Auto Warranty News

Brake pad vibrations that result in a high-pitched noise are the cause of brake squeal.  When pads don’t have proper insulation from the caliper, vibration occurs.  The factory will equip brake pads with insulator shims, clips, and even a silicone backing that allows the pad to stay glued to the caliper.  This helps to prevent vibrations.

Often times when brake pads become too hard brake squeal occurs.  The hard and smooth surfaces then rub together to produce a noise equivalent to nails on the blackboard.  When this occurs, it is necessary to resurface the rotors and replace brake pads.  This will eliminate the squealing.

You should also have your rotors resurfaced when you have your brakes done.  Not doing this will result in squealing.  When replacing brake pads, the rotor refinishing should be done with a non-directional finish.  This will make sure that brake pads are broken in properly.

Act immediately if brake squeal occurs.  Take your car to a highly trained technician to make sure that your brakes are treated appropriately.  And, make sure you have used car warranties to cover repairs performed.  After all, you don’t want to end up paying unnecessary costs.

There is nothing worse than getting your car repaired and hearing, “It isn’t covered under your auto warranty.”  Often, motorists are confused because they assume that certain repairs are covered.  Drivers need a little education to understand more about their new car warranties.

People need to understand that an auto warranty isn’t an entitlement, but an agreement you make with the car manufacturer.  Your responsibility is to fulfill specific maintenance requirements that the manufacturer sets.  After doing your part, the manufacturer must perform repairs resulting from a defect or a failed part.

So, what parts are covered?  The auto manufacturer must cover the parts that it makes.  For example, transmissions, engines, steering, suspension, computers, instruments, chassis wiring, and other parts that they manufacture are covered.  Maintenance items and wearable items aren’t covered under new car warranties.  For example, filters, hoses, belts, brakes and tires aren’t covered.

What about the parts not made by the manufacturer of the car?  Items such as stereo systems and conversion components have a warranty through their manufacturers.  These can be found in paper work you received with the purchase of the car.

The best thing that you can do to avoid misunderstandings about new car warranties is to educate yourself.  Make sure that you do your homework and read all of the fine print in your auto warranty.

There’s nothing worse than planning a trip and waking up to find violent, heavy rains pouring down out of the sky.  There are two things you need in this situation, an auto warranty and a reliable car.  Do you have a vehicle that is ready for driving in this situation?  In this situation it is necessary to have a car that ensures a smooth, safe ride, even in ice and rain.

According to the FHWA approximately 6,400,000 cars are involved in accidents every year.  About twenty five percent of these accidents are related to weather.  Here are some of the best cars to handle in rain.

Although you may not believe it, the Porsche Cayman, as well as the Cayman S are two of the best cars in rain.  They are packed with essential all weather features.

For instance, these vehicles have a wiper system with rain sensors that make the wipers activate as soon as water hits the glass.  Also, wipers shut off after the car reaches 131 mph.

In addition, these cars have great tire traction, as well as mud guards.  They also have the Porsche Stability Management System, which detects when the car is slipping.

Finally, these cars have four-wheel disc brakes that are anti-lock.  They are cross-drilled for optimal performance.

If you ask a woman if she would like to buy a Dodge Viper, chances are she will say “no”.  This car is a V-10 two seater that starts at approximately $80,000.  Although this may not be a woman’s cup of tea, studies show that many men would like to have this car.  Like many other aspects of life, men and women seem to have very different tastes, and cars are no exception.

Men and women buy the Viper, but 91% of customers are men.  The Porsche 911 and BMW M5 are also cars being bought primarily by males.  These models costs above $60,000.  Studies show that men often equate their car with their image.  In other words, they choose cars that will portray a certain status.

What cars do women like?  The #1 choice is the Toyota RAV4.  Women like to purchase small, affordable cars that are easy to buy.  For example, the Saturn SC, SL, and ION are popular choices for women.  These cars start at around $10,000 and have a reputation of being “no hassle” when it comes to buying.

It is obvious that women and men think very differently in lots of areas, cars included.  Men like to buy the fast, impressive cars, whereas women purchase the inexpensive, small cars.  The only common ground that these cars have is that they are backed by an auto warranty.

Today’s drivers are realizing that cars are being made to withstand more.  There are many vehicles on the road that prove to be reliable and durable.  So, what cars are going to keep you on the road?

Honda cars are known for being reliable and safe and are always a sure thing.  Also, they experience minimal problems and repairs.  For example, the Honda Odyssey is ranked #1 in durability.  Also ranking high on the list are the Honda Pilot, Civic, Accord and CRV.

Some small SUVs are known for being extremely durable.  For example, the Volvo XC90 and Subaru Forester are two examples.  But if you’re looking for luxury in addition to durability, the Audi A4 and Acura RDX will deliver.

The vehicles listed made the list due to performance, safety ratings, and lack of complaints.  Anyone who is shopping for a new car would feel peace of mind in these cars.  However, it is always a good idea to purchase an auto warranty to protect you.

It can be difficult to find a car that is suitable for the needs of a family.  In fact, consumers can often feel overwhelmed with all of the choices.  So, what are some necessary considerations when purchasing a family car?

First, most families are in search of an affordable vehicle.  This typically means that the sticker price is under $30,000 and comes with a good auto warranty.  There are many good quality vehicles out there that go for less than $30,000, so if you are looking at a company that can’t produce a good vehicle for this price, you’re searching with the wrong company.

One very important feature for a family car is comfort.  Five people should be able to fit into a vehicle comfortably, otherwise no one will be happy.  Also, make sure that you have sufficient cargo space for groceries, hobbies, etc.

Safety is essential in a family vehicle.  Many of the new car models have innovative safety features capable of saving people’s lives.  For instance, the Chevrolet Malibu incorporates the OnStar system of communication, which has the Advanced Automatic Crash Notification.

Try not to get overwhelmed with the shopping process when looking for a family vehicle.  Just take these tips into consideration and make sure purchase an auto warranty in case of unforeseen repairs.

These days many vehicles are being offered with 4WD systems.  It can be difficult for consumers wanting to purchase a car with 4WD to distinguish between the different systems.  There is Part Time 4WD, Full Time 4WD and permanent 4WD.  So, what’s the difference?

The most basic of the 4WD systems is Part Time.  This allows the driver to choose if they want to drive in two-wheel drive or 4WD.  This sounds appealing, but has a downside.  The 4WD shouldn’t be engaged unless it is very slippery.  The reason for this is that 4WD will lock the front and back wheels.  Although this is good for slippery conditions, it makes for awkward handling on dry surfaces.  This system is, however, less expensive and very durable.

The most commonly used system is Full Time 4WD.  This system offers a two-wheel drive mode and 4WD.  Also, there is a high and low mode for various conditions.  An advantage to this system is that a center differential allows the front and back wheels to rotate at two different speeds.  Also beneficial is that this system offers more control and better handling on different road conditions.

Permanent 4WD is comparable to Full Time, yet it doesn’t have a two-wheel drive mode.  The car will always be in 4WD with this system.  Torque is being applied constantly to all of the wheels, which allows for traction in various weather conditions.  This system has high and low modes that are applied automatically.

Four- wheel drive is a great feature to have on any vehicle that may encounter challenging road conditions.  However, with any technology make sure that you purchase an auto warranty to cover you from paying unnecessary repair costs down the road.  This will allow you to have peace of mind.

Buying a pre-owned car is a good way to get a good car for less money.  However, when most people go car shopping they inspect the outside thoroughly, but forget to inspect the interior.  Here are some things to look for.

Notice the smell of the interior.  If you detect mold, must or mildew, there is a chance that the vehicle has water leaks.  Make sure to look under the floor mats for wet spots.  Also, it is easy to detect the smell of smoke, which probably means that the previous car owner was a smoker.  Just be aware that it can be virtually impossible to eliminate car odors, so if there is a bad smell, look at other cars to purchase.

Sit in every seat, including the back, even if you don’t plan to ever ride in the back.  Also, make sure seat adjustments are working as intended.  And know that if a car is advertised as having low mileage, the upholstery should still look good.

The pedals will give you an indication of true mileage.  If the pedals are worn it means the car has high mileage.

Do your homework when buying a used car.  Research costs, such as maintenance, an auto warranty, and auto insurance to ensure that you are making a good car choice.  And make sure to have the vehicle inspected before you purchase it.

There is nothing worse that purchasing a car and finding out that it has an ocean of problems, literally.

Why?  The number of cars on the market in the last five years that have been damaged by flooding, hurricanes or rains has doubled.  Certain states have actually reported an increase of six times more than the number recorded five years ago.

A lot of times, vehicles with this problem are moved from regions that experience a lot of flooding to less suspicious areas.  These cars will find themselves back on the pre-owned market, disguised and rebuilt to look clean.

It can be hard to realize if a flood has damaged a car, yet if a car has been underwater it will rot inside and out.  Also, water damage can threaten the mechanical systems and ruin electronics in a vehicle, without even leaving a sign on the outside of the vehicle.

Since sales of used cars are expected to reach 45 million this year, consumers need to be on high alert for any signs of flood damage.  Also, purchase an auto warranty to protect yourself in case you have unforeseen repair costs.

Used car buyers need to be aware of a common scam; odometer fraud.  This is the act of rolling back the odometer on a car.  This deceives buyers into thinking that a vehicle has fewer miles than it really does.  It is estimated that this crime leads to sales of around 450,000 vehicles every year. 

Also alarming is that digital odometers are easier to meddle with than traditional odometers.  There are ways that consumers can protect themselves against odometer fraud.

First of all, request to see the car’s title and make a comparison between its mileage and the car’s odometer.  Also, compare the mileage on the car’s maintenance records with the odometer on the vehicle.  In addition, sometimes there are stickers with maintenance records on doorframes and windows.

Next, you should ask for a Carfax History Report on the vehicle to see odometer discrepancies.  If the person selling the car doesn’t have one, you can order one online with the vehicles VIN number.

Finally, check to see that the odometer gauge numbers are all aligned.  If they aren’t aligned, or if they move when you tap on the dash, you may want to think twice about buying.

These tips can save you from buying a car that has been tampered with.  However, you never know the true history of a used vehicle.  This is why used car warranties are a good idea to protect you against unforeseen repairs.