Re: Carfax, Buying Used, & Craigslist.org

Pszemol wrote:
> "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!

what's a "such arrogant"?


> I know exactly how ABS works and what are its effects on
driving/breaking.

you know how it works???  i'd love to read your explanation!

btw, if you learned how to spell "b-r-a-k-i-n-g", you might be more 
convincing.


> 
> In my opinion the car with ABS in general is safer than the one without 
> one.

what is your opinion based on exactly?  it's not facts about braking 
distances because abs is not necessarily better in that regard.  you 
/do/ know about abs systems, right?


> 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.

buddy, helmets beat air bags every single time.


> 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 :-)

keep drinking the kool-aid.


> 
>>> 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.

i'm not talking cosmetic either - that's why i take the trouble to 
specify "s-t-r-u-c-t-u-r-a-l" in the part you so carefully snipped but 
didn't annotate.

> 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.

then you've not been here very long.  or you don't know how to use 
google.  or you're stupid and lazy.