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TalkativeTown / fred / All http://talkativetown.com Your Source for Social News and Networking Wed, 25 Aug 2010 02:36:12 -0700 en <![CDATA[Best Used Cars for College Students]]> http://talkativetown.com/cars/best-used-cars-for-college-students-1/ http://talkativetown.com/cars/best-used-cars-for-college-students-1/ Wed, 25 Aug 2010 02:36:12 -0700 fred Cars http://talkativetown.com/cars/best-used-cars-for-college-students-1/
Ideally all college students are looking for some general characteristics like reliability, low maintenance, good fuel efficiency, good exterior design, spacious interiors for accommodating friends, good build quality and overall having an ability to take some amount of beating. The cost of the car is always a big question. Ideally if you go for a very reliable model you might even go for a 90's model car and with a few modification it will still be a good car for the next few years and will cost less than $5,000.

Following are the ideal cars when it comes to being good on earlier characteristics:

1. Honda Civic:

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An early 90's model can cost around $1,500 increasing to about $4,500 for a 99 civic model according to Kelly Blue book. They are by far one of the most reliable cars and you can be assured that you will have a great time with it during your college time. However as with all used cars you need to make sure you do not end up with a lemon. You can find these only from a private party like a friend of a friend or a senior who might not be interested to take it back home as dealers don't sell cars which are this much old because of low margins. If you are sure that the car is being sold for genuine reasons and not because it is lemon it can be a very option.

2. Subaru Legacy:

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This is another great model with very good reliability. You can easily get many more miles from even a 10-15 year old model. The mileage is good and one of the best things is the All Wheel Drive(AWD). Hence if you are in one of the northern states this might be of real great use.

3. Ford Taurus:

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This is a decent model with a V6 engine. You can make some modification after you leave college and this can be a good daily driver if the car is doing good on the maintenance side.

4. Toyota Prius:

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If you have a bit higher budget you can go with this hybrid version. The mileage it gives is really great. Something close to 35mpg in city and 41mpg on highway. Besides it has great design and looks. However the problem is you might not find one that easily like the Civic and the price will be much higher. Besides you have to question why would someone sell a good functioning car like Prius which is just 7-8 years old and still has lot of life in it.

5. Volkswagen Golf/Jetta:

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You can find a lot of these on college campuses. They are sturdy and reliable. They have good cargo space and good reliability.

When going for a car it is very necessary to make a informed decision. Although you might never be 100% sure with used cars and most of them are sold "AS IS" thus giving no future guarantees you can prevent getting duped by getting the basic knowledge about cars or getting one of your friends to test drive and inspect the car. A few hours spent extra on inspection and choosing the correct model might in the end save you hundreds of hours of sweat in a mechanics shop.

3 Vote(s) ]]> <![CDATA[Ways to Keep Your Car Running Forever]]> http://talkativetown.com/cars/ways-to-keep-your-car-running-forever/ http://talkativetown.com/cars/ways-to-keep-your-car-running-forever/ Tue, 10 Aug 2010 14:53:09 -0700 fred Cars http://talkativetown.com/cars/ways-to-keep-your-car-running-forever/ fuel efficient model to lower your overall ownership cost.

1. Following the service schedule: This is a simple and effective way of maintaining your car. However still some car owners follow a very laid back approach and do not follow it exactly. In the newer cars there are indicator lights showing need for service however in older models it is good to keep a tab on your service schedule.

2. Tire pressure and fluid level should be checked regularly: Check all the fluid levels regularly. This takes small amount of time and helps the car run smoothly. Bad fluid or low fluid level can play havoc with the cars machinery. You should also purchase a tire gauge to check the pressure and see that ideal psi is maintained in the tires.

3. Startup should be easy: After a car has been sitting for more than 5 hours all the oil slowly seeps down in the oil pan. After the start-up it generally takes only a few second for the engine to get nicely lubricated. Give the engine 15-30 seconds before going into a gear.

4. Use high grade, single fuel: Although it might not always be worth it to pay the extra 20 cents per gallon but over a long time it might have a benefit especially if you travel in a bit expensive car.

5. Driving Smartly: It hardly pays to keep revving up at the glance of every tuned up car if you are traveling in a mustang or a camaro. If you are in a mood for some action it is better to look for a deserted road or some race event where you can give your car a full the space to drive at its potential.

0 Vote(s) ]]> <![CDATA[Best Fuel Efficient Used Cars]]> http://talkativetown.com/cars/best-fuel-efficient-used-cars-1/ http://talkativetown.com/cars/best-fuel-efficient-used-cars-1/ Sun, 08 Aug 2010 04:44:32 -0700 fred Cars http://talkativetown.com/cars/best-fuel-efficient-used-cars-1/
Some of the top fuel efficient cars under $10,000

00-01 Honda Insight	51
04 Toyota Prius	44
00-05 Toyota Echo	38
03-05 Honda Civic Hybrid	36
07 Toyota Yaris Sedan	34

Top fuel efficient used cars from $10,000-$20,000

05-07 Toyota Prius	44
08 Toyota Prius	42
06-09 Honda Civic Hybrid	37
08 Honda Fit	34
08 Scion xD	34

0 Vote(s) ]]>