One of the family activities that are the most fun is going on road trips. Over the spring and summer, American families will go on over 320 trips. Although enjoyable, frustration can accompany families on the road. Take note of the following do’s and don’ts in order to ensure that your family has a great trip.

The most important thing that you can do is to get your family vehicle a tune-up. Your vehicle needs to be in top-notch condition. Nothing is worse than having your car breakdown, leaving you stranded. This is why an auto warranty is a necessity.

You should plan ahead so that your family knows what is happening during the trip. This will alleviate stressful situations and help things to go smoothly. In addition, you might want to purchase software to plan your trip and invest in a GPS. This advanced technology will act as your guide to your desired destination.

Of course, you never know when you will run into speed bumps throughout your trip. For example, road construction and traffic are inevitable. However, your trip doesn’t have to be ruined by these inconveniences. In addition, you can rest assured if you have used car warranties.

Hyundai has been busy, constantly introducing new products.  The latest might be the most exciting so far.  The Genesis Coupe stirred up lots of attention at the Los Angeles Auto Show last year, although it was still in a conceptual form.  The car has lost little in translation with production.

The Genesis Coupe has an aggressive styling, which was emulated after a predatory animal.  You can really see this in the headlights that are angled and the twisting lines that are below the beltline.

The goal for the new coupe was to design a performance vehicle that’s design would catch the attention of automotive enthusiasts.

The Genesis Coupe doesn’t just look the part.  It is going to be available with an engine that is 3.8-liter DOHC V6 and will produce 306 horsepower.  It will also be available in a 212-horsepower 2.0 liter 4 cylinder engine.

The interior of the Genesis Coupe stays true to the performance look of the exterior.  However, the seats are comfortable and supportive and have side bolsters.  There is a push button starter and big speedometer.

Consumers should be able to purchase the 2010 model of the Genesis Coupe, along with new car warranties, early in the year 2009.  Pricing has not been announced, but it will likely have a value price like the rest of the Hyundai line.

Automakers around the world are realizing that motorists are looking for ecologically friendly vehicles.  There are many new vehicle models that provide fuel-efficiency, yet look great.  Here are some of the newest.

The VW Golf TDI Hybrid provides low emissions with longer legs.  This is a compact hatchback that is popular in Europe.  It utilizes a high-tech engine that is diesel and an auto start-stop.  Also, it has a DSG gearbox that has 7 speeds, as well as an electric motor.  This car gets 69 mpg.

The Audi TT TDI is proof that a great looking sports car doesn’t have to be a gas-guzzler.  This car can sprint from 0-62 mph in 7.5 seconds flat with its 170 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque.  This car has the power of a sports car with the fuel-efficiency of a compact car.

People are realizing that fuel-efficient cars are a must with gas prices around $4 per gallon.  Consumers are protecting their wallets with eco friendly vehicles and new car warranties.

Since there has been an increase in the demand for small cars, Ford has reconsidered its previous decision not to introduce the Ka to the U.S.  The Ka has a similar size to the Smart ForTwo, and originally was only intended for release in Europe because it was thought that it wouldn’t sell in America.

Alan Mulally, who is a Ford CEO, told a radio station in Detroit recently that the crash of the SUV and truck market has caused Ford to reconsider.  In reality, all he has to do is examine his own sales figures.  Although the U.S. car market has dropped 13% this year, the Ford Focus, which is the only compact car sold in America, has seen an increase in sales of 24%.  Meanwhile, sales of small cars have gone up 6% overall, and 18,000 ForTwos were sold through September with new car warranties.

As early as May the writing was on the wall, when fuel prices began their huge climb. Ford has planned to add additional products to its small car lineup.  It is planning to bring the Ford Fiesta from Europe by the year 2010, as well as the European-designed Focus of the next generation.

The latest version of the Ka debuted last week at the Paris auto show and will be on sale in Europe late in 2008 or early 2009 complete with a good auto warranty.

As the stock market plummeted and the number of jobs lost are at an all time high, many people have missed the big drop in fuel prices. Today, the average gas price across the nation is $3.50, according to AAA. That price has gone down since the record high of $4.11 in July.

According to experts, gas prices would be even lower right now if it weren’t for the fuel shortages in the South resulting from Hurricane Ike. If $3 gas is to become the norm again, you have to wonder if the large shift from buying large SUVs to small cars is going to reverse.

Almost every carmaker has made a shift in its production plans toward making cars with better fuel economy, and it is unlikely that gas prices of $3 per gallon will cause plans to change. Even if lower fuel prices are going to stay for a significant amount of time, the poor economy might still prevent car shoppers from purchasing large SUVs, despite the large discounts. Chances are consumers will still be purchasing small fuel-efficient vehicles, or hold onto their current vehicles and buy used car warranties.

Reliability and safety should be top considerations when buying a car for a teenager.  After all, teens are new drivers and don’t have experience.  To determine which cars are safe, you should look at results from crash tests and advanced safety features.  Also, make sure the car comes with a sufficient auto warranty, because teens tend to put more wear and tear on a vehicle.

Typically, vehicles that are big and heavy rate the best in crash tests.  However, large vehicles are more difficult to maneuver and tend to be gas-guzzlers.  Also keep in mind that SUVs and large pickups aren’t wise choices for teens because they have a higher roll over rate in accidents.

A mid-size sedan with good safety features and crash ratings is an overall wise choice for teens.  Vehicles that have these features include the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, Ford Focus, Hyundai Sonata, Acura RSX, Mazda 3 and Subaru Impreza.

When buying a car for a teenager, try to get the newest possible model that provides reliability.  To see crash test results; consult the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.  Also, make sure you have new car warranties so you don’t have to pay unnecessary repair expenses down the road.

Volvo Cars of North America has come 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.

For carmakers, the incredible sales loss last month wasn’t just isolated to the U.S. The U.K. witnessed sales of new cars go down 21% in September, which is the fifth month in a row where new-car sales have fallen. Consumers have become nervous to purchase new vehicles because of the poor economy, therefore, many people are holding onto their old cars and purchasing used car warranties.

Just like in America, the sales drop occurred regardless of many new vehicle models coming out on the market. Other countries that experienced a fall in sales were Italy and Spain.

Even in China, which was car-crazed recently, sales dropped 26%, which is the biggest drop over the last 50 years.

One of the only countries that have seen an uptick in the sales of new cars was France, which saw an increase in sales of 8% in September. In part, this was due to the governmental aid of the purchase of cars that are less polluting. Usually, those vehicles are French brands.

General Motors Corp., still struggling to meet the current demand for small fuel-efficient cars, is going to keep its only U.S. factory for compact cars working overtime for the rest of 2008, according to the carmaker.

GM doesn’t have a big enough supply of Chevrolet Cobalt cars, even though they added a third shift over the summer in the assembly plant in Lordstown, Ohio.

Sales for the Chevy Cobalt dropped 17% in September from last year at the same time, which GM claims was due to short supply. Sales for the Cobalt this year have increased 6%, while overall sales for GM have dropped 18% in a U.S. car market that is depressed.

The carmaker has been racing to makeover the manufacturing operations in the U.S. geared toward making large SUVs and trucks, which Americans have ultimately lost interest in. Consumers are feeling the pinch because of the poor economy and high fuel prices and are demanding small fuel-efficient cars with good new car warranties.

There are many great deals out there on new cars, especially since car sales have been down, yet you need to understand the offers.  For example, are there any “restrictions”, “qualifiers”, “exclusions”, or “limitations”?  Make sure you know what the fine print means.

Often, dealerships offer regional incentives.  In other words, you must live in the area to get the deal.  For example, you might be able to get a new car for $1,500 less if you live in the right area.

Some deals on financing may be contingent on a down payment amount that is predetermined.  For example, you might need to have $4,000 cash to put down at the time of the sale.  If you don’t have this amount of money, you might get stuck with finance rate that is higher.

Sometimes an offer may be contingent on if the dealer participates with the program.  This could include a special financing rate, rebate, etc.  Remember that dealers are operated independently and you are not dealing directly with the automaker.

These are just a few things to look out for when it comes to offers by dealers.  Make sure you read the small print to understand the terms of the offer.  And make sure that the car you are looking at comes with good new car warranties.