XPost: alt.autos.toyota
From: garyconditswellhungrelative@yahooDOT.com
"Jeff Strickland" wrote on Wed 07 Aug 2013 12:48:52p
>
> "SMH" wrote in message
> news:XnsA21577D5D62CDSMH1960@78.46.70.116...
>>
>> It's been a while since I bought a new car in the United States (late
>> 1980s,
>> I am guessing), so perhaps things have changed.
>>
>> I just got a 2013 Toyota Corolla L and know that I need certain things:
>>
>> * Protection of floor carpet
>> After looking at the "digital fit" mats priced from $120 and up on
>> Ebay, I went with some $50 package (on Ebay) because it is carpeted
>> and not like stepping on a Rubbermaid surface, although I am not
>> entirely sure that the digital or custom fit Weather Tech or Husky
>> Liner products are merely neoprene or plastic looking. I would need
>> to see the product to know what I am missing. Note that $50 package
>> also threw in some seat covers.
>>
>
> You already selected a solution, but I was going to suggest the auto
> parts department at WalMart as a source for floor mats. An auto parts
> store is also an excellent place to shop for mats. If your online
> solution has shipping charges, the store might work out to be cheaper.
>
> If your Corolla L is the base car, that is often a poor choice because
> you are now looking for stuff that might be included in a car that has
> the features already included. For example, if your car has manual door
> locks and you want an alarm -- it looks like you do -- then the power
> locks from the factory wold work better and cost about the same as
> having the alarm installer put in lock actuators, and the package that
> has power locks has power windows too, and probably has a better radio.
> The cost-up for the higher trim package is cheaper, usually, than buying
> parts of the trim package later and adding them on. As a bonus, the
> parts fit and work better from the factory.
>
>
>
>
>> * Trim/Moulding
>> This is the part I am concerned about. Naturally I would like to
>> stick something on the door to prevent door opening dings. I don't
>> think that should affect any dealership or manufacturer warranties
>>
>
> WalMart and Pep Boys, among others I am sure, have very good products
> that fit over the door edge. There is no warranty implication at all
> with these. You should visit the dealership parts department and
> casually stroll the display cases. They have some good ideas of stuff to
> buy. I'm not suggesting you buy it there, just look as what they have
> already figured out what many customers want and they have it.
>
>
>
>
>> * Security against auto theft
>> I was asking someone what they did for protecting the car against
>> theft in Miami, and they said "insurance." In other words, they said
>> there is nothing that can be done to stop a thief. "Once they get
>> your car, it will be dismantled for parts before you can report the
>> theft after directly witnessing it." Opinions?
>>
>
> Stop by your local car alarm store -- Best Buy's radio/electronics
> department might be a good place to stop. It is not a difficult task to
> install a car alarm that has Ignition Bypass. If your Corolla has power
> door locks, then it is very easy to install an alarm system that locks
> and unlock the doors with the press of a button. If your car does not
> have power door locks, the alarm installer can add actuators that
> perform this task. I forget, but I think they are about $25 each.
>
> If your car has an automatic transmission, you can easily install a
> system with Remote Start if that sort of thing is interesting to you.
>
> If you financed the car, you already have the insurance you need. Your
> insurance carrier would probably discount the premium if you have an
> alarm system installed.
>
>
>
>> * Other accessories?
>> Is there an extra I should be planning on?
>
> If there is anything "missing" on your car, odds are excellent that you
> bought the wrong car.
>
> It's fine to buy a base model car, but if you turn around and start
> putting stuff on it that might be included as a factory option on a
> higher trim level car of the same model, a Corolla S instead of the
> Corolla L for example, it is easy that the stuff that you buy costs more
> and works worse than going up-market a little bit when you made the
> original purchase.
>
> You asked about an alarm, but you need power locks so you will know that
> the doors are locked when the alarm is armed. Without power locks, you
> might have an instance where a door is not locked and the alarm is
> pretty much useless at that point. For the cost of the higher trim
> level, you would get both power door locks and power windows, and power
> mirrors too. The power package installed at the factory probably costs
> about the same as the door lock actuators you need, and the factory
> installs this stuff before the door panels are put into place, the alarm
> installer has to take the door panels off. He'll know how to do this,
> but anytime somebody has to take something off there is a chance it will
> be damaged in some way that will just annoy you for the rest of your
> life.
Thanks for a lot of the useful info.
The 2013 "base model" L sold to me is an automatic transmission with the
smart key entry and power locks, mirrors, windows.
Normally I would have bought something better, but I just returned to the
United States, and there is a lot of uncertainty about personal financial
security right now. In fact, I was thinking if getting a low-mileage used
car, but the prices in many cases were higher on those car types than buying
the new Toyota: apparently Toyota was willing to take a bath [?] and
unloading unsold 2013 inventory at cheaper prices than for certified pre-
owned cars, same model, color and features! I looked at 2013 Corolla L with
900 miles that was certified pre-owned, and it was about $500 more expensive
than the new 2013 Corolla L. And that was true at two dealerships in the
city.
I have jotted down your advice for future shopping activities.
--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)
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