# How do I search for....?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-search-for/236155>\
**Category:** About This Message Board\
**Created:** [March 24, 2004, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-search-for/236155 "2004-03-24T17:11:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\
**Post date:** [March 24, 2004, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-search-for/236155/1 "2004-03-24T17:11:07Z")

</div>

I know there was a thread about breaking in new cars. Since I just bought a new vehicle, I wanted to find it. But “in” “new” and “cars” are all too short to search for. So how in the dickens do I do it?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\
**Post date:** [March 24, 2004, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-search-for/236155/2 "2004-03-24T17:18:14Z")

</div>

Are you looking for [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=241392)?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\
**Post date:** [March 24, 2004, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-search-for/236155/3 "2004-03-24T17:23:08Z")

</div>

Yes I am, thank you very much. But how did you do it?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\
**Post date:** [March 24, 2004, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-search-for/236155/4 "2004-03-24T17:51:59Z")

</div>

In this case, I typed “breaking engine cars”, sans quotes; narrowed it down to GQ; and limited the search to the past three months. In general, I try to think of a few longish words that might be found in the thread and use those as the search terms.

Someone ought to write a “Search Tips” FAQ…

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\
**Post date:** [March 24, 2004, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-search-for/236155/5 "2004-03-24T18:05:12Z")

</div>

I found the page of interest as well as learned a bit about searching. You’ve given me a fish AND a fishing lesson. Well done and thank you!