Auto Warranty News

Child Safety Week is approaching soon (June 23-29), which is why HPI is asking parents to consider essential safety features when shopping for a pre-owned car.  Most parents take the time to make sure their children are in approved child safety seats, yet they don’t research the history of the car they are planning to buy, which could be risky for the entire family.

HPI endorses this campaign wholeheartedly and believes that it is extremely important to reduce the number of children killed in car accidents.

According to a recent survey conducted by the HPI, an alarming 75% of motorists would trust their own judgment when purchasing a car, instead of using professional advice to support a decision to purchase.  Also noteworthy is that 88% of drivers said that they were concerned with purchasing a write-off, and 95% of drivers wanted a cut ‘n’ shut.  Some people don’t realize how important a car’s history is.  For example, if a car was in an accident and wasn’t repaired properly, it may not be structurally sound.

Motorists should put the safety of their families first when purchasing a car.  To do this drivers should research the car they are buying and purchase an auto warranty.  These simple steps can help you rest-assured that you are taking necessary safety precautions.

With fuel prices over $4 per gallon, motorists are looking a little more closely at used cars. The National Automobile Dealers Association reports that last year the average cost of a used car was around $15,000, while it was $29,000 for new vehicles.

While you want to purchase a pre-owned car that has a solid reputation for dependability, it’s even more beneficial to purchase a used vehicle that consumers find less popular, because it has already depreciated rapidly.

Many people believe that the best new vehicles make the best used vehicles, which is true in general. However, often these cars depreciate at a slower rate, which makes them popular as new vehicles, but means they cost more as used vehicles.

According to Kelly Blue Book, the car brands that depreciate the slowest are Mini, Scion, Volkswagen, BMW, and Honda.

Instead of purchasing those models, consider other brands that have high reliability scores, but depreciate more quickly and can save you thousands of dollars. Domestic brands are good to consider, such as Dodge, Ford, and Chevrolet. These will get you a bargain.

If you’re looking to save money by buying a used car, consider depreciation. You can get a good bargain by purchasing reliable, more rapidly depreciating models, and buy used car warranties to give you peace of mind.

Pickup trucks have come a long way since the day that their main purpose was for hauling farm equipment and hay.  Today you can find trucks that have the comfort and style of luxury cars.  And they have a suave appearance to take you for a night out on the town.

Pickup trucks are no longer a rough ride, and you have numerous options, styles, and colors to pick from.  Actually, there are more alternatives and choices available for pickup trucks than cars.

If you’re shopping for a pickup truck, you probably put utility before anything else.  Maybe you have a lot of hauling to do, or you do a lot of biking and camping.  Some pickup truck owners want to make a statement about their lifestyle, and really don’t care about utility.  These people like the image and being able to command the road.

There are a few things to consider if you’re looking for a truck.  At budget time, don’t forget to factor in such costs as fuel, insurance, and an auto warranty.  Also, determine how long of a bed you need, because parking a pickup truck with a long bed is a bigger hassle.

Sales of crossovers are one of the strongest segments in the auto industry. What exactly is a crossover? A crossover combines attributes from both SUVs and minivans with the positive characteristics we enjoy on passenger cars.

Crossovers typically have the cargo room and passenger space that you find in minivans, yet add the utility, usefulness, and even all-wheel-drive systems that you find on SUVs. All of these attributes come with the smooth ride, easy operation and secure handling of passenger cars. Basically, crossovers are built to be a combination of the best of all worlds. In addition, most crossovers come with a good auto warranty that gives drivers peace of mind.

Consumers who purchase crossovers have a variety of different interests and activities that call for a flexible, practical car with varied features. Crossover owners like to be ready for anything and everything, and they expect the same from their vehicle.

Other crossover owners are motorists who need to be able to carry more than four passengers, but they don’t want the image that goes along with the minivan, and they don’t want SUVs because of gas consumption and clumsy handling.

The crossover segment of the auto industry is becoming more and more crowded, with new vehicles coming out rapidly. These vehicles offer consumers versatility, reliability, and new car warranties. What’s not to like?

Yesterday, the President of Honda Motor Co. posed with the Honda FCX Clarity fuel cell car.  This is a brand new sedan designed from scratch to use a hydrogen fuel cell engine as its only source of power.  This is the first vehicle powered by hydrogen fuel cells that has ever been commercially available; next month it will be leased to motorists in Japan and America.

The fact that the new Honda is seen in showrooms in the largest auto market in the world demonstrates that Honda anticipates more and more interest in fuel cell technology.  This technology combines oxygen and hydrogen to make electricity and its only emission is water.

New York City drivers might be in for quite a wait to receive this car.  The biggest part of the new fleet is going to be leased in California because that is the only part of the country that has enough refueling stations for hydrogen.

Honda is set to offer lease arrangements of three-years on 200 Clarity models starting in July.  The lease will cost $600 per month and include maintenance and collision insurance.  However, with the interest in hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, it won’t be long until you can purchase one of these cars for yourself, complete with an auto warranty.

Gas prices of more than $4 per gallon have motorists all over the nation looking for fuel-efficient vehicles.  They’re swarming pre-owned car lots, posting online ads, and keeping a close eye on classified ads.  People would rather purchase small used cars with used car warranties, than buy new gas-guzzlers.  The vehicles of choice are the Honda Civic and Accord, Toyota Corolla and Camry, and Ford Focus and Fusion.

These cars are loved for their fuel-efficiency and reliability, and are now drawing higher offers than their value in the Blue Book.

Some sellers of these cars have reported bidding wars that would have new car dealers feeling green with envy.

The movement from big SUVs that guzzle gas to fuel-efficient cars is rippling throughout the nation in the auto industry.  This week, the Toyota Corolla and Camry unseated the Ford F-150 pickup truck as U.S.’s best selling vehicle for the first time ever.  And GM reported on Tuesday that it is going to close four of its plants that make SUVs and trucks.

The biggest auction yard for cars and trucks in the Northwest is just south of Yellowstone River.  And if you’re wondering how the gas prices of around $4 per gallon is hurting the country, take a look here, in Montana.

A salesman in Montana, at the Auto Auction, says that big SUVs that guzzle gas sit around for weeks at a time.  The supply of cars, on the other hand, is short in supply, and you won’t see a Toyota Prius in sight because they are so popular.

Car dealers purchase and sell vehicles at the Auto Auction in Montana.  The cars either come from commercial fleets, or they have been traded in, and didn’t sell.

Statistics show that the demand for cars is more than just a trend.  As fuel prices spike higher than ever, people from Montana are doing away with their gas-guzzling SUVs and pickup trucks and are looking to smaller, lighter cars and hybrids.

Montana isn’t the only state in which people are looking to small, hybrids; the entire country is turning in the same direction.  Consumers are shopping for reliable used cars that they can tack on an auto warranty and feel peace of mind.  Gas-guzzlers just aren’t practical with fuel costs being so high.

Recently, Chrysler announced that they will be marketing more than 15,000 certified pre-owned cars of its Jeep, Chrysler, and Dodge brands, complete with an auto warranty on eBay Motors.

This agreement comes after GM’s plan, which was announced in February, to list the inventory of certified pre-owned vehicles at 3,800 U.S. dealers affiliated with GM on eBay.  Thursday, GM announced that the listings are now on eBay.

Chrysler is the #3 automaker in the U.S. and has struggled with sales.  In 2007, they sold over 122,000 certified pre-owned cars, which was 5% more than the previous year.  This year, Chrysler’s sales for used vehicles have gone up 8%, while sales for new cars are down 20%.

On eBay the Chrysler showroom allows viewers to see pre-owned cars in their area through a classified listings set-up.

The certified pre-owned cars by Chrysler include 2003-2008 models that have less than 65,000 miles and have been reconditioned.  In addition, they have an 80,000 mile or eight year powertrain auto warranty.

It may be tempting to go to one of the giant retail chains that seem to be popping up everywhere for auto service, but is it smart?  Well, there’s something to be said for building a relationship with your auto repair facility, and with a large chain, it’s not likely to happen.

Think about it, you go to a mass retailer for a repair, and then after a year the part fails.  Yet, when you go back to the original location for an auto warranty claim, the first thing they ask for is your receipt.  If you don’t have the receipt you’re out of luck.  Chances are they will have no recollection of you or your car from the previous year.

Many people make the mistake of looking for a service shop just on the basis of price.  However, you need to consider other factors when choosing a shop.  Imagine how nice it would be to build a relationship with a shop where the mechanic recognizes you and your car and you feel a loyalty. We’ve all been in an emergency situation where we need a repair done that day.  If you have a relationship with your mechanic, chances are that he will be more likely to squeeze you in.

Ultimately, the choice is up to you when choosing a service shop.  However, keep in mind the benefits of being able to feel loyalty from your mechanic.

The purpose of the thermostat in your vehicle is to regulate the temperature of the vehicle so that it remains at a desired level.  To do this it controls the heating and cooling mechanisms and controls the flow of heat that goes throughout the system.  The thermostat manages the coolant amount in the internal combustion engine.  You will find a thermostat in any liquid cooled engine.

If you’re thermostat isn’t performing correctly it may be for a few reasons.  First, if the water pump in the car is failing then the thermostat will be affected.  The thermostat can also be affected if the engine is overheated or there is coolant leaking.

You should have your thermostat checked out by your mechanic regularly.  It holds a key position in cooling your engine, so it should be replaced every few years.

Failing to replace your thermostat when it should be could give you additional problems, such as a knocking noise with acceleration, emission problems, and poor fuel-efficiency.  Unfortunately, you never know when car problems will arise, which is why you should have your vehicle serviced regularly and purchase an auto warranty for peace of mind.