New Car Blog

How many people do you know who have bought a new car, driven it off the lot, and then felt like a chump because the car dealer pushed them into an impulse buy? They made a deal and didn’t realize until the paperwork was signed that they had been taken. There are at least three things you can do to position yourself to make a better car purchase: Plan ahead, pre-arrange your own financing, and choose the right time to buy a new car.

Next to your mortgage, a new vehicle is among the largest single purchases you will make in a lifetime. Yet, most people buy their new car out of impulse, not careful planning. Plan ahead and know what kind of vehicle you want and how much you are willing to spend. This can be a big difference in riding off in your dream car, or being bullied into buying the salesman’s dream.

It’s important to understand that when a dealership offers you a “financing package” it is in reality another product they want to sell you along with the vehicle. You should go car shopping knowing your credit status. If a salesman knows more about your credit status than you do, you’re at a disadvantage. You keep the upper hand by talking to your personal bank about financing before you begin to shop. Holding the better financial bargaining position is one of the most basic and effective new secrets of buying a new car.

Timing is also important when it comes to buying a new vehicle. Car dealerships live under the pressure of sales cycles. They are pressured to produce, more so at certain times than others. Understanding these time cycles can help you use them to your advantage in buying a car.

These are just the beginning of important secrets to successfully buying a new car. Know when to buy; know what you want to buy ahead of time; and planning your own financing before you visit a dealer will help you achieve the best possible deal. If, however, you want all of the insider’s secrets to get the absolute best deal on your next car purchase get your hands on the dealer’s play book. Learn their persuasion tactics and don’t be their next impulse buy victim.

If you really want to make the best deal on your next vehicle, whether it is a new car, used car, lease, or trade-in, Taking the House Edge can save you thousand on your next vehicle purchase.

Technorati Tags: auto, Autos, cars and truck

A great question that I get asked on a regular basis. But to make this little game of hide and seek as stress-free as possible, I’m going to point you to 3 simple areas. Your car, your owners manual, and a great online resource to find not only the stock plug for your car, but every other spark plug that is available.

If I had my way, there would be a sticker under the hood of all my vehicles that lists the OE part numbers of every major component – light bulbs and paint color included. While we’re at it, a handy mechanic that lives under there and performs daily maintenance would be nice too. But as long as we don’t live in a perfect world, we have to go hunting for this stuff.

Some vehicle manufacturers have kindly put the OE spark plug part number, yes, on a sticker even, under the hood, complete with recommended gap setting. But, if you’re in the same boat as me, and 90% of the rest of the world, your next stop is the owner’s manual. Don’t have the owner’s manual? I’ve got one more fabulous resource for you – and this one, you’re going to love!

Check out this cool tool at SparkPlugs.com – use the vehicle lookup to find your car. What magically appears in front of you is every spark plug available for your car by NGK, Denso, Bosch, Autolite, Champion, E3, Splitfire and Pulstar, complete with recommended gap settings. There will likely be some plugs that say something along the lines of “OE manufacturer or OE type”. If you know the brand of the original plugs in your car, just find that brands plug with that handy label. Those are the stock plugs. All other plugs with that label are the stock equivalent in other brands.

Want more information on any of those plugs? Roll over the part number and the plug specs and image appear on the left hand side. Click on the “more info” button and even more details come up. Looking for better performance or gas mileage? After talking with some mechanics and spark plug techs we’ve learned 2 things.

#1- Never use lower quality. If the stock plugs on your vehicle are higher quality than standard nickel plugs, the vehicle manufacturer likely used them for a reason. Some manufacturers are starting to see the advantages of using these ‘high performance’ plugs. Others have had the spark plug manufacturer make that specific spark plug for your specific engine. Downgrading to a cheaper/inferior plug could actually lower your engine’s performance and gas mileage or even cause engine damage.

#2- Upgrading your plugs CAN increase your performance. Studies have shown that using this newer technology, such as iridium and fine wire plugs, can actually increase a vehicles gas mileage, horsepower and performance.

How can you tell what would be an upgrade vs. a downgrade? According to SparkPlugs.com, the list of available plugs is categorized according to a variety of factors that affect a plugs performance, resulting in a “good, better and best” sort of ranking, with the best plugs starting at the top. With the information they’ve provided, it helps tuners like us to find the best quality at the best price, and allow our babies to keep pluggin along (no pun intended). Happy Tuning!

Technorati Tags: Autos, Cars, engine, garage, maintenance, oe, repair, replacement parts, spark plugs, tune-up

The California Lemon Law helps so very many people that soon discover after a little while, that they probably bought a lemon. Do not let the excitement for your new or used vehicle get dissipated; remember you still have the California Lemon Law. California has a fantastic law – the California Lemon Law – and it’s nearly a decade old.

Don’t lose the fun and satisfaction of a car you really love. If you believe your vehicle is a lemon and you live in California, then this lemon law is for you. If you have a good deal of frustration and much aggravation because you can’t take care of a problem in your vehicle, you may have a lemon.

All vehicles have the occasional problem or breakdown, but that doesn’t make it a lemon. What if your occasional breakdown happens over and over again? Having a possible lemon makes you love a vehicle and hate it at the same time.

Make sure that you keep track of any and all repair attempts. Characteristically, a true lemon vehicle is one that has had a practical amount of attempts to repair it and it just isn’t being fixed. If you do a one repair and it isn’t taken care of, but this malfunction could cause bodily injury or death, then that’s all you need is one or two repair attempt and you may still qualify for a lemon reimbursement.

Remember, only a vehicle used for personal use and not business can qualify. A lemon vehicle in California can include: automobiles, RVs, SUVs, trucks, motorcycles and even boats. In order for your vehicle to be considered a lemon in this state, it must be in the repair shop for at least 30 days, but not consecutively.

Keeping good records if you think your vehicle is a lemon is very important. Make sure that you keep all receipts for any repair work that has to be done. It’s vital that you have all your original paperwork when you bought your vehicle if you want to try to qualify it as a lemon and no matter whom you talk to or where you go or what you do, if it’s related to the vehicle you believe is a lemon, keep a record of it.

Be sure that when you seek legal aid that the California attorney is a specialist in this area and can easily qualify you without you having to pay for the consultation. There are a lot of good lawyers that will seek damages for you in this situation without any out of pocket expenses. Once a California Lemon Law Attorney specialist qualifies your vehicle as a lemon, then you have to proceed to get reimbursement.

Technorati Tags: attorney, auto, Autos, california lemon law lawyer, lawyer, legal, Lemon Law

The screen is large enough to read with out squinting your eyes.TomTom Go 720 is a pretty nice unit. It has a sleek design and it is so portable it can be placed into a small pocket.

When I started to become in the market for a Car GPS Navigation was when I stopped getting service to my cell phone that I was using as a GPS. I couldn’t figure out why my car wasn’t moving. I did some research online and found the TomTom Go 720.

I like that the prices keep coming down on these great little units. When hunting for a Car GPS Navigation I looked at a variety of things; Portability, Durability and Clarity of the screen. I think the TomTom Go 720 has all those elements.

I don’t travel great distances, I just do a lot of inner city driving and like fast access to directions. The price is pretty affordable. I certainly don’t claim to be an know-it-all.. I am just your ordinary consumer looking for the best value for a Car GPS Navigation.

I considered buying a car that had a Car GPS Navigation built in, but that was $1000 extra for the feature and it was not as good as the TomTom Go 720. When I look for a new car, forget about if it has a Car GPS Navigation. It just needs an oversize cup holder.

I never usually write up stuff like this, I am just happy that I can reasonably afford to get into a Car GPS Navigation and didn’t start to shop for anything until I started seeing that the prices starting to come down on these units.

I’m not trying to particularly sell you on the TomTom Go 720. Garmin makes fine Car GPS Navigation units also. It was a tough decision because I wanted to make sure I was able to get the accessories at an affordable price, really it was a toss up. TomTom Go 720, just won.

Technorati Tags: affordable gps navigation, Autos, buy gps car navigation, car gps navigation, car gps navigation guide, gps handelds, gps navigation, gps navigation guide, navkit, portable car gps navigation

The rules of the road, though they’re there for our safety, get broken. More often than not, by accident. If you have been involved in one of these accidents and the blame is being placed on you, you will surely require the services of the best law firm you can find. Although the really top law firms are sometimes expensive, not only will they most likely mean the difference between keeping and losing your license, but usually if you win, they will claim costs back from elsewhere, so you get their services free of charge!

There are plenty of lawyers that would jump at the chance to represent you during the court hearing, but you need to decide who is going to be the best at it.

Well, you could always go for the cheapest option. But for something as serious as a legal accusation, that may not be the best way to choose. Thank goodness for the vast, one-stop, modern day encyclopedia that is the Internet.

All it will take is a little bit of time to visit a few law-firm websites and decide which ones have all the experience and knowledge you need them to have to defend you effectively.

A specialist traffic/road law firm would be ideal to represent you because these dedicated firms will have far more experience and knowledge in their chosen field of endeavour than a generic law firm.

Try and read up on the lawyers that the firms have working for them. You should ensure that they have the best qualifications to represent you along with ample experience in road traffic law. Also, try and find some client testimonials. Although they will only select the really positive ones to put on the website, its always best to read some third party opinions before making a decision.

Forums and blogs about the law in general are things to stay away from because myths arise from people convinced that they know a loophole in the law and so they tell everyone on the blog/forum that it’s true when it’s simply not. You should see if any of the websites you look at address these myths, as they will most likely know the truth.

Once you have carried out this research you should be confident that your choice of legal representation will be the best possible choice for your situation.

Technorati Tags: auto, Autos, law drivers, lawyers, legal, legal advice, road law, solicitors, Vehicle, vehicles

Truck bed covers refers to any kind of hood that covers a pickup truck’s cargo box. There are various styles of truck bed covers, including flexible and rigid styles. A truck bed cover gives the truck a cleaner look when it has cargo loaded onto it, and can also help protect weather-sensitive loads like groceries and furniture, as well as conceal them from would-be thieves.

Aside from aesthetic purposes, truck bed covers can help in saving gas. Usually, air careens into the empty space of the truck bed, producing an opposite force to the truck. This can result to several miles lost since the engine has to work harder. With a truck bed cover, it is estimated that a truck can save up to 10% on gas.

Truck bed covers come in three main types, including soft, hard, and retractable. Each of these styles has certain pros and cons, so truck owners should carefully evaluate these before choosing which style of truck bed cover will best suit their needs.

A hard truck bed cover is made from fiberglass, aluminum, or hard plastic, and is usually a smooth, sleek design in a color that matches the truck. In order to access the truck bed, one simply lifts one side of the bed cover. A hard style bed cover is resistant to various kinds of weather, making it one of the most durable types available.

However, there are disadvantages. First, the hard is the most expensive among all kinds of covers. Another downside is that it is hard to remove, so it may not be recommended to truck owners who need to place their things vertically.

The soft kind of truck bed cover is made from a sturdy fabric, with bows to help it hold its shape in difficult weather situations like snow or rain. These covers can be connected to the truck either with Velcro, a groove and tongue mechanism, or with snaps. Some models can be rolled up, while others utilize hinged lids.

A soft type of truck bed cover is designed to withstand the weight of two people standing on it, and some are even manufactured to include a built-in tent. One disadvantage of this type, though, is that it simply isn’t as secure as a hard style truck bed cover.

Considered as the most popular among truck owners, the retractable type of truck bed cover offers a lot of convenience. It allows truck owners to drag large things out without having to remove the cover. However, space may not be maximized in this kind of truck bed covered, and it can also be prone to leaks.

Pricing on truck bed covers may vary quite a bit. The least expensive is a soft style truck bed cover starting at about $200. Retractable covers typically begin as low $500, and hard covers generally start around $600. In order to get a great deal, truck owners can maximize their savings by shopping on the Internet at the numerous websites that sell truck bed covers. Plus, it’s much more convenient to shop online than it is in person.

Truck bed covers serve a number of purposes. They make a truck look great, protect a load, and save on fuel costs. Truck owners should thoroughly research the features of each kind of truck bed cover before buying online and making a final decision about which cover has the most to offer for their particular needs.

Technorati Tags: auto, Autos, car, truck, truck accessories, truck bed covers

Some tips for buying a new car without getting carried away by the excitement. It is great fun going to a showroom and getting into the drivers seat of some of those shiny new models. The trouble is that it is normally the salesman who is in the drivers seat when it comes to negotiating a deal. It pays to be prepared.

You will have done your research before you go to visit the dealer. Of course, you will have made a practical decision about the type of car you really need and your budget. You set out with good intentions but then you smell that new car smell and see that gleaming paint job and …!

The salesman senses a kill. He has picked up on what you would really like and he’s going to make sure that you get it. He’ll convince you that the amazing deal he can get you puts it in your price range. But you’ll have to buy today.

He’ll have you sitting in a car that you hadn’t planned on or at least make some of the accessories and extras seem essential. With his great finance rate and the deal he can offer on servicing, it all seems amazingly affordable.

As you leave the lot, you are feeling pretty good. That’s because you don’t realise how you have followed the dealers carefully constructed plan. Each step gives him the chance to take more money out of your pocket.

The dealers playbook is full of psychological techniques and pressure tactics to get you to sign up today. They don’t want you comparing deals, although they make it difficult to compare like with like if you try.

A good tip for buying your new car is, don’t. You have to prepare your own strategy before you go to the dealer. Know what models would suit your needs and budget. Set limits that you won’t go beyond. It’s a major purchase and worth some effort to get right.

It is worth working on your mindset before you go to the dealer. Always be aware that the money and the buying decision are yours. The salesman will try to convince you that you only have one chance to get this deal. It’s not true. There is always another one.

If the dealer is too pushy, try telling him that you are definitely going to buy a car, but it doesn’t have to be now, and it doesn’t have to be here. That should get him to back off. And then ask for a better deal! Ask if there are any unadvertised offers and make sure he checks. I have personally saved around $700 on a deal that the salesman didn’t even know about.

Technorati Tags: auto, auto buing tips, auto buying, auto leasing, Autos, Car Buying, car buying advice, car buying guide, Car Buying Tips, car leasing, new car buying tips, shopping, vehicle leasing

When a contract hire vehicle reaches the end of its term, the normal procedure is for the finance company to arrange to collect the vehicle. If you are interested in the car, you would need to approach the finance company for a price but will the purchase price they offer you represent a bargain?

Unfortunately it will probably not be at a bargain price. The prospective purchaser will probably think that it is an ideal opportunity for the finance company to get rid of the vehicle without any hassle, the finance company will probably think that it is an ideal opportunity to get a higher price for the vehicle, setting the value at somewhere in between the trade and retail price.

If you are interested in buying your ex contract hire car maybe for a member of your family, bearing in mind they are unlikely to do anything special on the price, does it represent a good deal? Well it does have its advantages, in that there is a lot be said for perhaps one of your children driving a car where you know the vehicle’s history from new. For example you will know that it hasn’t been in any major accidents and that any less serious body damage has been repaired satisfactorily at the main dealership.

Sometimes companies will take their contract hire cars to a local garage for bodywork repairs. This generally happens when the company wants the vehicle repaired without claiming on the insurance. If however the quality the work is not up to standard, this is sometimes spotted when the vehicle is returned to the finance company. It’s a risk that the hirer takes, because if it is discovered they will be charged to rectify the work and there are possible implications if there is an anti corrosion warranty.

How will the finance company dispose of your car if you do not buy it? Different companies have different policies when it comes to selling their vehicles, some are now using EBay, which seems to be working quite well. As a general rule, they will be disposed of through the trade most commonly at auctions.

Of course if you wanted to buy your own vehicle at a potentially lower price, which you almost certainly would if they are disposed of through the auctions, you would have to know where that particular company disposes of their cars, which would be difficult.

Although it doesn’t have the same advantages of buying the car you know, you could just go to the auctions with a view to buying an ex lease car. Of course by the time you bought it, it would probably be outside its warranty so you would have lost the opportunity of extending the warranty and you would have no idea how the car has been driven or treated over the previous three years or so.

Private buyers do buy at auctions but auctions are really best suited and geared to trade buyers, sometimes private buyers miss vital warning signs on a car that trade buyers will pick up on. Some ex contract hire cars are sold with “no major defects” which means that if it is found to have a major defect, the vehicle can be rejected but only either on, or shortly after the day of sale. Others are sold on a “bought as seen” basis. However this cannot be interpreted that there is something wrong with the car, it is just some company’s policy to sell all their vehicles in this way.

One of the pitfalls for private buyers at auctions is that they get carried away and have a tendency to bid far too much for vehicles, knowing when to stop is vital. Trade buyers know roughly what they can sell a car for and what it is going to cost them to clean it up and put a warranty on the vehicle, so significantly overpaying for a car is not an option; particularly when you take into account that as soon as the next month Glasses Guide comes out the car will almost certainly have dropped in value.

You can do a lot worse than to buy an ex lease car; you can as a general rule expect it to have been regularly serviced, the mileage to be correct and for any faults it has incurred to have been rectified under the warranty. If you can find a car that is being sold at the end of a 24 month term, it is ideal because with the majority of vehicles will still have one year’s warranty remaining.

Do make sure that you check the service history, because if the hirer has forgotten to carry out a service and the leasing company has not picked up on it, it could invalidate the warranty. Also be aware that at auction “no major mechanical defects” usually means major components like engine and gearbox etc; the vehicle could have a reoccurring electronic problem that probably would not be covered. In summary buying your own car at the end of the term is probably the safest bet.

Technorati Tags: automobile, automobile;truck, Autos, Car Finance, contract hire, fleet management, hire purchase, Leasing

Car financing is a big business to the car manufacturers as they must help the dealership move their inventory. The car loan business is as competitive as any other financing business and several options may be provided at the point of purchase to allow the customer the ability to drive away with their purchase. It is then left to the customer to choose from the offers presented.

It doesn’t matter if the cars are being sold from the showroom or the sales lot, the terms and rate of the loans being offered are usually fairly competitive between the various loan companies. The customer is always free to find another financier if not satisfied with what is being offered so there is a lot of competition between lenders for the business.

Loans for used cars are not as competitive as for new cars. Terms and rates are usually different from one company to the next as it is more up to their discretion.

Therefore, it is advised that before taking or choosing a loan the customer should properly research the rates that are prevailing in the market. He or she should not jump at once to grab a loan merely because the rate offered is low. There are bound to be companies which offer better rates. The customer should go through all the programs and then apply for a used car loan that suits him the best. And if no loan suits his interest then he can always go back to the first loan that was offered to him at a low rate of interest.

It is possible to apply for a loan online or physically fill out the necessary papers. But one must first find out the terms and rate of the loan being applied for. Online research for current market loan rates is possible as well as directly asking the local lender. In this manner the borrower has an idea of prevailing rates available to him. One thing to keep in mind is the length of the loan repayment schedule.

It is possible to find online finance companies who will provide loans for used cars at low rates of interest. Possibly even lower than the rates offered by local banks. They may not have as strict guidelines for used car loans as the banks do.

Thus we see that a customer should do a complete job of research regarding the rates offered, to pick up the best offer.

Technorati Tags: Autos, Car Financing, Cars, financing tips, used car financing, used car financing tips, used cars

Whether you are a teenager buying your first car, or a parent taking on the challenge of finding a car for their teenager, there are a variety of aspects that must be understood before getting behind the wheel.

Regardless of your teens protests, it is usually best to stay as practical as possible when buying the first car. Pick something safe and reliable because after all, who wants to be sitting on the side of the road a day after the car has been purchased just because the vehicle was your teens favorite color?

With all of the makes and models out there today, there are a vast sea great quality used vehicles to choose from. The following is a list of some of the best used cars for your teen:

- Dodge Charger: This is a great vehicle that is safe to drive. It is not prone to rolling over and the size of the vehicle keeps the passengers safe. Its tough and rugged look leans towards the looks of a muscle car which appeals to the male teens, and it has an average fuel usage of approximately 25 mpg on the highway and 18mpg in the city. The cost of this car can be a bit high, but it is well worth it.

- Chrysler 300: This is a great looking vehicle that everyone in the family would like to drive, so the teen may find that they are wrestling with Mom and Dad in the driveway for the keys. On average, the price is a bit high, but it is a safe car. The gas mileage is much like that of the Dodge Charge.

- Jeep Wrangler: This car is popular with the teens because of all the extra gadgets it can come with such as MP3 players and iPods. Keeping that in mind, this may not make it one of the safest to be on the road with, especially if attention is focused on shuffling tunes instead of watching the road. With that said, the price is usually reasonable and the gas mileage is great. An added plus is that the government gave the Jeep a five star crash test rating, so you can feel safe about your teen driving in this vehicle.

- Chevy Cobalt: There are a variety of brightly colored cars to choose from with this model which helps to make it a fun drive for the teen. The price is affordable, even if purchasing it as a new car. It is also very fuel efficient. This is a popular choice of both teens and their parents because of its price, looks, safety, and fuel-efficiency.

- Chevy Equinox: If you are looking for a bigger set of wheels, then the Equinox will fit the bill. Even though it is an SUV, which have a bad reputation for rollovers, the Equinox has a four star rating so that issue can be placed lower on the list of things to worry about The pricing is average to high and gas mileage is a bit lower coming in at 24 mpg on the highway and 17 mpg in the city.

Finding the right car for a teen can be a time consuming task, but the more research and test driving you do from a used cars dealership, the better it will be for you and your teen. Make sure that the car you choose has the options you require. Remember to compromise when picking out the car, and most importantly, have fun while shopping!

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