Needs New Car Department

[doctork]

Yesterday my insurance company told me that my car is totaled. It's value is around $10,000 and it will take about $8,200 to repair it. It looked fine other than a few scratches but the front suspension is ruined. They say the salvage value is $1,600, so if I wish, they will pay me about $8,200 (actual value less salvage) and I can have it repaired privately. Or, I can take the $10,000 and give them the car and title.

I am undecided. I like the car and just put a new engine in it last year and new axle boots and AC last month. But it is a 2003.

I don't feel like messing with buying a new car (or a "used new car") now. I have an expensive trip to Europe coming up! (Prairie Home cruise - the cruise is paid for, but there is airfare and "miscellaneous").

(~B~ - I will stick with a car this time, not ready for a truck)

Any ideas?

[gailkate]

Oh, gosh, I'd be torn, too. Why don't you PM Monte and see what he thinks, in case he doesn't check this board for a while. Front suspension sounds like a major, fundamentally important part of a car, and I wonder how sure you could be of the repair. But maybe it's not hard to fix, just pricey. What does the garage say where you took it? Have you gotten other estimates?

[brutus]

Hmmm, I seem to have become the go-to guy for automotive questions. I shall try to not "steer" you wrong. With damaged front suspension, steering would be a feat at all!
I don't know, Doc, if I could look at the damage, I could better give you advice. Are the frame stubs bent? The suspension parts can be replaced fairly easily, though, not cheaply. Cars with front wheel drive get 'spensive to fix due to many things. The shock of the collision could have transmitted itself internally, into the front drive train components. Some of the resulting problems may not surface for some time after the car is repaired and back on the road.
Sorry to say, I'd be inclined to suggest you let the car go down the road and put the money toward a new ride.
My sympathies
~B~

[jspnrvr]

I might go with Brutski on this one. I know you're not in the right "place", mood or otherwise, to go car shopping right now. But stuff happens when it happens. I'm finding that as I "mature", the surprises become less funner.
Look around, maybe you could find a "manager's car" like we did with the Hyundai. It was an '11 and the 12's were coming out, had about 20k on it, we got a fair bit knocked off but still got the full, as-new warranty and all.

[doctork]

I spoke with Travis, the mechanic who was there when I brought the car in, and who seemed not only knowledgeable, knows his car repair business, but also was so kind and helpful to me with lots of advice about trucks and hauling tiny houses, as well as helping me get a rental car. He stayed way past closing time just to help me out, too!

Travis got the car up in the air and saw there was indeed a lot more damage to the axles and the frame. Then he went through the exam with the insurance adjuster just to make sure the guy was accurate and fair. Travis says "Walk away from the car." It can't be fixed in a way that he can warrant the work.

So yeah, I'll just have to get a "new car." At the moment I want a 2004 - 2005 (or so) Blue Subaru WRX wagon (sedan might be OK) with manual transmission - in other words, just like the one I lost. There aren't any in the Phoenix/Flagstaff area at the moment, but I have located two in Virginia (near where my daughter lives), one in New Hampshire, one in Utah, two in the Seattle area, one in Denver.

Oh - there is one car in North Carolina near where I live that has a modification called a "clutch stop" - supposed to be better for driving in the mountains. I know nothing about this - do you guys? My NC house is in the mountains.

The car in Utah is the closest, exactly what I want (only newer, a 2011 vehicle with only 19,000 miles) at a great price, comes with an extended warranty, but it is a branded title. All of these vehicles are from USAA certified dealers, through the USAA buying service, which means the price is set by USAA with the dealer, none of that lengthy haggling. But having just been through a wreck, I'm wary about the branded title, though since I will drive it until it drops, I am not worried about re-sale.

For those of you without any military connection, USAA is the mutually-owned insurance and financial services company used by most people who have any connection to the military. I've been insured by them my whole life, and most vendors who have an authorized or approved connection with USAA do not want to misbehave and lose it.

[BoatBabe]

Wow! I just got caught up with this thread. I'm glad to hear that you weren't damaged in the car wreck, Doc! That road to Phoenix is long, and driven by crazy drivers. I'd like to see you in a bigger vehicle to make that regular drive, that's for sure.

I'm with all The Boys: Let that car go. Get something else. I really like USAA. If the car is not what it is reported to be, will you have alternative coverage through them?

[gailkate]

Absolutely, don't mess with a severely disabled car. But what is a "branded car"?

The thing I like about the Tiguan (and the Forester, which was my 2nd choice, rejected for no very critical reasons) is what BB said earlier - it's great just stepping into the car - neither up nor down. I have an especially cantankerous back (as does BB) and you have some problems with your leg, and - flash! - none of our problems are going away. We're just going to get older! So get something that will age compatibly with you. Does the wagon have a low-slung seat? Our Taurus did, and toward the end it was literally crippling me. I'm much better off with the small SUV.

[doctork]

A branded car is one that has been salvaged after being declared a total loss by the insurer. Cars like my own WRX, or Katrina cars that have "unfixable" water damage.

Generally I wold stay away, except that I found a USAA certified dealer that specializes in repairing, certifying, and selling branded cars. And they have the exact car I want, so I need to have a discussion with USAA about what that means. USAA is willing to finance and insure this dealer's cars, suggesting that the dealer is very selective about which salvaged and totaled vehicles it buys wholesale, repairs, then sells retail - only ones that truly are fixable.

That car & dealer is in Utah. Another car that is "just what I want" is in a small town in North Carolina, not far from my home. One of my med school classmates lives in that town, so I can ask him for a reliable mechanic who can check out the car before I buy it. That is tricky if I buy a used car somewhere else where I don't know anyone (lucky for me, there probably are too many such places!).

The Subaru Impreza WRX is a sports car, and it is low slung. However, I don't have any back problems, in fact, I have the opposite problem: a weak right leg, so I don't want to have to climb up into a car/truck (even my low-slung car requires getting my leg over the edge, not easy). I CAN do it, I'd just rather not for my every day car. And you are right - it is not going away.

Though my back is not cantankerous, as you know, I am prone to long car trips. Any back gets stiff under those conditions. So I look for a car that when I sit down in the driver's seat, my back says "Aaaaahhh." My low slung sports cars (Mazda RX7 for25 years, then the WRX) have fit the bill. So did that Buick LaCrosse...but that is a whole 'nuther ball of wax.

I've tested 'em all when I rent them. It's always 100 miles from the airport to home!

[gailkate]

Any update for us, K?

[doctork]

Jun 12, 2013 14:03:02 GMT -5 gailkate said:

Any update for us, K?

I wish.

I have been so busy this week with hospital rounding and clinic that I barely have time to even go to the bathroom.

I want to replace my WRX. I want a Subaru and I want a sports car. I do not want to buy a brand new car. I cannot even think of how I might find my car. These things just do not line up. I am very discouraged. When you are working 12 - 14 hours per day talking care of all these very sick old people in the hospital and are also expected to see a million patients in clinic in the afternoon, are imprisoned in Winslow until Sunday at 0800, and can't sleep for all the worries, well I just do not know what to do.

There is no time or energy in my life to accomplish these tasks. There is no car in Winslow that even comes close to what I want, I can barely drag home after work so I am certainly not driving an hour to Flag or even longer to Show Low or Las Vegas or Phoenix to test drive a car.

[BoatBabe]

Yikes!!


Sounds like sleeping on your next days off is in order, not car finding.

[gailkate]

Yes, sleep is number 1.

Then I suggest you request - firmly - help from your undoubtedly more tech-savvy offspring. People find and buy cars on Ebay all the time - searching out what they want and verifying history/maintenance. There's a tutorial on it. There's also a guy who writes knowledgeably about all kinds of Ebay issues who might have pointers and cautions in archived newsletters. I'll find his name.

The point is, this is doable, but you can't do it. So either get help - and your kids have gotten boundless help from you - or decide to lower your requirements and just buy a decent car that gets you out of this immediate crisis.

Finally, about this job. Rushing around trying to help everyone and meet all demands with no thought for Kristin will quickly make you the patient. Stop being obedient. Just say no.

Pee on your schedule, not theirs!

[doctork]

This is a good idea, I'll enlist the kids' help. After all, one of the best cars I found online is within 30 miles of my daughter's house in Virginia. And I think there were a couple possibilities in HotLanta, where my son lives, and he even has extensive experience with driving a WRX.

And yes I remain a sleep Nazi, so I am careful about sleep. I can just take a Vitamin X and I will do so if I can't sleep when I should be sleeping.

I am also just Really Tired. The summer heat in the desert just does not agree with me and it has been near 100 most days recently even here in "Northern" Arizona, and even though I mostly stay inside where it is air-conditioned.

There are those who say "Oh I don't think the heat can really bother you that much. No one is THAT heat sensitive." Well yes, some people are, including me. This is why I think about moving back to Washington The State.

Today I ate lunch with a friend at the hospital cafeteria, even though it meant I was 30 minutes late to clinic. I told them I was going to be 30 minutes late so just have another doctor see those patients slotted between 1 and 1:30.

Yesterday I had to go to clinic before I finished seeing stat lab and chest X-ray on a patient I was worried about. I did not want her unattended to until 5 pm when I (might be) finished with clinic. I called Matt, who was on-call and over at the hospital anyway but not really responsible for my morning work, and asked him to check the patient. He was happy to do that for me. He was also just as puzzled as I was, and he didn't find anything wrong with her either, even though I was a bit uneasy. This morning she looked fine so I discharged her to home.

One of my friends at work told me about a used car place here in Winslow where I can tell the owner what used car I want and he will find it for me, bring it to Winslow; she and her family and friends have had very good luck with this shop. But if I want to have a different mechanic check it too, I can go on over to Angelo's (which I did not even know existed) and have him check it, as he is a very reliable mechanic. I just need to ring a Spanish translator with me. I can do that.

One step at a time, one way or another, I will get through this.

[Jane]

Nothing makes my husband happier than buying cars. Everyone in our family is afraid to mention that they are looking for a car or he will dog them relentlessly with well-researched "suggestions". We have never had a new car, but the last one he bought was a steal and only had 4,000 miles on it.

[BoatBabe]

Oh, Yes! The heat can lay you low, Doc. My Dahhlink has now been working outside in the 105-115* heat in Scottsdale. It's killing him (figuratively, but not really.)

I'm voting for the Get Your Kids Involved theory with the car buying thingy. It's really not a crisis until you have no car to drive. You have a while. Use your kids wisely.

[gailkate]

Excellent options. You sound worlds better than last night. It does seem an unfortunate trick of the cosmos that all this could not have happened while Bill was visiting your neck of the woods. He'd have you in the perfect car by now.

[doctork]

If Bill likes looking for cars, I would love it if he comes up with good suggestions for replacing my 2003 Subaru Impreza WRX. If he finds the right one in Michigan, and can tell me a reliable mechanic to double check it, I'll fly up there, then drive it back.

I spent all afternoon yesterday running around Phoenix looking at WRX's. The very nice gentlemen at Premier Auto in Deer Valley (Bruce and Travis, can't say enough good things about them) had located the perfect car at the perfect price in Tempe. I went down to Tempe checkbook in hand (it's about 30 miles from Deer Valley) and it had just been sold a couple hours earlier.

That was at Mini of Tempe, and they did have a very nice used Ford Mustang Charlie showed me, but it was automatic transmission, and I really want to stick with the Subaru, given that had I been in another small car besides a tough Subaru in that accident I'd likely still be in the hospital. I prefer manual transmission - what is the point of a sporty car if you have automatic?

Charlie found me another Subaru WRX down the street at Lexus of Chandler, and it was a beautiful 2007 Subaru WRX STi sedan. I thought the STi came only in the sedan, but I was informed, no it can also be found in the wagon style, which I prefer (before I get my truck, I will be hauling things in my Subaru, and I haul some larger things as it is, wagon is helpful). It was pricier because of the STi, and I don't feel I really need that.

However, silver lining, that salesman has a daughter who lives in Bellingham who might be interested in living in my house! The salesman is a nice Mormon man who had done missionary work in South America, so we were discussing Americans living in South America, then I mentioned Bellingham for some other reason, as conversations go, and he mentioned his daughter. At that point I felt it was OK to at least give her my email if she is interested, and we can go from there.

Next and last stop (yes, there were only 3 suitable used Subaru WRX's in Phoenix area yesterday) was at AutoNation in Scottsdale where they had a 2008 red WRX wagon with high mileage and they wanted almost $24,000. No thank you.

Almost everyone I have dealt with in person on this matter expresses surprise and cautions. The Subaru WRX is usually purchased by a 20-something male, driven hard, then put up wet. Usually it is not purchased by old ladies. I am aware of the 20-something issue, which is why I want my mechanic to check it before I hand over the money. My old Subaru was purchased used at 3 years old, and though it passed inspection, I still had to replace the transmission about 2 years into ownership. Oh well, things happen, I think that car was well worth it.

This old lady wants a Subaru WRX any way. World Rally Blue wagon preferably. All Subarus come with AWD, and I think all WRX's have manual transmission.

I truly feel for Dahlink, BB. My rental Sonata has AC, and I felt faint even stepping out of it briefly to look at the Subarus. I cannot imagine working in that heat all day. In fact I came home exhausted last night and I feel pretty rotten today. Me and this heat (it is unseasonable, even here in northern AZ, it's been 100. I hide in the bedroom with AC. My sweet kitty Mittens is elderly so he loves sitting in the sun, but he'll sometimes come sit next to me in bed where I am at least 98.6!

[doctork]

Tomorrow it will be 117 in Phoenix. That is ridiculous!

I am too busy to buy a new/used car. This week we are managing with one car because I am flying back east tomorrow night. Jay and I will meet up in CLT and head north for the Tanglewood show. We also get to see John McCutcheon, a Storytelling favorite, on Friday night. Then back to Arizona after I have a doctor appt on Monday.

I may need to buy a new car after I get back - there are some good prices on the 2013 models now that the 2014's are coming out. And it is just too logistically difficult to buy a used car from the boonies, cannot get "my trusted mechanic" in the same neighborhood as the "new" car.

A village might help with raising the children, but it takes a city to get a car. Or a movie theater, or decent produce at the grocery.

[BoatBabe]

Jun 25, 2013 23:08:12 GMT -5 doctork said:

Tomorrow it will be 117 in Phoenix. That is ridiculous!

I am too busy to buy a new/used car. This week we are managing with one car because I am flying back east tomorrow night. Jay and I will meet up in CLT and head north for the Tanglewood show. We also get to see John McCutcheon, a Storytelling favorite, on Friday night. Then back to Arizona after I have a doctor appt on Monday.

I may need to buy a new car after I get back - there are some good prices on the 2013 models now that the 2014's are coming out. And it is just too logistically difficult to buy a used car from the boonies, cannot get "my trusted mechanic" in the same neighborhood as the "new" car.

A village might help with raising the children, but it takes a city to get a car. Or a movie theater, or decent produce at the grocery.

Can't wait to see you two at the Tanglewood Show!

I'm expecting that Jay is the most electrified of the two of you. NO EXCUSES!!!

[jspnrvr]

Jun 25, 2013 23:19:13 GMT -5 BoatBabe said:

Jun 25, 2013 23:08:12 GMT -5 doctork said:

Tomorrow it will be 117 in Phoenix. That is ridiculous!

I am too busy to buy a new/used car. This week we are managing with one car because I am flying back east tomorrow night. Jay and I will meet up in CLT and head north for the Tanglewood show. We also get to see John McCutcheon, a Storytelling favorite, on Friday night. Then back to Arizona after I have a doctor appt on Monday.

I may need to buy a new car after I get back - there are some good prices on the 2013 models now that the 2014's are coming out. And it is just too logistically difficult to buy a used car from the boonies, cannot get "my trusted mechanic" in the same neighborhood as the "new" car.

A village might help with raising the children, but it takes a city to get a car. Or a movie theater, or decent produce at the grocery.

Can't wait to see you two at the Tanglewood Show!

I'm expecting that Jay is the most electrified of the two of you. NO EXCUSES!!!

I was wanting to post a few after my visit with Booky over in Vicksburg, but it wasn't happening. I haven't put any pictures up since the last Tanglewood trip so don't have all the steps at my fingertips. It seems when I'd plug my SD camera chip into my laptop and start downloading there would be a little message come up about the service/tool that I had for sharing. Not Snapfish, not Shutterfly. And I can't remember what it was. Maybe if I look back at pictures from last year it would say? I'll 'vestigate and see what I can do. It's aggravating.

[BoatBabe]

Jun 26, 2013 7:22:59 GMT -5 jspnrvr said:

Jun 25, 2013 23:19:13 GMT -5 BoatBabe said:

Can't wait to see you two at the Tanglewood Show!

I'm expecting that Jay is the most electrified of the two of you. NO EXCUSES!!!

I was wanting to post a few after my visit with Booky over in Vicksburg, but it wasn't happening. I haven't put any pictures up since the last Tanglewood trip so don't have all the steps at my fingertips. It seems when I'd plug my SD camera chip into my laptop and start downloading there would be a little message come up about the service/tool that I had for sharing. Not Snapfish, not Shutterfly. And I can't remember what it was. Maybe if I look back at pictures from last year it would say? I'll 'vestigate and see what I can do. It's aggravating.

Gitter Done!





_{Jest Sayin'}









I hope you two have The Best Time!


Pics, Please.

[gailkate]

A lot of us started out with photobucket because that's what Thomas was using when he taught us how to do it - maybe that's it? Just keep taking pix and figure it out when you get home - have a blast!

[doctork]

I've been doing a lot of online car hunting (it is too hot for me to go outside) and was pointed toward a website for NASIOC, North American Subaru Impreza Owners Club, which has tons of useful information and a fair number of private owner cars for sale.

However, I stumbled across a different car there, and I am in love! It's a 1993 Mazda RX7 racing car, an expensive collector's car, for driving only on sunny days or on the race track. I owned two Mazda RX7's from 1980 - 2006 or 2007 and only gave up the last one when it became just a little too temperamental for someone like me who is not handy with car care. I loved my RX7's.

But reality sets in, I need a car to drive, not be a collector's piece. I am now thinking I might aim for buying a new Subaru WRX, probably a 2013 as they are clearing them out to make way for the 2014. It is too hard logistically to buy a used car from the boonies. The reality is that most WRX's are bought by 20-somethings who drive them crazy and abuse them, so I just can't buy a used one without a good mechanic to check it out first.

I have my latest rental car for a month. Reverse psychology: I got a rental right after the wreck for one week while I shopped for a new car - no luck, had to keep extending the rental. Maybe renting it for a month I'll find my car much sooner.

The rental is a Toyota Camry. I won't be buying one of those; nothing wrong with it, but it is entirely too blah for me.

[joew]

Jul 4, 2013 16:28:40 GMT -5 doctork said:

…
The rental is a Toyota Camry. I won't be buying one of those; nothing wrong with it, but it is entirely too blah for me.

I have a 1997 Toyota Camry, and I like it. What does that say about me? ;D

[doctork]

Jul 4, 2013 17:57:17 GMT -5 joew said:

Jul 4, 2013 16:28:40 GMT -5 doctork said:

…
The rental is a Toyota Camry. I won't be buying one of those; nothing wrong with it, but it is entirely too blah for me.

I have a 1997 Toyota Camry, and I like it. What does that say about me? ;D

I doubt it says anything about you.

The rental car is a 2013, and lately all the "mid-size sedans" seem very much alike to me; I'd be hard pressed to tell that Camry apart from the Hyundai Sonata I had last week. Even though I recall thinking that the Elantra I rented last year was pretty nice.

[jspnrvr]

Jul 4, 2013 17:57:17 GMT -5 joew said:

Jul 4, 2013 16:28:40 GMT -5 doctork said:

…
The rental is a Toyota Camry. I won't be buying one of those; nothing wrong with it, but it is entirely too blah for me.

I have a 1997 Toyota Camry, and I like it. What does that say about me? ;D

Oh, I imagine it says something like "comfortable in his own skin and good for the long haul".

[doctork]

I am very happy with my new car. And - it matches my new boots, to boot! :-)

[doctork]

I had originally thought I would license my new car in North Carolina in order to save on taxes, and also to get one of those cool Blue Ridge Parkway special license plates.

But since my Arizona Centennial Boots match my new car, obviously I will have to acquire Arizona Centennial license plates to match the boots (and the car that was purchased in Arizona and driven there too, at least for a while).

And - ta da! I am finished with car business, I hope. Today I drove the rental car down to Phoenix, made my Dream Dinners, then turned in the rental car at the airport. It would have been much easier to fly back to Flagstaff, but I couldn't risk checking my Igloo cooler full of Dream Dinners, as I know the TS"O"s would all be having free dinners and I would be claiming an empty Igloo cooler at FLG baggage claim.

So I took the airport shuttle bus from PHX Sky Harbor back up north. No TSA on the shuttle bus route. Yet.