Why Do I Bother Giving Car Advice?

"JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!" (jqj213) 01/29/2014 at 11:32 • Filed to: Advice, BMW, Craigslist, Honda

4

51

Yes, yes, I know what you’re thinking, “we have already mentioned this so many times, why do you need to add on to it?” Well the reason is because I just had a perfect example with a girl in my school.

So, this girl in my class just got her license and was looking for a first car. She knows nothing about cars. I mean absolutely nothing. She thought a Dodge Challenger was a Mercedes Benz. But anyway, she had a budget of around $4500 and needed a sedan to haul her and her friends around. Being a good person, I basically volunteered as tribute and decided to help since I know what to look for in a car (and I kind of liked her, but that is for a different story.)

I go home and begin looking on Craigslist. There, I find what seems to be a really good find: a 2000 Honda Accord Sedan EX with 160,000 miles for $4000. Original owner, no accidents, sold by the original owner, and local (I know he was the original owner and it wasn’t in an accident since he provided a Carfax). The car also was a Florida cars its whole life, so no rust to worry about. For someone who knows little about cars, it really was perfect. Or so I thought.

I bring in the ad the next to show her. She wasn’t that impressed, saying that it was kind of boring. I try and explain why this would perfect since it is reliable, safe, gets good gas mileage, is in great shape, and is being sold from an honest seller, but she doesn’t care. So, after the day ends I begin looking again. I find a Dodge Stratus, which again, although boring, is usually pretty reliable and good for the car clueless.

It was when I came into school the next day that I was upset. She got a car. And it was a bad one. She ended up with a 1996 BMW 525I. At first I was intrigued since it was a BMW, which was kind of cool. She then showed me the ad of the car. It was at one of the sleaziest buy here pay here dealers in the area. This BMW had 245,000 miles and was covered in small dents and scratches. The seats had horrible seat covers on them (I’m assuming the leather was in bad shape) and it had an aftermarket steering wheel (with no airbag). She also paid $5000 for this. I begin trying to say how bad this was, but she was too happy with this car.

I had a friend of mine run the VIN. It turned out the car had a salvaged title as it was totaled in an accident in 2007. Yes, it had frame damage with airbag deployment. Things were getting worse every second I looked into it. But, I didn’t want to crush her spirits. The next day, she comes in with a picture on her phone of the dashboard. She asks what that orange light means. I tell her it’s the check engine light and it could mean something as dumb as an open gas cap or as bad as a blown head gasket. I tell her to take it to this local mechanic I know. On the way trying to get there, her car seizes up and stops running, requiring a tow. It turns out her engine seized due to a lack of oil. She will need a new engine which may run her over $5000; or more than the value of the car.

Now, she is looking into the Florida Lemon law to try and get help. If she just went with the Honda. Why do I bother giving advice?

505Turbeaux > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 01/29/2014 at 11:36

2

as far as I know in any state a car dealer that sells you a car with safety equipment that is knowingly disabled is liable if ever in an accident and breaking state statutes. Maybe she can work this angle. Lemon law doesnt apply to used cars in Florida it appears. for 5 grand this was a horrible deal. That motor can be had used for fairly inexpensive though at least. Best advice go to http://flhsmv.gov/dmv/DealerHand… for the florida dealer handbook and go hunting for a violation to hang them up on. Maybe section B, subsection 9 on sale of rebuilt vehicles. If not an online flame job may be in order

oldirtybootz > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 01/29/2014 at 11:36

2

My girlfriend and I bought a 98 Accord EX last summer for her. She's rough, but it was $1400 and it's alot better after we put a little work into it. It's the definition of a beater first car though. Also, the V6's trannys are junk so keep an eye out for that on these Accords.

Nibby > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 01/29/2014 at 11:36

3

This is what happens when you ignore a fellow Jalop's advice. Also, you found out that the girl doesn't make good, logical decisions...

Sn210 > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 01/29/2014 at 11:36

2

Well that was an expensive life lesson.

Doge_Supreme drives a BRZ > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 01/29/2014 at 11:38

1

My relatives have all given up trying to argue with my advice for buying cars because I've proven my point many times. The trick it seems is to let them make the mistakes and then tell them I told you so. May be a bit dickish but now I do all the car shopping for my family because they know I wont find them a junk car and am pretty good at finding what they need.

CalzoneGolem > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 01/29/2014 at 11:41

1

The correct move is to always lead with a Prius. They will either buy a Prius or not ask you for car advice again.

jovimon7 > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 01/29/2014 at 11:42

3

I stopped reading at "Dodge Stratus, which again, although boring, is usually pretty reliable".

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > 505Turbeaux 01/29/2014 at 11:45

1

I didn't even relialize the law doesn't apply to used cars... it is a shady dealer and has been for a while. But, people go there becuase it is buy here pay here so the people without much credit can get a car...

Again, why did she go with that car? No red flags popped into her mind?

And thanks for that angle, it may be able to give her something...

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > Doge_Supreme drives a BRZ 01/29/2014 at 11:46

0

That was what I was hoping she would understand.. the Accord would've been good; or at least cheaper to fix than that Bimmer

505Turbeaux > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 01/29/2014 at 11:47

0

yeah it is a tough deal. I looked through and even a rebuilt car doesnt have to be disclosed - sort of - unless it is being touted as non rebuilt. I hate dealers like this. Likely they will walk just fine. Mind disclosing the name of the dealer to the world? Sounds like they need a wake up call

Dunnik > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 01/29/2014 at 11:48

2

You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > jovimon7 01/29/2014 at 11:48

0

At least it would've been cheap to fix!

Luke's Dad Sold His 2000TL To Get a Sienna > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 01/29/2014 at 11:53

1

My mom's office had this like month long debate because one of her coworkers wanted to get a new car (because she was a banker, she wanted a Lexus) and honestly when my mother is the person in an office that knows the most about cars, this conversation is going downhill real fast.

The coworker's problem was that her engine kept overheating in her 2011 Civic and she didn't want to keep bringing it to get fixed. My mom suggested the Toyota Camry because honestly, that's all her budget was, it wasn't any Lexus ES or IS budget. And you knew at the end of this ruckus the coworker would end up with a Camry because eh, it's a great appliance car.

So the coworker goes to test drive the Touareg, Forester, A6.

I mean, they're not even in the same class of cars.

I personally suggested the Corolla ECO because the new engine technology piques my interest and my dad suggested the Accord because we're just throwing out decent ideas. Hyundai for its warranty. Nissan for its value. Honestly, the midsize segment is AMAZING right now, just close your eyes throw a dart at a list of them and unless you want a midsize and you hit a Touareg, you're going to end up with a great car.

Coworker got a Camry.

BIGGEST TOLD YOU SO OF THE CENTURY.

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > 505Turbeaux 01/29/2014 at 11:53

0

I belive it is Askana Cars.... the place changes names every few months to wipe the bad reviews away... same owners, same dealers, same location, same BS, new name.

Just look at Yelp: Link (Again, these are newer reviews since they recently changed names) I have already "talked" to them via email and Facebook.. they don't really reply with customers though

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > Luke's Dad Sold His 2000TL To Get a Sienna 01/29/2014 at 11:56

1

I love (Read: hate) the unrealistic budget people... "well I can afford only $15,000, but I will go look at $30,000 because I am worth it."

I hate to tell her the I told you so line, but, I told her so!

505Turbeaux > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 01/29/2014 at 11:59

1

from the website http://www.asankacars.com/return-policy.…

still shifty but this was all taken right from there

"Your satisfaction is so important to us that we now offer a 30 day guarantee! No questions asked! No reason needed! Feel free to test drive and trade into a different car you feel suits your needs more! A 10% re-stocking fee will be assessed as well as the cost of transport back to our dealer location if needed and mileage charge. Car must be in the same condition as purchased with no more than 200 additional miles. After 30 days or 200 miles car will be subject to be re-appraised by us."

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > 505Turbeaux 01/29/2014 at 12:01

0

Hmm... great find! I will have to show that to her! How'd I miss it?

I wonder if they will actually honor it or now that it crapped out it is worthless

Doge_Supreme drives a BRZ > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 01/29/2014 at 12:01

2

Some people just need to learn the hard way, but one of the main reasons I keep my family away from German cars is the maintenance costs, I have nothing against them but my family isn't into cars so they really don't need anything like a BMW or Mercedes when cheaper options are available.

overdrv > Nibby 01/29/2014 at 12:02

0

So maybe you could help her make another bad and illogical decision and get a little action for yourself ;) LOL JK

505Turbeaux > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 01/29/2014 at 12:02

1

sounds like if she didnt run it over 200 miles (doesnt sound like she did) that return is enforceable. I will screenshot both pages and hang on to them for a few weeks if you need it

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > Doge_Supreme drives a BRZ 01/29/2014 at 12:05

0

My logic exactly! For a car person, buying a car that will be expensive to maintain is a bad idea!

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > 505Turbeaux 01/29/2014 at 12:07

0

Perfect!

My god, going through their site; why all the shorrible stock photos?

Thanks again! She will be happy (or at least her parents will) when they see this

505Turbeaux > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 01/29/2014 at 12:09

1

no worries. if you need those screenshots hit up the OPPO facebook page with a message (I am one of the admins) and that would be the easiest way to transfer. I fucking hate seeing someone get screwed by a shitty dealer https://www.facebook.com/Oppositelock

cluelessk > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 01/29/2014 at 12:10

0

I went through the exact same thing with my girlfriend.

She hit a deer with her Ion 2 so she needed a replacement.

She budgeted $6000, I found a ton of good options.

Her Dan wanted her to get a 4wd drive cause he hates Winter driving and she commutes 45 mins one way for school. I suggest a couple nice low mileage 1st gen CR-V's. But they're apparently too old so they're unreliable. So her Dad tried to force her to buy a 06 Escape. She would of gone broke in fuel costs.

Then after having a Mazda 3 as a rental she was convinced she wanted one. But had to be a sedan. I just couldn't get her to understand she'd be better off trying to find a slightly older car in better shape than any of the 3's in her price range but it didn't make sense to her.

Finally her Dad took her to the Mazda dealer and bought a base model 04 Mazda 3. It's a pile of shit. Passenger seat doesn't recline, check engine light comes on all the time, It's had a quarter panel replaced poorly, gaps are all off, terrible paint full of orange peel and dust.

Oh and the kicker. She spent $8,000. 8 freaking grand!!! I was mad. I noticed all these problems within 5 mins in the cold. Then I was the bad guy for knowing her car was way over priced.

McLarry > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 01/29/2014 at 12:10

1

Ah the old "this car is not special enough for me, so I'm going to pay more for a worse car because I'm worth it " story. Who buys an 18-year old BMW with a quarter million miles in poor condition without so much as looking at a carfax report???

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > McLarry 01/29/2014 at 12:11

0

Clueless people who also visit buy here pay here stealerships!

That was exactly her thinking! "I'm worth a BMW! Not a crummy Honda!"

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > cluelessk 01/29/2014 at 12:13

1

$8000!!!!!! How? How? For that!

cluelessk > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 01/29/2014 at 12:22

1

Because we have pretty inflated car prices here.

Japanese cars usually go for a premium. If the car would of been lower mileage and not been in a major accident I could see someone paying around that.

But her Dad was convinced that the newer the car, the better shape it must be in. So many people have these ideas of what to look for when car shopping. Instead of listening to guys that have worked in the automotive field. I can usually spot autobody work within seconds even on a well done job.

So now she's stuck with a car she doesn't like, in the wrong colour just because her Dad didn't know what to look for.

At least it was her Dads money not hers. It's almost bad enough that I'd wanna try getting my money back.

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > cluelessk 01/29/2014 at 12:23

1

That does help that it wasn't her money... it sucks because I feel bad for saying it but that is what happens when they don't listen... maybe now they will learn...

BTW, where are you located?

DKaine > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 01/29/2014 at 12:32

1

Florida lemon law won't be any help here. IIRC, it covers new cars that require service more than three times in a certain number of months on the same part. This is just a crappy used car lot that knowingly sold a piece of junk.

However: If the dealer misrepresented the car as being in good condition, you *may* have a civil court case. I doubt she'd be able to win it, though. Lol Florida.

Best case: It is /illegal/ in the state of Florida to knowingly sell a car without working air bags if the car originally came with them. If it had the factory wheel and a "dummy" airbag cover, the dealership can claim that it didn't know... but the aftermarket steering wheel is a dead giveaway. I'm not sure what her options are, but this may be an avenue worth pursuing.

Source: Floridian.

Bonus: Are you in Orlando perchance? You may have seen the TopGear-esque ad I posted up for my friend's $800 plymouth.

mr2gud2u > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 01/29/2014 at 12:35

1

I hate to say it, but as a man trying to understand why females choose the car they buy is pointless.

cluelessk > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 01/29/2014 at 12:40

1

Yup she's looking forward to the day she graduates and finds a good job. Then she'll buy herself a car she loves. With my help.

Near Winnipeg, Manitoba.

I was looking for a car that could be bought and had taxes paid for $6,000. That was the budget.

Few examples of the local prices.

http://manitoba.kijiji.ca/f-cars-vehicle…

marshknute > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 01/29/2014 at 12:41

1

Where did her parents/guardians fit into the equation? I can understand your friend being ignorant about purchase vs maintenance cost because I was too. My dad was smart enough to realize that and let me learn on my own: he paid for half of the car and under the condition that I pay for all maintenance/upkeep.

I can't comprehend how your friend's parents could possibly let their daughter make such a boneheaded mistake when they know full well what the costs of car ownership entail.

ChampagneChariot > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 01/29/2014 at 12:51

1

Needs a new engine? LS swap?

Money Hustard > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 01/29/2014 at 13:15

1

My wife had this exact Honda Accord pretty much in college. Great car, but the transmission was falling apart by 2007 for some reason. It's my understanding it's a common problem with their automatics of this generation.

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > Money Hustard 01/29/2014 at 13:28

0

I heard that a few times as well.... many Acuras were bad too... you'd think it'd be better by now

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > ChampagneChariot 01/29/2014 at 13:29

0

Such an interesting proposition! Why hasn't that been thought of before?

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > marshknute 01/29/2014 at 13:30

0

Basically, it was the fact that she lives with her grandparents... they really didn't want to get involved and just gave her money to go out and buy whatever she wanted... they don't (or didn't) provide a lot of input

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > cluelessk 01/29/2014 at 13:31

1

That makes more sense; but the money you save on health insurance balances this out (haha just kidding)

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > DKaine 01/29/2014 at 13:33

1

Another Opponaut found something to try: the dealer has a 30 day return policy... hopefully it'll work.

I'm about an hour and half from Orlando and yes I saw that awesome ad

Money Hustard > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 01/29/2014 at 13:36

0

We traded it in in 2010 before the tranny gave out completely. It did get us a $6K trade-in, with about 105K on the clock. I was pretty pumped.

The key was, we traded the car in (for a new Outback) on Valentines day, about 30 minutes before they closed. They didn't even start the dang thing.

TheNeonDriver - Now with More BMW! > cluelessk 01/29/2014 at 13:39

0

AAAAAAAnnnd this is why no one likes Winnipeg.

In all seriousness, why didn't you look for something from a dealer slightly further away? I had a car stored in Ottawa, and I had it shipped to Edmonton for less then $1000. Even if you bought in Edmonton, where prices are Way less, and then ship it, it would be fine. I would have looked at a dealers used lot.

Edmonton Mazda 3's

Autotrader Edmonton Mazda

It's a shame your so isolated in Winnipeg.
Then again, I am typing this in Yellowknife.

cluelessk > TheNeonDriver - Now with More BMW! 01/29/2014 at 13:46

0

It wasn't my money. Wasn't even my gf's money. That's the biggest reason.

Also her Dad had some ideas of what a good car was and got ripped off by a dealer.

John Bulzacchelli > jovimon7 01/29/2014 at 13:47

0

lol... yeah they were the model of reliability...

ChampagneChariot > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 01/29/2014 at 14:08

0

Are you being sarcastic? I can't really tell.

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > ChampagneChariot 01/29/2014 at 14:10

0

No actually for once I wasn't (I hate the internet since you cannot tell) That would be awesome. A big luxury V8 RWD sedan for a low price!

ChampagneChariot > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 01/29/2014 at 14:32

0

It would probably be cheaper or better than a new BMW engine. Although a 2JZ isn't out of the question either. Honestly, it could be salvaged into a real track monster. Try to buy it from her!

Tom McParland > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 01/29/2014 at 14:34

0

Remember...

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

DKaine > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 01/29/2014 at 14:48

1

Awesome. It's pretty much the script for the video that I was going to do, but I didn't have enough time to get help shooting. Oh, well... there's always next time!

avens > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 01/29/2014 at 17:38

0

Protip: Never, ever give first car advice.

boobytrapsandtreasure > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 02/04/2014 at 15:42

0

She made a dumb decision. She lead with her ego, not her intellect. It is a common problem. You need to find a smarter/wiser girl to focus on.