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There are many ways to shop for used car. You can go from dealer to dealer and used car lot to used car lot, you can go on many of the used car sites online, or even an auction site online. Regardless of how you go about finding a vehicle it is important you understand what to look out for to make sure the you are not purchasing somebody else’s discarded problems. Here are some tips that might help you to find a high-quality vehicle that hopefully will serve you for many years to come…
1. Take your time when evaluating a vehicle. Take several walks around the exterior of the vehicle noting any imperfections you may find. Open the doors, trunk, and hood and look for anything that does not look like it was original or just doesn’t look right. Don’t be afraid to ask the seller questions and evaluate the answers you received. Do the same with the interior, take your time and sit in the vehicle and make sure you try all of the equipment and accessories to make sure they are operating properly. Shift the vehicle into drive, neutral, and reverse and make sure it seems to shift quickly and smoothly. If not, expensive repairs may be imminent.
2. Ask for a vehicle history report such as Carfax or AutoCheck. Make sure the vehicle has no major negative events in its history and that there are no odometer discrepancies.
3. Start the engine and open up the hood. Your eyes, ears, and nose are your best friends here. You want to look for any visible oil leaks. You want to listen for any unusual sounds. And you want to make sure that there are no unusual smells, for instance something smelling like it’s burning. Check the transmission fluid by pulling out the dipstick and checking the level and giving it a quick smell. If the vehicle was just started the transmission fluid level should be near the cold marker. You want to make sure it does not smell burnt as this could identify a current or pending problem. When the engine is turned off again pull out the oil dipstick and again, make sure it looks like it is not dirty and does not smell burnt. The color of the oil should be similar to dark amber.
4. Now it’s time for a test drive. Before you start moving check the steering system. Open the windows and turned the steering wheel hard all the way to one side, and then the other. You want to make sure there is no resistance and that there are no loud squealing sounds which could signify a problem with costly parts of the steering system. You will also want to jiggle the wheel back and forth a bit from the center position and make sure that it doesn’t have any play. Going from one side to the other. It should feel firm when turning from one side to the other. Once you are confident the vehicle is safe to drive make sure you drive it with the windows open and closed. Make sure you don’t hear any noises that seem uncommon. If you do find any potential issues and you are not sure what they are make sure to have a qualified mechanic look the car over before you complete the purchase. While driving, make sure to pay attention to the brakes. Do they feel like they are working properly and stopping the car efficiently? If not, they may need to be addressed and that could help you as any other problems found, in negotiating a better purchase price.
5. Last, but certainly not least. Asked to have the vehicle inspected by a mechanic or shop of your choice. If there is any resistance to having the vehicle inspected run, don’t walk away from the vehicle as is a telltale sign there are going to be issues found.
Once you have found the right vehicle and have made a purchase it is a sound financial decision and great idea to purchase a quality used car warranty. An auto warranty can protect you from the inevitable major or minor repairs that you will face down the road. There are few reputable companies that will allow you to purchase coverage directly, excluding the dealer and their profit, at wholesale pricing. A great place to start is Auto Advantage Inc.
Purchasing an auto warranty for a car can be risky if you do not know the rules and regulations of the warranty. It is advisable for car owners to hire a professional car consultant who can help guide you through the purchase of the warranty. If the car owner makes the decision to buy the one on their own, they are more at risk for purchasing a fraudulent warranty.
Fraudulent warranties refer to warranties that come with many features and are priced well, but really, the provider of these warranties do not actually deliver the services that are mentioned in the warranty. Fraudulent warranties are common in the used car market. Consequently, people who are purchasing used car warranties should be extremely careful when purchasing an aftermarket auto warranty.
Due to fraudulent auto warranties, the US administration has created a law that protects the customers. This used car warranty law is called the lemon law.
When buying a new or used car, don’t just sign the contract that’s put in front of you. Make sure you ask some questions about all of the extras that are added on after you make the deal on the car. Fees like doc fees, financing fees, delivery fees, and fees related to used car warranties are not always justified.
A good auto warranty needs to be negotiated prior to taking your vehicle home. If you are told any fee is mandatory, make sure you question it and ask for proof.
Driving in the midst of one of the northeast’s worst winter storms my four year old car simply stopped moving. I was stuck out in the cold and needed a tow. I called my roadside assistance provider, autoroadservice.com, who got me and my car to the nearest auto repair facility. Unfortunately, I found out that I had to foot the more than $800 repair bill for the transmission cable that somehow snapped in the middle of nowhere. Not what I needed to hear right around the holidays when cash was tight. The car only had 35,000 miles but was just out of warranty I was told.
It got me thinking: If I am going to keep this car I really need to look into used car warranties. After all, I had heard the horror stories from my friends about their used cars turning into sinkholes that just kept sucking money from their wallets.
Don’t fall into the same trap Tom did. Purchase an auto warranty before it’s too late and your used car begins to tap into your hard earned savings. Owning an used car can cost you hundreds to thousands of dollars per year. Protect yourself from unforeseen repair bills with an aftermarket auto warranty.
 
Many people don’t know how to select motor oil that will get them optimum performance levels from their vehicles. People usually simply select the oil their parents used or they take the suggestion of a counter person at an auto parts store. There are many differences in motor oils and choosing the right one can have an impact on how well your vehicle runs. Selecting the right oil is a quick, cheap way to improve your vehicle’s performance.  Regardless of what type of oil you use, whether you have a new car or a used car you are still eventually going to face a major repair bill sooner or later. That is why an auto warranty is a necessity. A new car warranty or a used car warranty can provide its owner with peace of mind. When auto repairs are necessary, the owners are protected from the high cost of automobile repairs.Â
Two components determine how well motor oil will perform in your car. One factor is the base oil, and the other is the combination of chemicals (additives) that are added to the base oil. The two primary types of base oils used are mineral and synthetic. Mineral oils are by-products of refined crude oil. Refining helps reduce the impurities but leaves molecules of all shapes and sizes. Synthetic oils are manmade compounds whose molecules are all the same size and shape; consequently, synthetic oil has less friction and performs significantly better than mineral oils.
Power train, competent and bumper-to-bumper are the common types of warranties available for used cars. These warranties offer different coverage that includes engine, vehicle exterior parts, axle, tire and other parts of the vehicle.
While buying a used car warranty, the owner should thoroughly check the coverage that is being offered. There are many fraudulent dealers that try to sell lemon cars to the innocent buyers. Lemon cars are those cars, which breakdown frequently. Despite many repairs, these cars don’t run smoothly. So, to save your self from unnecessary repairs and maintenance of the car used car warranty law helps. This law rescues the owners from such fraudulent dealers who cannot cheat the car owners.
The used car warranty period varies in different schemes. So, if you have a used car and are thinking that you can manage without a warranty, then you are in a trouble. Hurry up and buy the warranty before its too late.
We can give you peace of mind
Are you going on vacation this summer?
If so, you may want to get an extended warranty. If you have a new or used car, which covers about everything, you need to make sure your warranty is up to date. You can get a quote from us with no obligation to buy.
And, if you’re out on the road this summer, we will be with you if you have a warranty from us. If you have our bumper to bumper coverage and something goes wrong with your car, all you’ll have to do is find an accredited auto shop and the warranty will more than likely cover the problem. Check out what our bumper to bumper coverage will cover and give you peace of mind.
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Ford changes promise
A few months back, Bill Ford promised that his company, Ford Motor co., would produce 250,000 hybrids by 2010. However, now it seems that Ford is rearranging their promise.
Ford is now not promising any number of hybrids at all. Ford has changed their focus. Now, they’re promising 2 million alternative fuel vehicles by 2010. So, instead of completely catching the hybrid fever, they’ll just be producing more cars that use E85 and other bio fuels.
Ford stated in the email that the Blue Oval will focus more on other fuels like ethanol, clean-diesel and bio-diesel. In conjunction Ford is announcing a partnership with VeraSun Energy today to create an "ethanol corridor" with 50 new E85 pumps between Kansas City and Chicago.
Ford does still plan to produces a hybrid Mazda Tribute, a hybrid Ford Fusion, and a Hybrid Mercury Milan in 2008.
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Ford stresses that they’re really going to make their goal
Just yesterday I talked about how analysts did not believe Ford was going to make their 2008 goal of being a profitable company. Well, I think analysts still believe Ford will not make it, but Mark Fields, Ford’s president of Americas, believes they’re right on track.
He admits that they’re behind in some areas, but in other areas, he claims, Ford is way ahead of the game. So, that, in his mind, puts Ford in an “ok” position.
Like I said before, analysts still don’t believe Ford will make that goal. They say this because a weak inventory of new vehicles and a weary product strategy.
Ford has a lot of work to do. They’re supposed to be “innovation” driven, but it seems they’re still relying on large SUVs and trucks to keep them afloat. The buoyancy of their business is dependant upon a style of car that is becoming too expensive to drive and frowned on because of environmental issues.
Maybe Ford will stop trying to be “innovative” in their eyes and really become innovative. They’ve become innovative to their own definition, but I think their definition could be a tad off.
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Why you need an extended warranty
An extended auto warranty is essential for any car owner. Many people don’t think about the benefits of having an extended warranty. With any new or used car you purchase, you may want to consider getting the powertrain extended warranty. Not many used cars come with this, and sometimes new cars come with a very short powertrain warranty.
You also may be interested in a component or bumper to bumper warranty that can save you a lot of time, stress, and money. In the time of need your warranty will be ready if you get it from autowarranties.com. If you want more information on powertrain, components, and bumper to bumper warranties, check out our new car and used car information pages that will give you all the information you could need.
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