Q. I received an e-mail that told a story about a woman in Texas who was using cruise control in slippery weather. She crashed because the car continued to accelerate. Should cruise control be used in wet/slippery weather? Is this an urban myth? This particular e-mail advised against it.

A. This story has been circulating on the Internet for many years. All cruise-control systems will shut down as soon as the driver touches the brake pedal. This would allow the driver to control the car. I suspect what may have happened in the Texas example is the car may have started to accelerate and the driver overcompensated by “slamming” on the brakes and causing the car to skid. Cruise control should be used when the roads are clear and dry. When the road is slippery, the driver should be in full control.

Honda vs. Nissan

Q. I am torn between a Honda and a Nissan. Some people say Hondas are better, and some people prefer Nissans. Which do you think is a better car?

A. They are both good cars, although historically Honda is less prone to problems. In addition, Honda vehicles traditionally hold their value a bit better.

Go ahead and buy

Q. I am 20-year-old college student who still lives at home. I am looking at a 2003 Honda Accord Coupe 3.0 L V6 that is fully loaded (leather seats, side-impact airbags, navigation, the works). It is priced at just under $12,000. The issue is it has 97,000 miles on it. This is a Honda and Honda cars last, right? I heard I could probably get it past 300,000 miles if I really tried. I would be financing the vehicle for four to five years from the dealership and was wondering if it is worthwhile since the car has so many miles. I have driven it and it feels like new. I had a CarFax report done and it has no records of damage or other issues. I am infatuated with the car, but I don’t want to be stuck paying for a car that is breaking down a few years down the road. What should I do?

A. Almost any car today with a reasonable amount of care will last 200,000 miles. Like all cars, Honda vehicles require a certain amount of maintenance. As an example, if you buy this car, in the next 7,000 miles you will need to replace the timing belt. In this model, you can expect to be charged $600 for this repair. With any used car, you need to be prepared for maintenance and the unexpected repair. The price seems reasonable for the vehicle (it is actually a bit below retail value). One thing I would do is have a qualified mechanic perform a used car evaluation before you make the purchase. If the repair shop gives the car a clean bill of health, I can’t see any reason not to buy the car.

Defroster repair

Q. I have a 2000 Cadillac, and I own a small dog. Recently, the rear defroster stopped working, and I think my dog broke the electrical connection. I asked around and everyone wants to replace the window. Can’t it be fixed?

A. The electrical connection can be soldered back to the grid. The only tricks are the surface must be clean, and you need to use silver-bearing solder to make a permanent connection. Once the terminal has been soldered in place, the defroster should be a good as new.

If it sputters, smokes or stalls, John Paul, the AAA Car Doctor{+s}{+m}, has the diagnosis. For an archive of his past prescriptions for car ailments go to: www.projocars.com

projocars@projo.com