                                  T H E

                               Z E P H Y R

                      __     M A G A Z I N E
                     {__]++++++++++++++++++++++++++[]
                     Issue #30                11-3-86

                A weekly electronic magazine for users of
                            THE ZEPHYR II BBS
                        (Mesa, AZ - 602-894-6526)
                    owned and operated by T. H. Smith

                        Editor - Gene B. Williams

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                                (c) 1986

    THIS ISSUE:

       You'll make two major category purchases in your life. The
    most major will be a house. Second would be a car. Everything
    else in comparison is relatively minor (although for many of
    us on the board here, the cost of a computer system can also be
    a major purchase).
       My own personal policy is to spend some time on any purchase
    of more than $50. When I bought a camera, I spent several months
    researching brands and models. My computer system cost even more
    than my camera equipment, so and accordingly I spent even more
    time in research before making that purchase.
       When it comes time to buy a car, you're almost certain to be
    spending several hundred dollars even for a semi-broken-down used
    mess, and very possibly more than $10,000.
       And yet, a surprising number of people just go out and plunk
    down their money without taking the time to find out if they are
    going to be spending their time on the road - or in the repair
    shop (or the junk yard).

                              BUYING A CAR

      Next to buying a house, the purchase of a car is often one of
    the most important buying decisions you'll ever make. You can
    make it a pleasant experience - or you can turn it into a long-
    lived nightmare.
      It's easy to blame any nightmares on the salesperson, on the
    previous owner, on the manufacturer, or on anyone or anything
    else that happens to be available. Occasionally that's all too
    true. At the same time, those who get snookered generally have
    brought it on themselves.
      Take for example the Chevrolet Camaro. It is one of the most
    popular - and one of the most expensive - cars that Chevrolet
    has ever produced. People see them zipping down the street and
    want one. What they end up with is one of the lowest values in
    automotives that there is (according to"Consumer's Guide,"
    "Consumer's Digest," and a number of other sources).
      A part of the low value can be attributed to the manufacturer
    for concentrating on the lines and cosmetics while ignoring
    the mechanical soundness of their product. A part can be placed
    on the salesmen for bragging up the vehicle to potential
    purchasers. The largest part belongs with the purchaser. If he
    or she had done their "homework," they wouldn't have been
    fooled in the first place. Then Chevrolet would have no choice
    but to both drop the price and increase the quality.
      The same holds true for the purchase of any vehicle, new or
    used.

    NOTE:  If there are satisfied Camaro owners reading this, my
    apologies. This is only an example, and the statistics are not
    my own.

                                HOMEWORK

      It is important - critical might be a better description - to
    thoroughly find out something about what you have in mind. If
    you base your purchase decision on prejudice, you're much more
    likely to walk away with an unsatisfactory buy.
      That prejudice comes in two flavors - positive and negative.
      Positive prejudice is such as wanting a particular make or
    model based on how it looks, how it affects your status (internal
    or external), or even how your friends have talked. ("Oh, wow,
    man, that sure is a sharp car.") An excellent example was the
    Dodge Charger and Challenger models of the early 1970s. People
    bought them like crazy due primarily to positive prejudice, only
    to find out that the electrical systems had been so poorly designed
    that owners were quite likely to find themselves stranded.
      Negative prejudice is such as saying, "Hey, there's a Ford.
    Fix Or Repair Daily. Hahahahaha." (That is NOT an endorsement
    for Ford, by the way. They are presently having severe quality
    control problems. However, their 1985 trucks for example were
    just about the best ever built by anyone - but were passed over
    for the most part due to the stigma and jokes and the long standing
    Ford reputation for building lousy products.)
      Both types can kill you. The first can easily put you behind
    the wheel of a pretty but poorly built vehicle. That's a bad
    buy at any price. The second can prevent you from buying what
    is actually a better vehicle simply because your thoughts have
    prevented you from even considering it.
      It's not unusual for someone to spend roughly 25% of their
    total income on a vehicle. That's a pretty darned important
    purchase! It deserves some open minded thinking and research.
      There are plenty of ways to accurately research a car or truck.
    Publications like "Consumer Reports" is an excellent starting
    place. They accept no advertising and no support from the
    manufacturers. They have nothing to lose or gain in saying that
    a particular make or model is an excellent - or lousy - buy.
      Close would be those automotive magazines that regularly
    review vehicles. You can generally tell when the writers have
    hyped the vehicle, have entered their own prejudices, or have
    reported it honestly. Simply page through a few issues. If
    every car they test gets raves, or gets knocked to shreds,
    something is wrong.
      In any case, NEVER accept just one source. Take some time and
    see what several sources have to say. Compare them. If 3 or 4
    completely different sources say the same basic thing, chances
    are pretty good that it's accurate. If one says that a certain
    make and model is the best thing on the road, while another calls
    it a piece of junk, one of the two - and maybe both - are off
    base. (This is fortunately rare.) Go to more sources.
      One of your best possible sources is a mechanic who services a
    variety of cars. Preferably someone you know well enough, and who
    knows you well enough, to give you a straight and reliable answer.
    What cars does he see most often and why? Which ones does he
    rarely see, and why (in his opinion)?
      Now comes people you know who happen to own - or who have
    owned - what you have in mind. Someone who has owned and driven
    a particular make and model is a pretty good source for
    information.
      Next in line would be friends who know more about automotives
    than you do. The trouble is in determining who actually knows,
    and who just likes to THINK that they know. You also have to wade
    through their own sets of prejudice.

                              Which Vehicle?

      A part of your homework is that of narrowing the field. What
    do you need and why? What do you expect of your car or truck?
      Chances are good that those won't be easy questions to answer
    simply. You're most likely to end up with a list of things that
    are important. Consequently you have to rank your list in some
    kind of order of importance.
      The primary function of most vehicles is that of transportation.
    You want something to get you from one place to another. For
    most people this will be the main consideration, and should
    consequently mean that your PRIME concern is one of reliability.
    If your choice tends to break down every 10 miles, doesn't start
    in the morning, etc. etc. - it's not much good for transport.
      Closely related would be cost of repairs. You can find parts
    for a Toyota or Ford or Chevy just about anywhere. It's going to
    take a bit more searching to find a part for a BMW. Buy yourself
    a Lambourghini and finding parts is going to be tough. That fancier
    car will also make finding a mechanic more difficult - and generally
    more expensive.
      Back to the use of the vehicle - other than getting you from
    place to place, what is its function?
      One of the main reasons I bought a new car was because my truck
    was no longer needed as a truck. Sure, it was dramatic. A great
    big monster of a 4-wheel drive, but used almost exclusively to
    drive the long distance into town (I'm WAY out in the boonies) for
    grocery shopping. At a maximum of 10 miles per gallon, that's not
    what you'd call efficient use.
      If we'd been into 4-wheelin' on the desert, or did a lot of
    hauling that required a truck, it would have been just fine. But
    a big truck used to haul nothing more than bags of groceries
    becomes less of an asset. If you're willing to pay the extra for
    the relative "status" of a big truck, fine - but realize that you
    are doing it, and will be for as long as you own the vehicle.
      Do you like having a big truck or a fancified and tricked out
    van? Fine. Just realize that you'll pay for it up front and over
    time (less mpg and generally higher insurance rates - it all adds
    up over time).
      The ideal situation is to pick the right vehicle for the right
    task. If you commute long distances over good roads and haul nothing
    more than school books and maybe a few bags of groceries, you
    certainly don't need an 18-wheeler. If you spend your weekends
    exploring Baja, you probably don't want to do it in a low-slung
    sports car.
      It will probably come down to a trade-off. Sure, you'd love to be
    getting 40 mpg, but it's tough hauling full sheets of plywood or
    hay in a Mazda. You might like the looks and features of a TR-3,
    but the lack of a back seat could spell real trouble and make the
    vehicle all but useless.
      Making the trade-off involves an honest evaluation of your needs.
    If you haul heavy materials just once every few years, you can more
    cheaply rent a vehicle for those times, or can pay a small delivery
    charge. Just because you *might* need to haul some furniture some-
    time during the next 3 or 4 years is no reason to buy a truck. If
    you go camping a lot - well, it gets tired in a hurry trying to
    sleep in the back seat, and expensive in a hurry to rent a cabin
    week after week.
      The important thing is honesty. Don't be thinking "I'd *like* to
    go camping every weekend," when you know damn well that you can't.

                               New or Used

      Due to the ever increasing costs, it's tough to buy a new car.
    It's also not necessarily the wisest choice.
      Earnhardt has an ad on TV that talks about leasing as opposed to
    buying. There's a lot of truth in their statements. Basically, the
    greatest depreciation on a vehicle takes place in the first year,
    followed closely by the second year, and then the third. After that
    it tends to stabilize a little. The value continues to go down, but
    not quite as quickly.
      Say the vehicle costs $10,000 new. After just one year you'll be
    lucky to get $8000. At the end of the second year it will be worth
    something like $6500, if that much. If you can get $5000 after 3
    years you'll be doing very well. After this, the rate of depreciation
    slows considerably.
      That vehicle is going to lose about half of the purchase price in
    the first 3 years or so. It will take another 7 to 10 years for it
    to lose the other half (and it will never be totally without value).
      As a general rule of thumb, if you intend to trade-in the vehicle
    any more often than each 2-3 years, leasing is likely to be a less
    expensive route for you. If you intend to keep that new car for 5
    or 10 years, then buying is the better choice.
      Buying a used vehicle means that someone else has paid the major
    part of the depreciation. It also means that you are buying a car
    with little or no warranty on it. You could be "buying someone
    else's headaches." Of course, there's no guarantee that even a new
    car will run well and reliably - but the chances of trouble increase
    as the age the vehicle increases.
      Look at the mileage. Again, it's only a general rule of thumb but
    the more miles, the more trouble you'll have. It's fairly rare for a
    car to last more than 100,000 miles without some serious engine
    problems. It's possible that the engine will have to be rebuilt - at
    a cost of somewhere between $1000 and $1500. Quite often the car
    isn't worth that much. So, if you paid $1500 for that car, and have
    to pay $1500 for the rebuild, the car has cost you $3000.
      Look at the tires. If you have to replace them, you're facing a
    cost of $200 or more. Even more important, though, is to look at
    *how* the tires are wearing. If the tread is wearing unevenly,
    there's a pretty fair chance that the car has some front end
    problems. (And if the car has brand new tires, don't automatically
    assume that the former owner is a nice guy thinking of the buyer.
    He *could* be trying to hide something.)
      Start the engine. It should start quickly and run smooth. Punch
    the gas SLIGHTLY to check for hesitation (which could indicate
    valve problems, carburetor problems or both). Look at the exhaust.
    You shouldn't be able to see it, and it certainly shouldn't be a
    blackish-grey in color. Have someone punch and let go on the
    accelerator and watch the exhaust again. Look at the exhaust one
    more time later after the engine has reached operating temperature.
      Check all features for operation. Does the radio work? The
    windshield wipers and sprayer? How about the headlights, turn
    signals, brake lights and so on? Check everything, and don't be
    afraid to ask questions.
      A look under the hood probably won't tell you much, but do it
    anyway. If nothing else you'll get a general idea of condition, and
    you might be able to spot potential problems. Look particularly
    for fresh oily spots, such as around the spark plugs, and any
    water.
      General condition of the vehicle - body, interior and trunk - can
    often (but not always) tell you if the vehicle has been abused. If
    the cosmetics are a mess, it's a fair bet that the previous owners
    didn't care much about the mechanics, either.
      Whether the vehicle is new or used, a test drive is critical.
    This gives you a chance to test the handling. Pay the most
    attention to safety. Is the steering sloppy? Does the car pull
    to one side either when driving or braking? Does it brake
    smoothly? Does it accelerate smoothly?
      Keep in mind the entire time that you could *literally* be betting
    your life, and the lives of those around you on the road, on this
    vehicle. If it's a junkheap that needs extensive repairs, you'll
    also be betting your bankroll.
      A "good deal" isn't ALWAYS a good deal. It doesn't do much good
    to pay $300 for a car worth $500, only to have it crash, or to
    find yourself spending $1500 for a new engine a month later.
      Make your choice carefully. Don't let your emotions get in the
    way of an intelligent decision.
      Spend an extra couple of bucks and get one or more of the guides
    on new and/or used car values. (They're even available in grocery
    stores.) Then spend a bit of time paging through the want-ads, and
    publications such as "Auto Trader" to get an idea of what you can
    expect as far as price.

                         Dealer Vs Private Party

      There are advantages and disadvantages to either route. The
    dealer is in business to make money, which means that he is bound
    to charge more for the same vehicle. (Obviously you can't buy a
    brand new car from a private party.) Also, since he is in
    business, you generally (but not always) have some legal recourse
    if the car isn't "as advertised."
      The dealer can - and usually does - offer a warranty. It might
    be for only 30 days, but that's at least something. It's very rare
    for a private party to offer a warranty. (If he does, GET IT IN
    WRITING! A verbal contract is usually binding, but drops on you
    the need to prove what was said - a difficult thing at best.)
      A private party is almost certain to charge less. You can dicker
    and talk to get a better price. (You can do that with the dealer,
    too, but keep in mind that the dealer isn't there to break even
    and certainly not to lose money.)
      That private party will also know more about the vehicle than
    will the dealer's salesman. Afterall, he or she has been driving
    that vehicle. And they know how well it has been kept up. (All
    this assumes, of course, that the person is honest.)
      Working out the price is going to be frustrating regardless. The
    dealer *knows* the value of that car. There are listings available
    to him. Emotions don't play a part in it at all. He looks at those
    numbers, figures in what he needs for profit, and that's the
    bottom line. Anything above that is additional profit, and the
    salesman's job is to do his best to drive the price as far above
    the minimum as he can.
      DON'T be fooled by the salesman who becomes your long lost best
    friend, and the typical ploy of, "We're losing money on this deal."
    It's pure bullshit (excuse me - but that's how it is). Think about
    it for a moment. If they were constantly just breaking even or
    were losing money, that company would be out of business. The
    salesman, who earns his living entirely on commission (a percentage
    of the sale), would be out of a job REAL fast if he kept losing
    money for the company - and he'd soon starve besides.
      A very typical technique is for the salesman to make the deal,
    then go in to clear it with the manager. Guaranteed - the sales
    manager will HAVE to have more money "just to break even."
      Once again, think about it for a moment. If that salesman was
    constantly making deals that lost money, he'd be fired. That price
    the two of you worked out is not a mistake.
      At this point let me tell you a story. Before we went in to buy
    our new car I did my homework. I knew exactly what my truck was
    worth, and exactly what the Mazda was worth - wholesale and retail,
    with both high book and low book. So, I went in *knowing* the
    deal, including dealership profit. (Hey. You have to be realistic
    about it.)
      Before the salesman started his sales spiel I told him that I
    knew what I wanted, here's my deal, vary it by as much as $5 and
    we're walking out. While he was in with the sales manager I told
    my wife, "Watch now. He'll come back and want "$500 just to break
    even." And that was EXACTLY what happened - quote, unquote.
      Even then it wasn't a bad deal, but we stuck to our statement.
    Without a word to them, we got up and started to leave. They wanted
    to negotiate. We wouldn't.
      End result - we got the deal we wanted. They made money on it,
    which they should and have to. We got a decent price.
      There's no mystery to it. Come to an HONEST figure and value,
    and stick to it. Don't put up with any nonsense. (At the same time
    if you start with a nonsense figure on your part - a new Mazda, but
    you only want to pay $5000 - forget it. You have no bargaining room
    there. For this to work, you MUST do your homework first, and you
    MUST be willing to accept that the dealer earns a profit.)
      The same basic thing applies to the private party. In this case,
    you're often facing someone who has an inflated idea of the
    vehicle's value. (Look in the paper. You'll find 1971's listed
    with an asking price of $3000 and more, right next to more legit
    and realistic ads for 1980 models selling for even less.)
      If the person starts off with a grossly inflated idea of value,
    forget it. You'll never get them down to a reasonable figure. (That
    $3000 1971 Ford, for example, that's actually worth more like $600 -
    do you think that the owner is going to drop his price by $2400?)
      You might be one of those who likes to dicker and trade. If so,
    fine and good. Enjoy yourself.
      More people are like me. I *hate* to dicker. In fact, I refuse
    to do so. (Right, Jay?) But this means, once again, that you do
    some realistic homework before starting, and then sticking to
    what you know is fair, even if it means losing that item (or having
    to keep it for a while longer if you are the seller).

                       Some Personal Observations

      My own first car was a 1961 Ford Falcon. The previous owner had
    purchased it new and had barely ever driven it. Trouble was, when
    he did drive it he had the tendency to drive it hard. It had a
    stick shift. This guy liked to rev it up while riding the clutch.
    He would also let it sit for months on end. Even so, it was a very
    good bargain, and a tough car.
      I then bought a 1968 Triumph GT6 (NOT a 6+). British cars - ALL
    of them, and especially those with Lucas Electric - have problems
    with their wiring and electric circuits.
      Next came a Dodge Charger. That's when I found out that Dodge has
    a reputation for electric problems that makes the British cars look
    like design dreams.
      Front wheel drives, such as with an old Toronodo we drove for a
    while, bring on problems all their own. They also tend to be more
    expensive to repair.
      Then came the Fords for that one company. During 1984 and into
    1985 Fords FINALLY became concerned with their growing reputation
    for putting out lousy products, and put out a line of trucks that
    were rated very highly. The main problem was poor seal of the front
    end differential on 4-wheel drives, and continuingly notorious
    reputation at least in the Valley for poor service.
      After some heavy research we traded off our own Ford truck for
    a Mazda. The Toyota Corolla presently has the highest rating of all
    vehicles in America as far as reliability; Mazda comes a very close
    second - at least for the 323 and 626.
      Also highly rated is the Honda Accord, although getting a decent
    deal on this particular car is somewhat more difficult.
      Surprisingly for a newcomer, the Hyundai has been getting some
    very good reviews. Conversely, the Yugo has the WORST crash rating
    of any car made. (Tests showed the average repair cost for a crash
    of just 5 mph came to $2000.)

    Until Next Time

      It might be interesting to get some personal experiences on
    this topic. What luck and UNluck have you had? Maybe you have a
    car that has given you nothing but trouble - or one that has
    never broken down at all.
      Share that with the rest of us.

      Thanks to Reverend Nuclear, I've found a new BBS. It's called
    Bear Tracks 2. The phone number is 968-0372. What's so special about
    it? It's a BBS set up for writers and would-be writers. (No, I
    have nothing at all to do with it except as a user.)
      So, if you're into writing, go on over and check it out. They
    have a very nice system there, and unique in its function.

Zephyr Magazine is © Gene Williams. All rights reserved.