Auto Warranty News

With gas over $4 a gallon around the nation, drivers are trading in their big gas-guzzlers for fuel-efficient cars.  Yet, while that makes sense, if you switch too soon you might be looking at more overall car costs than you’ll save on gas.  According to Consumer Reports, downsizing is beneficial in the long run if you time it right.

A study by Consumer Reports reveals that if you still owe on your car loan, it might not be beneficial to downsize after just three years.  With a loan, initially your payments are made up of a large percentage of interest.  Trading in too early will leave you with less equity, which will limit a down payment for a new car.

Another hurdle that affects the equity of your car is depreciation.  In the first five years of ownership, depreciation makes up about 48% of total vehicle costs for the owner.  On average, costs for fuel only equal about 21%.  Within the first three years, depreciation is the greatest, and then it begins to level off.

So, trading in a 3-year old car will result in a whole new depreciation ride.  However, if you have owned your vehicle for more than four years trading in makes more sense.  Just make sure you have an auto warranty for peace of mind when keeping your vehicle for several years.

With the high gas prices and poor economy, drivers are feeling the pinch.  And while you don’t have control over costs, such as gas prices, maintenance, and an auto warranty, you do have the power to maintain your vehicle’s value by making it last longer.  Your choice is to buy a new vehicle every few years, or to maintain your current one.  Here are some tips to keep your old gem running great.

Perhaps the most important thing you can do for your car is to get regular oil changes and have your oil filter replaced regularly.  In addition, don’t forget about your air filter.  Changing this will allow your vehicle to breathe easier and help your engine last longer.

Don’t forget about your vehicle’s cooling system.  Keep coolant levels as recommended by your owner’s manual to avoid an engine melt down.  You wouldn’t think that a simple act such as this would save you from major repairs, but neglecting to do this will have you using your auto warranty more than you would like to.

The least expensive maintenance tip is to make sure your tires are inflated to the proper levels. However, the benefits of this are immense.  You will get better fuel-efficiency, have your tires last longer and have a safer vehicle.

Find a mechanic that you trust and use him for all of your car service.  This way he can get familiar with your car and know your car from the inside out.

If you want to avoid purchasing a new car right now, follow these service tips to keep your current car running like a champ.  And, make sure you purchase used car warranties so you don’t have unnecessary repair costs down the road.

Families consider the safety of their children a top priority.  Unfortunately, car accidents are responsible for more deaths among 3-14 year olds than any other cause.  Parents need to take essential steps to make sure that their children remain safe on the road.  That means buying an auto warranty to ensure that repairs are up-to-date, and making sure that car seats are installed and used correctly.

More than 1,500 children under the age of 14 were killed in 2003, and around 220,000 were injured as the result of a car accident.  Just using a child safety seat correctly can reduce these incidents drastically.  In fact, casualties are reduced by around 70%.  Alarmingly, approximately 75% of child seats are installed incorrectly.  Unfortunately, about half of children killed in car crashes aren’t even restrained at all.

GM has a program designed to combat this problem called Safe Kids Buckle Up.  This program informs parents about the importance of proper car seat use.  This program has been running for over 10 years, has had 40,000 child seat checks around the country, and has inspected over 900,000 car seats.

Around the world, automakers are realizing that motorists are concerned with cars that are ecologically responsible, and therefore are putting out more and more of these vehicles.  With all of the new models on the market, consumers have options.  There are many vehicles that offer fuel-efficiency and style.  Here are some to look for.

The Audi TT TDI proves that you can have hot sports car that doesn’t guzzle gas.  This vehicle goes from 0-62 mph in just 7.5 seconds.  Its engine has 170 hp with 258 lb-ft of torque.  This Audi combines a sports car’s power with a compact car’s fuel-efficiency.

The VW Golf TDI Hybrid offers low emissions, and with longer legs.  This vehicle is a hatchback that is compact and has seen great popularity in Europe.  Its engine is high-tech; diesel with a start-stop that is automatic.  Also, it features a DSG 7 speed gearbox and an electric motor, and gets 69 mpg.

Motorists are realizing that fuel-efficient vehicles are the way to go, with gas prices over $4 a gallon.  People are making an effort to protect their wallets with vehicles that are ecologically responsible and new car warranties.

According to Experian, used cars experienced a major sales decline last year.  This trend is carrying over into 2008, where many dealerships are noticing a decline in used vehicle sales because motorists are remaining cautious.

Although used car sales have generally fallen, vehicles that are older (5-7 yrs.) actually experienced an increase in sales of 3.3%.  This age group had more of a sales increase than any other age group.

These older cars being the most popular age group may have to do with the difficulty that drivers are having with trying to get a bank loan.  Also, drivers can’t afford to pay as much outright.

Just like in prior years, the MPV, SUV, and sports car segments have experienced a sales increase, despite the fall in virtually all other vehicle segments.

Because of the poor economy, consumers are cautious in purchasing any car, used or new.  Many motorists are deciding to keep their older cars, and purchase an auto warranty to protect their old gems.

Whether you are driving two hours to grandma’s house or going on an eight-state road trip, there are some things that you can do to make your trip easier.  Though you can’t control many driving aspects, such as gas prices, there are other simple ways to save money.

First, make sure you know how to get where you’re going.  Even if your trip is familiar, conditions and roads can change due to things such as construction.  To avoid the wasted time, mileage and gas that goes along with being stuck in traffic, dial 511 in most states to check road updates.  Also, it is smart to consult maps before setting off on your trip to find the most direct route.

This goes without saying, don’t drive during rush hour traffic.  Yet many people make this mistake and end up adding hours onto their driving time.  This mistake can cost you money and peace of mind.

Probably the most important thing to do is have your car tuned up before you leave.  There is nothing worse than having your car breakdown on vacation.  Many people avoid doing this because they fear taking their car in just to find that they need to pay for a major repair.  You can avoid this stress by purchasing an auto warranty that will cover the expensive repairs on your car.

Road trips are supposed to be fun and relaxing, so follow these tips to ensure that you can enjoy your trip.

With gas prices soaring, there are numerous tips circulating about how to save money on fuel.  A lot of this advice, however, isn’t worth the time of the average driver.  So, which strategies are worth the time and which aren’t?

There are several things that you can do to significantly improve your fuel economy.  It makes sense to drive slow and steady to improve gas mileage.  If you travel at the speed limit and avoid accelerating rapidly you won’t burn as much gas.  Also, you don’t want to let your car idle.  Every second in which your engine is running while your car is stationary you are wasting gas.  Also, keeping your tires inflated properly will allow you approximately a 10% improvement in fuel-efficiency.

There are also some tips that aren’t worth your time.  First of all, don’t bother filling up when temperatures are cool.  Although this theory is true, it won’t save you enough to be concerned with it.  Next, lightening your load isn’t going to help you with fuel-efficiency very much unless you’re carrying 100 pounds of cargo in your car.  Most people don’t carry enough stuff in their car to amount to much.

Consumers are becoming more and more concerned with saving money on their cars.  To do this they are buying fuel-efficient cars with an auto warranty, and following tips to save on fuel.  Motorists are feeling the pinch due to the poor economy.

If you are planning on doing some car shopping next month you will probably see a new sticker on some of the car windows.

This week the California Secretary of State signed a regulation requiring that by January of 2009, all vehicles being sold in the state must display a sticker, which will allow shoppers to know the environmental impact of different vehicles.  Each car will have a score for global warming and smog, based on an assessment by the state.  According to the California Air Resources Board, dealers will probably start putting them on soon.

The information on the label will allow motorists to choose a car that will fight smog, save gas, and reduce greenhouse emissions.  Consumers will be better able to make an educated choice about the impact of the car that they are buying.

The stickers will score each category on a scale of 1-10.  Average new cars will earn a score of five in each category.  The higher a vehicle scores, the less of a negative impact it has on the environment.

Now, not only can motorists buy a car based on its sticker price and new car warranties, they can also factor in environmental impacts.  Education is the key to consumers getting the car that suits them best.

If a glossy flyer arrives in your mailbox from a car dealership in your area promoting a huge event for pre-owned car sales, beware. Many of these events have contests, or “bonus” vouchers, which consumers are advised to take advantage of to get thousands of dollars off of the price of a pre-owned car. One of these flyers came with a key that people were told to take to the sales event to discover if they had won a new vehicle.

“Blow-out” sales, such as these, will use the name of a local dealer, but other companies run them. Typically, these companies will charge more for the cars than the actual dealership. And according to investigations by state attorneys, often-deceptive tactics and high-pressure are used to achieve sales.

The state attorney general’s office of Washington announced early this year that they settled with a company such as this. This company was accused of not disclosing how many cars were available at the price advertised, making financing sound easier than it really is, and misrepresenting the value of the cars being sold by calling them “drastically discounted”.

Consumers should remember that if a car deal sounds to good to be true, it probably is. It is best to research such things as used cars and used car warranties before you actually go shopping. This way you will know what prices are reasonable to expect.

The pre-owned vehicle retailer CarMax Inc. had a plunge of 55% in fiscal-first quarter net income.  This announcement weighed heavily on carmakers because it created additional concerns about the rapidly shifting trends of consumers.

The pre-owned retailer, of Richmond, VA claims that there was a 25% decline for SUVs and trucks for the quarter ending late in May, which was way above what the depreciation was expected to be for the whole year.  This is due to motorists’ reactions to the weak economy and high gas prices.

CarMax shares saw a decline of 11% at the 4 p.m. N.Y. Stock Exchange composite trading.  In addition, GM shares dropped 5.9%, and Ford shares declined 5.8%

According to the Chief Executive of CarMax, this depreciation has lasted longer than any other segment that they have seen, and prices are sure to continue falling.

Large vehicles have been U.S. carmakers’ main sales source in the past, yet now they have to scale back on production in these segments and introduce more fuel-efficient cars.

Consumers are being hit hard by the economy and high gas prices; therefore, they are looking for small, fuel-efficient cars.  Some motorists, however, are deciding to hold on to their current vehicles and purchasing used car warranties so that they don’t have to buy a car for a while.