Re: Carfax, Buying Used, & Craigslist.org

"jim beam" <spamvortex@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
news:B4ydnQX8ksBC1PvVnZ2dnUVZ_gSdnZ2d@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Pszemol wrote:
>> "jim beam" <spamvortex@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message 
>> news:RcWdnaAvZ77uIPjVnZ2dnUVZ_qXinZ2d@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>>> one more thought - the later models you've been considering have what 
>>> i consider to be a serious deficiency compared to your current vintage

>>> - lack of front sway bar.  the 96-2000 for instance only has sway bars

>>> on the ex and si models, not the lower models.
>>>
>>> i discovered this while having to make an extreme evasive [defensive] 
>>> maneuver to avoid a freeway accident in my [then] new 2000.  damned 
>>> thing nearly capsized.  i was used to driving an 89 that has sway bars

>>> as standard, and that pretty much goes wherever you point it, no 
>>> excessive body roll.  the 2000, not only did you have to be careful on

>>> the transition between hard left/hard right, there was no "safety 
>>> factor" in near-accident situations like i describe.  i ended up 
>>> retrofitting the 2000 and that dealt with the problem, but i would not

>>> feel comfortable with one of those vehicles in stock configuration, 
>>> especially as the body is so much heavier and thus more susceptible.
>> 
>> Talking about active safety  - how about ABS?
>> Which model years/trims had it already installed, which not?
> 
> do you know much about abs?  did you know that it doesn't necessarily 
> stop you any quicker, and can in fact /increase/ braking distances?  if 
> you have an abs system on your car, open the owners manual and read
> what it says about that.

Don't be such arrogant!
I know exactly how ABS works and what are its effects on driving/breaking.

In my opinion the car with ABS in general is safer than the one without
one.
Buying older cars you loose this feature and some others, too.
It is buyer choice, of course, but I considered it worth mentioning
together with your coment about missing sway bars in newer model.

> abs is /fantastic/ for people like my grandmother who will do something 
> like skid on the freeway, all 4 wheels locked, and sit there pressing 
> the pedal as hard as she can while she has absolutely no control of the 
> vehicle whatsoever.  when i'm old enough to drive like her, maybe i'll 
> consider abs.  in the mean time, as long as i know about cadence braking

> and friction coefficients, i'm quite happy with standard brakes thanks.

Don't forget you are not talking about the car for yourself but for Elle.
She might be somebody's grandmother :-) Or - just a driver little 
more educated in benefits of modern car safety systems than you...

>> Talking more about safety systems... how about air bags? Would you 
>> prefer driving with 20 years old airbag or 8 years old one?
> 
> i prefer to have /no/ airbag!  if true driver safety were the concern of

> gub'mint, roll cages, helmets and 5-point harnesses would be mandatory, 
> not airbags.  just like in race cars.

This just tells me how uneducated/ignorant driver you are. 

Also, again I have to remind you that the choice is not yours but hers.
It is her car we are talking about. It is her decision if she wants car
with air bags or a death trap without one :-)
 
>> Also, in case of unfortunate accident - how would you think 20 years
>> old body would perform compared to the 8 years old with no rust?
> 
> mine's california and it has no rust.  and 8 years in the rust belt is 
> no guarantee of integrity if you want to be really pedantic.

I am not talking about cosmetic rust but undercariage rust, ball joints,
etc.
Once again, I have to remind you that your advices are addressed to Elle.
Do you know where is she located? I do not recall her mentioning this.