Used Car Warranties

Imagine one day waking up to find that the only cars on the roads, in driveways, and in parking lots were electrics or hybrids.

CNW Marketing Research made some calculations to determine when America would become completely hybridized, and could stop depending on Middle Eastern powers for barrels of oil.

Based on the amount of people who live in America today (300 million), the number of cars driving on U.S. roads (11 million), the number of new cars that are sold in a year (15 million), and the number of those purchased cars that are hybrids, CNW calculated that in 2034 there is going to be:

• 357 million Americans
• 381 million cars, all hybrid or electric
• 15.7 million cars written off
• 18.1 new cars sold that are all hybrid or electric

It may seem like a long time, but it’s not unreasonable when you consider that every car being built and sold would have to be a hybrid, and every car on the road would have to be replaced with a hybrid vehicle.  Also, many people are holding onto their old vehicles and buying used car warranties because of the poor economy, so that is slowing things down.

It can be quite a challenge to find a handicap-accessible vehicle to suit your needs.  Also, it can be nearly impossible to sort through newspapers and services online.  This is why Rick Shutes started HandicapAutoTrader.com.  He wanted to help people who are disabled to find suitable vehicles.

HandicapAutoTrader.com is great for buyers and sellers.  People who want to buy can search available vehicles at no cost, and contact the website’s staff conveniently through email or phone.  Sellers are able to list their cars, with an addition of three images for free.

This website allows consumers to search cars according to the features that they desire.  In addition, you can search by categories, such as model, make, year, etc.  Also convenient is the feature, “Easy Compare Vehicles”.  This lets people compare vehicles side-by-side to get the features and price that they want.

As with any vehicle purchase, it is necessary to do your homework.  Make sure to research vehicles, used car warranties, and auto loans before deciding anything.  This will allow you to get the best deals.

According to the BMW Blog, the CS Concept that was unveiled at the New York auto show this past spring isn’t going to ever see the light of day in production.  Due to the current problems with the financial market, BMW brass had a change of mind about the possibility of a $100,000-plus-range car.

For car fans this is bad news, but most people buying cars won’t care.  But it is worrisome to car afficionados is the fact that BMW claimed in its cancellation announcement that it’s focusing on profit right now, and not brand identity.  That means that consumers can expect to see more cars like the X1 SUV and not as many statement vehicles.  The company is also claiming that it will be focusing on new technology, which probably means it will be working on engines that are more efficient and refining its iDrive system.

Although many drivers don’t have the funds to purchase a car like the CS Concept, it is sad to see that it won’t make it to production.  However, most people are choosing not to purchase new vehicles right now and instead hold onto their current cars and buy used car warranties.

College students who live far from their school find it hard to commute on a daily basis.  It can be tough to wait for a bus, as well as time consuming.  Having a vehicle can help a great deal in this situation.  But students are usually tight for cash, so they need to get car loans for students.

Students need to plan their budget well.  Purchasing a pre-owned vehicle is a great option for students because they are cheaper than new vehicles.  Of course there are other expenses, such as insurance, maintenance, used car warranties, and fuel that come along with car ownership.  So, it is necessary to consider these factors when calculating the cost of buying a car.  Car loans for students are designed so that students can repay them without problems.  Loans such as these are offered through banks and financial companies.

Students with poor credit are even eligible to apply for car loans for students; however, their interest rate will be higher.  To make the interest rate lower, students can arrange to have a co-signer.  Auto loans for students are considered secure because if the student can’t repay the loan, the lender will take the car, and it will be sold to recover the loan amount.

In the oil industry there is an economic term that is quite sinister-sounding being thrown around: “Demand destruction.”

Demand destruction is when the price of a product is looked at comprehensively as too high, therefore causing demand to tank.

So, why would the oil industry be concerned about this?  Well, the fact is that since the summer of $4 per gallon gas, demand has continued to stay low.  American motorists have pretty much completely stopped purchasing cars that get low-mileage and have given up on large gas-guzzlers, even since oil prices have fallen drastically. Many motorists are just holding onto their current vehicles and purchasing used car warranties. People are still driving fewer miles, even as gas prices go down.

Whatever the cause may be of the summer’s oil spike, it seems that there is no going back.  The most solid sign of demand destruction is carmakers’ shift to vehicles that are more fuel-efficient.

It might just be that the most oil-hungry country in the world has finally had enough, or maybe OPEC and the oil industry are driving down prices again as quickly as possible, hopeful for one last hurrah.

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.  The reliability ratings can be found in the December issue of the magazine.  Other than a few of Ford’s pickup trucks, Ford’s reliability is comparable to that of the Japanese carmakers that are the best, however consumers should still purchase an auto warranty in case of unforeseen expenses.

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.

GM’s financing arm recently made a decision to give loans only to consumers with the best credit. This is due to the tightening of the credit market and unstable economy. Only car shoppers who have a credit score of at least 700 will qualify to get a loan for a car.

The state of California has made it known that it is against the GMAC’s decision, claiming that it will rule out 40% of Californians from getting a car loan, which will result in many dealerships having to file for bankruptcy.

The president of the California Auto Dealer Association wrote to GMAC CEO Alvaro de Molina warning that these strict guidelines would result in disaster for dealerships. GM already suspects that dealer profits will drop 18% for the year.

Although California’s dealers have been the first to point it out, the new lending rules by GMAC will most definitely have an impact all over the country. In fact, many consumers will be holding onto their current cars and purchasing used car warranties, because they won’t be able to get car loans.

Very few people who purchased a Chrysler Sebring actually went for the option of all-wheel-drive. In fact, just .7% of people who bought Sebrings opted to buy AWD, probably because it makes the sticker price go up drastically, and decreases fuel-efficiency.

This has made Chrysler rethink the situation and it has announced that AWD will be dropped from the Sebring, as well as the Dodge Caliber and Dodge Avenger, which brought in only 1.5% and 4.4% of car shoppers into adding on the option, respectively. You will notice the change taking effect for model year 2009.

Dealerships were having a hard time selling AWD models that began at $26,000, however Chrysler may be wrong about the number of motorists who think AWD is a “must have” is negligible. For instance, Subaru’s lineup that is all-AWD is experiencing record sales and crossovers with AWD are still popular.

Although many people are opting to hold onto their old vehicles and purchase used car warranties, there are still those people out there who want to buy new. And yes, some motorists are still considering cars with AWD.

If you’re looking to buy a cheap used vehicle, you might want to look on the Interntet.  One website that is a great place to start is Car-Auction.com.  This is an auction website featuring seized vehicles by the government.  Consumers can select what type and model of vehicle you are looking for, as well as the price.  Results will appear within a few seconds.  This is a lot more convenient than attending an automobile auction and waiting to see if the car you want is up for auction.

When you are looking to buy a cheap used vehicle follow these simple tips.

The most difficult part of the process is finding a quality car that you would like to purchase.  People make the mistake of buying a car because they like the way it looks.  You need to get the full history of the vehicle before making an agreement.  Also, get the VIN of the vehicle and do a search of the number through a local agency.  You want to get the vehicle inspected by a professional.

An online auction is a great place to buy a used car. However, beware.  To protect yourself, do your homework to get a good buy and make sure to purchase used car warranties.

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

With about 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 distractions by GPSs.  In addition, drivers should protect themselves by purchasing used car warranties, and avoiding other in car distractions.