I'm looking to buy a damaged car from an insurance company—I know the risks, and I've been working on cars for 20 years, so I think I can handle the repairs. But I don't want to wait for an auto auction; I just want to buy it so I can focus on getting it back in shape. Is there a way I can buy a car directly from insurance companies instead of waiting for an auction?

I want my next car to be electric; I’m extremely conscious of the effect that I have on the environment, and I want to lessen my impact as much as I can. To that end, I’m trying to learn more about how electric vehicles work, but everything I read seems to give me a different answer, especially about car parts like the transmission. Do electric vehicles have transmission fluid, or are they built completely differently?

I’m planning to get my kid a car for their birthday since they passed their exam a few months back. They’re incredibly passionate about the environment, but I also know they want the freedom that a car offers, and now that there are some cheaper electric cars on the market, I think they would really like one. My only concern is the quality of the build—I know nobody makes anything like they used to, but I want to make sure that my kid’s car will last for awhile. Do electric cars last as long or longer than gas cars?