Over the last week there has been a story circulating on the Internet about the owner of a 2009 Nissan GT-R who couldn’t get his auto warranty to cover his blown transmission.  What was the problem?  He claims he turned off the stability control in order to use the vehicle’s launch control feature.  Making that mistake cost him about $20,000 in auto repairs.

Nissan is well aware of the story on the Internet, and it says that utilizing the launch control feature or turning the VDC off by himself wouldn’t void the auto warranty.  However, Nissan claims that when the two features are abused and lead to damage, the auto warranty becomes void.  The auto warranty includes normal stipulations about racing, modifications, as well as other changes that void new car warranties.

Nissan couldn’t calculate how car owners could use the vehicle, meaning how often it could be driven on a track or other difficult uses.  Other GT-R drivers have complained about the car’s transmission, but most of them attacked the author of the original story for not being a good driver.

The result of this story is clear for owners of GT-R owners: You shouldn’t drive your GT-R too hard if you don’t want to be the one to pay for it.

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.

Consumers can expect the 2009 Porsche Cayman and Boxster to arrive at dealerships this March, complete with an auto warranty and improvements in technology, fuel economy, and power.  Of course, this means there will be a slight bump in price.  According to Tony Fouladour, who works for Porsche, the 2009 Cayman is going to start at $50,300 including new car warranties, and the Cayman S is going to cost $60,200, which doesn’t include a destination charge of $975.

The base price for the 2009 Boxster will be starting at $46,600 and make a jump to $56,700 for the Boxster S.  There will be a $950 destination charge for the Boxster.

Overall, the pricing for 2009 Porsche’s ends up being about a 1.8% jump in comparison to the 2008 models, however this increase is representative of more bang for your buck.  Both the 2009 Cayman and Boxster will feature the new Direct Fuel Injection technology by Porsche, which will give added power, while estimates for gas mileage top 25 mpg-a fuel economy increase since 2008.

There is nothing worse than getting your car repaired and hearing, “It isn’t covered under your auto warranty.”  Often, motorists are confused because they assume that certain repairs are covered.  Drivers need a little education to understand more about their new car warranties.

People need to understand that an auto warranty isn’t an entitlement, but an agreement you make with the car manufacturer.  Your responsibility is to fulfill specific maintenance requirements that the manufacturer sets.  After doing your part, the manufacturer must perform repairs resulting from a defect or a failed part.

So, what parts are covered?  The auto manufacturer must cover the parts that it makes.  For example, transmissions, engines, steering, suspension, computers, instruments, chassis wiring, and other parts that they manufacture are covered.  Maintenance items and wearable items aren’t covered under new car warranties.  For example, filters, hoses, belts, brakes and tires aren’t covered.

What about the parts not made by the manufacturer of the car?  Items such as stereo systems and conversion components have a warranty through their manufacturers.  These can be found in paper work you received with the purchase of the car.

The best thing that you can do to avoid misunderstandings about new car warranties is to educate yourself.  Make sure that you do your homework and read all of the fine print in your auto warranty.

The 111th Congress is just a week old, and they have already proposed legislation that will affect the car world.  The House and Senate have both proposed new legislation hoping to get vehicles that are fuel-inefficient off of roads.  This program, which is called “Cash for Clunkers” would provide owners of old gas-guzzlers cash.  For example, a 1999 Ford Explorer would get between $2,500-$4,500 so they could buy a new vehicle.

So, what is the catch here?  First of all, the car would have to be a model year 2004 or earlier, and get 18mpg or less.  Also, the car must be drivable and it had to have been registered for the last 120 days or more.

The tricky part, however, is that after you get the reimbursement slip, you must buy a used or new vehicle that has a fuel economy rating that exceeds the CAFÉ target set for its vehicle class by 25%.

This bill can be helpful for many people, especially if you are interested in buying a new car that gets good gas mileage.  Just keep in mind that you will have other expenses to consider, such as new car warranties and maintenance costs.

People are often irrational about their vehicles. Some drivers even talk to their vehicles and give them a pat here and there.  But as much as our cars mean to us, we don’t need to waste money on them.  Here are some common ways that you can avoid unnecessary car expenses.

First of all, buying premium fuel over regular isn’t necessary.  Purchase the cheapest gas possible that keeps your engine from knocking.  Octane serves the purpose of preventing knock, so if your car doesn’t knock with regular gasoline you’re fine.

Usually, carmakers recommend that you change your oil every 5,000-7,000 miles.  Many motorists assume that they should get their oil changed every 3,000 miles, however, this should be done only if you put a lot of wear and tear on your car.

Also, having auto repairs done at a dealership will cost you.  Instead, find a reliable independent shop to do the job for less money.  In addition, make sure to have an auto warranty to avoid unnecessary costs down the road.

Following these simple tips can save you lots of money.  Don’t allow other people to talk you into paying unnecessary expenses for your vehicle and purchase used car warranties to protect your wallet.

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% last month, which is the lowest seen 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 has 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.

Mitsubishi announces plans to cancel production of its Raider pickup at some point during the middle of next year, ending a sales streak that has been difficult to say the least.  The carmaker is reworking its lineup and changing the focus to more fuel-efficient vehicles, therefore the Raider moved right to the chopping block.

The Raider made its debut in 2005, and was Japan’s answer to the Dodge Dakota, however it was never able to catch on, and its poor sales made it the perfect target during a period of retooling.  Last year, sales of Raiders was less than 3,000 vehicles.

First it was Isuzu’s exit from the Unites States, and now this announcement adds to the shrinking supply of badge-engineered pickups.  However, you tell us:  Do you think anyone out there is going to really miss the Raider?

Consumers are trying to protect themselves by purchasing vehicles that are more fuel-efficient, and making sure they have good new car warranties.  After all, an auto warranty can save you from unnecessary repair costs down the road.

For all of you people out there who are fans of the Patriots- the vehicle, not team-here are some additional reasons that you should love your crossover.  In an omission that is rare, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety decided to revise the frontal crash-test rating of the 2008 Jeep Patriot to Good, which is the highest rating that is acceptable.  Russ Rader, who is a IIHS spokesman, claimed that there was a missing wire in a crash-test dummy’s leg that caused the Patriot to get an Acceptable rating, but when the wire was in the correct place, the Patriot received an improved rating of Good.

The side crash-test rating for the 2008 Patriot was also Good with the optional side curtain airbags.  These airbags are now standard for the 2009 model.  Ratings for rear crash-tests were only Acceptable, which is why the Patriot didn’t become the Top Safety Pick.

Consumers are becoming more and more concerned with automobile safety.  They are protecting themselves by purchasing new car warranties, and researching car safety features and crash test results.

If you ask a woman if she would like to buy a Dodge Viper, chances are she will say “no”.  This car is a V-10 two seater that starts at approximately $80,000.  Although this may not be a woman’s cup of tea, studies show that many men would like to have this car.  Like many other aspects of life, men and women seem to have very different tastes, and cars are no exception.

Men and women buy the Viper, but 91% of customers are men.  The Porsche 911 and BMW M5 are also cars being bought primarily by males.  These models costs above $60,000.  Studies show that men often equate their car with their image.  In other words, they choose cars that will portray a certain status.

What cars do women like?  The #1 choice is the Toyota RAV4.  Women like to purchase small, affordable cars that are easy to buy.  For example, the Saturn SC, SL, and ION are popular choices for women.  These cars start at around $10,000 including new car warranties, and have a reputation of being “no hassle” when it comes to buying.

It is obvious that women and men think very differently in lots of areas, cars included.  Men like to buy the fast, impressive cars, whereas women purchase the inexpensive, small cars.  The only common ground that these cars have is that they are backed by an auto warranty.