Auto Warranty News

Due to gas prices at $4 per gallon, everyone is looking for tips on how to save gas. One easy thing that motorists can do is to avoid using reverse, if it isn’t necessary. One example of this is when you are in a parking lot at the grocery store or mall. Just by pulling through the parking space so that your car is facing out, you can save a small amount of gas. This allows you to pull forward when it’s time to leave. This tip isn’t going to save you hundreds of dollars, however, little fuel-conscious actions add up.

Why is it so bad to back up? Think about it in these terms. Is it any fun creeping through parking lots in first gear? Absolutely not, and using low gears are terrible for fuel-efficiency. Reverse also gets poor fuel-economy, and most of the time you’re pointlessly covering the same territory that you already covered.

For instance, if you back up and pull forward, you’re driving twice the amount of just pulling out of your parking space and driving off. This might appear to be insignificant, but if you use better driving habits over the course of a year, they will give you great savings.

Motorists often only look at the obvious ways that they can save money on driving expenses, such as buying used car warranties, carpooling, and driving less. But, following easy gas saving tips will save you big in the end.

Luckily, at the moment, not all of the economic news is tragic.

According to economists from Comerica Bank, vehicles have currently become more affordable than has been seen in 28 years.  So, the last time vehicle shoppers’ purchases made up this small of a piece of his or her income, fuel prices were higher than ever and comedians were telling jokes about how old presidential candidates were.

Comerica claims that the average cost of a light vehicle currently is $27,704, including new car warranties, and the average amount of money that people spent on a vehicle fell $700 this quarter, to approximately $23,900.  Motorists have been keeping their payments down by stretching out how much time they will take to pay it off, which is currently more than 62 months.

Incentives have spurred the trend, which continue to get better as dealers try to get rid of inventory (they especially look appealing if you want to purchase an SUV or truck), but for the most part, motorists have just begun to want less-expensive models.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety designated the Audi Q7 as a Top Safety Pick.  This is the highest rating possible by the group, which means the Audi Q7 had top scores in front, rear and side crash tests.

The Q7 is considered a large SUV by the IIHS, and typically vehicles in this class don’t get rated.  However, Audi made a request for the IIHS to conduct these tests.  This is probably because Audi wanted to compare how the Q7 measured up to other midsize SUVs, such as the BMW X5, Volvo XC90, Acura MDX, Mercedes Benz M-Class, Lincoln MKX, which are all Top Safety Picks.

It was a smart move for Audi to request that the Q7 be tested, especially since it received a Top Safety Pick.  Consumers are becoming more and more concerned with vehicle safety and make that a top consideration when deciding what vehicle to purchase.  In addition, more people are buying an auto warranty to avoid paying unnecessary repair costs, and to be able to keep up with car maintenance.

Results from a recent study show that motorists who repeat buy the same car brand the most are owners of hybrids. By segment, the buyers who were the most loyal were those of full-size pickup trucks, which is a long held title.

The news about hybrids is quite significant because not all car manufacturers offer hybrid cars. Because of this, someone who purchases a Honda or Toyota hybrid will then choose that same brand for his or her next car purchase.

Owners of Toyota Prius’ purchased another Toyota vehicle 51% of the time, and approximately 25% of those people purchased another Prius. In comparison, those Toyota owners who had a non-hybrid bought another Toyota just 44% of the time.

Truck owners purchasing a new vehicle decided on another truck about 33% of the time, whereas hybrid owners only purchased another hybrid 25% of the time. The average rate of loyalty was 21%.

It is important to keep in mind that with any vehicle purchase, no matter what kind, it is necessary to purchase an auto warranty to protect your wallet. After all, you don’t want to find yourself paying unnecessary repair expenses down the road.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in the United States traffic deaths hit an all time low back in 2007, when there were 1.37 deaths per 100 million miles driven.  There were a total of 41,059 deaths, which is 1,600 less than in 2006.

Mary Peters, who is the Transportation Secretary, claims that the decline is due to efforts of law-enforcement, as well as vehicles that have added safety features.  Now, with electronic stability control, and side airbags, people have an increased chance of surviving crashes that would have once been fatal.

The state experiencing the biggest decline was California, with 266 fewer fatalities, while North Carolina experienced the biggest increase, with 121 more fatalities.

Just as experts predicted, 2008 is already experiencing even fewer accident related deaths, not just because of the increasing safety standards, but also mainly because of gas prices.  Americans are trying to keep money in their wallets by keeping their current cars, purchasing used car warranties, and cutting back on driving.  Fewer motorists on the roads have meant less fatal accidents.

For motorists who are sick of paying the high fuel prices and who aren’t willing to wait for carmakers to put affordable electric cars on the market, CNN has reported that auto owners are doing conversions on their gas powered vehicles to make them electric powered.

The conversion has been described as “surprisingly easy”, which involves taking out the guts of the vehicle, such as the exhaust system and radiator, and making replacements to some, like the fuel injector, with components that are electric.  Of course, you could only say this process was “easy” if you regularly do engine swaps.  Many motorists don’t even know how to change their oil on their own.

Supporting this industry of do-it-yourself are suppliers that sell the parts necessary to complete the conversion, like Electric Vehicles of America.

Once you do that work, the vehicle should be equipped with lead-acid batteries, since lead-acid batteries remain very expensive at $10,000-$20,000.  A truck that is small and has 20 6-volt batteries will reach a speed of 60 mph and run for approximately 40 miles.

Before undertaking a conversion such as this, make sure you know that it will make your auto warranty become null and void.  Also, messing with the inner workings of you vehicle can be extremely dangerous if you don’t have any experience.

GM has brought back its Employee Pricing Sale. Trying to help its sales slump through late August, GM is selling vehicles for the same prices that employees pay, an effort the carmaker hasn’t made since back in 2005. In addition, GM is offering great new car warranties.

The great deals in 2005 made people take interest in the carmaker at the time, and GM is hoping that the same thing will happen this time around. The deals are applied for all vehicles in stock for the 2008 model year for Pontiac, Chevrolet, GMC, Buick, Cadillac, Saturn, Hummer, and Saab. Also, select vehicles from the 2009 model year include the Pontiac Vibe and G5, Chevrolet Cobalt and HHR, and Cadillac CTS. However, the 2008 model year medium duty trucks are excluded.

Though GM hasn’t announced what the specific discounts for models will be, USA Today has reported that the Chevy Silverado will have an employee discount of $3,000 with the addition of $5,000 cash back. Also, incentives for the Chevy Tahoe will be up around $10,000. Surprisingly, models that are usually excluded from this pricing sale are also included, such as the Chevy Corvette. In addition to the great prices, they offer an impressive auto warranty with each vehicle.

GM won’t be posting the pricing sale online, which makes it necessary for consumers to visit a dealership to see how large the incentives and discounts are. The new prices are available through September 2nd.

In order for a vehicle to maintain its peak performance motorists must get routine maintenance and service.  This will also keep your car prepared for difficult driving conditions that come up. Purchasing used car warranties is a good idea so that you don’t dread taking in your car just to find that it requires additional repairs.  To keep your car in tip-top shape, follow these tips.

First, check your tire pressure on a regular basis.  To keep track, you should do it every other time that you get gas at the pump.  In addition, check your tire treads to look for wear and tear and ensure that there isn’t any cracking.

Second, get regular car washes to keep a nice, shiny exterior.  And add a coat of wax to keep away corrosion.

Don’t forget to be aware of your check engine light.  Don’t ignore it if it lights up.  Make sure to take your car to a professional in this case so that you don’t have expensive repairs down the road.  Of course an auto warranty will help you avoid unnecessary repair expenses.

Lastly, determine a service schedule with a mechanic and keep it.  Your car has certain parts that a professional should look at periodically.  Look at your owner’s manual in order to determine what maintenance schedule is best for your car.

Just by following these tips you can head off unnecessary repairs in the future.  However, you want to make sure you have an auto warranty to protect your wallet.

Most of us would like to be able to purchase a brand new shiny car, but not all of us have the option.  However, there are a lot of good used cars out there that you can get for a terrific deal.  Kelley Blue Book recently put a list together of vehicles in average condition that go for between $15,000-$21,000.  The following cars make the top of the list.

Number 1 on the list is the 2003 BMW 3 Series sedan.  The average value of this vehicle is $20,290 according to the Kelley Blue Book.  This car is performance-oriented, handles well, and provides a terrific style.

Next, is the 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe SUV, which is valued at $20,335, making it a great bargain.  The Chevrolet Tahoe is a joy to drive and handles easily.  In addition, the interior in this SUV is roomy and comfortable.

Finally, the 2006 Chrysler 300 sedan has an average value of $17,865.  This is a great used vehicle with a 3.5-liter V-6, and it provides adequate power in all kinds of challenging situations.

Of course a new car would be the goal for a lot of people, but many used vehicles offer motorists a terrific bargain.  To ensure that you get a good vehicle do your homework, and buy used car warranties to go with it.  After all, this will give you peace of mind to enjoy your used car.

Teens are known for making driving mistakes, which unfortunately can result in car accidents. This leaves parents feeling anxious, not knowing if their teen driver is safe. Parents need to take precautions, such as purchasing used car warranties and monitoring their teen’s driving.  There are numerous devices out there that allow parents to track their teenage drivers. However, now parents can track their teen right from their own keychain.

Many technologies out there monitor the speed and location of your teenage driver, and some even videotape who’s riding in the car. However, now there is a Canadian company that is offering a new device called the Lemur Autovision keychain. For the low price of $99.95, parents are able to track the maximum speed that their teen is driving, as well as excessive braking and distance traveled. Essentially all that it requires is the installation of a non-GPS based sensor box and the monitor keychain. This system doesn’t invade a teen’s privacy, but allow parents to discipline children for speeding. And the best part is that it is tamper proof and protected by a PIN, which lets parents know if there have been attempts to fool the system.

Parents need to take extra precautions to keep their teen drivers safe, which includes purchasing an auto warranty, monitoring teen driving, and setting strict guidelines. You can never be too careful when it comes to your children.