Auto Warranty

A driver’s worst nightmare is to turn the key and have their car not start.  Sometimes your engine will turn over but for some reason the car just won’t start.  Do you know what to do if this happens to you? Of course you could call a mechanic.  However, without an auto warranty you might face costly repairs. There are three things that you should check on your own first.  A car relies on air, fire and fuel.  If a car doesn’t get one or two of these vital ingredients, it won’t start.

The first thing that you should check is to make sure the car has gasoline.  If there is an adequate amount, the engine might have been flooded.  You can floor the gas pedal for around ten seconds, but be careful not to pump it while you are turning the ignition.  If the engine is still not starting, tap the carburetor close to the gas line.  This can free the line if the needle valve is stuck.

It is also important to check for broken or loose spark plug wires.  Make sure to do this with the engine off.  The wires that go from the distributor cap to the spark plugs should be secured down on the ends.

Now that you have checked for fuel and fire, we move on to an air check.  If you own a car with a carburetor, take off the top of the air filter and look at the choke plate.  If it appears stuck, open or close it.  Then jiggle the plate in order for it to move freely.

Checking the three main ingredients, air, fire and fuel are a great place to start if your car won’t turn over.  However, you may need a mechanic if you can’t find anything wrong.  You never know when your car might breakdown, which makes it is a necessity to have an auto warranty to protect you from costly repairs.

Safety is one of the biggest considerations when purchasing a new vehicle, but it’s difficult to make an assessment on your own.  There are many factors to consider when looking at the overall safety of a car.  Here are a few of the most important safety issues.

First of all, you want to consider crash protection in a car.  The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety performs crash tests on vehicles from different directions to rate a car’s ability to withstand a collision.  You can access the results of these tests at www.hwysafety.org.

Next, take into account vehicle compatibility.  Taller vehicles have bumpers that are quite a bit higher than a passenger car’s.  This is dangerous for cars because taller bumpers hit cars above the crumple zone and often inflict great damage on cars.

Rollover resistance should also be a factor in the safety of a new car.  SUVs are three times more likely to rollover, according to NHSTA.  Rollover ratings are provided at www.safercar.gov.

These are a few of the many safety considerations when buying a new car.  Consumers should do their research on such things as safety issues, car prices, and an auto warranty before going to the dealership.  It’s best to be prepared so that you can make good decisions.

Used vehicles with good economy that at one time would have been hard for dealers to sell, such as the Chevrolet Aveo and Ford Focus, are now being sold at record speed, and their prices have gone up.  According to J.D. Power & Associates, the ten pre-owned cars with the prices rising the fastest include the Kia Spectra, which is up almost 8%, and the Hyundai Elantra, which is almost 9% higher.  Just a couple of years ago this list was dominated by large, luxurious cars, such as the Lexus LS Series.

Some prices of used cars are even getting close to that of new cars.  For example, the 2006 Honda Civic has an average cost of $16,118, which is 86% of the price of a new 2008 Civic.  A 2006 used BMW Mini Cooper is approximately 81% of the price of a 2008 model.  Usually, cars that are three-years old will cost around 50%-60% of the price of their new equivalent.

This trend creates an opportunity for carmakers to make premium compact cars instead of larger, luxury cars that aren’t as fuel-efficient.  Consumers are looking to save money on car prices, an auto warranty, and gas prices.  Large vehicles that guzzle gas are a thing of the past.

More motorists are deciding to switch to hybrid cars for better fuel-efficiency, however, just like any car; hybrids need common maintenance and occasional repairs.  A regular mechanic can do work that is routine, yet you will need hybrid-certified mechanics for jobs that are more extensive.

According to a Toyota service director in Tampa, hybrid work at the dealership has been small.  There are some vehicles with issues, but for the most part repairs are the result of accidents.  The most costly repair on hybrids is for battery replacement.  In a vehicle that isn’t covered by an auto warranty, you will pay approximately $3,000 just on the part.

The best thing to do is to find a technician to repair your car before you really need it.  This way you won’t have to make last minute decisions.  Also, make sure that the technician is certified in hybrid repair.

Finally, most new car warranties for hybrids cover 100,000 miles or 8-10 years.  Make sure you know if your auto warranty requires that you get service from a specific repair shop.

It’s pretty obvious that carmakers are having a difficult time.  And just to make things even harder, some cars that are perfectly good don’t even get a fair shake.  One car model can be just as good as another one, yet consumers don’t give it the attention of a competing model.

For instance, the Saab 9-5 gets 21 mpg and comes with a sunroof and leather seats, and goes for $37,685 with new car warranties.  However, 1,943 consumers only bought that car, while 81,967 people purchased the similar BMW 3-Series for $32,700, which is the segment leader.

Another story of tough luck is the Acura RL, which is a competitor in the large luxury car division and is one of the Top Safety Picks, along with the S80.  However, the RL, which is powered by a V-6, isn’t a match for competing car models that have V-8 engines.  Because of higher fuel prices, the RL appeals to some shoppers who are fuel-conscious, but it seems that buyers looking for luxury cars have a preference for power over safety.

These cars are great examples of vehicles that deserve a second look because they have features that are unique and high quality.  Unfortunately, they are small players in a huge market.  Consumers should consider the benefits of these cars because not only do they have a lot of features to offer, but also they are priced right with a good auto warranty.

Microsoft’s latest attempt at vehicle technology appears to be promising.  Vi-Fi, or vehicle Wi-Fi, is Wi-Fi connections in vehicles.  Microsoft has partnered up with the University of Washington and the University of Massachusetts in order to make Wi-Fi connections a reliable and steady experience, which hasn’t happened with offerings by cell phone makers and their cards for laptops.

This new system allows for multiple Wi-Fi signals to come in and out at any given time in order for the signal to remain strong and steer clear of “hand-offs”, which are known to fumble and lead to spotty service.

But many people might ask, “Why do we need Wi-Fi in cars anyway?”  Do we really need to net surf behind the wheel?  Well, Wi-Fi- would be a good addition to technology in cars because it would replace satellite subscription services that are expensive, and it would allow us to have an unlimited amount of applications.  With Wi-Fi in cars, the weather and movie times could be displayed, as well as Internet radio, live stock quotes, instant messaging, and pretty much anything else you could access on a laptop.

For this to be an option for the everyday driver, there will need to be a larger infrastructure for Wi-Fi, but Microsoft has proven they can produce terrific technology in cars with the Sync system. Just make sure you have a good auto warranty to cover you in case new car technology fails.

The Acura ZDX was one of the car models that were the most intriguing at the 2009 New York auto show.  This car is part crossover, hatchback and sport vehicle.  According to Acura, this car is designed for the Baby Boomers, which has a growing population.  In fact, it is projected to be about 80 million people in the year 2010.

There are important crossover attributes in the ZDX, such as a seating position that is high in a distinct stylized package. Whereas the carmaker’s MDX crossover with seven seats is aimed at families, the ZDX is targeted for empty nesters.

Information for the price of the ZDX and auto warranty details hasn’t been announced yet, however, insiders say it will be in a position above the MDX in the lineup.  This means that the ZDX’s starting price will probably be above the $40,990 base price of the MDX.

Regardless of if the economy is in its death throes, the children still need to be able to get to soccer, ballet, or baseball practice.  That means that the minivan will survive.

There has been a great deal of focus on falling truck and SUV sales, but the minivan has also experienced a slump lately.  For people who are interested in purchasing a minivan out there, know that there are many deals right now.  You will find some significant deals like getting $3,500 cash back for the 2008 Chrysler Town & Country and $5,000 or 0% financing for 60 months for the 2008 Kia Sedona.

You can also get some cash-back deals on 2009 models as well.  For instance, you can get $2,500 cash back or 2.9% financing for 72 months for the 2009 Nissan Quest or get $1,000 back for the 2009 Dodge Grand Caravan.  In addition, be aware that you can get a good auto warranty with most new minivans.

General Motors recently announced that it is extending an auto warranty offer on its certified used trucks and cars, citing quality gains and less auto warranty-funded repairs.

GM claims it will begin to offer a 12-month, 12,000-mile auto warranty that is “bumper to bumper” on all certified used trucks and cars that are eligible for the coverage by GM dealers.

This change will start September 13, and will extend the terms of the GM auto warranty on late model used vehicles in good condition an extra 9 months and 9,000 miles.

This step comes one day after an announcement by GM that it is putting out a new discount program on new trucks and cars that will provide employee-level pricing to new buyers.

GM, as well as other U.S. carmakers, has been arguing that their quality improvements in their vehicles have long been ignored by American consumers.

In response to this, the Big Three have offered more generous used car warranties over the last few years in order to gain consumer confidence.

A recent study by Ford shows that its Sync entertainment system causes drivers to be less distracted than with other entertainment systems, according to the carmaker.

Ford claims that this assessment is due to the fact that voice commands are used with Sync, which causes drivers to look away from the road about two seconds during a commute, as opposed to around 25 seconds for a driver using a phone or standard MP3 player.

Ford studied 25 drivers by asking them to do simple tasks, such as dialing a number consisting of ten digits, finding a person in a digital phone book, text messaging and finding a certain song.  The researchers examined time with eyes off of the road; speed changes, swerving out of a lane, and differences in the amount of attentiveness while doing a task.

While, Ford’s report may be true, there is room to be skeptical.  After all, it has been reported that it is just as dangerous to talk on the phone hands-free, as it is to hold a cell phone while driving. Drivers should be responsible and purchase a good auto warranty to protect them from new technology failure.  And of course, motorists need to be more cautious than ever because of all of the distractions on the road.