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Rent, Lease, Sell Or Keep: 2001 Toyota Prius
Six years ago I managed to make a $2000 profit on a car without it ever leaving the auction. A few winks to the auctioneer. A few clicks on a digital camera. A few paragraphs on Ebay. Done. I had...
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Question Of The Day: What Was Your Best Automotive Deal…. Ever?
The bidding kept going down and down at the inop auction. A sale where all cars are usually either dead or dying. “$200! would-a-give-me $200! $100! $100! How about-a-hundred!” Pretty soon the bidding...
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Hammer Time: Is MSRP A Mathematical Study In BS?
In the olden days known as the late 20th century, an ancient artifact called a “newspaper” would be dropped by your front door. Inside this mostly unrecycled piece of pulp was an automotive...
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Auction Monday: All! Hail! Mary!
When you have 120 dealers looking at the same exact car on a Monday morning, you have three options if you plan on buying a car. 1) Bid 2) Watch 3) Leave After I saw a 2003 Infiniti FX35 with 220,558...
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Monday Mileage Champion: Sweet Ol’ Beater Hondas!
Some things in life are just plain goofy when you start thinking about them a good bit. Consider the lyrics to the Lynyrd Skynyrd anthem”Sweet Home Alabama”, coupled with Forrest Gump dancing with his...
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Auction Day: Seconds!
There comes a time when the prices for used cars at the auto auctions go the way of an exuberant bubble. A small army of consumers get their tax refunds. The car lots wake up from their winter...
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Hammer Time: The Number One Killer
“I wouldn’t buy a car at an auction. They’re all junk!” Bad transmissions. Blown engines. Cars that smoke, drink and hang out with the bad boys thanks to all different types of leaks and spewage. This...
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Hammer Time: The Second Set
Within 50 feet of getting out of my old 74 Chevy C10 I hear a familiar voice. “Hey Steve. How are ya?” A 6 foot 7 inch monstrosity of a man pats me hard on the back and dislodges the few cobwebs that...
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How To Become A Car Dealer… Without Ruining Your Life
The car business can be a pain for three distinct reasons. The first comes from the cars that you sell. Botched repairs. Unhappy customers. Surprises that just seem to spring up and bite you in the...
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Steve Lang Says Farewell (For Now)
After the leadership change last week, we opened up some communication with Steve Lang about returning to TTAC. Most of our readers would like to see the man behind the gavel back in action here....
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Hammer Time: Not Thrilled By The Shill
Steve Lang might not be “thrilled by the shill”, but here at TTAC, we’re delighted to see him return. As always, he drove a tough bargain, but he’s back. Look for more “Hammer Time” articles from our...
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Hammer Time: Bankrate.com And The Economics Of Car Ownership
One thousand, nine hundred, and fifty two dollars. That is how much the average Georgian is supposed to pay in tax, title, and registration fees every year according to Bankrate.com. When I read that...
View ArticleHammer Time: Lawyers, Guns And Tesla
Click here to view the embedded video. A working-class song, “Lawyers, Guns And Money” pierces my mind like a mantra as I wander around a place known here in Georgia as “The Gold Dome.” Everything...
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New or Used? : The Unwelcomed Gift Edition
I’ve written before for “New or Used?” regarding my ’04 Scion xB 5MT that I (mistakenly) ended up trading in towards my family’s 2013 Outback 3.6R last year. Since then I’ve been driving my wife’s ’06...
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Hammer Time: Old Tech / New Tech
Ah, the good old days. A time when smartphones were just PDA’s with hormone imbalances. A time of basic cell phones, brick-thick cameras, and camcorders barely big enough to require a hand strap. I...
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New Or Used? : No One Loves My Bimmer Edition
A reader writes: Steve – So glad to see you back at TTAC. I’ve learned so much more about auctions to go along with what you and I discussed a year-and-a-half (!) ago. I have a question of a...
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Hammer Time: The Rise And The Fall Of The Panthers
When you think of a cop car or a taxi, chances are this vehicle will pop in your mind. Now think of the cars that old people drive. No not Camrys! Get that thought off your mind right now mister!...
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Hammer Time: Young People Smell Funny
A herd of automotive journalists get led off into a dark room filled with oversized furniture and cheap snacks. It is where the ritual slaughter of truth takes place. A screen bigger than Wilt...
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Hammer Time: Reversing the Clusterscrews
I admit it. Every once in a while I buy a vehicle that simply doesn’t work out. Everything checks out at the auction. But then, I get a birthday surprise. It could be a transmission that randomly goes...
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Hammer Time: The TI-QI Top Ten
At what point are you willing to accept a low-ball offer for your old beater? Is it when the tranny blows out? Or does it eventually come through the scourge of rust, and the constant breaking of...
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