It’s time to buy that new car. You’ve done your homework at the library, you’ve visited several showrooms to find the best deal.
But don’t forget that there are some other not-so-obvious things to check before you buy a new car. These suggestions also are valid for used-car shoppers.
Air conditioning: Until recently all auto air conditioners used the refrigerant R-12, which contains chlorofluorocarbons thought to damage the ozone layer. The government has banned manufacture and importation of R-12 (and all CFCs) at the end of 1995, and prices are expected to ascend as stocks dwindle.
Many new cars use the CFC-free R-134a refrigerant, but plenty still use R-12. You may want to avoid them for environmental and practical reasons. In a few years, an R-12 car could require an expensive retrofit to accept R-134a. It’s especially wise to avoid R-12 if you expect to own the new car for several years. Check window stickers, sales literature or ask the salesperson if the car you’re considering has non-CFC refrigerant.
Suspension: Some automobile and sport-utility models offer an adjustable suspension system as an upmarket option, often in combination with other luxury features. They have shock absorbers with adjustable damping, usually a bit stiffer for a “sport” mode, and a “touring” mode for a softer ride. Typically the mode is selected by a switch on the car’s instrument panel or console.
The difference in ride quality between the settings is often minimal, but the surprise comes 40,000 miles down the road when it’s time to replace those adjustable shocks. Most likely, they will be substantially more expensive than standard, fixed damping shocks. For example, an Oldsmobile dealer quoted me $28.50 each for non-adjustable ’93 Achieva shock. The adjustable shocks cost $250 each.
Adjustable shocks on sport-utilities, such as the three-way shocks on upscale Mitsubishi Montero models, are more desirable because of the wide range of road conditions they might see. But the adjustable Montero shocks cost $112 each compared to $54 each for the non-adjustable shocks, according to a dealer.
Compact discs: There are two types: the single disc player in the dashboard and the trunk-mounted multi-disc changer. Disc changers usually hold six CDs in cartridges that can be awkward to load but make several hours of music available.
In the single disc system, the user puts the CD in a slot on the dash. The player plays it and ejects it like a tape. As with a home CD player, tracks can be skipped or repeated.
Sound systems with multiple changers usually have a cassette player as well, and some single disc systems replace the cassette. The omission of a cassette player may not be apparent in sales literature and is easy to overlook at the dealership.
Seat belts: New cars are fitted with a variety of seat belts that range from pitiful to excellent.
In sedans, the outboard shoulder belt mount should be on the pillar between the front and rear doors (the B pillar in auto vernacular), and it should be adjustable up and down to fit the height of the driver. Fixed-mount belts, usually suited for tall drivers, often fall across the shoulder and neck of short drivers, which can be uncomfortable and dangerous.
The worst seat belt system is used on several mainstream General Motors models including the Chevrolet Lumina and Buick Skylark. The outboard ends of the shoulder and lap belts are attached to the doors, but a collision that causes the door to pop open would release the belts. So the doors are designed to lock when the car gets under way. This makes for an ill-fitting and awkward seat belt system and doors that have to be unlocked before they can be opened.
Air bags: With the life-saving ability of air bags and the fact that they are so widely available, it doesn’t make sense to spend $15,000 or more on a new automobile and not get bags. Dual bags are a common, but not certain, feature in ’94 models.
Also, some autos meet the government’s 1997 side-impact crash standards. Safety conscious buyers should look for models with dual air bags and the soon-to-be-required side-door guard beams, as well as anti-lock brakes.
All-wheel-drive: A few automakers offer popular models with an all-wheel-drive option that is useful only on ski trips to the Rockies or on slick, snowy or muddy roads.
All-wheel-drive means the engine drives all four wheels all the time through a series of constant velocity joints and differentials, a system that usually adds $1,000 to $2,000 to the vehicle’s purchase price along with a slight fuel mileage penalty and additional maintenance costs.
Climate control: Automatic climate control systems, which have thermostats much like the one in your house, were developed in the quest to come up with new “features” to confer “value” on luxury cars.
The best automatic systems have a manual override, or at least allow the user some control over fan speed. Then it can be used like a typical system.
