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Is it a good idea to upgrade to a newer used car?
John Paul, AAA Northeast's Car Doctor, answers a question from a reader considering selling a 2012 vehicle and buying a 2018.
Q. I have a 2012 Toyota Camry with 47,000 miles. I am thinking of selling it and buying my daughter’s 2018 Toyota Camry with 51,000 miles. The main reason is to gain so many more safety features. My driving is generally less than 5,000 miles per year. What would be reasonable prices, selling one car and buying the other? Is this a good idea?
A. Looking at both CarGurus and iSeeCars, there is about an $8,000 to $10,000 difference in value. A good low mileage 2012 Camry is selling for between $10,000 and $12,000. A similar low mileage 2018 Camry is selling for $20,000 to $22,000. Having extra safety features and a more dependable car is almost always a worthwhile investment.
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Q. Recently my 2011 Mazda CX-7 needed a new alternator and battery. After I picked the car up from the repair center, the radio wouldn’t bring in the stations I’m used to hearing, both local and further away. To me, this indicated an issue with the antenna connection. When I asked the service person about it, they denied that there was any connection between the alternator/battery service and the antenna issue (or radio issue). I have always kept my Mazda in good repair, but since it is over 10 years old and has 180,000 miles, I feel more vulnerable to service techs using that as an excuse.
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A. There is no reason that the shop needed to disturb the antenna or antenna wiring while replacing the battery or alternator. It is possible that if the alternator was overcharging it damaged the radio. Sometimes you can get lucky and unplug the radio and let it power back up, allowing a type of reset.
Q. I have a 2006 Ford Escape hybrid. When I go to fill up the tank, the nozzle is easily tripped as if the tank is full, when it is not. I have to pump the gas extremely slowly in order to fill the tank. This is very frustrating. Any ideas on how to fix it?
A. In just about every vehicle this issue is caused by a faulty purge valve. This is part of the fuel vapor management system and can fail or just clog with dirt and mud or even spider webs.
Q. I recently purchased a used Chevy Volt. It is a great car and I use almost no gas in my regular driving. The issue is that it smells like a locker room. I think it was used as a security car at a large business and someone sat in it 24 hours a day. Any idea how to get the stink out?
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A. I would start with a good basic cleaning either using an extractor cleaner or a wet-vac. A little dish detergent mixed in warm water works wonders, but use more suds than water. Scrub with a soft brush then use a wet-vac and vacuum any water off the seats and carpet. A deodorizing spray such as Ozium, Febreze or Nonaste may also help.
Q. I have a 2015 Nissan Rogue and I’ve been told I need a new heater core. I have no heat and it only blows out cold air. Do you agree with the diagnosis?
A. That typically isn’t a faulty heater core. A clogged heater core may limit heat, but generally there will be some warm air. It is usually easy enough to test the heater core. A simple test is checking the temperature of both the supply and return lines of the heater core. I would suspect a problem with a malfunctioning air blend door.
John Paul is AAA Northeast’s Car Doctor. He has over 40 years of experience in the automotive business and is an ASE-certified master technician. E-mail your Car Doctor question to [email protected]. Listen to the Car Doctor podcast at johnfpaul.podbean.com.
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