles (I was not pleased about that) I wench it myself. Said dealership wanted $720.00, I bought a good used one on ebay for $50.00 and it works fine. New front brake pads: $38.00. This simple car is ‘idiot simple’ to work on and I enjoy it. Anyway – On to my 2 problems.

DH writes:

A cherry 2008 Saab 9-7 with the 5.3L V8 and a very clean Carfax sheet is now in the capable hands of my lovely bride at a price that would shame even Jack Benny. It will tow what we need it to, it will carry what we ask of it and even looks cool enough that our 11 year old son will allow us to drop him off in front of his junior high.

Eventually it will need consumables. Rather than replace shocks / struts, tires, brake pads etc with OEM stuff, what can be done to improve the ride and handling of this solid axle SUV? Where would you go and to whom would you turn to inquire if it can be improved upon if one spends a bit more on things that need to be replaced anyway? Is this excrement polishing?

Paul writes:

I’m about to shell out $3500K for a Honda Odyssey transmission. A very unexpected turn of events for me, given the Big H’s reputation for quality…or so I thought. Googling shows that transmission problems are endemic. They are across all brands, all styles, all price points, all years. I was pretty surprised.

Your readers have a pretty high collective wisdom and -usually- leave insightful commentary. I wonder what they would say if asked, ”What make and model car has the most trouble-free transmission? The worst transmission?” I’d use the feedback to guide my next car purchase.

TTAC Commentator Horseflesh writes:

My query for Piston Slap is simple: What is the best way for an ordinary Joe to sell a car? And by “best” I mean, “returning the greatest amount of the car’s value for the least hassle.” You see, I am about to come into possession of my grandmother’s 2005 Buick Park Avenue–low miles, great shape, only driven on Sundays, etc. While the boat will be fun to pilot for a few weeks, I won’t be abandoning my beloved 2000 Impreza 2.5 RS for it. Sooner or later, the Buick will have to go. I am afraid that if it gets too close to my Scooby they will annihilate each other in a burst of exotic particles.

Steve writes:

I’ve been stuck trying to find the right car for several months. This car would replace a 2007 Subaru B9 Tribeca Limited, that I’m driving because my wife just didn’t like the ergonomics and heavy steering input. Legroom on the passenger side of the Tribeca is awful for long drives. This car would supplement my wife’s 07 Lexus RX350.

Criteria: 4 door, used, under $25k, automatic, reliable, comfortable for long family (of 3) drives, better mileage than the RX350 and decent handling. FWD or AWD are ok, but I can’t manage RWD in the New England winter with my very steep driveway (otherwise I’d prefer RWD). My commute is a mere 3 miles of 40 MPH suburban roads, but I want to use this car instead of the RX350 on longer drives from Boston to Vermont etc. So it needs to be almost as comfortable as the RX350. Here’s the real nice to have: a little more fun for me. That means reasonable handling and lack of body lean in turns…not a Camry. But roads in my area are pothole city, so a compromise is needed. Here’s what I looked at:

Darren writes:

I recently took my 1990 Miata to St. Matthew’s Imports, a reputable shop here in Louisville, Kentucky. The a/c was not blowing cold, and a running light was out. I also wanted them to inspect and tighten the undercarriage bolts like it says to do in the manual. They tested the a/c for leaks, it had none but they said the low pressure side had too high a pressure and there were signs of moisture in the evaporator case. They want to replace the compressor, drier, expansion valve, and possibly the evaporator core. Also the radiator is leaking coolant, the right rear brake caliper is leaking, the left rear parking brake does not hold, the front brake pads have no shims, and the master cylinder is leaking fluid. To make matters worse, the front engine seals, the rear main seal and the valve cover gasket is leaking.

SQ writes:

Hello, I am a young female looking to buy a car in a few weeks. I’m in love with Cadillacs & was wondering which years of Cadillac Eldorados have aluminum around the engine? I have been researching this for weeks and have not found any information. Could you please help me out with this?

I would greatly appreciate it. Thank You!

Jonatas writes:

I’m getting serious about taking a little road trip. Something I’ve long wanted to do. I want to drive from my current home in S. Florida to my hometown in Brazil, hopefully seeing amazing places and meeting amazing people along the way. Since it is a road trip, having the right car/truck is the most important thing to have. I’m looking for something relatively cheap, reliable, economical, and somewhat common in most countries to make for easier maintenance and attract less attention. I don’t think I’ve yet found anything that checks off all the boxes but I keep finding myself looking at late 80’s, early 90’s Toyota 4Runners as they’re sold under the Hi-Lux moniker in most latin american countries. I’ve also looked at Subaru Outbacks from the 90’s but reliability seems to be an issue as well as parts availability. Land Rover Defenders are either too old or expensive. Any other possible vehicle suggestions?

Ken writes:

I’m hoping the Best and Brightest (is that trademarked?) can help out on a dilemma I have: to upgrade or trade in.

About a year ago we purchased a certified used 2008 Lincoln MKZ AWD. It was bought to replace a very different car my wife previously drove – a 2004 Mazda RX-8. The Mazda was a blast – but was starting to get unreliable and with a longer commute and New England winters a different car was needed. On paper the Lincoln fit the bill. It checked all the boxes: price, maintenance costs, reliability, and features.

But specs and numbers don’t always translate into the real world and the love of my life is experiencing buyer’s remorse. The car has been reliable and does have many features, but it lacks character and soul. Sure the RX-8’s engine would flood every so often and the heat worked intermittently, but when it was running she loved driving that thing.

Some folks will blow five grand on a cruise. Others will take it to Vegas. The adventurous among us may even decide go to Central America during the off season and find that the country they’re visiting is now under martial law. Some freak out. Others buy a nice drink at a cafe and people watch. We all have risk tolerances when it comes to life’s pleasures, and cars are no different. The question with buying any car though is not whether you want to get some bang for the buck. But whether you’re willing to get the ‘education’ that comes with it.

Brad writes:

Sajeev, fellow travelers, and the best and brightest: due to my job, I spend a great deal of time on I-70 between St Louis and KC. I often see the police of one sort or another staking out the highway looking for speeders. I have been warned many times by drivers going the opposite direction flashing their lights and I usually do the same when I can.

The question is, is flashing the lights illegal or immoral or for some other reasons not a good idea?
Do you do it? How long do you keep it up, 1/2 mile, 1 mile, more?

TTAC Commentator Supaman writes:

Hey Sajeev, I drive a 2006 Mazda 6s and as cheesy as it sounds, I love this car. No better combo than a V6/manual for driving pleasure, plus the car is practical and has given no mechanical problems (current mileage is 47000). My problem is twofold.