Used car buying tips for dummies

May 27th, 2011 admin

Its just one of those mornings. As the rain pours down and Im trying to start my mini (yes those old small ones) I decide its time to buy a new car.

Now, before I embark on this wonderful journey- there are a few stumble blocks I need to sort out. Firstly, I cant afford a new car, but Im sure I can find a nice, affordable second hand car somewhere. Secondly, I have no idea what to look for in a car.

For me its all about how cute I will look in it and that it will take me from point A to point B. I know nothing more than the absolute necessary. The engine is in the front under the hood, the spare wheel is somewhere in the back and I know where the exhaust is. Furthermore, my knowledge is very limited.

With my boyfriend out of town and my time relatively limited, I need to find some or other guide to help me. A guide for people who knows nothing about cars, something written for dummies, a buyers guide for second hand cars.

Obviously, the best and first place I look for this Used car buyers guide for dummies is on the Internet. I, of course, find quite a few irrelevant results that just show me lists of car dealers.

Eventually I stumble across a very in-depth used car buyers guide that gives you twelve different things to look out for when buying a car. I had to read it twice to understand everything, but eventually I got the hang of it.

Firstly, they give some helpful advice regarding the purchase of the used car. Then they chat about registration and documentation and give some useful information- mentioning things like the Vehicle Identification Number and where you need to look for it!

Furthermore the buyers guide supply the reader with tips on what to look out for when they are viewing a second hand or used car. They even mention the appearance of the car- and no this is not just the outside of the car!

They give little tidbits to look out for when you start-up the engine. Apparently, when you test-drive the car, you should drive it at various speeds- this will give you an indication of the condition of the engine.

The bodywork of the used car must be inspected and you should look out for any accident damage to the car. Make sure to check out the interior and the upholstery- lift seat covers to see if the seller isnt just hiding damaged seats!

Half of these things I would have never even thought to look at! Other tips include information about the gearbox and clutch, brakes and suspension, radiator and cooling system, as well as more general things like steering and tyres.

Must say, after reading this guide, I will definitely be able to pick out my new second hand used car with more confidence! For those women and other dummies out there that know nothing about what to look out for when buying a second hand or used car- get yourself a buyers guide! It really does help.

 

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The Classic BMW 1600

May 22nd, 2011 admin

What makes a used BMW stand out from the rest of the crowd? Innovative engineering, excellent performance, and high technology, that is. For each BMW is made to carry out these characteristics. Each part and detail has been specifically designed and crafted so as to provide excellent power and performance that would add up to the total pleasure in the BMW driving experience. It could be seen that through the years, the BMW has proven itself again and again. It certainly is one of the best cars around. It is the Ultimate Driving Machine.

To have a BMW vehicle is synonymous to having the feeling of pride and awe. Pride because a person owns one of the topnotch vehicles in town and awe for a person cannot just get over the power and performance that BMW vehicles bring with it. Dynamism is something that BMW vehicles exude. Everything is moved and transformed to a higher level. The BMW responds. It knows how to follow its drivers commands and instructions. This vehicle serves and maintains its ultimate purpose and never fails to deliver.

BMW is passion. Everything has been carefully selected. Every little part and every little nook has a purpose. It is more than just a car. It is innovation, safety, and execution. The design for this vehicle brand is timeless and very distinct. Classic it may seem, however it is what makes BMWs unique. It does not conform to the latest fads and thrills. It is comfortable with its individuality and with itself. The classic details for this vehicle include the twin kidney grilles and four headlights. These have become the classic BMW look. Classic as it may seem, innovations are not withheld so as to provide each and every BMW owner and user an exhilarating driving experience.

One of the vehicles that hold the classic BMW touch is the BMW 1600. It emanates an aura of sophistication and class, elegance and magnificence. This vehicle holds a water-cooled four-cylinder engine that can hold a displacement of 1,573 cc. The BMW 1600 has a four speed manual transmission, a steering worm and roller, as well as coil springs suspensions for the front and the rear. The BMW 1600 has a wheelbase of 100.4 inches, disc brakes for the front and rear, and can take up a maximum speed of 96 mph. The engine of the BMW 1600 has been considered to be quite weak. However, this does not affect and does not pose to be a problem for people who are inclined to being vintage racer enthusiasts. The vehicle is a great one for it can be upgraded for stronger brakes even without power assist.

Auto Parts Online has a long list of high quality BMW parts, aftermarket parts, performance parts, replacement parts and accessories. This list can be accessed through their easy to navigate website. Great discounts and affordable prices await buyers. Auto Parts Onlines top of the line BMW parts is of unmatched quality and workmanship. The company also offers first rate quality BMW parts that are hard to find. All of their BMW parts have passed rigid quality tests for durability and performance.

 

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Tips to Keep Your Car In Shape for Road Trips

May 20th, 2011 admin

Tips to Keep Your Car In Shape for Road Trips

With gas prices on the rise, there is no better time than now to think about vehicle maintenance.

“Proper car care is critical during the travel season,” said Rich White, executive director of the Car Care Council. “With gas prices exceeding an average $2 per gallon for the first time in history, performing a few basic, inexpensive maintenance checks will make road trips both safe and fuel efficient.”

In light of the higher gasoline prices, the Car Care Council suggests you pay attention to these items:

* Vehicle gas caps. About 17 percent of the vehicles on the roads have gas caps that are either damaged, loose or are missing altogether, causing 147 million gallons of gas to vaporize every year.

* Underinflated tires. When tires aren’t inflated properly, it’s just as though you are driving with the parking brake on, which can cost you a mile or two per gallon.

* Worn spark plugs. A vehicle can have either four, six or eight spark plugs which fire as many as 3 million times every 1,000 miles, resulting in a lot of heat and electrical and chemical erosion. A dirty spark plug causes misfiring, which wastes fuel. Spark plugs need to be replaced regularly.

* Dirty air filters. An air

filter that is clogged with dirt, dust and bugs chokes off the air and creates a “rich” mixture – too much gas being burned for the amount of air, which wastes gas and causes the engine to lose power. Replacing a clogged air filter can improve gas mileage by as much as 10 percent, saving about 15 cents per gallon.

Here are some fuel-saving driving tips from the Car Care Council:

* Don’t be an aggressive driver. Aggressive driving can lower gas mileage by as much as 33 percent on the highway and 5 percent on city streets, which wastes 7 cents to 49 cents per gallon.

* Avoid excessive idling. Sitting idle gets zero miles per gallon. Letting the vehicle warm up for one to two minutes is sufficient.

* Observe the speed limit. Gas mileage decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph. Each mile driven over 60 mph will result in an additional cost of 10 cents per gallon. To maintain a constant speed on the highway, use cruise control.

The Car Care Council is the source of information for the “Be Car Care Aware” campaign, educating consumers about the benefits of regular vehicle maintenance and repair.

 

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The Luxury of the Cadillac Allante

May 19th, 2011 admin

Known for its luxury vehicles and cars, the Cadillac is a part of the General Motors corporation. This line and brand of vehicles is produced and sold in the United States as well as in some parts outside of North America. In the US, by mentioning Cadillac, one could immediately have high quality in minds for this is what Cadillac cars are. This brand of vehicles has also been highly associated not only with quality but with luxury and sophistication as well.

One of the vehicles that has been designed, crafted, and manufactured under the luxurious and sophisticated roof of the Cadillac is the Cadillac Allante. This vehicle is actually the companys first venture ever into the market for luxury roadsters. This vehicle lived from 1987 up until 1993. the Cadillac Allante was originally meant to be marketed and sold under the name Callisto. It was also crafted and built with the intentions and purpose of restoring the whole company to its previous position high up in the automobile world. The Cadillac Allante was targeted to compete with the Mercedes Benz 560 SL R107 which was its strongest competitor.

Some the parts of this vehicle were taken from a couple of vehicles under the Cadillac brand and from some its relatives under the General Motors corporation. The chassis and its engine were actually shared with the Cadillac El Dorado. Other parts were also shared with the Buick Reatta, the Buick Riviera, as well as the Oldsmobile Toronado. This vehicle has already appeared in a couple of movies that included Tango and Cash, Cadillac Man, Terminal Velocity, Lethal Weapon 3, and Rocky 5.

This vehicle came holding a port fuel injected engine that was the Cadillac Allantes version of the brands aluminum 4.1 liter HT 4100 V8 engine. It also came with an independent strut-based suspension system for the front and the rear as well. The vehicle also came with the standard four wheel disc brakes. Changes were constantly done to the Cadillac Allante so as to work out any existing problems as well as continue to improve on the current vehicles specifications and features. One of the changes that the Cadillac Allante received was the Speed Dependent Damping Control which was also known as the SDC. This is a speed sensitive damper system. The changes also included a new variable-assist steering system, a new engine, unequal-length control arm rear suspension, Road Sensing Suspension, an active damper management system, a deeper front spoiler, single piece side windows, a one-piece door glass, redesigned and restyled seats, an audio system boasting eight speakers, a new console module, as well as a dual fold-out cup holder.

With Auto Parts Onlines wide array of quality Cadillac Allante parts and Cadillac auto parts, customers and Cadillac owners can keep their vehicles in tiptop shape and condition. This online store is very dedicated in providing its customer base with genuine Cadillac parts and accessories at great discount prices. Auto Parts Online has the most complete line up of Cadillac auto parts and accessories that are premium and high resistant quality.

 

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Used Car Auctions are the Best Deals Money can Buy

May 18th, 2011 admin

Used Car Auctions are the Best Deals Money can Buy

Cars have become a crucial part of life. Many people are found of having different cars in fact for many it has became a style statement. They love to keep as many as models as they can. They even dont mind to buy the used or a pre-owned vehicle. For this purpose the best place to buy used cars is through the General Services Administration (GSA). GSA is a federal agency that offers vehicles in auction. The cars are acquired through Government agencies such as IRS, DEA, FBI and the police departments through seized and foreclosure laws and auctioned off to the general public. These cars are listed and sold at up to 95% off of their original values and sometimes, these auctions may start from $100 only. The cars are sold very quickly as their storage costs are very high.

Now the questioned rose why government sell it own vehicles? And the answer to the question is that the us government sell their own vehicle due to regular change in policies or due to the financial concerns or technological changes, At these times, the vehicles are written off the books by selling out to the general public. Government Vehicles may come from several different sources. Generally, a vehicle can only be sold at a government auction if it is purchased under a federal or state government contract. To appreciate the numbers of vehicles up for the auction in this way, one needs to think of the long list of the different departments and levels of government in the US. Some of the sources of these used vehicles include the Federal Government, State Government, Local Councils organizations, Police Services / departments (incl. Sheriffs/Marshalls Dept.), Fire & Emergency Services, Religious Groups & other Non-profit Organizations, Universities & other Education Organizations, as well as Hospitals & Ambulance Services. Thousands of repossessed and seized vehicles are also auctioned off at these auctions. Moreover, Government and Police auctions are considered more authentic in the country.

A large number of approximately new cars get forfeited or seized by the financial institutions everyday from people who fail to pay their car mortgage or lease costs. These cars are also auctioned off in a hurry, because the rate of accumulating the cars compensates the banks’ ability to get the lost money back (similar to the police auctions, etc.).

These auctions are thus the best place for people with access to straight sources to acquire a used car at offers that look unbelievably cheap to an average car buyer. However, this is real and is taken advantage by many car dealers.

However not everyone can buy cars in this manner as this source of revenue is protected for the majority of car dealerships and not journalized. The general masses might have to go through the dealer or a classified ads routine. However, several organizations have gathered enough information and access rights to be able to let their members enjoy a multitude of the direct sources, whereby one can find their next vehicle with up to 90% savings off the book value price. Buying a car can be a difficult and stressful process but GAS makes it enjoyable and fun experience.

One just needs to go to the police or government department of cheap used car auction. Before setting his maximum bid for sale, it is essential to look at the condition of car and to do the preliminary investigation.

 

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Tips To Help You Pay Less At The Pump

May 11th, 2011 admin

Car maintenance can be expensive, and the rising cost of gasoline in the United States can really drain, so to speak, the funds available for car maintenance and related costs.
According to Rich White, executive director of the Car Care Council, Loose or missing gas caps, under-inflated tires, worn spark plugs, and dirty air filters all contribute to poor fuel economy.

Here are some tips, courtesy of the Car Care Council, to help you save money on gasoline, even as the prices continue to climb.

Dont drive aggressively. This can actually lower gas mileage by up to 33 percent on the highway and five percent on city streets, resulting in a cost of 7 to 49 cents per gallon.

Take care of your tires. A smart care maintenance tip in general, since driving with an under inflated tire is the equivalent of driving your car with the parking break on, and can cost you a mile for each gallon.

Watch out for worn spark plugs. Vehicles have four, six, or eight spark plugs, and these fire as much as three million times every on thousand miles, which creates heat, electrical, and chemical erosion. Replace your spark plug regularly for proper care maintenance, and gas conservation as well.

Change your dirty air filter. Air filters clogged with dust, dirt, and bugs cuts off the air and results in more gas than necessary being burned. This wastes gas, and causes the engine to lose power as well.

Watch those gas caps. Approximately 17 percent of vehicles, according to the CCC, have gas caps that are damaged, loose or missing, and this causes 147 million gallons of gas to vaporize each year.

Dont idle excessively. Idling gets you zero miles to the gallon, and you really only need to warm up your vehicle for about one to two minutes.

Watch that speed. As your cars speed increases, gas mileage decreases, and each mph over sixty results in an additional ten cents per gallon cost.

Lose some weight. By simply removing unnecessary items from your vehicle, you could reduce the weight by 100 pounds, which in turn will reduce your MPG by up to 2%, based on the percentage of extra weight relative to the weight of the vehicle.

Proper car maintenance is the best way to get the most out of your car, and to make sure that it remains fuel efficient. Dont skip regular visits to the auto mechanicthe health of your car depends on them.

 

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Ultra Low Priced Cars: Will You Buy One?

May 9th, 2011 admin

North American motorists have gotten used to paying $20-$25,000 or more for their new vehicles. Long gone are the days when sub $10,000 cars ruled the highways, with few cars available for under $15,000 these days. All of that will be changing as the pending introduction of cheap cars from China as well as imports from Mexico and other third world nations will reshape the automotive landscape. Will you buy one of these bargain brands or will you stick with one of the trusted names? Lets step forward a few years to look at a radically changed automotive market and just what it may have to offer to you, the value conscious consumer.

If you follow automotive press reports then likely you have heard talk of cheaply priced cars from China being imported to the US and Canadian markets. At prices reported to be as low as US$ 6500, these cars have created a lot of buzz and have raised concern about the entire automotive industry, domestic and foreign. One big question asked includes this: how will domestic manufacturers be able to compete price wise? Well, prices wont be quite as low as first reported once certain safety and anti-pollution measures are added in; instead the final starting price will likely be in the neighborhood of US$ 8500.

Regardless of exactly where the final starting prices are set, an economic tsunami could hit in short order.

Two of Chinas top brands, Chery and Geely, are reportedly preparing to export cars to the US in 2008. Both manufacturers produce several lines of vehicles, but current manufacturing output is limited. Expect no more than 200,000 of these vehicles for the first few years, but maybe millions more once additional capacity has been brought online.

In India, several manufacturers have been quietly expanding capacity to serve the burgeoning Indian market. One manufacturer, Tata Motors, even has pledged to build a car starting at US$ 2000. Thats no typo two thousand dollars for a new car! The last car that sold at this price in the US was the VW Beetle. Of course, you have to go back to the late 1960s to find a new Beetle at that price.

Will Tata and other Indian automakers export their cars to the U.S.? Given the current state of the Indian auto industry, likely this will not happen for some time. Capacity is expanding, but it is barely keeping up with domestic demand. Plus, each model would have to undergo extensive upgrades in order to conform to strict U.S. emissions, safety, and quality standards. Yet, the possibility of a car that will greatly undercut Chinese models in price is intriguing.

Dont think for a moment that leading world automakers will take these challenges lying down. Ford is proposing to build a sub-$10,000 vehicle in Mexico; GM is tapping its South Korean arm Daewoo for additional low cost models; and DaimlerChrysler is shopping around for a partner to help build it own super cheap people mover for around the same price.

Toyota, Honda, and several other Asian manufacturers will be sure to respond. With factories scattered across the globe, each company can pull a model from one factory and ship it to the U.S. to compete. Already, Honda and Toyota are offering cars at around $12,000 or less and each of these models could retail for much less if they are built in countries where wage levels are very low.

So, what does all of this mean for consumers? Well, you arent likely to see an across the board drop in automobile prices, but you probably will see the end to sticker shock the phenomenon that has stunned new car buyers for the past generation. What you may find is this: $60,000 Lexus and $6000 Scions being sold side by side. A huge difference in price, but something that the North American auto enthusiast may find to be commonplace.

 

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The Five Years of the Daewoo Lanos

May 9th, 2011 admin

Owning up to an overall length of only 160.4 inches for the hatchback version and only 166.8 inches for the sedan version, the Daewoo Lanos has been considered to be one of the smallest cars in the business. But do not think it is much smaller than one of the smallest cars, the Mini Cooper. The Daewoo Lanos is not that small.

The Daewoo Lanos has actually been crafted in two versions, as mentioned, the hatchback and the sedan. The hatchback holds two doors while there are four doors for the sedan version. The wheelbase of the vehicle is some 99.2 inches, and it stands 56.4 inches and is 66.1 inches wide. Its fuel tank can take in some 12.8 gallons of gas and both versions can actually seat and take in five passengers.

Manufactured by Daewoo, the Daewoo Lanos has been in production starting from 1997. However, this vehicle lines saga ended after a couple of years in 2002. When its production was halted, the space and niche that it left blank was filled in by the Daewoo Kalos late in the year 2002. It has been said that its competition were actually the Toyota Echo, the Hyundai Accent, the Suzuki Swift, the Dodge/Plymouth Neon, the Ford Focus, the Ford Escort/ZX2, the Honda Civic, and the Kia Rio. The Hyundai Accent was considered to be the Daewoo Lanos main competition.

The Daewoo Lanos is indeed a subcompact car. The design and style that it sported was the masterpiece of Giorgetto Giugiaro. The power of this vehicle came from the GM Family 1 D-TEC engines. These engines ranged from a 1.5 L SOHC to a 1.6 L DOHC. These engines were dual-overhead and held four cylinders. Each were offered to work with either a five speed manual shift transmission system or the optional four speed automatic transmission system.

It has been said that the Daewoo Lanos is a small car. However, this was possibly on the basis that it is the smallest vehicle of the trio of passenger cars that came out to the automobile market in the year 1999 from its manufacturer, Daewoo. It was a front wheel drive vehicle and it was made available in three trim levels which comprised of the S, the SE, and the SX. The latter was considered to be the top of the line trim level among all three levels of the Daewoo Lanos.

 

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The Confidence and Sports Car Feel That the Jaguar XJR

May 1st, 2011 admin

The Confidence and Sports Car Feel That the Jaguar XJR Exudes

After the production of the Jaguar XJS was halted, the spot and niche that it previously held was not left vacant. However, this was not for a long period of time because soon enough, Jaguar Cars introduced the Jaguar XKR to the public and the automobile manufacturer placed this new vehicle on the spot that the Jaguar XJS used to occupy. In fact, the Jaguar XKR was introduced to the public as a production vehicle in 1997. Up until the present, this vehicle is still continually being produced. It is classified as a GT car and it has been made available in two body styles which are the coupe that holds two doors and the convertible which holds two doors as well.

The Jaguar XKR is actually a part of the Jaguar XK series. This series comes manufactured in a couple of body styles which comprise of the Grand Touring style and the convertible style. Just like any Jaguar vehicle manufactured or simply shown to the public, the Jaguar XJR does not fail to stimulate emotions. After all, it is one vehicle that captures peoples attention because of its style and capacity to provide a superb performance.

This vehicle actually has gone though many upgrades and changes through time. Of course, these changes would have to be done so as to further improve not only the looks and style of the Jaguar XJR but also its performance and delivery as well. Although one could not see any significant changes done to its interior and exterior features, most of the changes done are underneath all the metal. In fact, the most notable modifications and upgrades were actually those that were done to the vehicles powertrain.

The Jaguar XJR is the kind of vehicle that would give the person looking at it, driving it, or plain riding in it the feeling that it is one of those sports cars that could and would change your driving preferences for it exudes an aura of confidence, exquisite performance, and perfect handling. Although it could be said that it would be quite impractical to buy this kind of vehicle if you need a vehicle that could and would do more things than just drive around and show off its features.

Carefully selected from outstanding Jaguar car parts, Jaguar Parts and Jaguar Auto Parts products are guaranteed to be of the highest quality. Interested parties, Jaguar owners and Jaguar followers can simply visit the online store for a huge selection of Jaguar parts for all models like the Jaguar XKR, the MK10, the X type, the XJ 12, the XJR, and the XK 140 among many others. Jaguar Parts and Jaguar Auto Parts also stocks thousands of Jaguar XJR parts and Jaguar accessories for all enthusiasts.

Find OEM Jaguar auto parts, remanufactured parts, new aftermarket parts, used parts, Jaguar performance parts, and more. The collection of Jaguar parts includes Jaguar XKR accessories, air intake system parts, brakes, climate control parts, cooling system parts, drive belts, fuel injection parts, fuel system parts, service tools, steering system parts, suspension system parts, and transmission parts among many others. These parts are guaranteed to be durable and functional so as to assist in repairing and maintaining your Jaguar vehicle.

 

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Top 5 Reasons to Buy a Hybrid Car

April 30th, 2011 admin

1. – Gas Savings – Hybrid cars can get up to 60 mpg (miles per gallon), due to their advanced aerodynamics, engine efficiency, tire technology (which is so different to the standard cars) just to mention some of its characteristics.

2. – Environmental Issues – Reduced gas emissions equals less air pollution because a hybrid car has an electric motor and batteries to rely on when the gasoline engine is not in use. They can reduce smog up to 90%.

3. – Better engine efficiency – Reducing the overall weight of the hybrid car is a way to increase its efficiency, smaller engines equals better efficiency. Another way is how the hybrid cars recharge they batteries, the hybrids battery pack never needs to be charged from an external source, every time you hit the brake, the brake system stores some of the energy to the batteries (this is known as regenerative braking). Also the batteries get recharged by the gasoline engine when necessary.

4. – Low Maintenance costs – The electrical motor and the batteries dont require any maintenance; they have the same life span as the car itself. The gas engine doesnt require any more maintenance than any other normal car.

5. – Government Incentives – Theres a federal tax deduction for hybrid cars; the new hybrid car tax credit is divided into two parts with tax credits ranging from $400 to $3400. The great news is that a credit is much better than a deduction since the credit does reduce the taxes that are owed. The deduction simply reduces the amount of taxable income.

 

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