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Showing posts from November, 2013

Can you get a warranty on a used car with over 100k miles?

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I've driven some jalopies in my life and had great affection for a few of them. I've had two Pontiac Grand Prixs that lasted over 200,000 miles and never had anything more than structural issues. So, while I see some people calling folks crazy for ever getting an extended warranty (of any kind) I don't know if they're as crazy as they're made out to be. Case in point. My last Grand Prix, a 1998 that I sold in 2012, never had any major engine issues. What it did have was a problem with eating brakes. So while the car kept running well beyond its expected life span, the only thing that ate into my pocketbook were the rear brakes, which needed to be changed every two or three years. This, and a couple of other small issues with power windows got to be a little expensive. Once the car approached 100,000 miles I thought, "I wonder if I can get an extended warranty up to 200,000 miles?" I figured I could at least break even on my expected brake repairs,

Will your car insurance cost more in Grand Rapids?

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Flag of City of Grand Rapids (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) No matter where you live someone is always telling horror stories about the things that either cost too much or are remarkably inexpensive about where they live. This can range from property taxes, to gas to bread (REALLY expensive in Hawaii). But one thing that really seems to get people fired up is when it comes time to talk about the cost of car insurance. Unless you’ve just switched to a new company and seen a big savings, chances are you think you’re paying too much. In Michigan, this has been a complaint for years. Grand Rapids, the state’s second biggest city, this has been an increasing complaint as the city continues to grow and prosper. So is it true, do people in Grand Rapids actually pay more than the rest of Michigan? Or the rest of the country for that matter? No Fault’s Fault With Michigan drivers required to carry no-fault insurance, there is some truth to the high price gripes. This requirement provides