about

For the most part I'm good with car and animal related questions, but I'll answer other stuff if its something I feel I know enough about.
Ask me anything, and I'll give it my best shot.

Just dont ask me anything about the chances of you being pregnant.

Or if s/he likes you or not.

Or if you're fat. (I'll say yes no matter what)

advice

i recently bought a used car and was talking to my moms boyfriend about it. It pulls to the right and he said it could ither be the wheel alignment or tires. i know the back tires need to be changed but my question is whcih one is it more likely to be and if it is the alignment how long can i wait until it will start messing up my wheel barrings? im a little tight on money so i wont beable to do it right away

I know this answer is a bit late, but I need to say this: Solidadvice4teens is quite off base. %75 chance all you need is an alignment, %15 it is tires. This happens to cars ALL the time for no dramatic reason. Just normal wear and tear and it is absolutely nothing to be super concerned about. SolidAdvice is blowing it way out of proportion. In no way shape or form does it being out of alignment mean that its AUTOMATICALLY had some sort of major front end damage. (read: SolidAdvice4teens doesn't know jack about this matter. Perhaps other topics, but certainly not cars)

Alignments are pretty cheap, just call a local shop for their price. As for checking your tires, if you can feel a substantial pull then you can tell if its your tires merely by looking at them, you'll see significant wear, especially along the sides of the tread.

Good luck, and feel free to ask further questions.

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im noticed that ebay sells cars, everyone is telling me that its a bad idea but the ones im looking at are from used car dealerships and they have a 100.00% rating and have had all good commments. is this something i should just forget about or do you think it would be okay?

This "Christina" person is frankly and idiot.

Ebay is safe to use, IF you use it SAFELY.
If it sounds sketchy, it probably is.
If you can contact the person through messages or email, thats good, it helps you get a better feel for how trustworthy they are.

Ratings are very important, the higher, the better. Personally I never buy anything from someone with a rating lower than 95%.

You can also look at a sellers feedback and comments, those are very helpfull.

Another great feature about Ebay motors is that you can have insurance on the purchase, so that if something DOES go wrong, you dont lose any money.

But yes, craigslist is also a good option, you should try both places.

So, just be safe and smart when using Ebay. You'll be fine.

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Alright. not to long ago I posted a thing about Cheery Bombs, well two days ago, my car got hit =[
my perfect blue mustang, im really depressed about this. I've been paying for this car all myself, and now it might be totaled.
Long story short, I was on a road, and turned to go down this one way street, well a lady was coming up it(the wrong way) and we hit. Its 100% her fault since it was a one way street. If my car is totaled, can I tell her insurance ppl that I want the same car and color and they will get it for me? Also, will her ppl pay off the rest of my loan since its not up for another 2 1/2 years?

hollister_lover09

Ok, assumign that you got all of her information (insurance carrier, name, number, etc...) and an officer showed up on the scene and can affirm that the accident was in fact her fault, then you should be set.
You need to contact your insurance, and alert them of the accident, and her insurance, to see if they will pay for it. As long as you can prove it was not your fault, insurance should cover it. Thats what they are paid for, after all.
What the insurance gives you really depends on the amount of damage. You'll need to get a quote from a shop to see what it would cost to fix it. If the cost to fix it is more than it was worth before the accident (use http://www.kbb.com/ for a reference on what its worth) then its considered totaled, and I believe that the insurance company would give you that amount of money. Its not like they'll go searching for the exact car that you want, unfortunately. If it costs less than the value of the car to fix it, then insurance will pay the bill for you.

And dude, that SUCKS that your car was hit! Sorry :[

Anyway, I hope that made sense. Feel free to ask for any clarification.

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I have a 2000 Mustang V6 and I need a new exhaust already, but I want to get something that makes my car sound faster/sweeter. If I was to get a cherry bomb, what all would they have to do to my car to put it on? && about how much all together? thanks!!

or if you have any suggestions on what to put on my car that isn't not that much, please tell me..


btw I'm 17/F so I don't know a lot about cars :D

First off, where do you live, and are you seeing anyone? :p ... I kid, I kid. I just think that chicks with hot cars are sexy 8D

Cherry bombs are kinda overrated. If you just want a new muffler that makes it sound more badass than Flowmasters are the shit. They are kinda pricey, but I'll be damned if it doesn't sound awesome. Dynomax is pretty popular too, as is Magnaflow.

If you just want the Flowmaster muffler it'll cost between 70 bucks for the cheap ones, and over 100 for the nicer ones. It hardly takes any labor to replace a muffler.

Personally I would recommend a cat back high flow system, like this: http://cpwstore.carpartswholesale.com/catalog/details/Ford/Mustang/Flowmaster/Exhaust_System/2000/Base/6_Cyl_3-dot-8L/F1317275.html
You can find cheaper versions, but with something like this you'll add noticeable power and a GREAT rumble.

I can go on and on with different things you could to, but Ill leave it at this for now. You can always ask me more questions if you like.

Good luck!

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im 16 and i live in illinois. and im a girl.
im gonna be getting my first car. and since its my first car im not gnna be get a real expensive one.

my brother got a ford escape for his first car. and it had nothing but problems and we spent soo much money fixing it. but now he has a altima coupe and its like his life haha. but hes 18 now.

im in love with the scion xb. but not the new version. theres cheap ones over here for about 9,000 but my family/friends think its so ugly. so im sure my parents wont buy it for me.

i was just wonder what is another good first car for me?

ps. my dad is really picky when it comes to cars. he only likes like toyata, honda, volkswagon and that kinda stuff.
anddd for some reason i dont like really low cars cause i hate feeling like im drving on the ground. i like being up and being able to see.
but thanks so much !

As I have suggested many times, Honda and Toyota ARE the way to go (though I must wonder why your dad likes volks too, there really not comparable to honda/toyota).
Scions really arent anything too special, aside from there styling.
I do not recommend getting an older US made car like your brother did, you'll eend up spending alot of money ad time in the shop.
And since its your first car you should be TOO picky. Besides, your dad is probably going to end up paying, right? That pretty much means that the most you can do is offer your preference, but hes going to be the one making all the decisions unless you fork over some cash.
If you want some height you could consider a Honda CRV, or a Toyota Rav4, but dont dismiss other cars just because they are "low to the ground". You'll probably be so stoked to actually have your very own car that things like that wont really matter.

Anyway, good luck.

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ok, i know absolutely nothing about cars, but i'm looking for one right now.. preferably under 5000 dollars.. is it possible to find a good car for under this?? and a lot of the cars i've been seeing for under this have more than 100,000 miles.. is that ok? anyone who has any advice i would greatly appreciate it, thanks

Yep, its possible.
As the previous poster said, check craigslist in your area, and don't forget your local classifieds.

I recommend a used Honda civic or Accord, or a Toyota Corolla. They are all good cars usually found for a reasonable price.

Whatever you end up getting, make sure that you do some research on it before hand to see if the previous owners kept up on routine maintenance necessary for the car.

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I have a 1991 300E Benz. It drove PERFECTLY until I put synthetic oil in bcuz my oil lite came on. After I put the oil in it overheated I put n 1qt. Instead of 3 like I was proly supose to. After it overheated I let it cool down then at nite I added 3qts. I drove home nd when I got close to home it overheated again. Nd it made a knocking noise when I tried to start it. Now its been sittin since the 27th. It also started to leak which its NEVER did b4. Las time it needed oil I took it to jiffy lube, this time I jus didn't have the money. I have no clue wat to do to fix it, hopefully it won't require any expensive repairs. Any feedback wud be great. Thanks

Disregard what the person before me said, its irrelevant besides stupid. And sorry if im getting to you too late.

Putting less than the required amount of oil in was your first mistake, when engines don't have proper lubrication, things go very wrong very quick. Make sure to maintain a proper level, which you can check with the dipstick. Keep it in between the two lines. And I may be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that the 300 takes a lot more than three or four quarts. My 2.2L takes five quarts, so you'll probably need much more. Check the manual if you have one.

Next: did you change the oil filter as well? that should be done every change.

Make sure that you tighten the draining nut snugly when you are done draining the old crap, that's the easiest explanation for your oil leak.

More than likely something is wrong in your engine, something that needs to be fixed by a shop. When your engine overheated it very well could have warped the head, or fucked up a piston. A warped head would explain it, but Im not making any guarantees.

Go to a shop and at least have them look at it, and give you a quote on what it would cost to do the repairs.

Moral of the story? Kids, if you don't know what your doing, don't do it, or get help. When something is wrong, stop, figure out whats wrong before it gets worse. One small mistake could cost you.

Anyway, good luck.

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I'm turning 16 soon and saving up for a car. I'm looking for a small, sleek, really cool kind of sport looking car...but not something that costs an arm and a leg. What are some sporty looking cars that arents extremely expensive? thanks!

Please, a Jetta isn't sporty in the least.

Im going to assume that you or your parents happen to be well of financially, and your not like many of us out there who's first cars are beat up junkers. Im assuming that your looking for a fairly nice car, just not a quite a BMW.

If I were you I would check the Mazda 3 & the Mazda 6, Depending on your style perhaps the Honda Civic (I like it). You might also like the Toyota Carolla (though its not all that sporty, especially before 08').

All of the cars I above are quality cars, especially Honda and Toyota, which are hands down the most reliable.

http://www.toyota.com/corolla/index.html
http://automobiles.honda.com/civic-coupe/
http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/displayHomepage.action?referrer=http://www.mazda.com/distr/america.html&bhcp=1


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does a mercedes clk 320 count as an import tuner ?

No.

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Hi there,

I have a problem wherein there is a steel bolt crewed into an aluminum manifold, and both items are oxidized, meaning that the steel has rusted and the aluminum has corroded.

I have tried force, tapping the bolt with a hammer, liquid wrench, various bolt loosening products, all with no success.

Does anyone have a super-secret method of getting things like unstuck?

Thank you for your help.

Chevynova is spot on from my experience. Soak it in the nastiest chemicallyest shit you can overnight, heat the aluminum around the bolt carefully (not too hot!!) and tap the bolt as you turn. What i do is put the socket in a big vice grip, that way I can tap and turn at the same time, works great!

Good luck!

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how much was everyones first car?

im going to be getting my liscense soon.
just curious on average how much i am looking to spend on a car?
also, any cute cars that are not wayy expensive.
im looking to get a used car, obviously.
something small, sporty.
& im 15/f
thanks :]

How much you spend on your first car depends upon a lot of factors. You could buy a beater for under a thousand, a decent used car for 3-4 thousand, or a fairly nice one for 6 thousand and up.

Some things you need to consider are:

Make-do you want an American company, Japanese, German, ect? Now I am admittedly biased towards Japanese brands (Honda, Toyota), but there are some very nice cars made by other companied. Used american brand cars (Ford, Chevy, Dodge) will be less expensive, but in my mind you get what you pay for. Junk.

A Honda or Toyota will sell for more than an american car because they hold value better, meaning that they make a better quality automobile, and thus it costs more.
I often see used 94-97 Honda Accords, Civics, and Toyota Corolla's for 3 to 4 thousand.

Style: Coupe? Sedan?

Luxuries: Do you want a sunroof? Moonroof? How about power windows, locks, etc...

And really most importantly, cost. How much money DO you have. That will be the biggest deciding factor on what you get.

That being said, there are many options of cars, styles, and price ranges, and much more that goes into the cost of a car.

I would be more than happy to go into greater detail, or to give some more advice if you would like.

P.S. my first car was free, It was a hand me down from my mom. My second car was $250 because the persons mechanic misdiagnosed it severely, leading them to think it needed extensive engine repairs, leading them to sell it really cheap. I happened to see that it only needed minor work, and was happy to buy it for such a good price, and to spend the little I had to to get it running Cherry.

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I fell in love with the scion tC back in november and im finally going with my dad next week to purchase a new 2008 for my 18th birthday. although i don't really know anyone who has one, so i was just wondering if anyone on here has one or knows someone and could let me know if its a good choice or not.

Its not half bad, from what I can tell. It seems like it comes with a fairly inclusive list of standard features, and is fairly customizable. I took quick look at some reviews and it rated pretty well. If you really like it, then its certainly not the worst choice you can make.

A better choice however would be a Honda Civic, or a Honda Accord. Given your liking of the Scion style, I would suggest the coupe for both.
Honda makes a fantastic product, and the latest Accord is even more so. Great features, ride, handling, ingenuity..you get th point. Besides, they have a strong reputaion for quality and reliability (my Accord has going on two hundred thousand miles and is still running strong, and my old accord had 240,000 miles on it, and still ran well even after me beating the crap out of it for a couple of years).

So, if you want to get the tc, I would suggest that over say a Ford Focus. Its not a bad car. BUT, I am really trying to push you in the direction of an Accord or a Civic for many reasons.

Feel free to ask me some questions, I would love to lend some more advice.

Oh, here are some links for your consideration.

2008 Civic:
http://www.edmunds.com/honda/civic/2008/review.html

2008 Accord:
http://www.edmunds.com/honda/accord/2008/review.html

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I was wondering the ball park range of a price for my first car. I just want something small and it would deffinatly be used. Just kinda a beater that would be cheap but not too cheap, if you know what i mean.
How much would this cost?

You can find a junker for around a thousand, a decent used Honda or Toyota for around 3,500, or a very good 6000 dollar used car like the previous person said.
I recommend a used Honda Civic or Accord, or a used Toyota Carolla. They can often be bought under four thousand and make great first cars for many reasons.

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Where do I get an audio jack for my Sentra that isn't 6 feet long?!

Radioshack.

Like this one: http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102970&cp=&sr=1&origkw=audio+cable&kw=audio+cable&parentPage=search

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I need a car, but my parents refuse to buy one for me (they can afford it, though, but they absolutely refuse).

If I were to get a car, I would have to pay for the car, the insurance, the gas... EVERYTHING.

I drive about 300 miles a week, most of it on freeways, so I need a car that has airbags, and is safe in general to drive, and has very good breaks.

I have two jobs, one of them my hours are scattered and unpredictable, the other its more predictable; I earn about 400 dollars a month, then some (it really just depends how much.. sometimes 20, sometimes 300, sometimes 0 at my other unpredictable job)

My question(s):

What type of car should I get, that doesn't eat too much gas, like what's a good model?

Any general advice on buying a used car? I know NOTHING about them.

I will be paying about 200 bucks for my car insurance a month, and gas here costs about 2.30 per gallon. Can I still afford to have a car? I mean I'll have to be making monthly payments and stuff when to pay off my car, right? Keep in mind I drive 300 miles per week.

So, in short, keeping in mind all the details, what car should I get for what price? Or if you don't know about what car, what should be my price range?

My parents aren't helping me at all in this, including estimating my price range.

Thank you so much, and I prefer adults answer this that have some experience in finance.

I'm turning 17 in March, by the way, and I'm a girl.

Yes I agree with Nova, Id just like to add on. I second that you should not go to to a used car lot, buy it outright from a private seller. I just think that you should go for something a little more expensive, like 2000. I'm in the school of thought that buying a nicer car that will last longer is better than buying a piece of junk that will last less miles/years.

Nova is also right about that insurance number being high. See if you can get the car under one of your parents names, then simply add your name to their insurance plan as a primary driver on that car. It will cost way less that way.

2.30 a gallon!! Its frickin 3.15 were I am...Feel lucky. oh, and 300 miles a week isnt so bad if you get a car with good miles per gallon.

Speaking of cars with good MPG's that are reliable, I strongly recommend the Honda Civic, Honda Accord, and then the Toyota Corolla. Any model Civic or Accord will do, but the hatchback Civics tend to get better mileage, and the EX model accord is less expensive.

If you have any more questions feel free to ask.
Good luck!

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i have a 1997 z/28 ls1 camaro. i want to put a cold air intake in it,do i need anything? or is it just a bolt on performance upgrade?

Pink lady is right, and to add on to it, you already have cold air intake. What you want is an upgrade, a high performance intake assembly/kit. Something like this :http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/details/QQChevroletQQCamaroQQK-and-NQQCold_Air_IntakeQQ19951997QQK335730101.html
It takes all of 10 minutes to swap out. A few clamps, hoses, and your good to go.

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Okay, well I am 16 years old. And I looking for a car. Any advice on what type of car I should get. I like small cars, but not that small. No hummer-like cars and no beatle-like cars. I want it simple. Thanks in advance!

oh, and does anyone know what kind of car this is:

First, the car you gave a link to is certainly not a mustang. My best guess, though I really don't know is that its a Mitsubishi with some body kits.

Second, I recommend the Honda Civic, Honda Accord (larger and more expensive than the Civic), and the Toyota Carolla.

All three choices have an excellent reliability record, are fairly small, and depending on the model can be very fuel efficient while still having great performance.

Feel free to ask any more questions.

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my dad said he wants one of those car lockers that you just push the button and it locks or unlocks. so you dont have to put a key in you know? well i tried searching it on google but i dont know the name of it. anyways i live in denver colorado..if that helps..we have like sears walmart target lowes all those types of things..would i possibly find one there? or a car store? and whats the approximate price range for most trucks? thanks much.

Keyless entry systems can be very basic, from something like this http://www.radarcity.com/product?prod_id=9436&refer=6
for about 30 dollars to upwards of 200 dollars. The more expensive ones include different types of alarms and remote starters, and some even come with pagers that go off when your car is being broken into.
But it sounds like your looking for something more basic. Go here http://www.google.com/products?q=car+keyless+entry&ie=UTF-8&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1
and browse some of the options to see what you like and fits your price range.
If you do buy it for your dad he could install it himself if he is mechanically inclined, or you could get him a gift certificate to a local shop so they could install it.

Cheers.

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what are some good sensible cars for a sixteen year old? my birthday isnt until april but i'm gonna have to work on my parents for awhile so it's probably a good idea to start now! something not too expensive please. i'm looking for a big small car if you know what i mean.

thanks

A Thunderbird? A Mitsubishi?! Let alone a Galant?!?!
May the automotive gods curse ye...

It depends on what your parents are willing to spend, if they are fortunate enough to be able to buy you a new car, then consider the Honda Fit, and the Nissan Versa.

If a used car makes more sense financially (I also think it makes more sense practically, because you wont feel so bad when you scratch/break/crash it because you are new to driving) then look at the Honda Civic, and the Toyota Carolla. Both are excellent choices for many reasons.

I would be happy to give some more advice if you are interested.

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What is a good beginner sportbike? Who makes the most reliable bike (Honda, BMW, SUZUKI, YAMAHA, etc.). I would REALLY like a crotch rocket, but I'm not sure.

This question may be a little old, but here goes anyway...

Like ygsgirl said, do not go out and buy a gsxr, rr, or any other bike of that caliber, most likely you will end up like ygsgirl's friend.

First, thoroughly read http://yensbikes.blogspot.com/2006/05/new-bikers-guide-to-riding-and-buying.html

It will go over the basics of buying a bike for a beginner. One of the things this site tell you to do is to take an MSF (Motorcycle Safety Foundation) course if your state offers it. This is an absolute MUST in my opinion.

You also need to consider the cost of riding. You need to pay for the bike itself, gas, upkeep&maintaining it, gear and clothing, insurance, and other expenses.

If you still want to ride, start small. Since you like the sport bike style If I were you I would consider the Kawasaki Ninja250, or if you are mature enough, the Ninja500. Both are great choices, and can be found used for relatively cheap.

Yes, I ride, and know a fair thing or two, so feel free to chat if you would like some more advice.

Cheers
-L

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