Car buying strategies, balancing costs and wants, new vs used

[Guest]

a three mile commute is a good way to kill a car unless you really warm it up first.  it will spend it's life running cold.

[cfabe]

I know it's not great for a car, but don't think it does a lot of harm as long as you do longer trips regularly as well.

It's close enough to bicycle, I should really try to do that at least a few days a week. Won't work in the winter though.

[benEzra]

As long as you take a longer trip once or twice a week, to cook condensation out of the crankcase and the exhaust system, short commutes won't break the car.  BUT, I would recommend going with a full synthetic motor oil (like Mobil 1), which is more expensive but also much less prone to breakdown.  There's a reason why race cars use synthetic oil.

[cfabe]

Yep, I plan on running full synth as soon as the engine is fully broken in, maybe 20k miles or so. \

Interestingly, the car seems to warm up amazingly fast. Like in 60-90 seconds to the middle of the "normal" range, according to the temp gauge. And the heat blows warm too so I'm tempted to believe it. Maybe I'll stick a thermocouple in the radiator hose out of curiousity.

[larry_minn]

Go online.  Once you know what car/truck you want just contact dealers with YOUR "must have" list and your "nice to have" list.  Tell them you are ready to drop hammer NOW and sit back.   I drove 160 miles for last car (new) that my mom wanted.   We listed must/wants and I sent it out.  Got replies with prices and bought car.  Spent less then hr at dealership.  (that long because salesman was finishing out another sale)