Locate an Auto Repair Shop in Bloomington, Idaho

I just got my Outback LTD 6 cyl at Bloomington Subaru. Got dealers invoice. I considered it a good deal. Good site to check prices is Truecar.com It gives the average prices paid for vehicles in your area.

I've appreciated the posts on this site, so I'm returing the favor. Just purchased a 2008 Odyssey EX-L in Bloomington, IN. Price was as follows: $27,397 vehicle & destination charge; $1,110 towing package; $110 doc fee; $15 title. At first they said they'd sell it to me for $27,952 (vehicle & destination charge) and give the 2.9% for 60 months, but when I showed up, they switched and said that they could not give the 2.9%. The claim was that dealer incentives switched from April 30 to May 1; however, two dealers in Indy claimed that dealer incentives were unchanged from April to May. The fact that heavy bargaining got the price down from $27,952 to $27,397 made up for most of my disgust at the switch in interest rate. In fact, since we hope to pay it off sooner rather than later, I think we ended up in better shape in the end. Happy car shopping!

Mitsu has repeatedly said they're committed to the US market. They're rolling out the Outlander Sport in the next few weeks and will be bringing their electric car to the US in 2012. They have a plant in Bloomington-Normal, IL that builds Galants, Eclipses/Spyders, and Endeavors that are exported to 32 different countries. Individual dealers may come and go but I don't think the brand is leaving our shores anytime soon. I had a '99 Galant until last December when I replaced it with a '10 Outlander GT. I've no problems with the vehicles or the brand. I don't think you should be concerned about resale value. Since you own your cars for a long time & lots of miles, all cars are going to see their value whittled down to very little. And as I've said before, the higher resale isn't always a good deal. When I bought my Galant the equivalent Camry was $2K more expensive. After 10 years & 152K miles, for fun I ran the numbers on trade-in values and the Galant was worth $1000 less than the Camry. So that vaunted resale value would have actually cost an extra $1000 had I gone with the Toy. If you've any questions about the Outlander, ask away. We'll be glad to fill you in.

Went to the Mitsubishi MOD 2010 show at the factory in Bloomington-Normal yesterday. I was hoping to ride in the electric Miev but there was way to many people there and you had to drop in raffle tickets to win a ride..or something like that. I don't like waiting in lines anyway but I did talk to the Mitsu Miev guys and sat in the car itself. First off, they told me the gas powered i car would not be coming to N.A. and that the N.A. spec Miev would be at the LA auto show in November and it will be a bit wider (6 inches) with more gadgets and upgraded interior/safety. It will be available for sale November/December 2011. Mitsu is doing a lot of pre-release work with the Miev and expects it to do well. Apparently the police departments in the U.K. are going to use them in some capacity. Despite the bubble look of the car it is pretty big inside and four adults can ride comfortably and it makes NO noise whatsoever! I think that electric vehicles will do very well in North America and worldwide. One of the best things is that improved battery packs can simply be installed in your current vehicle so you could possibly go from a 60-80 mpc battery to a 120-140 mpc battery upgrade in just the time it takes to install a new pack without purchasing a new vehicle.. I also checked out a new Outlander Sport. I didn't get to drive it but it had a sturdy feel to it when sitting behind the wheel. The AWD knob was exactly the same as the one in my 08 Outlander. It sits a bit higher than my Sportback and quite roomy with the rear seats down. I am definitly taking one of these for a spin next time I am at the dealership. I have had zero problems with my two other cars that contain the same engine as the Sport albeit in the 2.4 litre version as compared to the 2.0 version in the Sport. My 08 Outlander SE now close to 30k and my Lancer just over 10k are running flawlessly so far with great fuel mileage. Fuel mileage is really the only reason I would consider getting rid of my 04 Outlander and replacing it with a new Sport. I have 2 relatives, a cousin and a niece, that told me to let them know if I ever wanted to sell my 04 so I would not have a problem getting a good price on it but even at 83k it still runs great. The 04 mileage is averaging around 22 mpg so the new Sport - rated at 31 hwy - would be a nice improvement but it wouldn't make up for new car payments. I think I'll have to hold onto the 04 for the the time being but anyone in the market for a new CUV should check out the Mitsu Sport. a really nice looking vehicle. I hope it does well for them and I would recommend Mitsu listen to some of the gearheads on the net and at MOD 2010 and consider a Ralliart version of the Sport with the 4B11T engine or even the V6 that's in the Outlander GT. Mitsubishi has always hung their hat on the performance hook and a Ralliart Sport would really broaden their appeal.

1998 Oldsmobile Intrigue, one-owner, kept in immaculate condition. The value right now, though, is lessened because of two things: Leaks in the right rear passenger section (maybe fixed...not sure...it hasn't rained in Indiana for 2 months since it was supposedly "fixed".). AND...the big CLUNK. Fully loaded in Bloomington, IN, we took off on a trip first to Cincinnati, then New Orleans, then Florida, then home. 20 miles from home we stopped for coffee at McDonald's. I went inside, and my wife stayed in the car. She came in about 5 minutes after I left her. The car had been idling, then idled rough (new gas?), then quit. She tried to re-start it, and it started, with rough idling and a "horrible smell". It stopped again. Never to re-start. The tow truck picked it up and took it to an agreeable mechanic who, after his lunch, put it on the rack. He found a starter with a broken nose. Replaced it. Bill for towing, charging, the rack, and broken starter replacement was $396. (I think he saw a traveller in need.) However, when he put it back on the ground, it wouldn't start. The mechanic turned it over with a torque bar, and it would only turn 1/4 clockwise or 1/2 counter-clockwise. His diagnosis: Engine is frozen. His solution: junk the engine and put in a used one. Estimate from another shop (that I trust to do the work is $2895. I don't think it is worth it. QUESTIONS: 1. Would I get my money back if I put the $2900 work into it? 2. Would I have a car to still drive if I put the work into it? 3. Is it worth having the work done...or should I abandon this good looking vehicle to the salvage yard? 4. Finally...are there any ideas about WHY THE ENGINE DID THIS...and WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT? Thanks for listening... -Kurt-