New Car Recommendations?

[annie24]

Sigh..... why is this so hard???? :cry:

 

Toyota and Subaru dealerships are kind of far away from me. But my boss said they would probably pick me up if I said I was serious about buying a car, lol.

 

Altima has high ratings on the Institute for Highway Safety. We'll see.... I'll keep test driving.

[Jibralta]

Nissan used to rate very high in Consumer Reports. But at some point after 2006, their ratings dropped drastically. Not sure why.

 

My mom had a Maxima, and it was awesome. But it had those halogen lights, and they got ripped out of her car one day by thieves.

 

I had a Camry for a couple of years. Great car.

 

Honda rates very high as well.

[annie24]

I bought a car tonight! I got a 2016 Nissan Rogue. There was a good internet sale deal and it’s the one I went with. I drove it home and got honked at because I stopped at a yellow light. The car then swerved around me and went through the red. Ok then. Then I parked my car about a block away from my place and then urg...... slightly scratched the car in front of me while parallel parking. The car had like 50 other scratches on it. My brand new car has a scratch now too. Gah.

[mustlovedogs]

I bought a car tonight! I got a 2016 Nissan Rogue. There was a good internet sale deal and it’s the one I went with. I drove it home and got honked at because I stopped at a yellow light. The car then swerved around me and went through the red. Ok then. Then I parked my car about a block away from my place and then urg...... slightly scratched the car in front of me while parallel parking. The car had like 50 other scratches on it. My brand new car has a scratch now too. Gah.

 

I hope you left your insurance information for that driver.

 

Also you should avoid stopping at yellows. That can cause an accident. If they hit you, technically it’s their fault, but it’s not safe to stop when people don’t expect you to stop.

[annie24]

Uh oh. I didn’t. Should I? I can go right now. Omg. I’ve literally had insurance for like 3 hours.

 

I thought you can stop at yellow if you don’t have time to make it through the intersections

[mustlovedogs]

Uh oh. I didn’t. Should I? I can go right now. Omg. I’ve literally had insurance for like 3 hours.

 

I thought you can stop at yellow if you don’t have time to make it through the intersections

 

Yes. You caused an accident. Damaging anyone’s vehicle with your own is an accident. Technically you have also “hit and ran”.

 

They will probably do nothing if it’s literally just a scratch - but that’s not your decision to make.

 

If you’re at a complete stop when it’s yellow, you’re stopping far too early.

[annie24]

I still don’t think I did anything wrong by stopping at this yellow. :/ I mean, yellow doesn’t mean “drive faster”. I couldn’t make it through the intersection in time. Certainly the other car didn’t do the right thing by going around me and honking and right through the red.

 

i can go leave a note now.

[annie24]

I just wrote a note and when I went there, the car was already gone. I guess I’ll leave a note next time??? Hopefully no next times!!

[mustlovedogs]

If you were at a complete stop and the light was still yellow, you had time - the lights are timed correctly.

 

It should realistically turn yellow, you brake, and you roll to a stop after it’s red.

 

If someone came to a dead stop on a yellow I would honk too.

[annie24]

Maybe the law is different in your country but I am positive that yellow here means either stop or proceed carefully through the intersection.

[mustlovedogs]

What country?

[annie24]

I’m in the US.

[mustlovedogs]

I am too. Yes, technically you can stop at a yellow. But I insist you’re stopping too early if you are at a dead stop and the light is already yellow.

[annie24]

I could see that the light had already been yellow for a while and would have turned red if I went through the intersection. The guy behind me was just being impatient. I didn’t start stopping while the light was green.

[Coily]

First of all congrats on the new car!!! One of my best friends has a Rogue, and she really likes it. We've sorted out a non-mechanical issue or two on it; so if you have any questions (especially when it comes to mechanics) feel free to ask. Since you are an urban dweller, you should look into some of those bumper guards. ( think they look goofy, but seem to work).

 

All depends on the size of the scratch, if it exposes metal or plastic, or is larger than a dime; then go to the effort of doing the insurance bit. Otherwise it's like a door ding and hard to prove the origin; that said always nice to leave a note.

 

As for the yellow, you are technically correct; but typical driving etiquette is to squeeze every second. That said, do what is both legal and comfortable for you at this stage in your driving. You'll know when to push the limit of a light in time.

 

Just another thought, and something that helped me when I was starting to drive, if you live where it snows; find an empty parking lot and play around in it at low speed. Practice panic braking, sharp turns, and the like; it will give you an idea of how to be safer.

[annie24]

Thank Coily. I like it so far but haven't driven it since last night. It's just sitting there now on the street. I parked it on a 1-way street, but on the left side of the street (and at that point, I realized that it is different than trying to park on the right side of the street!). Actually, when I was trying to parallel park, a man on the sidewalk saw me and said let me help! I rolled down my window. I was like, "I think I hit that car!" He's like, "I don't think so. let me tell you what to do...." then he walked me through it. So I followed his directions and parked. When I got out of the car, I could see 2 scratches on my own new car, so I obviously scratched it, but I couldn't tell you which of the scratches I caused on their bumper because there were like 50 already. :o city living.... I probably should get a bumper guard. I'll carry notepaper in my glovebox for next time. Hopefully no more next times?????

 

People are just kind of aggressive drivers here and bend the rules. I live right by an elementary school with a 4-way stop and people regularly blow through the stop signs. Some slow down, others just don't even bother stopping. They do come to a complete stop only when there is a pedestrian (and only really some of the time - many times if I am crossing the street, as in, already crossing the street, but they can make it without hitting me, they do). So, that's nice.... During the school year, there is usually a campus police officer or a crossing guard stationed on that corner, so drivers behave a little better then, but now, no.

 

Thanks for the suggestion - I should definitely practice in an empty-ish place. Unfortunately, no empty parking lots where I live!! But if I drive a while, maybe I can find one on a snowy day. Maybe if I try really early in the morning on a Sunday or something, I might be able to try.

[sophie274]

People are impatient drivers in your city! I drive into downtown once a week and find it pretty stressful. I generally just try to ignore honking and do my thing. The other day I was in an uber and the driver kept honking at people for no reason (for example, line of cars stopped at red light, she honks). By the way, as far as I know, the law for a yellow is to stop unless you are unable to safely do so - but of course that's not how most people drive them, especially in big cities. I don't think you did anything wrong there Annie!

[annie24]

So impatient here!!! I was crossing the street (as a pedestrian) and a car sees me but just continues anyway (he knows he can make it across the intersection without hitting me). Like, is an additional 5 seconds going to be a problem? I was in a Lyft a few months ago and we were stopped at a red light and the guy behind us was honking. A random pedestrian yelled at him, "it's a red light!! No one can move anywhere!!"

[Jibralta]

Stop at yellow is apparently the law, but I never knew that! If you stop at yellow around here, you're in trouble. Yellow means speed up!

 

Interestingly, I noticed that the yellow lights here are longer than they are in more rural states. When I was in college, the yellow lights turned red SO FAST! But here, they keep them long because they don't expect anyone to stop. I suppose the cops reserve the right to pull you over for running the yellow, but they rarely do.

 

I guess the most important thing is adapting to the driving culture that you are in. Keeps you safer.

[luminousone]

Congrats, Annie!

 

You are correct about the yellow light. However, different cities have different cultures. Do what you need to do, but be aware of how close people might be tailing you in case they might rear end you (so no sudden stops).

 

Parallel parking is difficult at first, until you get the hang of it. You will eventually be a pro at it, even on the left side. Hopefully you have a backup camera, as that helps.

[luminousone]

As far as the scratch - well, you got the first one over with, so you don't have that worry anymore, lol.

 

My (then) husband bought a new Camry. Within a few days he had bought some 2 x 4s and leaned them against the wall in the garage. They slid over and dented the trunk of his car, the first week he had it. Oh well.

[luminousone]

Hopefully this video comes through in the link.

 

I can surely relate to this, lol, except I now have the backup camera.

 

[Jibralta]

My (then) husband bought a new Camry. Within a few days he had bought some 2 x 4s and leaned them against the wall in the garage. They slid over and dented the trunk of his car, the first week he had it. Oh well.

 

The first week I bought my new car, an acorn dropped from the giant oak in our parking lot and dented the roof. Just a little dent, but a dent no less. Grrrrr.

[luminousone]

The first week I bought my new car, an acorn dropped from the giant oak in our parking lot and dented the roof. Just a little dent, but a dent no less. Grrrrr.

 

Annoying! So, Annie, don't park under an oak tree...

[luminousone]

Annie, do you know what side your gas tank is on??