With the fall term approaching, college students are seeking out the perfect vehicle to drive to college.  And while it isn’t hard to find a great looking car, it takes a lot of research to find a vehicle high in fuel-efficiency, reliability, and safety, with a low sticker price and a good auto warranty.  Here are some great cars with all of these features.

The Ford Focus is an entry-level car that is roomy.  Also it will fulfill music lovers because of it SYNC system, which is a hands-free, voice activated entertainment and communications interface that allows the car to be linked to all phones, MP3 players, PDAs, and storage devices.

The Honda Fit is a five-door hatchback subcompact with great fuel-efficiency.  On the highway it gets 34 mpg and in the city it gets 28 mpg.  This car has a roomy interior featuring a “Magic Seat” that folds and reveals a cargo area that can fit a standard bicycle.

The 2008 Hyundai Elantra is a great compact car.  It’s fuel-economy is 25/33 mpg.  The interior has numerous features, such as power door locks, power windows, remote entry, and heated rearview mirrors.  Also, this car has the option for a Bluetooth system, a power sunroof, and a 220-watt audio system that has an iPod jack.

These are all great cars for college students that will satisfy parents and students.  In addition, they come with impressive new car warranties that will protect students from unnecessary repair expenses.

Ford Motor Co. recently made a promise that its new compact and sub-compact cars, which are due in 2010, will exceed the industry average in quality.

According to Bennie Fowler, the Ford VP of Global Quality, the carmaker will maintain its “things gone wrong” at approximately 800 for every 1,000 cars. This would be around 500 below the average for the industry. “Things gone wrong” is a yearly compilation of difficulties that car owners have in their first 90 days of owning a car.

To achieve the 800 goal, Ford will be using virtual reality tools that will allow 70% of problems to be reduced before vehicles are even built. In addition, an “army” of hourly workers will be trained to detect problems before a car will ever get to the showroom.

Ford’s commitment fuels the current battles between Ford and GM to shift their product lines to small, fuel-efficient cars. Consumers have begun to abandon trucks and SUVs and instead purchase small cars with new car warranties that will save them money at the pump.

With the average fuel prices at around $4 a gallon, many motorists are opting to trade in their big vehicles for small fuel-efficient models and purchase new car warranties. But, while that is a smart goal, it could cost you more in owner costs if you switch too early.

It makes sense that motorists want to cut down on their gas expenses and reduce the negative environmental effects as soon as possible. This is apparent from the recent dramatic drop in sales of pickup trucks and large SUVs.

However, it usually doesn’t pay to downsize if you’ve owned your vehicle for less than three years. It is important to remember two factors when considering a trade-in: financing charges and the depreciation of the car.

If you still owe on your car loan, it won’t be worth downsizing until after three years. This is because your initial monthly payment is made up mainly of interest, therefore less principal is paid into the loan in the first year than at the end.

Depreciation is the other main hurdle. In the first five years of ownership, depreciation makes up approximately 48% of the total car costs. After that point, depreciation will level off.

So, if you’re within the first five years of ownership hold off on purchasing a new car to save money because you won’t really be saving. It’s better to keep your car and purchase an auto warranty to protect yourself from costly repair expenses.

Starting with model year 2010, new car window stickers will have a safety rating combining front, side, as well as rollover tests.  Also, the federal government will upgrade the tests used to compile the ratings.  In addition, female crash dummies will now be used and a new test with a side pole will simulate a car hitting a tree.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration test results, using its New Car Assessment Program, will have a supplement rating indicating if there are advanced safety technologies, such as forward collision warning systems, lane departure warning systems, and ESC.  However, the effectiveness of the individual devices used on each vehicle will not be rated by the government agency.  And, with new technology, such as these safety technologies it is a good idea for consumers to purchase an auto warranty in case of faulty gadgets.

The efforts by the NHTSA to upgrade its car safety program are commendable.  And the car industry is now addressing the safety standards that are becoming increasingly stringent.  The consumers will benefit in the end because they will have a clear presentation of standard safety equipment and crash-test results that are more detailed.  However, as cars become more advanced, it is even more essential to purchase new car warranties.

The 2009 Ford Flex has a boxy exterior that provokes a definite response: either you love it or you hate it. This vehicle has a singular style on the inside and out, and therefore could never be called a me-too car. At the press launch, Ford noted that this vehicle is in the same bloodline as the family station wagons, which will appeal to baby boomers. But this unique crossover may also appeal to the young hip-hop crowd. However, the SE starts at $28,295 with an auto warranty and the LTD goes for $34,705, so that will limit buyers.

Driving in the city and on suburban streets, the Flex is confident, and on the highway the V6 allows for ease when passing other rubbernecking motorists. Also, this car has a smooth ride and responsive steering. However, when going up steep hills the Flex is challenged. And going down it is necessary to ride the 4-wheel disc brakes, because downshifting isn’t an option with only one low setting to slow down the car.

The Flex is a great people mover, and does well as a city cruiser and highway hauler, however its performance doesn’t excel. Yet it has a lot more attitude than a typical crossover. But with fuel prices at an all time high, consumers are going to have to value style over fuel-efficiency to buy a car that has an MPG rating in the teens. After all, people are trying to protect their wallets by purchasing fuel-efficient cars with new car warranties.

Consumers can experience sensory overload when walking down the car care isle at their local store.  It can be confusing to know what products to purchase, or even if you need to purchase them.  Some people assume that if you have a factory auto warranty that includes the finish, you don’t need to bother washing and waxing, but this isn’t true.

A factory auto warranty will protect you by ensuring that the paint job was sound, that they used quality paint, and that it was cured correctly.  However, new car warranties won’t protect you from oxidation that occurs over time.  This happens naturally if you don’t care for your finish.  Car wax serves the purpose of being a sacrificial layer between Mother Nature and your paint.

If new car owners want to keep their finishes looking great, they don’t have to spend a lot of time or money.  Preventative maintenance is the key for your finish, just like it’s under the hood.  All you have to do is wash your vehicle frequently with car care products.  Even just a basic car wash will do a lot to help protect your investment.  After washing, you can spray-on a wax that will boost the shine and extend the intervals between regular wax jobs.

Car shoppers are always questioning whether they should lease, or buy with new car warranties. But, here’s another question for shoppers: Will you even be able to lease your next vehicle?

U.S. carmakers’ financial subsidiaries have had to cut back on their leasing program, because of lower used-car values, especially with large vehicles.

Based on reports of poor earnings, Chrysler is completely abandoning leasing, and GM and Ford are making it hard for people to arrange leases through financial subsidiaries.

In fact, all carmakers are trying not to rely on leasing because it harms a profit picture that is already bleak.

The reason that this trend is continuing is because of the high risks and costs of leasing compared with regular cash and APR business.

Even foreign carmakers are considering following the lead of domestics, although for now they still offer leases.

But, the original question of should you lease still remains. The domestic carmakers are going to make it so expensive to lease that you should probably avoid it. Instead, purchase new or used with an auto warranty to protect you in case of unforeseen repairs down the road.

For those people looking for an entry-level car with all-wheel drive, the Subaru Impreza is a great option.  All 2008 Imprezas are equipped with all-wheel drive, and are available in hatchbacks or sedans.  You can buy the base 2.5i model for approximately $16,995, including new car warranties.

If you would rather buy a used vehicle, you can purchase a pre-owned 2008 Impreza.  Even the most basic model still comes equipped with anti-lock brakes, six airbags, and good safety ratings.

Now standard on all 2009 Imprezas is an electronic stability system, however, prices aren’t yet available for the new model year.  On the 2008 model, there is an option for this safety feature, which is part of a premium package for $1,500.  You could probably find this used for less than $20,000, and it might still have a valid auto warranty.

The impressive safety features are what helped the Impreza earn the status of Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.  This means that the car scored the best in front, back, and side crash tests.

When it comes to car features, experts claim that women take more of an interest in safety than men and buy more new car warranties, while men are more concerned with the performance of a car, and the technical gadgets.

The interest that women have in safety is basically limited to safety features that are passive, such as rollover protection, airbags, and advanced seat belts, not active safety features, such as electronic stability control, and lane departure warnings, which help motorists avoid accidents. The reason for this is that men take more of an interest in playing around with the latest technology than women do.

Generally, women request the safety features that are going to help their children remain safe. In other words, women’s motherly instincts play a role in the safety features they choose.

In addition, women tend to have a more practical approach to vehicle shopping than do men. That is why women’s purchases have more to do with safety, as opposed to how long it takes for the car to go from 0-60 mph.

Although men typically know more about cars than women, women seek out information about cars before purchasing. This means that they end up purchasing cars that are safer. Also, they make sure to purchase an auto warranty to maintain their cars.

Thanks to gas for $4 per gallon and a poor economy, people are skipping the big purchases and becoming disciplined shoppers.  Instead of splurging on cars equipped with all of the gizmos, people are holding onto their current rides and purchasing used car warranties.  However, with some savvy buying tips, you can get a new car with great features.  Here’s how.

First of all, in order to splurge in the cabin, downgrade under the hood.  You can purchase a car with a smaller engine and still enjoy the interior upgrades.  For example, a Honda Accord that is top-of-the-line comes with heated seats, leather upholstery, dual climate control, and plenty of other comforts, all for $29,000.  However, instead of getting the V-6, you can get a four-cylinder for $3,000 less that will also allow you to save on gas.

Also, you can save by ordering options a la carte.  Many times, popular options, such as a sunroof or heated seats get bundled together into megapackages that has a lot of features you may not need or want to pay for.  So, shop around for cars with smaller packages, or just order the features you really want.

Finally, skip the options that are the most expensive.  Features such as entertainment and navigation systems can cost you an extra $2,000.  By purchasing a portable DVD player and navigation system you can spend less than $500 combined.

When purchasing a new car it is important to put your money towards necessary things, such as new car warranties, safety features, and maintenance costs.  Pick your upgrades wisely to avoid going over your budget.