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.

Many people believe it is easiest to trade in your current car when buying a new one.  However, is trading the right choice for you?  There are some advantages and disadvantages to trading.

The big advantage to trading over selling is that you have very little hassle.  You don’t have to haggle with buyers and you get rid of your car quickly.  However, the fact is that you aren’t going to get as much for your car if you trade it in.

Any used vehicle has a specific retail value.  If a dealership is going to sell that vehicle, they will have certain expenses, such as fixing dents and scrapes, cleaning it, and just overhead costs of running their business.  Therefore, the dealership has to sell it for a little more than a private owner would.

Since dealers need to make a good profit on used vehicles, they purchase them for less than the retail value.  When the dealership takes a trade in vehicle, they are essentially purchasing it from the new car customer, and at a price below the retail value.  Essentially, this is called the trade in value.

Although trading in your car is easier than going through the hassle of trying to sell your car privately, you are going to get less money for your vehicle.  If you sell your vehicle on your own, you can put the extra money you get towards important things such as an auto warranty and maintenance costs.

Drivers who are fuel-conscious now have a new innovative way to calculate their vehicle’s mileage and compare their mileage to other drivers’.  Also, motorists will be able to devise ways that they can improve their own fuel-economy.

A new website, called fuelly.com, allows you to put your car in their system by entering details about your car.  For example, by imputing your vehicle’s year, and make and model, they will track your gas mileage, gas expenditures, how your car compares to estimates by the EPA, and also how much you could save by using different ways to improve your gas mileage.

One helpful feature is that you are able to see how your vehicle compares to vehicles that are identical.  Then, if your gas mileage is significantly worse it will tell you some things.  For example, maybe you have poor driving habits when it comes to burning gas, or maybe your tires aren’t inflated like they should be, or it’s time to replace your air filter.  Whatever it may be, fuelly.com could be a valuable warning system.  In addition, if you own a mobile device, you can update the website remotely.

We all dread paying the high fuel costs, even to the point where we run out of gas and have to call for roadside assistance.  However, by using fuelly.com, you can now improve your fuel-efficiency by being aware of your poor driving habits.  Also, it is important to protect yourself with an auto warranty.

Over the past few decades, perhaps one of the biggest technical developments has been to tires.  And now, new rules concerning tires will yield even more mileage and safety improvements.

After the estimated 280 deaths that were linked to Firestone tire failures on the Ford Explorer SUVs, lawmakers ordered tire pressure monitoring systems are used.  These systems alert drivers if they have a tire with low air.

Thankfully, some of the recent monitoring systems don’t have problems that were experienced with the earlier technology.  Problems included false alerts, and failure to advise drivers which of their tires was low.

Now, there is a national registry that has been approved, allowing drivers to register their tires that they purchase.  In the case of a recall, such as Firestone, drivers would be notified quickly.

Drivers will be much safer with the new tire rules.  However, drivers should always protect themselves by doing regular tire pressure checks and having an auto warranty in case of necessary repairs.

Everyone once and awhile it’s necessary to clean up your vehicle and make it look nice again.  Here are a few things that you can do to make your car look brand new.

Caring for your car means starting with a comprehensive washing.  You need to get off all of the mud, grime, and road salt that have built up on your car over the past few months.

It is important to use a pH balanced wash on your vehicle.  You don’t want to use a detergent that is harsh; it will strip away car wax on your car.

Following a good washing, evaluate your vehicle surface.  To do this you can rub your hand on top of the surface of your car.

If your car surface is rough on your hand, you probably have water deposits, bugs or tar.  You want to get these things cleaned off before waxing your vehicle.

After taking these steps, it is time to apply a car polish and wax that will protect your vehicle’s finish from harming elements, such as acid rain and UV rays.  Coat your car with the wax in a uniform, smooth manner.

It is important that you be proactive in caring for your vehicle.  This includes washing, waxing and maintenance.  In addition, purchase an auto warranty to protect your wallet in case of unforeseen repairs.

You might find that your car has become a mess from kids, pets, friends, etc.  But how are you supposed to keep it clean with kids spitting up and people having four-course meals in your backseat?  Let’s face it; it can be hard.  However, here are some tips to help you get started.

You might want to insist that whatever people bring in the car they have to take it out.  This means that kids should be responsible for the cups, stuffed animals, books, etc.  Also, you could limit them to only bringing one item each car ride.

Keep a trash bag from the kitchen in your vehicle.  This comes in handy for trash, or for dirty wet clothes.  You can have your oldest child be in charge of the trash bag.

For toddlers, purchase spill proof snack bowls and cups.  You can buy a “snack trap”, which keeps Cheerios from spilling all over your floor.

Keep toothpaste in your glove compartment.  This can save you from a stain on your upholstery.  Just rub gently on lipstick or ketchup stains to remove stains.

Purchase some rubber mats to go on top of your carpet.  If you don’t want to spend the extra money you can even turn your carpet mats upside down to reveal the rubber side.

It’s never easy to keep your car clean when you have a busy lifestyle, however, these tips will help.  Don’t just purchase an auto warranty to maintain your car, put a little bit of work into cleaning the interior.

If you’re considering purchasing a new or used vehicle, you should do a few things first.  You can make the process of buying a car easier, and save yourself some money by following a few simple tips.

First of all, you should consider purchasing a pre-owned car.  New vehicles will immediately lose about 30% of their value when they are driven out of the dealership lot.  A used car will save you from losing that immediate depreciation.

Try to purchase a vehicle that is fuel-efficient.  There are an endless amount of new hybrid options and cars that will save you money at the gas pump.  With the variety of choices out there, there is no need to purchase a vehicle that guzzles gas.

If at all possible, save for a decent down payment.  A lot of motorists will barely put any money down on a vehicle and don’t understand why their payments the first four years are so high.  Putting down 20% will make a big difference in lowering monthly payments.

Lastly, buy an auto warranty along with your car purchase.  Many consumers try to get away with not doing this and they end up spending an unnecessary amount of money on repairs down the road.

Follow these simple tips to save yourself a headache.  Do your homework before getting to the dealership in order to make the best decisions.

Whether you are driving two hours to grandma’s house or going on an eight-state road trip, there are some things that you can do to make your trip easier.  Though you can’t control many driving aspects, such as gas prices, there are other simple ways to save money.

First, make sure you know how to get where you’re going.  Even if your trip is familiar, conditions and roads can change due to things such as construction.  To avoid the wasted time, mileage and gas that goes along with being stuck in traffic, dial 511 in most states to check road updates.  Also, it is smart to consult maps before setting off on your trip to find the most direct route.

This goes without saying, don’t drive during rush hour traffic.  Yet many people make this mistake and end up adding hours onto their driving time.  This mistake can cost you money and peace of mind.

Probably the most important thing to do is have your car tuned up before you leave.  There is nothing worse than having your car breakdown on vacation.  Many people avoid doing this because they fear taking their car in just to find that they need to pay for a major repair.  You can avoid this stress by purchasing an auto warranty that will cover the expensive repairs on your car.

Road trips are supposed to be fun and relaxing, so follow these tips to ensure that you can enjoy your trip.

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.

The purpose of the thermostat in your vehicle is to regulate the temperature of the vehicle so that it remains at a desired level.  To do this it controls the heating and cooling mechanisms and controls the flow of heat that goes throughout the system.  The thermostat manages the coolant amount in the internal combustion engine.  You will find a thermostat in any liquid cooled engine.

If you’re thermostat isn’t performing correctly it may be for a few reasons.  First, if the water pump in the car is failing then the thermostat will be affected.  The thermostat can also be affected if the engine is overheated or there is coolant leaking.

You should have your thermostat checked out by your mechanic regularly.  It holds a key position in cooling your engine, so it should be replaced every few years.

Failing to replace your thermostat when it should be could give you additional problems, such as a knocking noise with acceleration, emission problems, and poor fuel-efficiency.  Unfortunately, you never know when car problems will arise, which is why you should have your vehicle serviced regularly and purchase an auto warranty for peace of mind.