Q. I bought a new car advertised at $24,081 for about $28,000 after the salesman added $2,500, plus $500 for a college-grad rebate, $99 for nitrogen in the tires, $95 for wheel locks, $299 for air-bag locks, plus the destination charge and documentary fee. He then added sales tax and then subtracted $2,500 from the price.
The dealer let me walk away from the final month's payment on my leased SUV and didn't charge for excessive wear and tear so feel I came out ahead and am happy with the car.
But I want to alert others that if you see an attractive price on the Internet like I did, you might be slammed with additions like the college rebate. -- A.R., Downers Grove, Ill.
A. After a week of trying to learn from you more about the charges, including the reason for the $2,500 that was added and then subtracted and likewise why a $500 college grade rebate would be added rather than subtracted, you decided you didn't want to pursue this anymore.
We have no idea where the $2,500 came from, but you should have asked about it. You should have asked as well about the $500 college grad rebate and why it was added, unless the rebate was first subtracted then added when it came to figuring sales tax, which is what dealers are required to do.
But what really bothered us is why you would be talked into spending $299 for locks to keep the air bags from being stolen. Nissan acknowledged that it sells air-bag locks through its dealers, the charge is only about $11 for parts, plus installation. And your auto insurance should address air-bag theft.
Glad to learn, however, that you talked with the dealer about the nitrogen in the tires and got the correct answer when you asked him if, when the tires needed filling, "Should I empty them all the way and then fill them?" and he said, "No."
Q. If you want the advantages of driving on snow tires in the winter and regular tires in the summer (Auto Letters, Sept. 13 ), you don't have to change them yourself. Many tire stores will change tires semiannually and store the unused set under ideal conditions. They also will remind you when it's time to change tires. The cost is upward from $75 a year and includes inspection and, often, balancing. -- R.F., Winnetka, Ill.
A. Thanks, but that means trekking to the store twice a year, waiting for the service and then handing over $75, which to some is a lot of time and money spent.
Q. There's a reason consumers bought more foreign cars than domestics under "cash for clunkers." I had to rent an Impala because a Toyota wasn't available and it felt ponderous, was poorly designed and handled like my father's 1962 Chevy. There's a reason I buy Toyota. -- M.R., Chicago
A. And because people have to rent an Impala when they want to rent a Toyota, they bought more Toyotas than Impalas under the "cash for clunkers" program. Thanks for clearing that up. Another reason foreign brands made more sales is that domestic dealers were short of cars.
Q. There are still a lot of people without a computer, so will you continue to handle questions submitted by regular mail? You would be helping the U.S. Postal Service, which is having revenue problems thanks to e-mail. -- J.S., Huntley, Ill.
A. Letters via the U.S. Postal Service are always welcome as are e-mails. Only requirement is that either contains the name of the writer and his or her town.
Write to Jim Mateja, Chicago Tribune, 435 N. Michigan Ave., 4th Floor, Chicago IL 60611, or send e-mail to transportation@tribune.com. Due to the volume of letters, only those in which the reader includes full name and hometown can be read.
The dealer let me walk away from the final month's payment on my leased SUV and didn't charge for excessive wear and tear so feel I came out ahead and am happy with the car.
But I want to alert others that if you see an attractive price on the Internet like I did, you might be slammed with additions like the college rebate. -- A.R., Downers Grove, Ill.
A. After a week of trying to learn from you more about the charges, including the reason for the $2,500 that was added and then subtracted and likewise why a $500 college grade rebate would be added rather than subtracted, you decided you didn't want to pursue this anymore.
We have no idea where the $2,500 came from, but you should have asked about it. You should have asked as well about the $500 college grad rebate and why it was added, unless the rebate was first subtracted then added when it came to figuring sales tax, which is what dealers are required to do.
But what really bothered us is why you would be talked into spending $299 for locks to keep the air bags from being stolen. Nissan acknowledged that it sells air-bag locks through its dealers, the charge is only about $11 for parts, plus installation. And your auto insurance should address air-bag theft.
Glad to learn, however, that you talked with the dealer about the nitrogen in the tires and got the correct answer when you asked him if, when the tires needed filling, "Should I empty them all the way and then fill them?" and he said, "No."
Q. If you want the advantages of driving on snow tires in the winter and regular tires in the summer (Auto Letters, Sept. 13 ), you don't have to change them yourself. Many tire stores will change tires semiannually and store the unused set under ideal conditions. They also will remind you when it's time to change tires. The cost is upward from $75 a year and includes inspection and, often, balancing. -- R.F., Winnetka, Ill.
A. Thanks, but that means trekking to the store twice a year, waiting for the service and then handing over $75, which to some is a lot of time and money spent.
Q. There's a reason consumers bought more foreign cars than domestics under "cash for clunkers." I had to rent an Impala because a Toyota wasn't available and it felt ponderous, was poorly designed and handled like my father's 1962 Chevy. There's a reason I buy Toyota. -- M.R., Chicago
A. And because people have to rent an Impala when they want to rent a Toyota, they bought more Toyotas than Impalas under the "cash for clunkers" program. Thanks for clearing that up. Another reason foreign brands made more sales is that domestic dealers were short of cars.
Q. There are still a lot of people without a computer, so will you continue to handle questions submitted by regular mail? You would be helping the U.S. Postal Service, which is having revenue problems thanks to e-mail. -- J.S., Huntley, Ill.
A. Letters via the U.S. Postal Service are always welcome as are e-mails. Only requirement is that either contains the name of the writer and his or her town.
Write to Jim Mateja, Chicago Tribune, 435 N. Michigan Ave., 4th Floor, Chicago IL 60611, or send e-mail to transportation@tribune.com. Due to the volume of letters, only those in which the reader includes full name and hometown can be read.
