Drive Guys on used car warranties

- Dear Ed and Jeff; What are your views on warranties for used cars? We bought a 2000 Cadillac Catera a year ago, and our son drove it around New Orleans during his senior year at Tulane. After the (magnificent!) Tulane graduation, the rest of the family flew back to Washington, but Richy and I loaded up his possessions from his shotgun house and made it to the second day of travel when the car broke down in Tennessee. It turned out that the timing belt had broken, which allowed the rest of the engine to be destroyed. (Another question for your colleagues: Why do automakers provide lights for seat belt use and low windshield wiper fluid but no indication whatsoever about a broken timing belt, which can obliterate the engine?) While driving from Virginia to rescue us, my husband recalled that the previous owner of the Cadillac... [read full story]