An Open Letter to Motorists in Boise (or Anywhere, Really)

Buying a brand new car is an expensive business: You have the same running costs as a good used car (possibly a few hundred quid less overall taking into account MOT costs & free servicing offers on some new cars), but you’re going to take a big hit in depreciation, and if you’re borrowing money to finance your new car, that’ll cost you too.
Selling to a dealer unless you plan to part ex for another new car will mean the dealer offers you a very poor price: You’ll get a better deal selling privately & re negotiating a deal on another car.
Your used car will be worth around £3,000 – £4,000 at three years old (although depreciation varies hugely between different makes & models). A dealer may offer or guarantee you a higher part ex price, but this will be dependent on you buying another new car from them.
You could therefore buy the same car at three years old yourself, and afford to throw it away after three years: Any resale value at six years old will mean you’re in profit.

If you want to go fast its easier to start with a car that is already somewhat fast. A Civic isn’t fast. Even the Si isn’t fast.

I’m really surprised to see this question. The wrx is a terrific car. I used to own one for four years and single thing didn’t go wrong with it. The insurance was fairly inexpensive on the vehicle as well. The 2002 and 2003 models are considered compact sedans by insurance. The 2004+ models are considered sport sedans, so they have slightly higher insurance.

If you’re comparing their performance, I can’t think of one thing that the Pontiac does better. It MIGHT get better gas mileage.

Hyrbrid cars, such as the Toyota Prius, run on both gasoline and electric power. For example, like most cars, when you press on the accelerator you move forward and gasoline is consumed. However, when breaking, electric power is stored [due to friction, i believe] and it recharges the car battery if I am correct. Prius’ are great cars!

Hyrbrid cars, such as the Toyota Prius, run on both gasoline and electric power. For example, like most cars, when you press on the accelerator you move forward and gasoline is consumed. However, when breaking, electric power is stored [due to friction, i believe] and it recharges the car battery if I am correct. Prius’ are great cars!

My fastest car is a Nissan Skyline R34 GTR (1,000hp+ … same as F1 car)
My best car is a Toyota Supra. Its fast and reliable at the same time!!!

In Japanese cars, there is more quality control and room for expansion/innovation since there is lesser taxes and lesser wages that have to be paid to the employees, so that a Japanese plant usually has state-of-the-art equipment to monitor and control all parts of the car. Also, most Japanese cars are imported from Japan or made in the United States/Canada (exception: Nissan plant, Aguascalientes, Mexico; makes Xterra and Sentra… I had a 2004 Sentra that broke every month).

On the other hand, American vehicles are usually made in America, where there is a high demand of wages and usually working with more older equipment (but not drastically old, mind you), which declining sales has placed less overhead available for expansion. Therefore, more and more domestic cars are made in Mexico; not to bad-mouth the Mexicans (my great-grandpa is Mexican, so it’s not a racially-biased comment), but quality control is notoriously bad in Mexico. That’s the only theory that I can think of.

Also another theory is that the Japanese (and most Asians) care more about reputation and “losing face”, therefore it is usually wiser to be honest and have a product that lasts with minimal maintenance (if only women were like that… I’d never be single instead of being cheated on).

However, American companies only focus on financial gain, hence the outsourcing to Mexico and the lowering of the base costs of the auto parts, along with lots of cost-cutting methods… Most American companies use the cheapest materials possible, and if an engineer finds out that a $0.02 part is needed for the proper functioning of a part, instead of adding it and raising the part price a bit (which I’m sure a customer won’t mind paying less than a quarter more), they dismiss it and let it be handled by an even costlier recall, especially if it’s something that is A. covered by warranty (which means money for the factory itself to pay for the part) and B. labor for the mechanics!

Car or cat?…..I hope you are not naming your car.

Nationwide cars have different body dimensions, with the most prevalent being they have a shorter wheelbase (105in vs 110in) than the Cup cars. Cup cars are actually shorter than NNS cars (196.5 vs 203.75), but are wider (77in for Cup, 75 for NNS). Nationwide cars currently weigh 100 pounds less than a Cup car (3,200 versus 3,300).

The biggest difference between Nationwide and Cup cars is the engine package. While both series use 358ci max V8s with a 12:1 compression ratio, the Cup series currently uses electronic fuel ignition with its engine pushing the horsepower to 850+. In contrast, Nationwide still uses a 390cfm carburetor which limits the horsepower to only around 650-700.

Very few cars in real life driving get the figures shown in the brochure. Pop down to W H Smith’s and get a copy of the ‘Which’ (Consumers Association) Car road test manual and see what the various new cars ACTUALLY achieved in real driving conditions.

Rental car companies purchase cars from the manufacturer. The cars are titled in the name of the Rental Company. Depending on the model and Rental Company, the cars are usually sold to the public after about 36,000 miles.