Auto Warranty

The 2009 Hyundai Genesis has received nothing but praise by everyone who has driven it.  This car comes at a great price with a large auto warranty and can hold its own with the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class.  Now it has also received a seal of approval by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, getting five-star crash-test ratings across the board.

The Hyundai Genesis actually received something that the BMW and Mercedes weren’t able to achieve- five stars in both side-impact and frontal impact crash tests.

According to John Krafcik, who is the V.P. of Strategic Planning and Product Development at Hyundai, the five-star results that the Genesis received are just one indication that Hyundai engineers are dedicated to safety.

Krafcik is making reference to the rigid body structure, active head restraints, and eight airbags in the Genesis.  Also included in the airbag count are rear side-impact airbags, which are uncommon for a vehicle costing $30K.

The five-star ratings by the NHTSA are just one added selling point to a vehicle that has lots going for it, such as a good price and new car warranties, as well as a great ride and look.

BMW is now running an impressive 0.9% financing deal, which makes it a great time to buy a BMW complete with an auto warranty.  This is especially true since BMW will be raising its prices an average of 2% for the 2009 model year.  Other than the 3 Series, most BMW models will not have any changes for the 2009 model year, which makes the price increase fairly annoying for BMW customers.

BMW claims that their prices are going up because of the high cost of raw materials, and that the majority of car manufacturers generally raise their prices about 1%-3% on unchanged models annually.

Be aware that there are some option packages that have changed, which can have a drastic effect on the price of a BMW.  Cars that won’t be back for the 2009 model year are the M4 roadster and coupe and the Z4 roadster and coupe.  It has been reported that there will be a redesigned roadster ready in 2010.

The legendary and powerful V-8 engine is finding its place in history, because very few new cars are using it, according to U.S. car industry reports.  Consumers want to protect themselves with fuel-efficient vehicles that have an auto warranty, and aren’t purchasing vehicles with V-8 engines.

The majority of carmakers are deciding not to put V-8’s under the hoods of family vehicles, USA Today stated in a NY report.  The V-6’s are also losing popularity and people are instead deciding to purchase vehicles with the V-4.  In fact, observers claim that the V-8 in particular isn’t politically correct anymore.

Carmakers who are choosing to introduce new V-8s are tending to confine them to high-performance sports cars, trucks meant for towing, and several premium cars.

New vehicles that are planning to be equipped with a V-8 engine include the Cadillac CTS-V, the Hyundai Genesis, and the Dodge Challenger.  Carmakers are making it a point to stress the fact that the newer V-8s are much more fuel-efficient than in the past.

However, GM is discarding the eight-cylinder engine from next year’s 2010 Cadillac SRX crossover and Ford won’t be offering its Lincoln MKS sedan with the V-8.

Consumers are opting for cars with smaller engines that have new car warranties in order to protect their wallets.  V-8s are finding their place in history.

Mercedes-Benz now has a new line of clean-diesel vehicles called Bluetec, much like the Volkswagen Jetta TDI.  All of these qualify for the alternative-powertrain tax credit by the IRS.  Previously, only hybrid cars qualified to receive the credit, but the advancements in clean-diesel technology have allowed these German carmakers to get this tax break for their new diesel lines.

The tax credits only apply to the first 60,000 units that are sold.  Also, they will vary depending on the fuel-efficiency of the car.  For example, the Mercedes Benz ML320 Bluetec will qualify for a rebate of $900, but if you make a step up to the GL320 and you will get a credit of $1,800.  You can buy the Jetta TDI now, and it will be in showrooms this October.

Will these tax credits make more people consider purchasing a diesel car the next time they go car shopping? While the national price of fuel has come down to approximately $3.80 per gallon as of today, prices for diesel remain high, at over $4.50 per gallon.

In the past, motorists protected their wallets by purchasing an auto warranty, buying inexpensive vehicles, and keeping up with maintenance.  Now, receiving tax credits for clean-diesel vehicles give consumers another way of conserving on car related expenses.

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.

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.

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.

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.

After a great deal of excitement for several months about the new El Camino looking vehicle by Pontiac, and a lot of speculation that the vehicle might even use the El Camino name, Pontiac has chosen a name: G8 ST.

G8 comes from the fact that this sporty truck has been based on the car platform of the G8, and ST means that it’s a sport truck.

Pontiac had a national contest to come up with a name for the truck.  They had to sift through approximately 18,000 names by almost 90,000 submissions in its contest called ‘Tame the Name’.  G8 ST was one of the suggestions that were the most popular, which kept with a trend for easy-to-remember, simple names.

The new G8 ST will be sold late in 2009 as a model that is 2010.  Although information about the price of the car and the auto warranty haven’t been released.  This vehicle has a 361-hp, 6.0-liter V-8, and has active fuel management that has the ability to shut off four cylinders if they aren’t needed.