It can prove to be challenging to find a vehicle that is handicap-accessible to suit your needs.  And, it can be virtually impossible to try to sort through newspaper ads.  A very useful website started by Rick Shutes is HandicapAutoTrader.com.  His goal was to help disable people find vehicles that they find suitable.

HandicapAutoTrader.com is helpful for both buyers and sellers.  People who are looking to buy can search many available cars, free of charge, and get in touch with the staff of the website through phone or e-mail.  Sellers can list their vehicles with three images, all for free.

The website lets motorists search for vehicles according to desired features.  Also, you can do searches by various categories, such as make, model, year, etc.  Also, there is a convenient feature, “Easy Compare Vehicles”.  This allows people to do comparisons of vehicles side-by-side.

Whenever you purchase a vehicle, you need to do your homework.  Make sure you do some research on cars, used car warranties, and car loans before you make a decision.  This will ensure that you get good deals.

Do you have to pay $40,000 to get an exciting, engaging vehicle?  Of course not, there are many models out there that come complete with an auto warranty for less than $25,000.  Here are several great choices.

First, there’s the Honda Civic Si, costing $21,110.  This vehicle gives you high performance and has a sleek shape.  In addition, it has a sport-tuned suspension system that is grippy.  This car utilizes a 197hp, 2.0-liter four-cylinder I-VTEC engine.  Driving this smooth ride will have you smiling from ear to ear.

If you’re looking for a muscle car with a little bit of retro, the Ford Mustang V6 Pony Car won’t disappoint.  With the Pony Package you will get a rear spoiler, 17-inch wheels, along with striping and floor mats. With a 210hp V6, you will get tons of thrust.

If you’re looking for a convertible, you might want to try the Pontiac Solstice.  This has a 173 hp, 2.4-liter engine.  Standard with this car is an 18-inch rolling rock, balanced chassis, and big brakes, giving you an exhilarating ride.

Any of these cars will have you feeling like you’re driving a $40,000 car, when in actuality you will pay less than $25,000.  All of these vehicles have good new car warranties that will have you feeling rest-assured that you won’t be shelling out extra money for repair costs.

For car accidents in the future, a circuit may be as crucial to safety as seat belts. In the 1960’s, Congress made safety belts mandatory, which has reduced deaths drastically. Now, a new safety revolution is going on. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has made electronic stability control equipment mandatory in all cars. This decision will prevent approximately 10,000 deaths a year.

ESC is a current feature available on most luxury cars, and it is an option on most other cars. This feature serves the purpose of not just protecting passengers, but also preventing accidents all together. Most of these features have a microchip as a base, and are still being perfected. This is why it is important to purchase new car warranties in case of costly technical repairs.

Many drivers opt to purchase a package of various safety options, not just individual gadgets. For example, Lexus markets their safety features as a system that works together. One package they offer has smart cruise control, lane-departure warning, and ESC.

According to a Soleil Securities analyst, used car values are continuing to decline.  This could have negative repercussions for new car manufacturers that are already struggling.

Analyst Michael Ward claims that the Manheim used vehicle index, which indicates trends in pricing, dropped 6.2% in the month of June, which is the lowest seen in June since 2004.

Also, according to Manheim, prices of used cars have fallen year after year in each of the past months.

Michael Ward says that the majority of new car sales involve trading in a used vehicle, which heightens the effect of pre-owned car values on the carmakers.  And used car prices that are on the decline are a negative indication of new car demand over the next six months.

The poor economy and high gas prices have hit the auto industry hard, and it appears that this won’t end anytime soon.  Consumers are holding onto their current cars and purchasing used car warranties to protect themselves.

The U.S. has been sideswiped by gasoline over $4 per gallon and the auto industry believes that these gas prices are here to stay.  Car companies have had to reconfigure their lineups to accompany this shift.  Consumers are staying away from gas-guzzlers and instead purchasing fuel-efficient vehicles.  Here are the three most fuel-efficient vehicles in America.

The #1 most fuel-efficient car is the 2008 Toyota Prius.  This car has impressive fuel economy at 45 mpg on the highway and 48 mpg in the city.  Also, the base price of the Prius is unbeatable at $22,160.  Hollywood types giving it iconic status made this vehicle popular.

Next on the list is the 2008 Honda Civic Hybrid.  This car appeals to people who don’t want to publicize their environmentalism because of its classy look.  The Civic Hybrid handles more like a typical car than other hybrids and is very responsive.  This vehicle has great fuel economy at 40 mpg in the city and 45 mpg on the highway, and the price is right at $23,270.

Coming in at 3rd is the minuscule Smart fortwo. An amazingly small vehicle that makes parking a snap. Not much acceleration in this tiny package, so you better put the pedal to the metal on highway on-ramps. Great price though at $12,272.

With fuel prices on the rise, fuel-efficient vehicles are in demand.  Consumers are trying to protect their wallets by purchasing small cars that offer good fuel economy and by buying new car warranties.  After all, you don’t want to get stuck with unnecessary repair costs down the road.

Reputable dealerships typically sell vehicles that are sound because they don’t want to have to fix big mechanical issues down the road.  Chances are, if a car drives smooth when you test-drive it, it is probably fine.  However, there is a chance that you might end up with a lemon.  To protect you, purchase an auto warranty and follow these simple tips.

It’s always essential to have a professional look at the car you want to purchase.  You can request to see paperwork if the dealer says that the car was already inspected by their mechanic, but using an outside technician allows you to hear an objective point of view.

You also want to check and make sure that the vehicle has a title that is clear, and that it hasn’t been involved in an accident.  To do this, request that the dealer look on Carfax or AutoCheck.  These are both websites in which you can pay a small fee to have the car identification number traced for service and odometer registrations, as well as accidents.  Many times, dealers will check their vehicles for you with no charge.

Most of the time, purchasing a used car from a dealership is safe, but taking precautions will ensure that you make a good decision.  Also, buying used car warranties will allow you to have peace of mind in the event that you need to have repairs.

In June, car sales saw a significant decline in America as consumers practically shunned pickup trucks and SUVs due to the increasing gas prices in the already weak economy.  The high gas prices have caused a decline in the price of new cars because carmakers don’t have a sufficient supply of cars that are fuel-efficient.

According to Autodata sales have plummeted with a yearly rate of 13.6 million cars on a monthly basis when compared to 14.3 cars sold in May, which indicates reduced sales across the board.  The statistics from this survey show that sales are weaker than they have been in a long time.

The Asian carmakers did much better than the U.S. automakers that were caught off-guard by the shifting purchasing patterns of drivers.  The brands from Asia were able to capture 46.2% of the total amount of sales, where U.S. brands had 45.8% of sales.

Consumers are apprehensive to purchase vehicles right now because of the poor economy and high fuel prices.  Many people are opting to hold onto their current cars and purchase used car warranties, but others are buying small, fuel-efficient vehicles that allow them to save money on gas.

GM is saying that they are going to make it a high priority to decide if they are going to bring the Chevrolet Beat mini car to the market in the U.S. by 2012. This car came in first place in an online voting poll by 1.8 million consumers around the world on three of GMs mini-car concepts.

GM is altering the product plans that they had planned for the next decade, reacting to the lack of demand for vehicles that use a lot of gas. The upcoming generation of GMs mini cars, which the Beat is based on, will debut in years to come and will have the capability to get 40mpg.

In the first part of this year U.S. sales for GM declined 16%, and the carmaker is scrambling to meet the demand for its small, fuel-efficient vehicles.

GM is just one of the automakers planning to enter a mini-car into their lineup. Smart cars are the only minis on the market that are serious at this point, but their sales far exceeded their expectations.

With fuel prices exceeding $4 per gallon, consumers are protecting their wallets by demanding fuel-efficient cars and purchasing new car warranties. People are feeling the pinch in all aspects of their lives.

More motorists are deciding to switch to hybrid cars for better fuel-efficiency, however, just like any car; hybrids need common maintenance and occasional repairs.  A regular mechanic can do work that is routine, yet you will need hybrid-certified mechanics for jobs that are more extensive.

According to a Toyota service director in Tampa, hybrid work at the dealership has been small.  There are some vehicles with issues, but for the most part repairs are the result of accidents.  The most costly repair on hybrids is for battery replacement.  In a vehicle that isn’t covered by an auto warranty, you will pay approximately $3,000 just on the part.

The best thing to do is to find a technician to repair your car before you really need it.  This way you won’t have to make last minute decisions.  Also, make sure that the technician is certified in hybrid repair.

Finally, most new car warranties for hybrids cover 100,000 miles or 8-10 years.  Make sure you know if your auto warranty requires that you get service from a specific repair shop.

A recent survey by Consumer Reports Nat’l Research Center shows that drivers in America are feeling the pain of high gas prices and it’s having an affect on their lifestyles and car purchasing decisions.  In fact, people are opting to hold onto their current vehicles and purchase used car warranties.

Consumers say that they aren’t doing as much vacationing, driving, and entertainment spending.  Also evident, is that people are struggling with the cost of health care and food prices.  Who should be blamed for these hard times?  The survey revealed that 77% of people blame the federal government for not being able to carry out an energy policy that is effective, and 75% blame oil companies, as well as foreign producers of oil.

The price of gas has risen dramatically this year, going from $2.96 per gallon in Feb. 2008 to $4.08 in June, which is an increase of 38%.  That quick change has caused the price of transportation, heating oil and food to go up also.  Consumers are feeling the financial burden on many fronts with no sign of relief.  The result of this is that 45% of people aren’t putting as much money into their savings accounts, approximately one quarter aren’t spending as much on healthcare or food, and 17% are charging more on credit cards.

The rising fuel costs are having a poor effect on consumers’ lifestyles.  People are holding onto their current cars and purchasing an auto warranty instead of buying new vehicles.  Essentially, people are just trying to weather the storm.