Do you find that you are apprehensive about negotiating with an auto dealer?  Shopping for a vehicle doesn’t have to be nerve-racking, however, you need to be aware of a few things that you shouldn’t say to a dealer.

First, you shouldn’t start talking about monthly payments, instead focus on negotiating the purchase price.  It can become confusing when you’re discussing monthly payments because it might be unclear whether the payment is for 24 or 36 months.

Don’t tell the dealer right away if you’re willing to trade-in your car.  If the dealer is aware of this he will know that you want to get as much money for your car as possible.  The dealer might agree to give you a lot for your trade-in, but usually it’s a smokescreen because then they will fix the price of the new car.

Don’t tell the dealer if you’re planning on paying for the car in cash.  They count on making a lot of money in financing, and if they know that they won’t be able to count on that money, chances are they won’t negotiate on the sticker price.

Do your homework before showing up at a dealership.  Be prepared with information about new car warranties, financing, and vehicle prices.  This will help you negotiate a successful deal on a car.

Billions of dollars are spent by automakers to build awareness about their cars and promote them.  However, marketing is not the only thing that shapes a consumer’s perception of cars.

Consumer Reports National Research Center conducted an Auto Pulse survey, which found that Toyota and Honda automobiles came in first and second place over all the other car brands.  In addition, those vehicles have performed well consistently, and usually rank in the top of their classes.  Toyota and Honda have also been found to be the most reliable over the years.

In this survey, consumers had to rank vehicle brands in seven different areas.  These included quality, safety, value, environmental friendliness, performance, technological innovation and design.  The survey also showed the factors that consumers consider to be the most important when purchasing a car.

According to this survey, motorists that value reliability and want to avoid calling their road service program should look to Toyota and Honda.  They have shown consistent reliability and consumer satisfaction.  However, with any new car it is important to have new car warranties.

The new Mazda Kazamai is highly impressive with its wildly futuristic style.  A turbocharged four-cylinder engine that Mazda will also use in production models as soon as 2011, powers the car.

The engine is based on the one in the CX-7 crossover; however, Mazda claims this one will improve mileage up to 30%.  A four-wheel drive CX-7 currently gets 17/23 mpg, which means a 30% increase would bring those figures to 22/30 mpg.  This is better, in terms of highway mileage, than any other SUV that is a non-hybrid on the market.  Also, the CX-7’s current engine is a ton of fun to drive.  It is expected that this new turbo engine, and a next generation six-speed transmission will make it to other models, such as the new Mazda 6 and maybe a future edition of the Mazdaspeed3 performance hatchback.

This move is following a trend that has been seen before, where it is possible to add existing technology, such as turbocharging, to gas engines in order to greatly increase mileage.  Increasing mileage by 30% in three years is very impressive.  Mazda is listening to consumer demands for more fuel-efficient vehicles with new car warranties and roadside assistance.  Their turbocharged four-cylinder engine will be utilized in many vehicles.

It is more important than ever to stretch your dollar with gas getting close to $5 per gallon.  However, you don’t need to sacrifice comfort, safety, or reliability due to fuel-efficiency- especially with the Kia Spectra.

The Spectra comes with a 10 year, 100 mile auto warranty, and has safety features that outshine other cars in its class.  People know that with the Spectra they are getting superb gas mileage, reliability, and one of the best new car warranties in the business.

Despite the small appearance of the Kia Spectra, it actually has a large amount of room in the interior, and more horsepower than other models, such as the Corolla.

For those concerned about the safety of the Spectra, they won’t be disappointed.  It earned five stars for the front crash safety rating by the National Highway Traffic Safety Institute.  It has full-length airbags, and side curtain airbags for protection.

You shouldn’t have to make the choice between eating and filling your fuel tank, and with the Spectra you don’t have to do that.  Not only do you get great gas-mileage, you know that you have an auto warranty for peace of mind.

For all of you people out there who are fans of the Patriots- the vehicle, not team-here are some additional reasons that you should love your crossover.  In an omission that is rare, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety decided to revise the frontal crash-test rating of the 2008 Jeep Patriot to Good, which is the highest rating that is acceptable.  Russ Rader, who is a IIHS spokesman, claimed that there was a missing wire in a crash-test dummy’s leg that caused the Patriot to get an Acceptable rating, but when the wire was in the correct place, the Patriot received an improved rating of Good.

The side crash-test rating for the 2008 Patriot was also Good with the optional side curtain airbags.  These airbags are now standard for the 2009 model.  Ratings for rear crash-tests were only Acceptable, which is why the Patriot didn’t become the Top Safety Pick.

Consumers are becoming more and more concerned with automobile safety.  They are protecting themselves by purchasing new car warranties, and researching car safety features and crash test results.

It is an awful feeling when you go to start your car in the morning, just to discover that your battery is weak.  Luckily, many people have a road service program that can help them in this situation, but unfortunately, others don’t.  If a car isn’t getting sufficient power, it won’t start, however, help is now here.  The Intelligent Battery Sensor by Continental will warn you if your battery is running down due to age.  To do this, it determines your battery’s charge status.

Approximately one-third of car breakdowns are because of empty batteries.  The reason for this is that vehicle batteries today have to do more work than in years past.  For example, car electronics have taken on a huge responsibility.  They help passengers remain safe, orient the driver in traffic, and allow passengers more comfort.  Batteries are required to supply all of this power.  This is one reason that The Electronic Battery Sensor is beneficial.

The new battery sensor may be small, but it is a great technological advancement.  It gives drivers a good indication of when it is time to change their batteries.  This will cut down on breakdowns and stranded vehicles.  However, it is a good idea to have emergency auto assistance and used car warranties in case of unforeseen circumstances.

It isn’t surprising that Ford’s aiming the new 2010 Mercury Milan and Ford Fusion hybrids straight at the Toyota Camry Hybrid, but what is attention getting is Ford claiming that its sedan hybrids will outdo the city mileage of the Camry Hybrid by 5 mpg.  That would make the Milan and Fusion hybrids’ rating at 38 mpg.  Although there wasn’t a number provided for highway mileage, Ford claims that it beats the Camry Hybrid in this area as well.  The Camry Hybrid currently gets 34 mpg/highway.

The Milan and Fusion hybrids will be the first hybrid technology use, besides the Ford Escape, Mazda Tribute and Mercury Mariner hybrids.  Battery technology has undergone a big improvement since the launch of Ford’s compact SUV hybrids.

Consumers are anxious for new hybrid technology and want to save money on such things as gas, new car warranties, and auto loans.  In this poor economy, people are looking for all of the financial relief they can get, including hybrid technology.

Recently, J.D. Power and Associates conducted a study, finding that now that the EPA has changed how it tests cars, motorists are finding that they get better mileage out of their cars than what was advertised.

Before the EPA decided to update its methods to reflect a more accurate view of modern driving conditions, motorists were consistently reporting that their combined average for fuel economy was less than the EPA rating advertised.

For example, before the update, back in 2007, motorists claimed that they got around 97% of the fuel economy that was advertised.  This was 3% worse than what was advertised.  And after the new standards for testing were implemented in 2008, motorists claimed they got around 105% of the fuel economy posted.

For drivers who are money conscious and calculate driving costs, such as insurance, used car warranties, and gas costs, they will have a pleasant surprise with their gas mileage.

Volvo Cars of North America came out with the C30 R-design, limited edition, which is priced at $25,700.

The C30 R-Design is a similar, yet more outstanding version of the latest C30 hatchback.  This car has the power, to accompany its new updated look.  The engine is 227-horsepower, and it puts out 236 ft per pound of torque.

This car comes in four colors- Titanium Grey, Black Sapphire, Passion red, and Orinoco Blue.  The interior of the vehicle is very sporty.  The seats are black flex-tech with a cream trim in leather.  Also trimmed in this leather are the shifter and steering wheel.  The stock pedals have also been replaced with sport ones.

Consumers are excited about this car model that provides the options for a Dynaudio sound system, and a navigation system based on DVD.  In addition, to spending money on new car warranties and maintenance, consumers are willing to shell out money for these latest technologies.

Many people are excited about the inexpensive Honda Insight hybrid. The 2010 Insight begins at $19,800.  That price will buy you the LX trim level and doesn’t include a destination charge of $670.  The mileage on this car is rated 40 mpg in the city and 43 mpg on the highway.

The LX trim level includes standard features, such as a steering wheel that tilts and telescopes, power windows and a CD player.  The EX, which is the next level up, will cost you $21,300 and will give you steering wheel shift paddles, stability control, a stereo system with six-speakers that has USB input and side mirrors that are heated.

Navigation is an option in the aptly named EX with Navi trim level, which starts at $23,100.

Drivers are looking for ways to save money, and the 2010 Honda Insight offers car shoppers an inexpensive car that provides reliability.  Of course, with any car purchase you should protect yourself with a roadside assistance program and new car warranties just in case of an emergency situation.