Used Car Warranties

As the economy declines, more motorists are trying to save money by abandoning their car insurance.

According to the Insurance Research Council, the uninsured rate and the unemployment rate are directly correlated.  When unemployment increases 1%, uninsured drivers increase a half-percent.  Unemployment is up a great deal since last year.

In a study that is coming out next month, the council claims there have been several hundred thousand drivers that have let their insurance lapse, or dropped it in the last year.

What this means is that your odds of getting hit by a driver that is uninsured have gone up drastically, and usually people who are uninsured don’t have very many assets if you plan to sue for damages.

For people who have the funds, coverage for being hit by underinsured or uninsured drivers has become a necessary protection even though it raises your premium 7% to 9%.  And, you don’t want to let your insurance lapse because you will be charged a 25% to 50% surcharge for a new policy.  Also, drivers should protect themselves with used car warranties.

If you’re planning to purchase a used vehicle you need to find out as much as you can about it.  The car could have problems that you can’t detect by looking at it.  In order to understand the car that you are getting, get a vehicle history report.  This will give you combined information from DMVs, RMVs, and police reports about the car that you are looking at.  Here are some things to consider when looking at the vehicle report.

Determine if the car has had many owners.  You are better off with a car that has had fewer owners because there is more of a likelihood that the car has been taken good care of.  Although inexpensive, rental cars will have undergone a great deal of abuse.

Also, consider the location that the car has been in.  This is important because some climates are harsher on cars.  For example, winter conditions are hard on cars because of salty roads.  Obviously, excessive heat and flood areas are also of concern.

Finally, make sure that the name and description on the history report actually match the vehicle you’re looking at.  This will help avoid types of fraud, such as vehicle identification number cloning.

A used car is a great way for people to save money and get a great car.  Just do your homework to make sure you are getting a good buy.  You need to consider the costs of used car warranties, auto insurance, and maintenance costs.  An auto warranty is a good way to get peace of mind when purchasing a used vehicle.

Regardless of the year or make, one of the biggest investments people will make is a vehicle.  Buying a used car is a great way for consumers to save some money.  However, risks can be higher, which is why an auto warranty should be purchased for the car.  Fortunately, there are ways that buyers can recognize the difference between dependable used cars and lemons.

The safest thing to do is to have the car that you are looking to buy checked out by a licensed mechanic.  However, there are some things that you can do on your own.

For instance, bring a soft magnet from your refrigerator to determine if there is damage underneath a new coat of paint.  You can run the magnet all along the fenders and doors, which are steel.  If it seems that the magnet won’t stick, there is probably a type of body filler under the paint.

Also, examine the inside of the vehicle for stains from water.  If the car was damaged in a flood, it could mean trouble in years to come.  You also want to look at the wear on the pedals of the vehicle.  It should be consistent with what the mileage claims to be.  If there is low mileage, there should be little wear on the pedals.

Don’t forget to examine the tires of the vehicle, too.  If you see wear on the outside edges of the tires, the car is probably out of alignment or might have components that are worn-out.

Knowing what to look for in a used vehicle will bring you peace of mind about your purchase.  Also, know that used car warranties will allow you to save on costly repairs that are unforeseen.

Satellite navigation devices, or the popular GPS interfaces that many motorists have in their vehicles, are, seemingly, responsible for a large share of accidents and driving practices that are risky.

With almost half of the motorists on the roads having access to devices such as these in their vehicles, it appears that this technology has penetrated the market.  Drivers who have satellite navigation devices are much more likely to be involved in a minor accident or risky behaviors.  In fact, 1.5 million say that they have engaged in sudden maneuvers, and approximately 5 million admit to going against the flow of traffic.

GPS systems fall into the same category as other car distractions, such as cell phones, kids, the radio, or passengers.  This might be one of the reasons that road safety campaigns say that ‘Good Drivers Just Drive’.

Drivers should pre-plan their trips in order to avoid GPS distractions.  In addition, drivers should protect themselves by purchasing used car warranties, and avoiding other in car distractions.

With the poor economy, 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 vehicle 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 vehicle 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 want to save money by buying a used car, consider depreciation. You can get a good bargain by buying reliable, more rapidly depreciating models, and buy used car warranties to give you peace of mind.

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.

The reliability ratings for Ford had a significant jump, which makes it the most reliable American carmaker, according to Consumer Reports, which just released its ratings. Other than a few of Ford’s pickup trucks, Ford’s reliability is comparable to that of the Japanese carmakers that are the best.

Other carmakers that received the highest ratings went to the usual winners, including Toyota, Honda, and Nissan.  Toyota received below-average ratings last year for the V-6 Camry and Tundra, however now all of the 42 Toyota, Lexus, and Scion models had ratings that were average or above.  After several years of experiencing trouble, Nissan’s Armada and Titan and Infiniti’s QX56 had improved ratings, which now are average.  Kia and Hyundai also got rankings equal with the best Japanese carmakers, with Kia making a 12 spot jump in one year.

American carmakers need to make improvements in reliability so consumers will purchase American made cars, and Ford has now achieved this.  Consumers are very concerned with safety and reliability and are purchasing cars with the best ratings.  Motorists are also protecting themselves by purchasing new and used car warranties.

People are often irrational about their vehicles.  They treat them as if they are their babies and shower them with affection.  Some drivers even talk to their vehicles and give them a pat here and there.  But as much as our cars mean to us, we don’t need to waste money on them.  Here are some common ways that you can avoid unnecessary car expenses.

First of all, buying premium fuel over regular isn’t necessary.  Purchase the cheapest gas possible that keeps your engine from knocking.  Octane serves the purpose of preventing knock, so if your car doesn’t knock with regular gasoline you’re fine.

Usually, carmakers recommend that you change your oil every 5,000-7,000 miles.  Many motorists assume that they should get their oil changed every 3,000 miles, however, this should be done only if you put a lot of wear and tear on your car.

Also, having auto repairs done at a dealership will cost you.  Instead, find a reliable independent shop to do the job for less money.  In addition, make sure to have an auto warranty to avoid unnecessary costs down the road.

Following these simple tips can save you lots of money.  Don’t allow other people to talk you into paying unnecessary expenses for your vehicle and purchase used car warranties to protect your wallet.

If you want to buy a cheap, used vehicle, you might want to check out an auto auction website.  A good place to start is Car-Auction.com.  This website features cars that have been seized by the government.  Motorists can select the type and model of car that they would like to purchase, and also the price.  You will receive results within seconds.  The convenience of this website is key.  It’s so much easier than going to an automobile auction.  Just make sure to follow these tips.

The hardest part about an auto auction website is finding a quality vehicle that you want to purchase.  A lot of people will purchase a car that looks good on the outside, yet this is a big mistake.  You need to get additional information about the vehicle.

Getting a history report on the car is essential before making an agreement.  You should get the cars VIN in order to do a search through an agency, such as Carfax.  Also important is getting a professional inspection on the vehicle.

An online auction site is a wonderful place to search for a used vehicle.  However, you need to be careful.  Do your homework to protect yourself. Also, make sure you buy used car warranties for peace of mind.

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.