People here wash their cars in the rain.

Someone from Los Angeles might think that’s insane, but if you’re from Seattle you think nothing of seeing someone at the car wash during a winter drizzle. If it’s rained for two solid weeks and is going to rain for two more, sometimes you just have to wash off the gunk and start over.
A clean car not only makes you feel better, it protects your car’s resale value — something that might be of particular interest right now, as people might be holding onto cars a little longer. Particularly with older cars, clean vs. dirty can make a huge difference in sale price.

One local used car dealer estimated you can get up to 25 percent more for a car that looks and smells clean, and people can tell the difference between a car that was kept clean all along and one that got a hasty carpet shampoo before the “for sale” sign went up.
If you’re car shopping and you get into a car that smells like it’s been housing wet chinchillas, or notice a shady rectangle on the rear carpet from when a child left a Fudgesicle on it in 1996, does that attract you to the car? On the other hand, if a car feels like it’s been taken care of on the outside, you tend to assume the previous owner also took care of it mechanically.

The best choice for washing is generally a top-flight commercial car wash like Brown Bear. They take the extra step of recycling their water, which has a huge impact on the environment. Places like Brown Bear also have special brushes, wiping cloths, and cleansers. All are gentle products designed specifically for the exterior of most cars, because they have to be.

But it’s a financial commitment to have your car professionally cleaned often, so even though many major car manufacturers advise against hand washing, some people will choose the do-it-yourself option at least sometimes. Following a few guidelines can make the process more effective, easier and more environmentally friendly.
• Don’t wash your car in the driveway or on the street. Storm drains feed directly into rivers, lakes and the ocean — which means all the soapy byproducts of your washing end up there, too. Most people wouldn’t dream of dumping a bucket of soapy water into Puget Sound, but it’s literally the same thing to wash the car in the driveway. If you must wash at home, choose biodegradable car wash liquids or make your own using eco-friendly dish or laundry soaps. And it’s better to wash your car on your lawn than on the concrete — the waste water does less damage filtering down through your soil than flowing into the storm drain.

• Keep your wash mitts and rags clean. If grit and bits of debris build up on the implement you use to scrub the car, you may as well be polishing your car’s paint with sandpaper. It causes visible swirl marks and breaks down wax. Run those mitts and rags through the washing machine after every use.

• Wash early or wash late. Most people know not to apply wax in direct sunlight, but you shouldn’t wash under those conditions either, especially if the weather is warm. It causes spotting from the cleanser that can be damaging and permanent.

• Rinse, rinse, rinse. One of the cautions against home washing is that water pressure from your hose isn’t strong enough to adequately rinse off cleansers, which build up and hurt the finish. Put that sprayer on full blast and give it an extra once-over.

• Test your interior cleaners first. There are so many types of cleaners, and so many kinds of upholstery, leather and plastic, that you can’t assume a product won’t damage your surfaces. Test on an inconspicuous area first, and when using spray cleaners, spray on the rag to apply rather than spraying directly on the surface. Especially when it’s sunny, that can leave spots that are difficult or impossible to remove.

• Remove odors, don’t pile on more. We’ve all known the guy who has a dozen of those little air freshener trees hanging from the rear view mirror of a car that smells sickeningly of vanilla or pina colada. People often do this thinking (wrongly) that it will cover up that the occupants smoke in the car. Piling your car full of air fresheners, or spraying a blast of cherryscent in it at the self-serve car wash, doesn’t make it smell clean. Think of air fresheners like cologne — a little can be complimentary,but a lot just makes you stink.

In general, don’t add “good” scents, work on taking away bad ones.Have the upholstery steam cleaned. Use a small vacuum attachment to get debris, mold and grime out of the air vents. Regularly spray Febreze on cloth upholstery and headliners. If you can’t get floor mats sufficiently clean, consider replacing them. And each time you gas up the car, use the time while the pump is running to clean out any garbage that has accumulated. Moldering food wrappers and soda cans are a big source of bad car smells.

Also, don’t use your car to house wet chinchillas. That’s just common sense.

Dave Andriesen is a former Seattle P-I sports reporter. His stories can been seen on SeattleAuto.net as a contributing writer.

The Capri had an eight-track player in it, and I managed to acquire an adaptor that would allow me to play cassettes — the height of technology at the time. “Rust” could be used to describe the color of the car as well as the makeup of much of the exterior by the time I got it. Mechanically, it had seen far better days.

Still, for the year or so I managed to keep it running, I loved that car in the way you can only love your first. I washed it more often than was necessary or practical and cruised through the parking lot of my high school certain that everyone was impressed. They weren’t.

I think every teenager should start with a clunker. It’s a rite of passage, and it gives you great stories about the door you had to hold shut with bungee cords or the time your muffler fell off during your homecoming date. I had a friend whose first car wouldn’t go in reverse, and when we went places we were always hunting for places to park that wouldn’t require backing out later — otherwise as the passenger I was stuck having to push it.

I think I’ve owned nine cars since the Capri, cars of all shapes and sizes. There was the Honda Accord I drove until it had almost a quarter of a million miles, and the Jeep Wrangler I rolled in a snowstorm at Snoqualmie Pass while trying to get to a football game. There was the Datsun 510 hatchback that kept going despite all my abuse, and the Nissan Pathfinder everyone said stunk of wet dog — probably because it had a wet dog in the back seat most of the time.

For 17 years, up until the closure of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer in March, I was a sportswriter. I covered baseball for the P-I, which meant a lot of time on the road and a often driving a different rental car every three days. More than a few times, I arrived in a city late at night, drove to the hotel, then the next morning walked out of the hotel and couldn’t remember which car was mine.

I got to drive a lot of different cars, and there were often surprises. I’d get into a car that had an impressive reputation and find that I didn’t like it at all. Or discover a car that was a joy to drive even though it was a make or model I would previously never have even considered buying. Sometimes I’d get a model I’d never even heard of before.

Those experiences have given me a good idea what I like and don’t like in a car, and the little things that make a car the right fit for me. In the end, that’s what matters — having a car that just feels right.

Speaking of which, does anyone know where I can find a 1979 Mercury Capri?

Dave Andriesen is a former Seattle P-I sports reporter. His stories can been seen on SeattleAuto.net as a contributing writer.

The insurance company’s local ads have been memorable and effective in capturing the different kinds of people in the Northwest.  While some might be close to instigating a Seattle stereotype, such as Profile #76 – Super Long Coffee Orderer – they are creative and well thought out.

The ads poke fun not only at pecular Seattlelites, but find targets throughout the state. You may see Pemco ads featuring such dubious profiles like the: “Walla Walla Wine Woman”, “Tri Cities Select Sports Hostages”, and “Quiet Everett Aerospace Engineer” to name a few.

As the largest local insurance company that only operates in Washington, Pemco decided to hire an outside research firm to do an in-depth analysis to find what makes us Washingtonians tick. Their results?  Washingtonians enjoy their um, uniqueness.

“People here in Washington are a little different and they’re proud of that,” explains Jon Osterberg, Pemco’s Marketing and Communications Manager. “They value their individuality and celebrate their differences.”

Loaded with that information and the desire to distinguish themselves from bigger national insurance companies, Pemco hired DNA Brand Mechanics of Seattle in 2007 to come up with ”something different”, which coincidentally, turned into their slogan “We’re a Lot Like You, a Little Different.” The company even has a tongue-in cheek acronym for the ad campaign: WALLY.

“We wanted to say something no other insurance company could say,” says Osterberg. “All of us [at Pemco] live here in Washington. We can relate to the customers because we’re the same people. And so when we poke fun of people in the Northwest, we’re really poking fun at ourselves… I am absolutely the ‘Blue Tarp Camper’!”

Chances are, you either know someone who fits one of the many Pemco profiles- or you ARE one of these profiles. How many “Relentless Recyclers” have you come across at the PTA meeting?

Since these Pemco ads are for insurance after all, the humorous profiles naturally include the type of vehicles that us Northwest people drive. The “Bumper Sticker Idealist” drives a 80’s era 2-door Mazda (aka Mazdaratti), while the “East Coast Transplant” rolls down 520 in the BMW.

Well thought out and uncanny in their accuracy, the Pemco WALLY ads have struck a nerve.  

“We hear from people, that they love such and such a character,” claims Osterberg. “They say ‘That’s Me!’”

There are numerous profiles to be seen. Check out the We’re A Lot Like You site for the complete list.

Here are the unofficial top 5 Pemco profiles, courtesy of the Seattleauto.net staff:

1. Accidental Tech Millionaire
Spotted: Getting Testa Rose Detailed at the Country Club.
Vehicle: American SUV
This guy hit the dot com jackpot and doesn’t have to work again. This is number #1 because it sounds like people we know at SeattleAuto.net.

2.4 Way Stop, You Go. No You Go. No You Go Guy.
Spotted: When you least have time for it.
Diet: Anything out of a slow cooker
Vehicle: If you’re behind it, you’ll get a good long look.
Everyone gets the right of way, in this passive-aggressive display of patience and politeness.

3. Marymoor Off Leash Dog Lady
Vehicle: Station wagon with a head out.
Diet: Iams and a double latte.
Could be seen saying to a dog, “You’re so attentive, and best of all you never interupt like some silly selfish self centered man would. That’s a good boy. That’s a good, good, good, good, good, good boy.”

4. First Snowflake Freakout Lady
Vehicle: 4×4SUV, with snow chains, flares,and an extra 200lbs of sand in the back.
Perfectly good AWD’s… abandoned! More bundled up than an Iditarod winner. Visiting Alaskans and Spokanites want to slap her.

5.Pony Tailed Software Geek
Vehicle: Aging Japanese sedan.
Diet: Nacho chips and highly caffeinated soda.
An avid fantasy gamer. Proficient in many languages such as C++, Javascript, and as an added bonus speaks fluent Klingon.

The most well known provide of vehicle history reports are CARFAX and AutoCheck. Both provide detailed history reports on vehicles that are almost identical. I personally used AutoCheck in our features How to Buy a Car For Under $1,000 because it’s far cheaper than CARFAX and has an option for unlimited VIN checks over a period of 60 days (CARFAX has 10 checks for the same price).

1) Accident History
If you’ve been driving for any amount of time, most likely, you or your car has been in some kind of auto accident. It happens. With millions of drivers on the road, accidents happen each day. It’s important to know whether the car you are interested in buying has ever been reported in an accident, due to the damage that the car may have sustained. It’s also a good way to tell if a seller is lying to you, as any honest seller should tell you if the car was involved in an accident and how it was fixed. If a seller denies the car was in an accident or worse, you see evidence of a cover-up job, you will know to walk away. More importantly, if the car was recently in an accident as is now for sale – you should often run, not walk – as that car is likely unfixed and potentially illegal to drive.

2) Salvage and Rebuilt Title
Imagine this: You just bought a used car from that nice smooth talking gentleman for nearly a thousand less than the closest seller. It almost seems too good to be true. As you drive off, you notice your car pulling to the right and take it to the mechanic. An hour later, he comes back with and asks if you know your car is welded together from two completely different cars. This is an extreme story, but you would be surprised at the amount of rebuilt and salvage cars out on the road. Not all cars with rebuilt titles are junk, as they may have been worked on by a competent mechanic; but only the brave, desperate or mechanically inclined should honestly consider a salvaged vehicle. Not only that, these cars should always be sold with full disclosure as to their rebuilt title.

3) Flood Cars
Seattle is a region not typically known for it’s flooding. Occasionally, a 10 or 100 year flood comes around and claims cars, but otherwise, we have it safe here. Most drivers think that because flooding is rare in the area, there is no need to worry about flood damaged cars. Wrong. Cars damaged by flooding are often taken as far away as possible from flood regions, as buyers there are smart enough to avoid flood damaged cars. Unsuspecting consumers elsewhere in the country however, are in for a nasty surprise. If a car is claimed as an insurance loss due to flooding, the insurance provider is required to state that the car has been damaged as such.

4) Emissions Failure
This is often overlooked when buying a used car, namely because it’s hard (impossible, even) to actually tell if a car can pass an emissions check. A vehicle history check will show if a car has failed to pass the most recent emissions test. That said, it still is possible for a car to have passed the last emissions check but still fail, due to mechanical wear or damage between now and the last check. Never, ever, take an emissions failure lightly, because it will average between $1,000 to $2,000 just to get the car to pass emissions – and perhaps even more.

5) Odometer Rollback
Think that ‘98 Honda Civic with 50,000 miles is too good to be true? Well, it probably is. Odometer rollback is a common practice with shady sellers and dealers. The unfortunate truth is that odometer rollback is very difficult to detect, because odometer readings are only required on vehicles during title registration and other major events – not for tab renewals. This means that unscrupulous seller can rollback the odometer anytime and keep the miles artificially low on a car. If the seller was overly greedy or stupid, they could roll back the odometer so far back that it would cause red flags to come up at the next odometer check. Most odometer rollbacks are subtle enough not to be caught, but major instances will be seen through a history check.

6) Lien /Loans on the Car
When a loan is taken out on a car, the DMV reports that a lien has been taken out on the vehicle. The majority of consumers take out a loan to purchase their vehicle, so this isn’t a major deal. That said, you want to be sure that the vehicle you are buying does not currently have a lien on it and that the vehicle is paid off. The vehicle history services all include a title check as well, which essentially tell you whether or not the car is safe to buy. Always remember to request to see the vehicle title before any purchase is made and verify that it is indeed the title to the car.

7) Ownership History
Most people prefer a car with a low ownership history, because that often means the car has been treated well and maintained long enough to be in running condition. A large amount of owners on a car might signal mechanical issues, poor maintenance and also a lack of documentation to go with the car. Here is Seattle, you can also see if the car has been used on the East Coast, where salt and corrosion may have damaged the under body. It’s also useful to verify a seller’s claim that the has only had X amount of owners.

8) Fleet / Rental Car
I put this here even though I don’t think fleet cars or rental cars are personally a huge liability. Yes, you’ll often hear about that buddy that took his rental car out to the parking lot and doing fishtails, but in reality, most rental car drivers are practical individuals. Fleet and rental cars sometimes have a history of not being maintained well, but you can always see in the history how long the rental car was kept in the fleet. Most rentals companies only keep cars for 1-2 years before selling, so the amount of use the vehicle gets isn’t horrific compared to the miles left in the car. You may prefer a non-rental car for your own mind set however, so it may or may not be important to you.

9) All other damage
While we’ve covered accidents, floods, odometer rollback and other pitfalls, there’s still a laundry list of events that may have happened to the car – fire, hail, stolen, insurance claim, etc.. You want to know if any of these have happened to your car for good reason.

10) It’s Cheap
Lastly, the most practical reason to get a vehicle history report is because it’s worth it! The cost of a vehicle check with AutoCheck is $15 for a single vehicle. That is less than what you would pay to fill the gas tank! The average used car is probably around $8,000 – which means that this car check costs less than a quarter of one percent of the price of the vehicle. For that little amount of money, you can save literally your entire investment by having the foresight to practice some due diligence on your vehicle before purchasing.

So remember, if you’re serious about buying a good quality used car, get a vehicle history report. They’re not always perfect, but it’s far better than the other option of doing nothing!

“Auto-crosses are great for everyone, whether you’re a novice, professional, or just coming out to watch,” says Ryan Trickett, administrative Director for the UWFSAE. “This is a great opportunity to unleash the power and performance of your sports car and in a safe way that won’t hurt you or your car. For the novices, there are individuals available to coach you around the course and give you pointers to ease you into the sport.”

In auto-cross, drivers compete based on time, rather than placement, and navigate a dynamic track of rubber cones, minimizing vehicle damage if a car goes off track. As an added precaution, drivers never share their half of the track with another driver, preventing collisions with other vehicles. The nature of auto-crossing focuses more on driver skill, car handling and suspension, rather than top speed and pedal mashing.

“The worst accident I’ve seen in my 2 years involved with organizing and setting up these events was a vehicle that spun out into the grassy field that was adjacent to the course,” says Trickett. “We work very hard with the venue owners and WWSCC to ensure a very safe event for everyone.”

Drivers are required to wear a SNELL or DOT approved safety helmet, though loaners are provided free of charge at the track if you do not bring your own. Before each race, there is also a tech period where cars are inspected for loose parts, leaks and other mechanical malfunctions that may pose a hazard on the track.

Support the University of Washington Formula SAE Team!

This event benefits UWFSAE in 2 ways; public relations and fundraising. Building a race car is expensive so our team is required to generate about $75,000 of income in order to be successful at competition come May and June. As a member of the Western Washington Sports Car Council, our team usually runs 2 auto-crosses like this event on the 8th, per year. The income we receive from these events nets us about $10,000 annually, which is a significant chunk of our operating budget. As a result, we work very hard to put on an excellent event for everyone. We are responsible for advertising, event setup and tear-down, course design, site activities, and event operations. We coordinate with the venue owners, WWSCC, and other NW sports car associations in negotiating event fees, insurance, and the other legal processes that go along with an activity like people racing their cars around a cone course. We are very fortunate to have the support of Boeing Employees Autosports Club in providing us with the necessary equipment to efficiently run the on-course activities.

Event Information

Registration for the event is $30 on-site, or $25 pre-pay, which you can do at the website for the Western Washington Sports Car Council registration page. There will be a morning auto-cross session that has registration starting from 7:30am to 8:30am as well as an afternoon session that begins 11:30am to 12:30pm. The afternoon session also features hot dogs, hamburgers, chips and refreshments that will be on sale.

For more information, please go to the event page at:
http://www.wwscc.org/evinfo/2009slush1.html

Directions to Bremerton Motorsports Park:
http://www.wwscc.org/locations/bremerton.html

You’ve got your car requirements down: that was the easy part. Now comes one of the hardest aspects of buying a used car, finding the car you want.

In our Craigslist search for our $1,000 car, our query came up with over 1,000 results. Information overload? Just a little. But we’ll show you how to sort through the junk and find the real diamonds in the rough. Here’s a sampling of actual listings that came up for our search:

1987 Honda Accord – $600 (Suquamish)
new clutch and tranny. needs brake pads. has tabs till April 2009

Not “bad”, but certainly lacks details. No odometer reading, no pictures and no other information whatsoever! The owner saying that brake pads are needed is a luke warm sign, as they are being honest, but we also have to wonder if that also means new drums or rotors will be needed. Passing up for now.

1998 Honda Civic – $750 (Black Diamond)
Front end damage. New Tranie (spent over 1000.00), Automatic, Good Motor, Make offer

This listing includes a picture of the car with a smashed front bumper and bent hood. This isn’t even street legal at this point, with who knows what kind of damage to the engine compartment. Even with the supposed good motor and transmission, this is still a pass.

88 jeep cherokee – $800 (graham/parkland)
i got a 88 jeep cherokee for sale it has the 4.0 4wd auto siting on 30×9.5 high millagge 262,000 has no carpet no headliner it use to be my off road rig its not the perfect rig it has dents dings but it still starts and drives like a champ it might nedd a new ac pulley but i got that in the back of the jeep

So far, the best out of the three highlighted, this seller has put down a good amount of information and has claimed that the car drives well. The problem with an off-road car is that it is driven hard and has probably accumulated lots more muck underneath the car body than most other cars – which means a high risk of rust.

1991 Acura Integra LS – $900 (Seattle)
Red DA 91 Acura Integra/186k miles/Automatic/Power Everything/Ac and Heater/Runs and Drives great/Clean Title/Clean Straight Body/Just needs distributor and it doesn’t have the back seats.

Now, this listing doesn’t sound like a bad deal on the surface if the listing is honest about only needing a distributor cap. A distributor is an easy fix, but will also require the vehicle to be towed back home or to a shop to fix it first. That alone will be $200.

Checking on Kelly Blue Book, this car in fair condition goes for $1,435, though that also means the car is in reasonable running condition. Assuming this Integra does need work, the cap and tow will probably cost about $500, so this car is being sold for a fair value. Not a great deal, but still too much for us.

1989 Toyota Corolla Wagon – $700 (Seattle)
1989 Toyota Corolla Wagon, DX
White, good condition, runs great & reliable.
Gets great gas mileage.
240,000 miles.
Has new starter, battery, & wheel bearing as well as some other misc things.

Now this looks like a pretty good start. The buyer is honest about the recent fixes, the car is said to be running well, it’s a Corolla – a reliable model, and is also a wagon. Why is the wagon a bonus? It means that in the history of the car, it probably was owned by a family, rather than a single individual. We like the idea of a family owned car because adults tend to treat cars better both in maintenance and how they drive the vehicle.

I send an email off to the owner asking about the VIN and a time to check out the car – but get a quick reply from a lady that the car has already sold.

Geo Prizm, 5sp, new tune-up and tires – $995 (Monroe)
Toyota built 4cyl. with no mechanical issues for less than a $1,000.00 Interior and exterior are both average, miles are just over 200K but like I said she runs flawlessly. Needs tabs, clear title and as far as I can see, all painted areas are original so no accidents.

This listing seems very close to the last listing, with a few pros and cons. The nice thing is that it’s 5 years newer and also has 40k less miles, while being only $200 more. For those who don’t know, the Geo Prizm is actually a Toyota Corolla, just with a different label, much like the GMC Yukon and Chevy Suburban or Mitsubishi 3000GT and the Dodge Stealth. Sometimes, car companies work collaboratively on projects.

If you’ve been observant, you’ll already notice the warning flag with this listing: the lack of tabs. If this car won’t pass emissions, we might as well be dumping money down the drain, so it’s important to get that squared away.

I call up the owner and am met with a man on the other end. I tell him that I am inquiring about the Prizm and would like to know the VIN number and also when the tabs expired. He gruffly replies that “this isn’t the kind of car you need that for” and proceeds to tell me that it’s pointless to title check a car that “isn’t at least $10,000.”

Of course, that is completely false – you should check the title history for every car you’re thinking of purchasing. It does validate what we’ve said however that if the paperwork isn’t in order, there’s probably something fishy going on. I wouldn’t be surprised if this car couldn’t pass emissions or had some broken history.

1994 Ford Escort Wagon – $500 (duvall)
I have a 1994 Ford Escort Wagon with 1.9 motor. Good running order all around.
Car is great gas saver, 153,000 miles. This is a 5 speed, Light Green in color,clean inside and out.

Looks like a solid listing for the price. The 150k miles is a plus compared to a lot of the 200k+ listings that we’ve been looking at, so I shot off an email asking for a VIN and other details and got it back pretty promptly.

1998 Chevy Prizm – $1200
1998 Chevy Prizm. Has 224k miles but runs great. In good condition too.

This is short and sweet, but to the point. Good model, only 10 years old, is said to run great and is $500 below Kelly Blue Book for a “fair” price. Shot off email asking for VIN, any major vehicle work and if the car is manual or automatic.

1998 Ford Escort ZX2 Sport (Puyallup)
I am selling my 1998 Ford escort zx2 sport. It is in good condition with a newer transmission and alternator. I am asking $1200 but I am willing to negotiate. Ask for T****.

While it might look like we’re selectively choosing Escorts and Corolla’s – it just happens that these cars are being listed. But it’s also a good sign, because it means that these two models are fairly long lasting if there are multiple listings for these types of vehicles. This listing says a newer transmission was put in, which is great (if verified by receipts). KBB puts a fair market value on this at $900 assuming 150,000 miles, so this listing may be a bit high, but the seller indicates they are willing to negotiate. Sent an email off here and we’ll see where we are.

geo PRIZM toyota corolla fuel efficient … automatic – $700 (lakewood)
This car is a gas saver. It has a 4 cylinder toyota motor replaced at 125k so right now it has about 60k miles on it and the body has 182k. 4 door. passed inspection/emissions. good tabs till sept 09. Heater and ac both WORK excellent. IT starts right up.This car runs and drives. . This is my daily driver. have old reciepts of new battery starter alternator etc. it has good tires aswell.cd player included theres a tiny crack on the winshield but does not affect the view at all.and the axel might need to be changed.makes some noise

This sounds like a strong description, but then ends with that little “axel [sic] might need to be changed”, which is most certainly not a good thing. An odd noise can be many issues that only a mechanic should diagnose, so this is probably the reason it’s listed at a low price for this Prizm.

1992 Mazda MX-6 – $1,395
Brand new clutch passed emissions test runs great and gets 30 to 35 mpg

Higher than we want to pay for, but Mazdas also have a fair amount of reliability – short of the early RX series where they started using their rotary motor. The exterior pictures look good, the car is loaded and the new clutch and emissions passing is nice. The mileage is a bit high as is the price (KBB says $900 for the priced out features), but this may be a possibility.

hyundai accent coupe 1999 (redmond)

EXCELLENT CONDITION WITH 97K MILES,NO PROBLEM WITH ANY PARTS OF THE VEHICLE OR ITS BODY,CD AUDIO PLAYER,BEEN USING CAR FROM PAST 10 MONTHS N THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH ANYTHING,GOT REGULAR CHECK.SELLING IT ONLY BCOS IM LEAVING THIS PLACE AND YOU CAN GIV ME A CALL AND THEN WE CAN TALK ON THE PRICE OF THE VEHICLE
I HEREBY ATTACH THE PICTURES

This seller put their full name into the listing, so we Googled their name and found out that they were a software developer with Microsoft. This is a perfect low risk type owner that we like, while the seller did not post a price. KBB says about $1,100 for Accent in fair condition, so this may be a great deal if we can bargain. Low miles, Hyundai is fair in reliability (good engines, not so great transmissions).

Now with all these listings, a few more we didn’t list and a few good prospects, it’s time for the waiting game to hear back from everyone. After that, we can evaluate the cars and go out and check them out for the inspection.

Next: Used Car Inspection 101 (coming soon)

It’s hard to think that it’s possible to buy a working, semi-reliable car for under $1,000, but if you cut out the plush comforts, it’s still a reasonable goal. Here’s a recap of the most important things we need in our vehicle.

• Clean title, current tabs
• Working drive train: engine and transmission, no fluid leaks
• Working brakes, seatbelts
• Starting car

Our list isn’t long, but for $1,000, we can’t expect to have a perfect car. What we do want is a car that works reliably for at least 10,000 miles (hopefully). We can figure that if our $1,000 project car lasts for 10,000 miles, then we’ve bought the equivalent of a $20k vehicle that can lasts for 200k miles – which is extremely good. Even if our project car only peters out at 5,000 miles, we’ve still doing fairly good by that math. 

Where to Find Our $1,000 Project Car

While most car buyers head straight to the used car dealership lots around Seattle or down South for deals, we know that our car will be near impossible to find at a dealership. The reason is that dealer markup is high – at least $1,000 over what they paid for a used car. That means attempting to even buy a car for $1,000 means we would be hard pressed to find a car, let alone want to buy any car the dealer is offering for that price. This leaves our options to private sellers or auctions. 

Auctions seem to have a mysterious air about them due to the late night infomercials where you see hear a mega announcer tell you that you can grab cars for pennies on the dollar. If your gut instinct said “That’s too good to be true”, then you would be absolutely right. The fact is that if auctions were such a good deal, everyone would be doing them. 

The problem with most public auctions are that the cars you’ll see are abandoned, flooded, wrecked, stolen or impounded vehicles. Not pretty. These cars were simply left by their owners for whatever reason and towed to a yard. To make matter worse, many auction yards don’t even let you inspect the vehicle from the inside, pop the hood or turn the car on (if the car is still working, that is). I can guarantee you that these are not the types of cars you want to rely on. Auctions are best left to the mechanics and dealers who have an expert eye on figuring out which cars are worth bidding on and which cars are not. Even then, the cars fit to sell are often sold at value, as they are being bid on by knowledgeable buyers. 

We may do a write-up on auctions in the future for you diehards out there that really want to explore that route – as you can get some good deals if you absolutely know what you’re doing. But for now, we’ll move on.

Seattle Area Private Seller Listings

Private sellers make up a huge portion of used car sales, so we have ready access to an inventory out there. The problem is just looking up all those listings.

Luckily, the internet is a dream for the modern car buyer, as we can access just about every major listing of private seller vehicles out there. Some of Seattle’s most popular listing services are:

• Craigslist: http://seattle.craigslist.com
• NW Autos: http://marketplace.nwsource.com/nwc/autos/
• Auto Trader: http://www.autotrader.com
• Cars.com: http://www.cars.com

Here’s a screenshot of the result page:

Craigslist has come up with over 1,000 results – which is huge – until you quickly realize that most of the results are just random junk. There are a few that immediately stand out however as legitimate listings, so let’s investigate those listings and more!

Next: Beware Buyer: The Used Car Listings

Impossible you say?  Even we don’t know for sure, but we’re about to find out. Buckle up and get ready for the ride.

Before we begin, we’re going to have to set some parameters for our $1,000 budget and what we can expect. We do this first by listing everything we ideally want in any used car, bolding those that are most important. From this list, we will eventually whittle down and come to a decision on what must we have and what we can do without.

• Paperwork: Clean title, current tabs, maintenance receipts, no accidents, no salvage title, matching VIN numbers on car parts, no major recalls
• Engine: Runs well, stable idle, no vibration, no gasket leaks, busted pistons or clunky noises
• Transmission: Shifts reliably through all gears, no grinding, burnt smell or sudden drop in power
• Ignition: Car starts immediately, no grinding sound, battery holds charge
• Electrical: Lights/indicators working, turn on when doors open, brake lights ok
• Body: Straight body, no rust, no dents, no scratches, no window cracks, paint intact
• Exhaust: No cracks in muffler, no exhaust smell inside car, no blue/white/black colored fumes
• Interior: Clean seats, no smells/stains, working, safety belts working, no water damage
• Brakes: Hard stopping, working brake pads, no squealing, no excessive brake travel
• Tires: Usable tread, proper alignment, even wear, no bald spots, no rim damage
• Bonuses: Low milege, recent model year, reliable models, within 50 miles, working AC, power steering, audio

After we made the above list, we bolded those factors that were most important to us. In reality, every item we bolded is absolutely necessary to the mechanical functioning of a car, as well as safety. From this list, we prioritized the most impotant topics and will use that as a baseline for our $1,000 car.

1) Paperwork 

Paperwork is listed first because it is easily the most important aspect of a used car purchase. If a seller doesn’t have the title to a car or says it’s not in their name then don’t even bother. The last thing you ever want to worry about is having your newly bought car reposessed because someone sold you a car that didn’t legally belong to them. Don’t ever trust a seller who doesn’t have his paperwork in order or has a conveniently missing title that they’ll “send to you later”. 

Another pitfall to avoid is buying a car with expired tabs. The seller might tell you that the car has simply been unused, while the truth might be that the car might not pass emissions standards. If the latter is true, then you are stuck with thousands of dollars in repair bills just to get your car legally driveable. So much for that awesome steal. Rule of thumb – if the car has no current tags, you’re better off avoiding it.

Buying a car that has been in a major accident or salvage is also a no-no, because the true damage from an accident can’t be seen. If your potential car has hidden frame damage, you could be driving in a potential death trap. A VIN check through a service like Carfax is a good way to check the history of a car.

2) Drivetrain, transmission and ignition system

These three compontents are the most vital systems to a car, as they perform the majority of the work and are thus the most prone to failure. Most cars that are under priced have problems in any one of these systems.

Searching on Craigslist for cars under $1,000, we come up with a slew of “small gasket leak”, “tranny needs work”, “needs new starters, otherwise great!”, “easily repaired valves” and the like. What this really means in buyer speak is hundreds to thousands in repair bills just to get the car to run right. There is no such thing as “minor” engine or transmission work and it’s better to assume that any work on these components is at least $1,000 for a diagnosis and repair, but more like $2,000.

Ignition systems aren’t as bad, as starters (the device that initially cranks the engine) can be put in for around $500. Diagnosing why a car won’t start requires a trip to the mechanic however, which costs money and still doesn’t guarantee that the problem is limited to the starter or battery.

3) Safety systems

Making sure we’re in a safe vehicle is paramount, even if we’re buying at a discount. You should never be willing to sacrifice safety to save money. As a car driving website, we don’t need to remind you that it only takes one bad driver to turn your life upside down. 

Buying a pre-owned used car is very different than purchasing a new one. Everyone knows the new vehicle came from the assembly plant, still has plastic on the seats, and smells “like new”. But when it comes to used cars…it can be like eating berries in the Amazon forest, better know what you’re doing or you’re going to get poisoned.

There are a number of problems that can hurt you in terms of the negotiations and the car itself. Knowledge is power

1) Know What You Want

Ideally have a list of three to five cars you would like. Start with the number one option and work down from there. But make it reasonable; if you can only afford a 1997 Honda Civic don’t put a 2008 Lamborghini Gallardo  on the list. Knowing what you want also includes features, safety, and gas mileage. Those items will determine your list of cars. Only the individual person/family can determine what features they can or can’t live with.

“I see it all the time,” says Frank Hasselbach, owner of Landmark Motors in Kirkland. “It can be frustrating if you’re showing the husband a luxury coupe, but then find out an hour into it, what they really need is a family car for the wife. Knowing what you want, lets me (the salesperson) help you. Otherwise we’re wasting time.”

2) Know a Good/Great Price

This is where research on the computer will help in negotiations. Just about everyone inflates prices. Dealers, private owners, they all do it, capitalism at its best. Knowing what the market is for the selected vehicle will get you to the meat of the matter.

Do a market analysis. Check Kelly’s Bluebook, Craigslist, or Google search on the make, model, and year. That will give you an idea of what a particular vehicle is worth.

“It’s always good to do at least a little research”, explains Hasselbach. “That means comparing apples to apples. I’ve had people say to me they saw a BMW down the street for $25,000 but yours is $29,000. Can you make me the same deal? Little did they know the other vehicle was bare bones, and the one on my lot was loaded with everything including navigation. That’s not the same car we’re talking about.

3) Have the Vehicle Checked by a Trusted Mechanic

A good mechanic can see and tell you a lot about a vehicle. They can look for signs that it’s been in an accident, history about a certain make and model, and finding “hot spots” for wear and tear. This is the best research that can be done; the mechanic is looking at a particular car, the one you could be buying. This is essential.

“I checked out this one (Volkswagen) Passat not to long ago,” says Bellevue mechanic William Chen. “I noticed the framing was off a little. That’s a red flag, so I did some more looking around it, and found inconsistencies in chrome and some paint over splash. This car had obviously been in an accident, and the seller was trying to cover it up. Needless to say, those people didn’t buy the car.”

4) Get the complete History

Carfax is great when buying a pre-owned vehicle, but it’s not nearly enough. Carfax will only give the information that’s been reported, i.e. accidents and claims.  But it will not give information on anything else.  It’s essential to look up any common defects the vehicle may have had. Search for recalls on the certain make and model. A Ford Taurus could have a recall for something one year, and have it fixed for their newer vehicles the next year. It’s important as the buyer to know about that before the purchase.

5) Have Options

Be able to walk away from the negotiating table. Unless you’re purchasing a one of kind vintage classic, there should be other options just in case the owner/dealer tries to inflate the price. If you absolutely have to have that 2007 Subaru Forester, have a couple of options around town just in case. It’s not that rare of a car, it’ll be found. Being able to get up and walk away gives you the upper hand in negotiations. That’s why when leave, another “senior” sales person tries to save the deal. Once that happens, you can return the favor and low ball them. Capitalism is a two way street.

Stores are stocking up on candy, your co-workers are talking about costumes and your kids are screaming “Boo!” every chance they get. 

No, we’re not talking Halloween – we’re talking back to Seattle’s wet driving season.Those sunny weekends kayaking on Lake Washington and hiking on Mt. Si have given way to fleece Northface jackets and hiking boots as the sun retreats for the next six months.  

With the rain, comes colder weather, shorter days and a slew of bad driving as Seattle drivers re-learn slick road handling skills. In case you need to sharpen your own own steering-wheel fu, here is a list of good practices to abide by while driving in the rain. 

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Slow down and maintain a good buffer to the car in front

Less speed equates to less braking distance. In the rain, your vehicle braking distance can increase over 50% in distance vs dry pavement. It’s important to maintain a bigger buffer between your car and the car in front of you. In a panic stop (full on braking), a good buffer zone will give you both enough time to react and hopefully stop. This author knew a friend who was too confident in their new ABS brakes and realized too late (and an insurance claim later) that even modern technology was no match for mother nature.

Turn on your lights so other drivers can see you

Most modern autos come equipped with factory daytime running lights. Research has shown that even in ideal driving conditions, turning on your lights is a significant way to prevent accidents. Drivers changing lanes in front of you are more apt to notice your lights, especially at night or in the rain, where visibility or mirrors are impeded by water. Even if the weather is cloudy or just sprinking and you can see just fine in front and behind of you, a driver up front may have a foggy rear window or side mirrors that literally blind them to your presence. Turn on those lights and you might just avoid that next fender bender.

Don’t over-correct when hydroplaning

Hydroplaning usually occurs when travelling at high speeds, which means that this author has probably far more hydroplaning experience than he should have. This author’s close calls is your gain however, as I can relate that hydroplaning isn’t always the ticking timb bomb it is made out to be. During a hydroplane, depending on the severity, you will lose steering ability temporarily and experience a fishtail effect. Adjust your steering wheel ever so slightly toward the direction of your skid and ease up on the gas. Do not correct you would in a full blown snow skid.

A hydroplane lasts barely a second, which means you will regain traction quickly. Having your tires pointed in the same general direction as before the skid will ensure you keep travelling along. Hydroplaning next to an embankment, barrier, cliff or turn is when things get dangerous, as the room for error is much smaller. This is why it’s important to slow down in the rain, especially at highway on-ramps, off-ramps and bridges where these situations occur and where rain can pool.

Replace those cracked windshield wipers

Nothing is worse than being in a downpour on the freeway with a pair of cruddy windshield wipers. With the low visibility, your reaction time is decreased, which means your ability to stop is also decreased by a quarter.  With the average time to react being 2 seconds, a decrease in even half a second could mean the difference between a close call and new premium.

A set of teflon wipers will cost $26 from any auto store and can be installed in minutes by yourself. Most of the express lube places as well as your mechanic offer this service as well, but generally install the cheapest brand available with a higher mark-up. We’ll cover in a future article how to change your wipers.

Have ABS and Traction Control

This last bit is unfortunately a bit unrealistic, because either you have these installed on your car or you don’t. If you do, you will know that technology is working for you in the event of a panic stop or a skid, as the technology will improve (not prevent) your chances of avoiding an accident. 

If you drive an older model car or have a current model without ABS, you should seriously consider an investment in a car driving clinic for threshhold braking or practice in an empty parking lot sometime. Threshhold braking is a method of braking that maximizes your tires ability to stop, much like ABS. Without threshold braking skills, your tire contact points with the road will overheat and liquify if you jam your brakes, which leads to skidding and sliding. Next time you drive on 520, I-90 or I-5, look at the skid marks on the road and you’ll identify the non-ABS brakes as the skid marks that have wobbly slides. 

Traction control is essentially auto AI that determines when a tire is skidding and when it has traction. TC will kick in when it feels your car is skidding or sliding and independently adjust your wheel rotational speed or alignment to try to correct your path. Most of the time, this means turning your vehicle out (most slides are caused by oversteering). TC is good because it turns on immediately when your brain is immediately turning off and going into panic mode, so it addresses both physics and human psychology at once. 

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Keep these tips in mind next time you’re on the road and hopefully you’ll avoid any scary surprises of the bad kind this October season!