If you’re dreaming of purchasing a new vehicle, but can’t afford the high payment, you’re in luck.  You can switch out your car without going into debt.  To get more value for your money buy pre-owned.

The second that a new car rolls out of the dealership, it drops in price.  In fact, you will lose around 25 percent of the price of the car in the first year, and the value drops drastically as the years go by.  A rule of thumb for people to consider is that a 3 year-old vehicle is worth half of its sticker price.  So, if you’re considering a vehicle that is and ’08 for $50,000 realize a ’05 is worth $25,000.

Americans trade in their automobiles every 3 years.  Coincidentally, there is a large pool of quality pre-owned vehicles.  There is a great deal of cars with less than 30,000 miles on them that are only two years old.  They are practically new.  This, and an auto warranty, should eliminate the fear of buying used.

To get the best deal on a pre-owned car, educate yourself.  On the Internet you can find out the worth of a used car, and the cost for a dealer to buy it.  With used cars make sure you purchase used car warranties to protect your car in the event of a breakdown.

Would you ever think that a convertible could receive the same safety ratings as its counterpart sedan?  Well it has happened with Saab vehicles.

The Saab 9-3 two door convertible, years 2006 and 2007, that has a fabric retractable roof received the same ratings for side, rear and frontal crash tests as its counterpart with a steel roof.  In fact, it was also named a “Top Safety Pick”.

The crash tests that were performed were the first ever done on convertibles.  They were conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration hasn’t even done tests on the convertibles that the IIHS did, so these scores are the very first indications of the safety of convertibles.

The 2007 version of the Saab 9-3 sedan has a suggested retail of $26,250, and the Saab 9-3 convertible goes for $37,495.  General Motors Corporation is the owner of Saab based out of Sweden.  Saab has had a longstanding reputation for safe vehicles.

No matter how high a car is rated it is important to purchase an auto warranty in case of unforeseen problems.  Used car warranties will save you money down the road when your car needs repair.  After all, no vehicle is without faults.

Unfortunately, mistakes often happen when you’re in an unfamiliar place.  A recent survey reported that people driving in RV’s often make expensive blunders.  More than 1,000 RV drivers were surveyed, revealing some interesting mishaps that they have had.

The blunders that were the most common are as follows:  backing up into something, failing to connect taillights in a correct manner, running out of fuel, driving out of a parking lot with the steps still out, and not judging clearance well.

Also discovered was that just over 50 percent of RV drivers spend at least a month out of the year traveling, and over 40 percent travel over 500 miles in a trip.

Although often you can find humor in blunders, they can mean big money in damages and repairs.  This is why it is so important to purchase good insurance and an auto warranty on you RV.  After all, you want to get back out on the open road quickly after a mishap.

According to The American Consumer Satisfaction Index, the results from its Q2 aren’t good for domestic auto manufacturers.  The people at ASCI claim that customer satisfaction is higher than ever for the whole industry, however there aren’t any American automakers that made the top four.  And the bottom three on the list are made in America.

Domestic car companies are having problems because they are lagging further behind their counterparts overseas.  This will be of no help when the Big Three lose more power with pricing.  They will have to continue their dependency on discounting and rebates, in a car market where consumers are deciding to turn to foreign cars.  People feel foreign cars are more reliable, and with the addition of an auto warranty, they enjoy the peace of mind that they get with them.

The ACSI is a representation of a customer’s overall satisfaction, which includes customer service and doesn’t necessarily determine the quality of cars.  In addition, carmakers don’t have any control over a dealership’s customer service.

If you have a special love for old cars you aren’t the only one.  There are antique car shows all over the country that have vintage cars on display.  The owners who put their cars on display feel a great sense of pride.

Many vintage car owners have restored their vehicles piece by piece.  They haven’t just rebuilt the car they have restored it so that it is in its original state.

What’s the difference between rebuilding and restoring?  A rebuilt car has new parts.  However, a restored car has authentic parts that were from the exact year and model of the car.

Restoring a car encompasses not only the body of the vehicle, but the mechanical components.  In addition, the car’s interior is restored.  It is virtually impossible to find the exact upholstery from the year and make of the car, so it is necessary to get as close as possible.

It is a labor of love to restore a car, but certainly worth it.  Do your homework on the car you are restoring, and research costs for maintenance and an auto warranty. There is nothing more satisfying than turning a junky car into a classic vehicle.

In the last few years drivers over 70 years old have managed to lower the number of fatal car crashes they were occupied in.  The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reported that from 1997-2006 there was a 21% decline in accidents that proved fatal for this age group.  This is a complete reversal of what seemed to be a trend moving steadily upward.

This occurred despite the fact that the amount of elderly people in the country is increasing by 10% in this time period.  Their significant decline in accidents that are fatal outpaced their younger counterparts, even though they added 2 million more drivers and greatly increased the number of miles they traveled.

IIHS suspected that the exact opposite would happen.  Past accidents and fatalities that elderly drivers were responsible for were growing, which made it necessary for there to be laws allowing elderly impairments to be monitored.

There have been several justifications have been given for this new trend, including elderly people keeping themselves more fit and cars that are being made safer.

Unfortunately, you never know when you will be involved in an accident, so it is important to protect yourself by purchasing cars that are rated high for safety and signing up for an emergency roadside assistance program.  In addition, make sure you purchase a good auto warranty.

Most people depend on major car companies, like Avis for rentals on business trips and vacations. Yet, most people don’t realize that firms such as these are great sources of well-priced used vehicles.  Avis’ business is rental cars, however, they also sell their older models.  Car shoppers get a big savings by purchasing a vehicle from Avis instead of car dealers.  This gives people the opportunity to put their money towards used car warranties that will protect their car.

Avis sells their vehicles that are more than one year old so they can make room for more recent models.  This is how Avis ensures that they have a well-maintained and current fleet.  When certain car models prove to be popular, Avis often sells them early, after the car has passed a certain mileage.

Another good thing about purchasing a car from Avis is that they treat their vehicles with metallic paint.  On the other hand, car dealers usually don’t do this.  One concern that car shoppers have is that rental cars have been through a lot of wear and tear.  Yet, Avis points out that vehicles for sale are around six months old and less than 13,000 miles.  Also important is that many times the car’s auto warranty is still valid.  However, the auto warranty will only last for approximately one year, so it is important to shop around for used car warranties.

When thinking of the engine, most people don’t consider how important the alternator is.  In fact, the alternator is indispensable because the engine won’t run without it.  The alternator is the source where the power train derives power.

Alternators were created in order to convert mechanical energy into a current that is alternating.  In order to do this the engine belt drives the alternator shaft.  Doing this allows electricity to be produced from the mechanical energy of the machines.  Then, the power becomes channeled.  The electricity produced recharges the battery and powers the electrical system of the vehicle.

If you need to replace your alternator you will discover that some contain more amps and some are definitely more costly. However, an auto warranty will give you peace of mind with any vehicle repairs.

Whatever car you have, make sure you can see the bolts.  Many times, other parts have to be removed to have access to the bolts.  Before you remove your alternator, take note of the way it’s connected.  Then, mark its location so you know where to connect it.  Afterward, start to unplug the wires that connect to the alternator.  Finally, take off the bolts and remove the alternator.

Without the alternator, the engine can’t function.  If you can’t replace it yourself, find a professional to take care of it.  Whatever you decide, make sure you have an auto warranty to save you from costly repairs.  After all, you never know when you will need to replace a part on your vehicle.

According to J.D. Power and Associates, in 2008, overall satisfaction for customers with dealer service improved drastically.  Over two-thirds of the 37 brands that were ranked showed gains.

The study, which is now in its 28th year, looks at the satisfaction among car owners who get maintenance or repairs done at the service department of the dealership within the first three years, which is a large part of the auto warranty period.

After staying generally flat since 2005, satisfaction has increased to 882 on a scale of 1,000 in 2008.  This is a significant improvement from 2007 of 6 points.

The reason for the improvement is primarily because of an increase in the amount of maintenance work done and improved satisfaction in repair work.  Motorists who go to the dealer for routine maintenance are on average more satisfied (894) than customers who have repairs done (862).

Improvements in vehicle quality have caused a decline in the need for car repairs within the initial three years of car ownership.  Dealers are more focused than ever on satisfying their repair customers because they are finding it hard to achieve profitability.

Americans need to take action immediately to help the nation’s economy improve and bring back American jobs.  Americans have purchased 11 million foreign vehicles over the last 10 years.  That is equal to about $25.5 billion exported out of the U.S. economy.  Buying American cars with an auto warranty would improve the economy greatly.

It seems that Americans have become numb to the on-going announcements that the “Big Three Auto Makers” are cutting jobs and closing plants.  This year alone, Ford Motor Co. announced that they were closing three plants and cutting more jobs.  Chrysler Motors had to close three plants and cut approximately 12,000-15,000 jobs.  GM announced a loss of $11.8 billion in the first quarter of 2008, which is its second largest loss ever, and also had to close plants.

Over the last 10 years American cars have improved greatly in quality.  In fact, J.D. Powers has recognized that American cars have had substantially higher improvement in comparison to their foreign competition.  It’s time for Americans to change their way of thinking and buy American cars.  And consumers can always rest assured that they won’t be paying unnecessary costs if they have new car warranties.