Jump to content

USED VEHICLE ADVICE


BigStewMan

Recommended Posts

Stew, I work with a guy who lived for 2 years in Africa doing research in the Kalahari desert, he told me "when your life depended on it, you drove a Toyota Land Cruiser" When I asked him about Range Rovers, he said "people who drove Range Rovers were referred to as "Lunch"." True story.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 66
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

I would look into an audi a6 with an 8 cylinder engine. Engine will last for 300,000 miles, will go almost as quick as a Boxster will top out faster, and will go almost anywhere like a rangerover, with adjustable ride height, it is a great car. Search audi a8 going up a hill in the snow on you tube. Kinda of funny all the stuck cars and trucks, and the audi just keeps going.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Stew, I work with a guy who lived for 2 years in Africa doing research in the Kalahari desert, he told me "when your life depended on it, you drove a Toyota Land Cruiser" When I asked him about Range Rovers, he said "people who drove Range Rovers were referred to as "Lunch"." True story.

I owned a 1977 Toyota LandCruiser FJ40. It was a basic utility vehicle. Wiping your a$$ with a corn cob works too, but it's mighty painful. The thing was like an anvil in South Alabama mud, I replaced it with a baja VW bug and never looked back. Looked funny with a deer head and feet hanging out each side of the hood though.

I remember happening upon a big Ford 4x4 stuck in a creek bed and 3 or 4 guys standing around trying to figure out how they were going to get the truck out. My brother and I couldn't get around the truck to get to our hunting spot so we offered to pull the truck out of the bog. The guys laughed for a few minutes before saying 'OK'. Got out the chain, hooked up to the truck and spun the big V-groove treads. The truck popped out the laughing stopped.

Buy a vehicle that supports American workers.

K.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Carmax is a major chain of used car lots out west, don't know if they are nationwide. The only cars that they can supply a warranty for with 100,000 miles on the odomoter are Honda and Toyota products.

Tell all the stories that you want, but the warranty companies do major research before legally binding themselves. I always say that insurance companies are not in the risk business.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Carmax is a major chain of used car lots out west, don't know if they are nationwide. The only cars that they can supply a warranty for with 100,000 miles on the odomoter are Honda and Toyota products.

Tell all the stories that you want, but the warranty companies do major research before legally binding themselves. I always say that insurance companies are not in the risk business.

Don't know the stats on Hyundai, but my wife'sSanta Fe has been a gem. 95k miles and not a single problem, except got a recent alignment.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Carmax is a major chain of used car lots out west, don't know if they are nationwide. The only cars that they can supply a warranty for with 100,000 miles on the odomoter are Honda and Toyota products.

Tell all the stories that you want, but the warranty companies do major research before legally binding themselves. I always say that insurance companies are not in the risk business.

Don't know the stats on Hyundai, but my wife'sSanta Fe has been a gem. 95k miles and not a single problem, except got a recent alignment.

09-wd1109-Superstitions-2.jpg#knock%20on

Knock on wood Jeff... for your good fortune... lol..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Don't buy a Lexus with an interference engine. The timing belt breaks and you buy the top half of the motor and a piston or two. Got a buddy that specializes in repairing those. It's true, all cars can fail at any time.

Ouch! Good information. I wasn't aware of that. I always stay away from motors which have timing belt problems.

On the other hand, there are maintenence schedules for some vehicles which give a directive to change the belt at a certain number of miles. If they say 50K, they don't mean 51k. A belt breaks, and you just spent several grand. They are relatively cheap and easy to replace on most cars.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"Boxster" (What's so hard about that?)

Any that are available now should have had the IMS (intermediate shaft) bearing problem dealt with (http://boxsterguide.blogspot.com/2010/09/intermediate-shaft-ims-bearing-info-and.html). A pre-purchase inspection by someone who knows (either vehicle) is certainly worthwhile.

If you plan on using the Land Rover for what it's designed for (off roading) - there's really nothing that comes close except, maybe, a Pinzgaurer. If, however, you intend to use it as daily transportation, i.e., running to the grocery store and to the mall - you should be aware that they rank near the bottom as far as reliabity goes.

James

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[begin threadjack]

With all the car guys watching this, any opinions or FHE re an early 90's Acura NSX?


A friend of mine is a long time Lotus Europa owner. He had
his eye's open for an NSX and ruled out the early ones for some reason and
settled on a 95 with about 30k miles on it. He took me for a ride and I was
impressed. That’s all I know about them, I am more into cars that you can work
on when they break, ones that still have points and condensers in distributors, generators and maybe even positive gound eletrical systems (smile).


Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mine is an interference engine. I just replace the belts on schedule. Second replacement if getting close. Even if the engine dies from this (hope not, I love this car) I have gotten my money's worth. I'd go out and buy another one.

The first belt had low miles but was very old before being replaced. This one is on about 7 years. I buy the genuine Toyota parts.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just put the third timing belt in my Acura Integra at 180K. 90K is the recommended change interval. Changing out the water pump and tensioner pully is also suggested while you have it torn down.

On my car this is NOT a trivial task. It requires dropping and removing the driver's side axle. I had to purchase a special tool in order to immobilize the damper pully.

I have come to the conclusion that many Japanese cars are assembled by people with really small hands.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here you go BSM, get down to what matters, as long as it's fun to drive also.

Good reasons............

http://amog.com/lifestyle/car-attract-women/

Geez, i should have started this thread on a forum where people had opinions [:)] Unless I find a really good deal on a Bentley Continental Convertible, then the Boxter is going to win. Elden, interesting article though. Traditionally, my vehicles are black; but i've had red and two silver ones, and one blue. I've been considering white this time--maybe I'm old enough now to have a white car? Love that Mother of Pearl.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just put the third timing belt in my Acura Integra at 180K. 90K is the recommended change interval. Changing out the water pump and tensioner pully is also suggested while you have it torn down.

On my car this is NOT a trivial task. It requires dropping and removing the driver's side axle. I had to purchase a special tool in order to immobilize the damper pully.

I have come to the conclusion that many Japanese cars are assembled by people with really small hands.

.

Must depend on the car. I replace everything when I have the belt done. Water pump, all pulleys, ignition wires and coils, etc.

I do find that the Lexus LS is very easy to work on. I had a smalloil leak and was able to replace the pan gasket without undoing anything else. Try that with a samll block Chevy or Ford. They really thought everthing out on these cars.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderators

I put that because I figured you were, single, and live in California close to the beach. If it's fun to drive and works to your advantage it's more fun. OK I'm just guessing, being married for 34 years I shouldn't give advice like that really, don't have a clue. [8-)]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Timing belts have a few advantages over a chain or gear drive system. They are lightweight, take less power to turn, require no lubrication, do not stretch, and transfer less harmonics from the crankshaft to the camshaft and the rest of the valvetrain. They do require replacement though at specified intervals.

Chains and gear drive systems have other issues as well. Some older engines had aluminum gears with nylon bonded teeth, over time the nylon would disentegrate and fall apart, causing the chain to jump. Fiber gears as used on the Pontiac Fiero would also go away on higher mileage cars. That said, I prefer belt drive systems.

Here's a picture of my older Honda when I did the timing belt on it last year.

post-9504-1381982726468_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...