Loyal, lovable G6 seeks good home...

General Motors has announced 3.9% financing for up to 60 months on GM Certified pre-owned Pontiac G6 models. Since there are plenty of the midsize coupes and sedans in new inventory, moving used stock has proven to be a challenge, even with GM’s 12 month, 12,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty.

The G6, a staple of rental car fleets across the US and Canada, has not proven to be popular with potential collectors buying a piece of Pontiac’s legacy. Now if they had any unwanted 2009 G8 GXPs in CPO inventory, I might be interested…

Source: Autoevolution

On the fence between that certified used Camry and a really clean Ferrari 360? Leaning towards the Camry because it comes with a warranty? Well, stress no longer, since Ferrari has announced a 24 month warranty on certified pre owned models. The optional coverage is available for a wide range of models, including the 360, F430, 550/575, 599 and 612 series cars. To qualify, the car must be less than eight years old and have no more than 90,000 kilometers (56,000 miles) on the clock.

Source: Autoblog

So you’re not the type to buy or lease a new vehicle, and even “Certified Pre-Owned” cars are more coin than you’re willing to part with. So, Mr. Cash-and-carry, how can you avoid getting ripped off when buying a used car? There are no absolutes, and even well respected manufacturers build lemons from time to time, but here are my top ten pointers for buying a good used car at a fair price:

1) Know EXACTLY what you want. Don’t shop for a “sporty car” or a “sedan” or a “pickup truck”. Shop for a 2000 to 2005 Mazda Miata, or a 2001 – 2003 VW Passat or a 1997 – 2000 Ford F150. If you stay focused, you are less likely to be lured into buying a car you have NOT done research on just because it appears to be cleaner or in better shape. Focus, people!

Ok fine… I’ll admit it; there are times when I can be a total prick when it comes to cars. This however only takes place when I find them offensive. Take this 1996 Honda Accord that is currently listed on eBay for example – it offends me. Not so much because of what it is, but because of what was done to it. One day 14 years ago this little Accord rolled off the assembly line with the dream of making someone very happy. It was filled with the hopes of serving as reliable transportation to an individual or family. All the right attributes were there. A peppy 4-cylinder engine, great fuel economy and most of all Honda’s legendary reliability.

But then somewhere along its lifetime this little Honda went astray… it was corrupted by the powers that be and turned to the dark side of the force. It’s a story we’ve heard a thousand times before and one that ends just as tragically. First an aftermarket stereo was added, then speakers and boombastic’ amp. Rims and tires where next (non-matching), followed by the flatulent sounds of an aftermarket exhaust system (muffler only)… now, it was only a matter of time.

Next was the addition of a non-painted body kit, aftermarket seats and the ever-present super sized rear wing that does absolutely nothing. But this wasn’t good enough… it wanted more. Non-racing, racing seats (purchased second hand) were added in conjunction with harnesses that were installed incorrectly. But tragically the final nail in the coffin came by way of a weapon that is like a mistress to a politician… the Sawzall. The final breath of the little Accord took place when it’s sunroof, the virtual window to the cars soul, was cut out and cast aside like a piece of everyday trash. Left now is only a shell of a once reliable family sedan. Its good intentions squandered and it’s dreams crushed under the heel of an amateur customizer.

We now bid you farewell “Little Honda that Could” and wish you bliss in the automotive afterlife… Vios Con Dios little Honda… Vios Con Dios…

The Red Green Show officially went off the air in 2006, but the indelible legacy it left on DIY gearheads lives on and to this day, duct tape is second only to Bondo as the destitute crowd’s favorite repair tool. Among those most heavily influenced by Red Green’s jury rigging is a member of RideLust’s own staff (who shall remain nameless) that attempted a half-assed repair job of their own on an aging Volvo. Hilarity later ensued at the inspection station (followed immediately by a rejection sticker) and in honor of the laughs they elicited we’ve assembled an assortment of our favorite moments in Possum Lodge engineering.

Inspired by my current quest for a sub-$5,000 daily driver, I’ve decided to publish a companion piece to the generalized buyer’s tips I outlined months ago specifically geared towards purchasing from Craigslist. Unlike other digital automotive marketplaces (Vehix, AutoTrader, etc) Craigslist provides the unique opportunity to find both rare treasures and immensely entertaining, often poorly executed scams. As a matter of fact, so prevalent is the latter it would likely be prudent to offer a few tips to avoid losing your shirt to the crown prince of Nigeria, but if the giant banner at the top of the auto classifieds proclaiming “OFFERS TO SHIP CARS ARE 100% FRAUDULENT” doesn’t serve as enough of a warning, you should probably be sterilized. So, moving on.

The first and most solid piece of advice I can offer is this: lower your standards. If you’re shopping for a used car with the same kind of operating budget that I am then your search is going to be not entirely unlike that of the skeezy guy/fat chick’s at the single’s bar. Your options are going to be limited, so you can’t afford to be too picky. At this stage in the game (10+ years old, 100k-ish miles), barring any miraculous discovery of a Granny-driven, garage-kept Benz, the cars that you’ll be looking at will have seen much better days. The “Service” indicator will probably be stuck on because the local garage didn’t have the right code reader needed to turn it off, there’ll be a couple dings from lost battles in cramped parking garages, and the leather might be ripped from where the K-9 unit started smelled the coke. What you need to determine is which defects you’re willing to let slide and which ones will be a deal breaker. For example, I need: air conditioning, a tape deck, no leaks, and rear windows that roll all the way down. I can live with: blood stains, minor dents, and awful aftermarket rims. I can also live with a wealthy beneficiary whose willing to buy me a decommissioned military-spec Gelandewagen and/or a Land Rover Defender…but I digress.

My second piece of advice is equally as simplistic as the first: get a clue. Kbb.com and Edmunds.com offer excellent used car appraisal services – use them. I’ve found that often times owners will demonstrate a particular soft spot for their aging piece of crap by pricing it for thousands more than it’s worth, so it pays to be aware of exactly how delusional a seller may or may not be. With the ‘93 Volvo 240 I discussed below, the seller wanted literally double what the vehicle was worth – though to be fair that wasn’t so much an example of die-hard loyalty as it was a blatant rip-off. At any rate, the likelihood that you’ll run into a comically priced vehicle on Craigslist is actually much higher than if you’d gone the dealership route since most of these guys have a personal attachment to their rides. Keep this in mind when you march in to meet them with your KBB print out in hand and try not to piss all over their hard work. Gently yet firmly explain to them how much the vehicle is worth, how much you’re willing to pay, and if all else fails offer to perform sexual favors. I jest, of course. You should offer the favors up front.

Maryland-based Genovation Inc. is rolling out their “new” “PHEV” car, the G1. I wish i didn’t have to use so many quotation marks, but there’s a reason for that. First of all, the G1 isn’t a new car – it’s a conversion based on the old Ford Focus. That’s not a bad thing, but it ain’t “new” by any stretch of the imagination – plus you’re supplying the accident-free Focus, and THEN forking over $22,000 for the conversion! Then there’s the issue of the PHEV – Genovation says that you’ll have a choice between a purely electric drivetrain or a hybrid gas-electric setup that’ll use your choice of fuels. Of course, no details are available as to what those auxiliary engine choices are, which to this skeptical car nut raises some red flags. Namely, if they aren’t talking specifics, it likely doesn’t exist yet and your pre-purchase deposit is probably being counted on to fund the R&D And we haven’t even gotten to the vaporware G2 yet … make the jump for more.

In our last Rust or Lust, we determined that despite the odds, the Dodge Neon SRT-4 was worthy of our begrudging, nay, bemused admiration. Of course, that schizophrenic little monster was unnaturally aspirated and similarly unnaturally FWD. Today’s contender is more conventional, sporting a straight-six out front driving the rear wheels. What is it, a Dodge Dart? Think again …

This Week’s Car: the 2001-2005 Lexus IS300

Anyone want to film another Blues Brothers movie?

What do you do when your state is so far under water it makes the Mariana Trench look like a kiddy pool? You hustle, baby. Someone at Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s office came up with the brilliant idea of having the celebrity Governator sign 15 of the more than 500 used state vehicles up for auction so as to raise additional money. As of Tuesday, the highest bid on a signed car was for a 2003 Civic Hybrid at a steal for $5,500! But if that doesn’t suit your fancy, there are vans, Crown Vics, and even ex-CHP BMW motorcycles to choose from. Sick of the state of the state? Put your money where your mouth is and pony up for the greater good!

Yesterday morning, multiple news sources were reporting that based on current activity, the Cash for Clunkers program could run out of said cash by September 1st. Come to find out, there are a lot more deals pending approval than expected, and the $1 billion allotted could be gone by as early as tomorrow.