Auto Warranty News

Do you find that you are apprehensive about negotiating with an auto dealer?  Shopping for a vehicle doesn’t have to be nerve-racking, however, you need to be aware of a few things that you shouldn’t say to a dealer.

First, you shouldn’t start talking about monthly payments, instead focus on negotiating the purchase price.  It can become confusing when you’re discussing monthly payments because it might be unclear whether the payment is for 24 or 36 months.

Don’t tell the dealer right away if you’re willing to trade-in your car.  If the dealer is aware of this he will know that you want to get as much money for your car as possible.  The dealer might agree to give you a lot for your trade-in, but usually it’s a smokescreen because then they will fix the price of the new car.

Don’t tell the dealer if you’re planning on paying for the car in cash.  They count on making a lot of money in financing, and if they know that they won’t be able to count on that money, chances are they won’t negotiate on the sticker price.

Do your homework before showing up at a dealership.  Be prepared with information about new car warranties, financing, and vehicle prices.  This will help you negotiate a successful deal on a car.

If you’re considering purchasing a new or used vehicle, you should do a few things first.  You can make the process of buying a car easier, and save yourself some money by following a few simple tips.

First of all, you should consider purchasing a pre-owned car.  New vehicles will immediately lose about 30% of their value when they are driven out of the dealership lot.  A used car will save you from losing that immediate depreciation.

Try to purchase a vehicle that is fuel-efficient.  There are an endless amount of new hybrid options and cars that will save you money at the gas pump.  With the variety of choices out there, there is no need to purchase a vehicle that guzzles gas.

If at all possible, save for a decent down payment.  A lot of motorists will barely put any money down on a vehicle and don’t understand why their payments the first four years are so high.  Putting down 20% will make a big difference in lowering monthly payments.

Lastly, buy an auto warranty along with your car purchase.  Many consumers try to get away with not doing this and they end up spending an unnecessary amount of money on repairs down the road.

Follow these simple tips to save yourself a headache.  Do your homework before getting to the dealership in order to make the best decisions.

According to a recent study by J.D. Power and Associates, there is a great amount of interest in hybrids and alternative fuel vehicles.  In fact, less than 25% of people asked revealed that they would only consider purchasing a car powered by gasoline.

However, there are some misconceptions.  Motorists who purchased a hybrid car expected that they would get a fuel-economy improvement of approximately 28 mpg if compared to a gas-powered vehicle that was similar.  However, in reality, people who bought hybrids only gained an improvement of 9 mpg.  People who bought diesels were similarly disappointed with a 12-mpg improvement, when they actually expected to improve 21 mpg.

A big challenge for vehicles with alternative powertrains is the unrealistic fuel-saving expectations that consumers place on them.  Especially with hybrids, the actual fuel performance of the car doesn’t usually live up to the EPA estimate.  Consumers need to educate themselves about such things as the benefits of technology, maintenance and new car warranties.  Being able to manage consumers’ expectations and lowering the cost of alternative power vehicles will help these cars gain acceptance.

New teen driving laws have now taken effect, which will help teens sharpen their driving skills.  During the first driving year, teens won’t be able to drive late at night or carry multiple teenage passengers.

The Department of Public Safety claims that teens in Minnesota are overrepresented in car accidents every year because of distractions, driver inexperience, driving at night, and not using seat belts.  From 2005-2007, drivers who were 16 and 17 yrs old had involvement in 116 crashes that were fatal, which resulted in 133 deaths.

Having these laws will allow teen drivers to be safer and result in less injuries and deaths on roads in Minnesota.  Also, having used car warranties and maintaining cars will help teens stay safe on the roads.

The limitation on nighttime driving during the initial six-month licensure period will prohibit teens from driving after midnight, until 5 a.m., unless they are accompanied by a driver of at least 25 yrs of age.  Drivers who are 16 and 17 yrs old are approximately three times more likely to have a car crash resulting in a fatality at night than in the daytime.

The limitation on passengers for the initial six-month licensure period will allow just one passenger under 20 yrs old, unless there is a parent or guardian in the car.  Throughout the second six-month period of licensure, there can’t be more than three other people in the car under 20 yrs old, unless there is a parent or guardian in the car.

It is recommended by the DPS that parents help reinforce these laws and protect their children by making strict driving rules, purchasing an auto warranty, and keeping cars maintained.

There is no vehicle quite as exhilarating as a convertible.  Motorists love to feel the wind in their hair and the sun on their faces.  Convertibles give drivers a sense of freedom that is hard to find in any other vehicle.  However, are convertibles a good purchase?  Read on and decide for yourself.

Automakers have spent a lot of time improving convertibles.  Motorists used to have to worry about retractable tops leaking, but that is a thing of the past.  Today, convertible tops are superb at sealing out weather and sound.  And whether fabric or metal, the tops can go up and down with the touch of a button in less than 30 seconds.

Convertible safety has also greatly improved.  Cars are now equipped with side airbags.  These airbags deploy from the line of the window in order to create protection.  This is important in the case of a crash or rollover.

Although the convertible market hasn’t been growing, there are many interesting choices for consumers to consider.  Models that are newer, such as the Volkswagen Eos and Saturn Sky have been doing well in sales.  You might also want to consider a high-performance convertible, such as the Dodge Viper SRT10, Audi RS 4 Cabriolet, or the Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet.  The benefit of buying a new convertible is that it comes with an auto warranty.

Unfortunately, many convertible owners admit that the novelty of driving a convertible wears off within the first year.  Luckily, convertibles hold their value very well, which means that if you become fickle, you probably won’t have a hard time getting your money back.

Recently, J.D. Power and Associates conducted a study, finding that now that the EPA has changed how it tests cars, motorists are finding that they get better mileage out of their cars than what was advertised.

Before the EPA decided to update its methods to reflect a more accurate view of modern driving conditions, motorists were consistently reporting that their combined average for fuel economy was less than the EPA rating advertised.

For example, before the update, back in 2007, motorists claimed that they got around 97% of the fuel economy that was advertised.  This was 3% worse than what was advertised.  And after the new standards for testing were implemented in 2008, motorists claimed they got around 105% of the fuel economy posted.

For drivers who are money conscious and calculate driving costs, such as insurance, used car warranties, and gas costs, they will have a pleasant surprise with their gas mileage.

In 1997 The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that small vehicles weren’t as safe as large vehicles.  Yet, we are in an era of small cars.  Making a car small isn’t the only way to reduce emissions and make a vehicle more fuel-efficient.  New construction materials that are lighter can perform this feat on larger cars.  Actually, making a car lighter improves its safety.  A lightweight vehicle is much more nimble than a vehicle that is heavy.  This means that drivers are able to avoid accidents.  Of course, all drivers want to protect their car with an auto warranty because you never know when an accident might occur.

People tend to assume that the size and weight of a car go hand in hand.  An automaker can get rid of the girth of a vehicle easiest by shrinking it.  For them, it’s the least expensive way.  Strong materials that are light, such as carbon fiber are very expensive.  However, some automakers that are high-end are starting to implement it on hoods and roofs.  The Smart ForTwo car uses door panels that are plastic.  These don’t scratch or ding, and the inner part of the door is reinforced with steel bars.  This provides the best protection for a side impact, but is much lighter than a conventional door.

Small car sales are on the rise in the U.S., yet are much slower than the other parts of the world.  The Big Three are resisting the push for small vehicles.  Currently, the Fit and the Yaris are the top selling subcompacts in America.  Customers will have to shell out more money for lightweight, big vehicles, yet it is worth it to be safe.  Of course, with any vehicle the best thing that you can do to protect your investment is purchase an auto warranty.  Small or big, repairs are costly in any vehicle.

The brand-new 2010 Subaru Outback will be available late in the summer starting at $22,995, including new car warranties, with the addition of a $695 destination fee; that price is $700 more than the base price of the 2009 model.  The MSRP will get you an Outback that has a six-speed manual transmission.  If you want the continuously variable automatic transmission it will cost you $23,995.

The 3.6R Limited trim level, which is the top version, will begin at $30,995.  This will give you a 256-hp engine, instead of a 170 hp engine in the base, along with a standard five speed automatic transmission.

Other options include a Harman Kardon audio package that includes Bluetooth streaming, a moonroof for $995, as well as a $2,000 navigation package that is expensive but well rounded.  Of course, with any advanced technology you want to make sure to have a good auto warranty that will save you from costly repair expenses down the road.

The EPA is the arm of the government that is responsible for testing fuel economy, and its results are now posted on the stickers on new vehicles.  This is a different rating than the government’s CAFÉ numbers, which you might have heard about in Washington.

The real numbers by the EPA are predicted to go up an average of 0.2 mpg for 2009, compared to last year, the EPA claims, which will be about 20.8 mpg.

The final statistics won’t be in until later in 2009, but according to the EPA, these predictions demonstrate the fourth rise in a row in the average fuel efficiency of light trucks and cars.  In fact, trucks have actually had the largest impact of all.  Although their market share has gone down from 52% in 2004, to 48% in 2008, overall, their fuel-efficiency has gone up.

The figure of 20.8 mpg is the largest since the year 1993, and the EPA is predicting that the final number is going to be even higher because people have shifted to smaller cars.  Consumers are trying to protect their wallets by purchasing more fuel-efficient vehicles and new car warranties.

A recall has been issued by Kia of 6,680 of the Rondo EX and LX minivans from the model years 2008 and 2009.  According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there may be a defective fuel pump for the four-cylinder 2.4-liter engine, which may not be able to get enough fuel effectively to the engine.

This could result in engine hesitation or failure of the engine starting correctly, which might endanger motorists if the problem gets progressively worse.  If the problem occurs, the check engine light coming on may alert drivers.

If you have a 2008 or 2009 Kia Rondo, Kia will replace your fuel pump free of charge.  Vehicle owners can also call Kia at 1-800-333-4542.  Taking care of the problem right away may save you trouble in the future.

Unfortunately, you never know when your car will fail, which is why an auto warranty is a must. However, listening for recall alerts can also save you from unnecessary car problems.