It may be tempting to go to one of the giant retail chains that seem to be popping up everywhere for auto service, but is it smart?  Well, there’s something to be said for building a relationship with your auto repair facility, and with a large chain, it’s not likely to happen.

Think about it, you go to a mass retailer for a repair, and then after a year the part fails.  Yet, when you go back to the original location for an auto warranty claim, the first thing they ask for is your receipt.  If you don’t have the receipt you’re out of luck.  Chances are they will have no recollection of you or your car from the previous year.

Many people make the mistake of looking for a service shop just on the basis of price.  However, you need to consider other factors when choosing a shop.  Imagine how nice it would be to build a relationship with a shop where the mechanic recognizes you and your car and you feel a loyalty. We’ve all been in an emergency situation where we need a repair done that day.  If you have a relationship with your mechanic, chances are that he will be more likely to squeeze you in.

Ultimately, the choice is up to you when choosing a service shop.  However, keep in mind the benefits of being able to feel loyalty from your mechanic. And make sure you have used car warranties in order to have peace of mind.

What features, besides an auto warranty, can help older drivers stay safe and comfortable on the road?  The American Automobile Association has the following recommendations to help older drivers.

First, it is helpful to have a steering wheel that tilts and telescopes.  This puts the driver 10 inches from the airbag, and also alleviates shoulder and neck pain.

Also helpful are mirrors that allow for wide visibility.  This allows older drivers to compensate for a limited range of motion.

Seats that are heated with lumbar support allow relief from an aching back.

Six-way adjustable seats allow drivers who are short to see over the steering wheel, and allow for an easier entrance and exit out of the car.

A car with adjustable foot pedals will allow small drivers to be able to reach pedals while remaining far enough away from the airbag.

Four doors are better than two for older drivers because they are lighter and easier to open and close.

Purchasing the right car for an older driver is important for safety reasons.  Keep these things in mind to help your loved one stay safe on the roads, and don’t forget to purchase used car warranties to avoid unnecessary repair expenses.

Most people don’t realize that there is certain etiquette involved when buying parts at the parts counter.  Following this etiquette will allow you to get the parts that you want without unnecessary hassle and keep you from driving the staff crazy.

When you go to a parts counter at a dealership you need to have your VIN handy, which is basically the magic key to all of the car codes.  At places such as Advance Auto or NAPA, you just need to know the make, model, year, and engine of your car.

Make sure to know what the part’s name is that you need.  If this is something you don’t know, be able to describe what it looks like or what it is going to attach to.  Don’t make up a name for the part you want; this is where 90% of wrong parts come from.  If worse comes to worse, take the staff out to your car and point to the part you’re looking for.

When ordering an expensive part you want to ask about return policies and auto warranty terms.  And get the answer in writing.  This can be as simple as having him write the information on the receipt.  This will save a lot of hassle if something breaks down the line.

Finally, don’t go to the parts counter to diagnose your vehicle.  Counter-staff gets very annoyed when you try to return a part because it wasn’t even the problem in the first place.

Following these simple etiquette tips will allow you to get the parts that you need with little hassle.  And make sure you have used car warranties, because you never know when your vehicle will need to be repaired.

According to the BMW Blog, the CS Concept that was unveiled at the New York auto show this past spring isn’t going to ever see the light of day in production.  Due to the current problems with the financial market, BMW brass had a change of mind about the possibility of a $100,000-plus-range car.

For car fans this is bad news, but most people buying cars won’t care.  But it is worrisome to car aficionados is the fact that BMW claimed in its cancellation announcement that it’s focusing on profit right now, and not brand identity.  That means that consumers can expect to see more cars like the X1 SUV and not as many statement vehicles.  The company is also claiming that it will be focusing on new technology, which probably means it will be working on engines that are more efficient and refining its iDrive system.

Although many drivers don’t have the funds to purchase a car like the CS Concept, it is sad to see that it won’t make it to production.  However, most people are choosing not to purchase new vehicles right now and instead hold onto their current cars and buy used car warranties.

The financing arm of GM announced that it would ease up on credit restrictions and even waive some dealer fees in order for more consumers to be able to get auto loans.  GMAC is going to make available $5 billion to new car buyers out there, which will hopefully pump up sales figures that have been severely depressed.  Until now, many motorists had to opt to keep their current cars with used car warranties, because they weren’t eligible for financing.

The elimination of some of these fees placed on dealers will give the dealers a break, however for consumers the implications even go further.  Since the credit markets seized in October of 2008, this is the first time that car shoppers having credit scores under 620 will be able to get a loan from GMAC.  Also, the company claims it will cut some rates for used and new cars, but it wasn’t specified how much.

GM is hoping this move will make the number of car buyers increase from 30%-35% for the GM dealers that finance using GMAC, which is approximately 70% of all of the GM dealers.  The company claims they will still be using discretion when deciding who will be able to get loans, and will take into account things like an applicants’ financial records and job status.  However, lots of people who couldn’t get loans before will be able to purchase new cars with new car warranties.

If you’re looking to buy a cheap used vehicle, you might want to look online.  One website that is a good place to start is Car-Auction.com.  This is an auction website featuring seized vehicles by the government.  Consumers can select what type and model of vehicle you are looking for, as well as the price.  Results will appear within a few seconds.  This is a lot more convenient than attending an automobile auction and waiting to see if the car you want is up for auction.

When you are looking to buy a cheap used car follow these simple tips.

The most difficult part of the process is finding a quality car that you would like to purchase.  People make the mistake of buying a car because they like the way it looks.  You need to get the full history of the vehicle before making an agreement.  Also, get the VIN of the vehicle and do a search of the number through a local agency.  You want to get the vehicle inspected by a professional.

An online auction is a great place to buy a used car. However, beware.  To protect yourself, do your homework to get a good buy and make sure to purchase used car warranties.

Satellite navigation devices, or the popular GPS interfaces that many motorists have in their vehicles, are, seemingly, responsible for a large share of accidents and driving practices that are risky.

With almost half of the motorists on the roads having access to devices such as these in their vehicles, it appears that this technology has penetrated the market.  Drivers who have satellite navigation devices are much more likely to be involved in a minor accident or risky behaviors.  In fact, 1.5 million say that they have engaged in sudden maneuvers, and approximately 5 million admit to going against the flow of traffic.

GPS systems fall into the same category as other car distractions, such as cell phones, kids, the radio, or passengers.  This might be one of the reasons that road safety campaigns say that ‘Good Drivers Just Drive’.

Drivers should pre-plan their trips in order to avoid GPS distractions.  In addition, drivers should protect themselves by purchasing used car warranties, and avoiding other in car distractions.

The AARP, which was formerly the American Association of Retired Persons, supports various goods and services and endorses them for their members; this includes auto insurance.  Recently, Bloomberg news reported some practices that appear to be pretty shady, in regards to their insurance endorsements.

Some members are actually shelling out double for insurance that is AARP-backed in comparison to what the price would be for another plan.  Why would AARP advise them so wrong?  When people pay for their vehicle insurance, part of the premium goes to the AARP as “fees” and “royalties”.  What this means is that AARP gets a cut of each payment before the insurer receives any payment, and since AARP has a large membership base, it’s a pretty lucrative business.

These so called “fees” have leaped from accounting for about 11% of the AARP’s revenue in the year 1999 to about 43% in 2007.  If this organization is intentionally coaxing its members to pay added funds for their insurance to get financial awards, that is definitely shady.  Especially considering all of the car costs that people have to pay these days, such as used car warranties and maintenance.

A new rating system for roof-strength has been launched by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, and has conducted its first tests on small SUVs.  Unfortunately, only four out of the twelve vehicles tested managed to get a Good rating, which is the top rating.

The SUVs that scored the Good rating were the Honda Element, Subaru Forester, Volkswagen Tiguan and the Jeep Patriot.  SUVs that scored Acceptable were the Chevrolet Equinox, Suzuki Grand Vitara, Nissan Rogue, Toyota RAV4, and Mitsubishi Outlander.  Ranking Marginal, were the Ford Escape, and Honda CR-V, while the Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage were the only vehicles to rate Poor.

This new standard for roof-strength is intended to combat rollover deaths, which account for about a quarter of all deaths having to do with traffic.  For vehicles to be an IIHS Top Safety Pick, they have to now withstand four times their own weight before the car’s roof will collapse 5 inches.  The IIHS’s strength to weight ratio is a much higher standard than the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s, which says that roofs should bear 2.5 times the car’s weight.

Consumers are becoming more and more concerned with vehicle safety, which is why more people are purchasing an auto warranty.  With used car warranties, people can rest-assured that they won’t be paying unnecessary repair costs.

With the poor economy, motorists are looking a little more closely at used cars.  The National Automobile Dealers Association reports that last year the average cost of a used vehicle was around $15,000, while it was $29,000 for new vehicles.

While you want to purchase a pre-owned car that has a solid reputation for dependability, it’s even more beneficial to purchase a used vehicle that consumers find less popular, because it has already depreciated rapidly.

Many people believe that the best new vehicles make the best used vehicles, which is true in general.  However, often these cars depreciate at a slower rate, which makes them popular as new vehicles, but means they cost more as used vehicles.

According to Kelly Blue Book, the vehicle brands that depreciate the slowest are Mini, Scion, Volkswagen, BMW, and Honda.

Instead of purchasing those models, consider other brands that have high reliability scores, but depreciate more quickly and can save you thousands of dollars.  Domestic brands are good to consider, such as Dodge, Ford, and Chevrolet.  These will get you a bargain.

If you want to save money by buying a used car, consider depreciation. You can get a good bargain by buying reliable, more rapidly depreciating models, and buy used car warranties to give you peace of mind.