12 THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SHOPPING
WEDNESDAY, JULY 14, 2004
700 Monterey Way
Newer 1&2 BR Apartments
Fully Equipped Kitchen
1 BR $440
2 BR $515
On-site Laundry
Quiet Westside Location.
Great for Topeka
Commuters!
501 Colorado
2 BR 1 Bath $525
3 BR 2 Bath $625
Bradford Square
- DW, C/A. Micro.
• On Bus Route
• Laundry On Site
• One Cat May Be OK
1/2 Month Free
w/12 Month Lease
9th & Michigan
2 BR Apts from $490
2 BR Townhomes from $510
- Pool
- 3 BR w/Garage $775
4 BR 2 Bath $840
• Pool/Tennis Court
• On Bus Route
- Close to downtown and KU
- Laundry on Site
- On bus route
Sunrise Village
660 Gateway Ct.
- W/D Hookups
Available Now & Aug.1
*2 BR's $620
- 1 BR's $520
- Louisiana Place Apts.
1136 Louisiana
•1 BR's $505
•2 BR's from $565
Avalon Apartments
9th & Avalon
- Gas and Water Paid!
Red Oak Apartments
2408 Alabama
*1 BR's from $430
*2 BR's from $470
*Water Paid Parkway Terrace Apts. 2328-2348 Murphy Drive
*Studios $370 w/garage
Call for more details
-2 BR's from $460
-1 BR's from $410
Research important when buying car
By Abby Tillery
atilery@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
If graduation is nearing and your parent's car just isn't cutting it or you want to convince your parents to buy you a car then you need to do your research before you start buying or asking.
According to a Better Business Bureau press release in May, automobile dealers were the most complained about industry in the United States.
Sheila Adkins, associate director of public affairs for the Better Business Bureau, said complaints ranged from deceptive sale practices to misleading advertisements.
She said there was no breakdown on the number or the type of complaints made.
The Federal Trade Commission Web site, www.ftc.gov, provides pointers for buying a car from the optional warranties to checking out the mechanics of a car.
Doug Bahnmaier, owner of Doug's Automotive and Alignment, 530 Gateway Drive, said he would highly suggest a potential car buyer to take the car to a mechanic for an inspection before buying.
Bahnmaier charges $35 for a general vehicle inspection, which includes checks for fluid leaks and other visible problems.
The cost goes up if the customer wants a more thorough inspection. According to the FTC there is no standard vehicle inspection so be sure to ask each mechanic what is included in the vehicle inspection.
Bahnmaier warned to be careful of dealerships that offer extended warranties. He said some of the cars that came into his shop for work weren't always covered with a warranty when they are supposed to.
There are times when the warranty doesn't cover the labor costs and there are also times when the warranty company is filing bankruptcy.
If the company is in bankruptcy, he said, then the cost of the repair is defaulted to the customer.
Jack Ellena, president of Jack Ellena Honda, 2957 Four Wheel Drive, said the warranties that are sold in addition to the car vary.
Often the dealership warranty is good for 90 days or 3,000 miles.
TIPS FOR BUYING A CAR
The car is fixed at the dealership, taking out the guessing game of the warranty dependability.
If buying from a car dealership check the Better Business Bureau Web site, www.bbb.org, for the rating of the company
Check the Kelley Blue Book value of the vehicle at www.kbb.org
Pull a history check on the car at www.carfax.com
If purchasing an extended warranty, research the warranty company
Ask for the maintenance record on the vehicle
Test drive the car on various road conditions: highways, hills and stop-and-go-traffic
Check the latest Consumer Reports edition for the vehicle.
Compiled by Abby Tillery Source: Federal trade commission
Jack Ellena Honda has only had one complaint in the last three years, according to the Better Business Bureau Web site. www.bbb.org.
The complaint was not resolved. Ellena was not aware of the complaint and said, "we bend over backwards here for customer service."
The Better Business Bureau Web site has an option for the user to type in the name of a business at any location to receive a rating on that business.
Web sites such as www.carfax.com allow a person to type in any vehicle identification number and receive a report about the vehicle's history.
The report includes checks on titles, odometer readings, accident reports and registration. Maintenance history of the vehicle is not included in the carfax report.
The FTC guide on buying a used car suggests to get a copy of the maintenance records for the car.
If the records are not available, talk to the previous owner and find out where most of the work was done.
The FTC Web site said some mechanics would release the work history for the car.
Researching the vehicle you want can only help your odds in convincing your parents to buy the one you want.
- Edited by Joe Burke