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When a Lexus Turns into a Lemon

Last updated: Nov 25, 2019 at 11:27AM
Published on: Jun 17, 2013 by tgriffith

A 2004 Lexus RX 330 should run forever. Especially one that’s well taken care of, undergoes regular oil changes using synthetic oil, gets its scheduled maintenance done, has just 77,000 miles on the clock and was purchased in 2008 as a certified used car with just over 30,000 miles.

The car has performed well, gone on many road trips across most of the Western United States and carried many loads of Costco groceries, football gear and horseback riding equipment. It has never let its owner down. Even amidst all the positives, the car has had certain issues and, now, they’ve reached a point where the owner wonders if she should keep the car or sell it and move on to something newer.

The car still has about $12,000 owed on the bank loan. Based on similar vehicles posted on the CarGurus used listings, this RX 330 is still worth somewhere between $14,000 and $18,000.

Here are the issues facing this RX:

Will Dodge Disappear Next?

Last updated: Nov 25, 2019 at 11:26AM
Published on: Jun 14, 2013 by tgriffith

If you’re like me, when you hear the name Dodge, you still think of beefy pickup trucks. Never mind the fact that Chrysler took all of Dodge’s trucks and moved them under the Ram brand back in 2009.

That shift left Dodge with nothing more than a couple of cars, two SUVs and a van. The plan was to turn Dodge into a sporty car brand, but so far the new Dart is as close as we’ve seen to anything new and exciting. With some recent news about some Dodge vehicles getting discontinued, is it possible Dodge will cease to exist?

The Best Beach Cars Under $10,000

Last updated: Nov 25, 2019 at 11:29AM
Published on: Jun 7, 2013 by zwaller

This past weekend, temperatures in the Boston area topped the 90-degree mark for the first time this year, sending the CarGurus team and thousands of other Bostonians to the area’s many beaches to cool off. While many were stuck searching for parking at the most popular beaches, others were able to simply pull up to the beach, let some air out of the tires, slip their car into 4-wheel drive and find a prime spot right next to the surf—with no one else in sight.

This is the going to the beach that I grew up with and one of the primary reasons that I still have a 4WD pickup. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of changing from pavement to sand. You pull up to the beach, make the change into 4WD, and you’re off. Instead of hearing the tires whining against the pavement, you get the gentle sound of them pushing through the sand, with no more pedestrians and bicyclists to watch out for, just shorebirds, sunbathers and fishermen.

Most Fun 2014 Cars You Can Get with a Manual

Last updated: Sep 27, 2019 at 2:23PM
Published on: May 3, 2013 by zwaller

Shifter

I remember the first time I drove a car, I was 13, and I spent hours stalling my dad’s 1984 Toyota Pickup. Over and over we drove around in that circle, my dad refusing to give up on me until I could finally master the art of the manual transmission.

Many of us probably have a similar story (okay, most were probably more gifted and were able to learn how to work the clutch in a matter of minutes, not hours), one of trying and failing until that glorious moment when you get enough (but not too much) gas to the engine and take off for that first time in first gear. It’s a story of pain and struggle, but at the same time it intensely bonded you to the person who taught you an essential life skill, and it ended with sheer joy at the point when you finally mastered the stick shift. Sadly, this experience may not be a common one for much longer.

A right of passage for many a teenager, learning how to drive stick is gradually becoming less and less common, as more and more automakers choose to discontinue production of vehicles with manual transmissions. Just this week, we received the heart-wrenching news that Porsche would no longer produce the 911 Turbo with a manual gearbox. This follows in the footsteps of Ferrari and McLaren, who dropped manual transmissions altogether in recent years, along with Mercedes-Benz and Lamborghini, who have already nixed the necessity on their superstars, the SLS AMG and Aventador. If European makers of supercars can no longer produce fun-to-drive cars with stick shifts, who will?

Seven Stylish Summer Convertibles Under $10k

Last updated: Apr 24, 2013 at 1:57PM
Published on: Mar 29, 2013 by spitzer.h

Well, it’s about that time of year. The time of year when you look up at that puny sunroof adorning your boring sedan and say, “Man, wouldn’t it be nice to have a real convertible?!” Up here in the Northeast, when the temperature rises, the tops drop like clockwork. While many drivers are still using their seat warmers, convertible owners start braving the elements as long as it’s dry and the temperature is north of 45 degrees. For me, seeing someone enjoying their sporty convertible on a chilly spring day sparks a whirlwind of emotions summed up by one word: Jealousy. Because it’s still only spring, I take a semi-sick pleasure in knowing that the happy-go-lucky guy driving his Porsche in front of me is freezing and hope he’s enjoying every breath of road salt not yet washed down the gutter. But I digress.

Are you, too, feeling “convertible envy” but hesitant to give up your daily driver? You don’t have to. Excuses abound for why not to buy a second car, but when talking about a convertible, all bets are off. For this list, we’re looking at 7 stylish summer convertibles available for less than $10k. Let’s take a look at the countdown:

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