With the increase in gas prices around the nation, consumers are finding themselves wondering what fuel-efficient alternatives there are. In fact, more and more drivers are putting off getting to the gas pump and finding themselves stuck on the side of the road calling for emergency auto assistance. Gas-electric hybrids have received a large amount of attention recently, yet, diesel powered cars may be the answer.

Diesel cars have gained a lot of popularity around the world.  They account for approximately 50% of new cars in Europe; however, U.S. car shoppers have been slow to gain interest.

Even though fuel mileage levels can be around 40% higher with diesels than gas powered cars, diesels only account for 2% of the new cars in the U.S.

There is a whole new generation of diesels that are clean, quiet and much more powerful than in the past.  The 2007 Mercedes-Benz E320 Bluetec sedan will prove that this recent diesel technology can be luxurious in addition to giving you 37-mpg.

Diesels have come very far and are becoming a great option for drivers.  Also, there are becoming more and more models for consumers to choose from.  Of course, drivers should protect themselves with a good auto warranty to avoid unnecessary repair costs.

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.

Many motorists don’t realize that buying a less-expensive vehicle model can actually end up costing you more in the long run than a model that is more-expensive up front.

One example of this is a Mitsubishi Lancer vs. a Mini Cooper Clubman.  A new Lancer costs around $17,500, which is $5,000 less than the initial cost of the Mini Cooper.  Yet, when you consider what ownership costs will be with each vehicle, the Mitsubishi Lancer will end up costing you about $3,000 more after owning the car for five years.

Also, a Toyota Highlander will initially cost you $3,000 more than a Ford Explorer V6.  However, when you consider ownership costs you will end up paying $6,500 more over a five-year period.

Motorists are very concerned with the sticker price of a vehicle when choosing a car, but many people fail to factor in the ownership costs.  For example, auto loans, maintenance costs, an auto warranty, fuel costs, repair costs, and sales tax need to all be factored into the equation.

Unfortunately, mistakes are a common occurrence when you’re in a place that is unfamiliar.  According to a recent survey, people who drive RV’s admit to making expensive slip-ups.  Approximately 1,000 RV motorists participated in the survey, and revealed some mishaps that are interesting to say the least.

The following were the most common mistakes:  running out of gas, connecting taillights incorrectly, backing up and hitting something, not being able to accurately judge clearance, and pulling out of a parking spot with the steps still out.

According to the survey, approximately 50% of RV motorists travel for at least a month out of the year, and around 40% log 500 miles in their trip.

Although you can usually find blunders humorous, they can cost you big bucks in repairs and damages.  This is why it is necessary to have good insurance and an auto warranty for your RV.  After all, you need to be able to get back on the road as quickly as possible after a mishap.

Anyone who has held on to a Babe Ruth rookie card knows the rewards of purchasing an item that is a classic.  It retains its value and will provide a return that is significant.  Whether it is a painting, antique, or automobile, people are finding that the high quality of classics are twice as nice.

An example of this is a high-performance vehicle, such as Mercedes-Benz.  In fact, 74% of all of the Mercedes vehicles sold are still on the road today.  This is a great testament to the quality and value of these cars.

Finding a classic car isn’t necessarily about purchasing something brand new.  If you’re looking for a used vehicle, the brands that are the best known are the ones that will be reliable.

Of course, finding a pre-owned vehicle of quality can be tricky, so do your homework to ensure that you make a wise choice.  You can find important information on the Internet, such as blue book prices at kbb.com or history reports at carfax.com.  Also, you should look on the web for prices on an auto warranty and auto loans.

When some people think of pre-owned vehicles, they visualize dirty, old, junky cars.  But there is another market, certified pre-owned cars, which are making savvy buyers take notice.

Certified pre-owned vehicles have had thorough inspections and refurbishing.  This eliminates the concern about reliability that often goes along with purchasing a used car.  Also, certified pre-owned cars are backed by an extended auto warranty. These benefits are hard to pass up.  Automakers understand that they shouldn’t ignore the popularity of the certified car market.

A recent study revealed that since 2000, certified pre-owned sales have risen 46%.  In fact, approximately 1.5 million of these cars are sold every year.  That is the equivalent to around 10% of new car sales.

How do you know the best and worst certified pre-owned vehicles to buy?  Forbes.com has a list that will assist motorists in making a good purchase.

The Honda Accord and Toyota 4Runner come in at the top of the list.  Next, is the Acura TL, followed by the Subaru Impreza.  The Lexus GS also comes in high on the list.

The worst cars on the list are the Saturn Relay, and Jeep Grand Cherokee.  Also making the worst list are the Pontiac G6, Volkswagen New Beetle, and Mercedes Benz E Class.

Certified pre-owned vehicles offer an updated car without the updated price.  Also key is that they come with an auto warranty.

Cars need regular maintenance in order to run trouble free.  Some people actually brag about driving an incredible amount of miles without performing maintenance on their vehicle.  However, these are the same people that eventually go to their mechanic and get handed a bill for hundreds of dollars.  An auto warranty can help you avoid unnecessary costs for repairs, but you need to have a maintenance schedule.

The reality is that faulty sensors and bad fuel injectors will cause engine adjustments that are improper resulting in foul sparkplugs.  Also, oil combustion is a result of worn pistons and rings.  And, of course, dirty fuel filters and air filters can cause problems.  A perfect world would have no grime and dirt, which would allow us unbelievable mileage between services, but that’s not reality.

According to the Car Care Council, during the National Car Care Month there were check lanes that show an 83% rate in failure.  The problems were transmission fluid, engine oil, power steering fluid, coolant, and brake fluid.

Drivers need to consult their owner’s manuals and make sure they get regular maintenance.  This will allow vehicles to operate more effectively and for a longer amount of time.  Buying an auto warranty will give you peace of mind when it comes to repair costs.

According to the National Automobile Dealers Association, out of the 20,700 U.S. new car dealerships, around 600 will have been forced to shut down this year, compared to 430 last year.

At least 80% of the dealerships closing will be domestics because of the large amount of sales that they have lost.  And once a dealership has to close, it’s hard to reopen.

According to Grant Thornton LLP, it is estimated that at least 3,800 other dealers need to close also.

The fact is that there has been a surplus of dealers for many years.  But the large cost of financing and the present credit crunch has created quite a storm.  Dealers are having trouble getting the funds to finance the vehicles and don’t make the money, so they have to close their shop.

Many consumers have decided to hang onto their current cars and buy an auto warranty instead of purchasing new vehicles.  Motorists are hesitant to buy because of the poor economy and instead opt to just purchase used car warranties to help them maintain their vehicles.

It is a huge disappointment to buy a vehicle just to find out that it literally has an ocean of problems.

Unfortunately, there are a large number of vehicles on the market within the last five years that have experienced flooding, rain or hurricanes.  In fact, the number of cars has doubled.  In certain states it has been reported that there has been an increase of six times more cars damaged by water than five years ago.

Many times, cars with water damage are moved from flooding regions to areas that are less suspicious.  The cars are then back on the used car market, often disguised and rebuilt.

It can be difficult for consumers to be able to recognize if a vehicle has experienced water damage, and yet the car will literally rot inside and out.  In addition, the mechanical systems of a vehicle can be threatened or ruined without any visible signs on the exterior of the car.

Sales this year are predicted to reach around 45 million this year, so motorists should be on alert for water damage.  In addition, purchasing an auto warranty is a smart idea to protect your wallet in case of unforeseen repairs down the road.

Because many people lead busy lives, they try to pick a repair shop that is close to their home.  They also try to find a shop that they believe to be trustworthy.  Motorists take for granted the freedom of being able to pick where their cars get repaired.  This may all be coming to an end.

Cars operate through their computers, and it is necessary to have the computer codes to determine if something is faulty on the vehicle.  However, car manufacturers often don’t like to release the codes.  This means that independently owned repair shops might not be able to properly make repairs.  In addition, drivers will be forced to take their vehicles to dealerships.  This makes an auto warranty even more necessary for motorists because dealerships tend to charge more for repairs.

There are approximately 220 million cars in the country and only 21,000 vehicle dealerships.  Also, there are around 130,000 businesses that make a business of repairing cars.  If these businesses don’t have access to computer codes they may eventually go out of business because they won’t be able to perform many repairs on cars.

Congress has recognized this problem and therefore, is trying to pass the Motor Vehicle Owners Right To Repair Act.  This bill would make it necessary for car companies to share information with the independent repair shops.

Unfortunately, you never know when your car is going to require repairs, so regardless of where you take your car for service, make sure you have an auto warranty to protect your wallet.