If you are looking to buy cheap used cars or trucks at Government auctions or police auctions, then you're reading the right article. Specifically in this article I will give you some of the best tips for beginners when it comes to using Government auctions to get vehicles at a real bargain. After reading this article, you will have all the basics you need to know in order to approach government auctions intelligently.
The first thing you need know is that all cars sold a government auctions are "as is". What might seem like a deal could end up costing you money if it has a mechanical failure or major flaw. In order to avoid this, you must learn how to recognize if a car is good or not through careful inspection. It's not like going to a car lot, where you can take the car for a test drive. You cannot test drive cars at Government auctions. The closest you can get is to listen to the engine. That's why you need to learn how to appraise a car by inspecting it, or getting an expert to go along with you to inspect it for you.
Also, it's foolish to bid on cars that you think you know the value of. It's not wise to guess when it comes to spending your money. If you don't know the value range of the car, do not bid on it. I can't tell you how money people are shocked to find what they thought was a deal actually wasn't. You can use the Kelly Blue Book as a basis, however it pays to have an expert appraise the car before bidding on it.
Next, inspect the contract before you enter into it. Some contracts have a specific number of days you have to wait before you can get the title. Keep this in mind if you're thinking about turning around and selling the car right away. Sometimes it is the waiting period that negates the great deal you're getting on price.
Finally, remember it's an auction. At any auction, you must know how to bid strategically. If you've never attended an auction, it might be wise to go to attend a few auctions to watch and learn the etiquette of bidding, and also to get a feel for it. There's nothing worse than letting your emotions get in the way and making an illogical bid on a vehicle. Remember also that there are likely to be dealers at the auction bidding as well. They will have a good idea of the value of the cars being sold. One of the best things you can do is to look at some of the online auctions. While there are many membership sites offering access to Government and Police auctions, you should use caution as some of them will simply take your membership fee and not provide complete or timely auction information.
In conclusion, if you carefully inspect the vehicle and know its market value and make wise bidding maneuvers, you can walk away with a great deal on your next vehicle purchase.
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Hybrid Car Prices - A Comparison Of Different Models
Retail hybrid car prices as suggested by manufacturers (better known as MSRP) are decided by the car makers and advised to the car dealers to be the base price guide in dealing with public sale. Dealers providing fleet sales to corporate buyers have also the invoice price, or that amount paid by the dealers to the automakers, better used for wholesale purchases being made from the dealers.
While these two serve as guides for the car buyer, prices may increase due to additional costs for non-standard features or add-ons to the vehicles. There are also charges for delivery to move the vehicles to the final destination where buyer is situated. Thereafter, sales taxes, marketing costs, registration costs and other costs may be added by the dealership over and above the MSRP or invoice price.
Price Ranges
As of this writing, at the bottom rung is the Toyota Prius, most reasonably priced at suggested retail of $22,175, exclusive of tax incentives that come along with purchases of hybrid, environmentally-friendly units. At the high end of the spectrum will be the 2007 Honda Accord Hybrid 4-wheel drive four-door sedan, at around $31,000. Both these prices do not include delivery or destination pricing.
The Array of Hybrid Car Prices
In between the Prius and the Accord, the Camry Hybrid from Toyota is priced at around $26,000. The Saturn Aura Green Line Hybrid starts at $22,695, a highly recommended purchase by many hybrid enthusiasts. The Honda Hybrid FWD four door sedan starts at $22,600 exclusive of destination costs.
To give you a gauge on SUVs, the Mercury Mariner 2008 Hybrid four-wheel drive SUV starts at the bottom with $27,515, followed by the Ford Escape Hybrid 4FD SUV at $27.250. Packed and loaded with all amenities you can ask for, the 2007 Toyota Highlander Hybrid can be yours for $32,500.
Price Indicators
The brand name comes with the package. With such prestigious car makers as Toyota, Honda, Ford, Saturn, Mercury, Volkswagen, Mercedes, the name comes at a premium. Brand name notwithstanding, the full array of features and accessories not included in standard units also impact on the final price of the hybrid car you are purchasing.
Hybrid car prices are definitely higher than for conventional models. That's because the manufacturer requires more resources to produce the hybrids with their added valuable features - these all add up to the cost. It is envisioned, though, that the fuel savings from hybrids will more than compensate for the usually higher purchase price compared to pure fossil-fuel models.
To give you an idea, take the Honda Accord as an example. While a value-packaged 4-door Accord Sedan can fetch for as low as $19,450, the Hybrid Accord's price is almost twice higher at more than $31,000. While Accord's special edition sedans and coupes range from $23,350 to $23,450, these prices are still a far cry from hybrid's prices. Only the EX-L four-wheel drive 2-door Accord Coupe comes close at $27,500.
The price differences among Civic models are somewhat more manageable and saleable. Take a 4-door sedan Civic EX priced at $19,510 add a hybrid system and you're $22,500 poorer. But the price difference, at least, is not all that much.
Eco-Friendliness Comes At A Cost
Even with Toyota models, the fuel efficiency and environmental-friendliness and zero-emission tags all come at a premium. The Camry Hybrid starts at $25,200 when its conventional sister is priced at only $18,570. Even with the federal tax reductions for hybrid vehicles, the MSRP is still a tad higher.
With the kind of research and development, not to mention the extensive testing done on hybrid or alternative-fuel models, it's not surprising that hybrid car prices are more expensive. And manufacturers do not stop at the hybrid or fuel-efficiency features; they also try and pack the hybrid with the latest in electronics for the interiors, dash and instrumentation and everything.
Standard or optional amenities notwithstanding, environmentalists will always say that hybrid car prices are worth every penny car buyers shed, if only to ensure a better, cleaner, safer world for tomorrow. Amen to that, say the hybrid manufacturers' environmental drumbeaters.
While these two serve as guides for the car buyer, prices may increase due to additional costs for non-standard features or add-ons to the vehicles. There are also charges for delivery to move the vehicles to the final destination where buyer is situated. Thereafter, sales taxes, marketing costs, registration costs and other costs may be added by the dealership over and above the MSRP or invoice price.
Price Ranges
As of this writing, at the bottom rung is the Toyota Prius, most reasonably priced at suggested retail of $22,175, exclusive of tax incentives that come along with purchases of hybrid, environmentally-friendly units. At the high end of the spectrum will be the 2007 Honda Accord Hybrid 4-wheel drive four-door sedan, at around $31,000. Both these prices do not include delivery or destination pricing.
The Array of Hybrid Car Prices
In between the Prius and the Accord, the Camry Hybrid from Toyota is priced at around $26,000. The Saturn Aura Green Line Hybrid starts at $22,695, a highly recommended purchase by many hybrid enthusiasts. The Honda Hybrid FWD four door sedan starts at $22,600 exclusive of destination costs.
To give you a gauge on SUVs, the Mercury Mariner 2008 Hybrid four-wheel drive SUV starts at the bottom with $27,515, followed by the Ford Escape Hybrid 4FD SUV at $27.250. Packed and loaded with all amenities you can ask for, the 2007 Toyota Highlander Hybrid can be yours for $32,500.
Price Indicators
The brand name comes with the package. With such prestigious car makers as Toyota, Honda, Ford, Saturn, Mercury, Volkswagen, Mercedes, the name comes at a premium. Brand name notwithstanding, the full array of features and accessories not included in standard units also impact on the final price of the hybrid car you are purchasing.
Hybrid car prices are definitely higher than for conventional models. That's because the manufacturer requires more resources to produce the hybrids with their added valuable features - these all add up to the cost. It is envisioned, though, that the fuel savings from hybrids will more than compensate for the usually higher purchase price compared to pure fossil-fuel models.
To give you an idea, take the Honda Accord as an example. While a value-packaged 4-door Accord Sedan can fetch for as low as $19,450, the Hybrid Accord's price is almost twice higher at more than $31,000. While Accord's special edition sedans and coupes range from $23,350 to $23,450, these prices are still a far cry from hybrid's prices. Only the EX-L four-wheel drive 2-door Accord Coupe comes close at $27,500.
The price differences among Civic models are somewhat more manageable and saleable. Take a 4-door sedan Civic EX priced at $19,510 add a hybrid system and you're $22,500 poorer. But the price difference, at least, is not all that much.
Eco-Friendliness Comes At A Cost
Even with Toyota models, the fuel efficiency and environmental-friendliness and zero-emission tags all come at a premium. The Camry Hybrid starts at $25,200 when its conventional sister is priced at only $18,570. Even with the federal tax reductions for hybrid vehicles, the MSRP is still a tad higher.
With the kind of research and development, not to mention the extensive testing done on hybrid or alternative-fuel models, it's not surprising that hybrid car prices are more expensive. And manufacturers do not stop at the hybrid or fuel-efficiency features; they also try and pack the hybrid with the latest in electronics for the interiors, dash and instrumentation and everything.
Standard or optional amenities notwithstanding, environmentalists will always say that hybrid car prices are worth every penny car buyers shed, if only to ensure a better, cleaner, safer world for tomorrow. Amen to that, say the hybrid manufacturers' environmental drumbeaters.
5 Great Reasons You Should be Using Waterless Car Wash Products
When I first heard about waterless car washing products I was skeptical. Being a car guy who takes a certain amount of pride in the appearance of my vehicles, I had long ago developed a method for detailing my cars, and water was definitely part of the equation! A neighbor of mine was regularly using a waterless car wash product, and introduced me to it. I tried it and was very favorably impressed. It was easy to use, cut straight through the grime, and took about half as long for me to clean my car. But what impressed me the most was the shine, looking as good as if I had waxed it. In light of these things, I'd say my initial foray into waterless car washing was a success. Still, I wasn't ready to give up my hose and bucket method just yet. Instead, I kept tabs on my neighbor and his car over the next three years. I wanted to see how well his paint finish looked after repeated use with waterless car wash products. He owned a black pickup truck, and after three years the finish was as deep and as glossy as the day he brought it home for the first time. Still, a creature of habit, I stuck with my hose and bucket method. It wasn't until I moved to Florida and discovered how expensive water usage is here (this state is surrounded by water, and I've got about 13 ponds in my neighborhood alone, so how can water be so freakin' expensive?!!) that I really decided to hang up my hose and bucket and go waterless. I'm glad I did and here's why:
1) These products work! Whether you're using standard waterless products such as Dri Wash n' Guard, or an environmentally friendly product such as Eco Touch, this stuff works. I won't go into detail too much here, but basically you spray a section of your car with the product, and the dirt is lifted off the surface and trapped within the foamy liquid, which you gently wipe off with a microfiber towel. You then take a second towel and quickly buff the paint to bring out the shine. Oh and it does shine. No scratches either, surprisingly.
2) Waterless is cheaper per wash than the Hose and Bucket method. Consider that to wash a standard sized vehicle, you use roughly 100 gallons of water, or as much as 250 gallons if you're one of those big manly truck dudes. That water shows up on your water bill, and if you're washing your car every week (like you should be) then those washes are putting a sizable dent in your water bill. Look it up. Then consider what you pay in car wash soap, bug and tar remover, wheel cleaner, mitts and chamois and all the other stuff. Washing with a hose and bucket isn't as cheap as you assumed it was.
3) Waterless is so much faster. No brainer here. You spray one section of the car at a time, wipe it off, and move on to the next. I drive a small car, and I can clean it all in 15 minutes. Previously it took me that long to get out the hose and bucket, fill the buck and wet the car down! And don't get me started on how long it took to dry the car with a chamois. With waterless I'm probably most pleased about not having to dry all that hard water off of my vehicles.
4) Waterless is immensely more convenient. I mentioned some of the hassles of the hose and bucket method above. With waterless you don't even have to pull the car out of the garage! Just grab the bottle of waterless and your two rags and off you go. Speaking of go, throw it in the trunk and take it with you. The next time you're tapped to drive everyone to lunch, take a couple extra minutes and wipe your car down before you go. Like I said before, to a car guy this stuff is important!
5) Waterless is greener. It's not often that you meet a car guy who's genuinely interested in helping the environment. I'm not that guy either, really, but when it's this simple to be "green" then it's hard to ignore. Going waterless means that not only are you saving at least 100 gallons per wash, but that 100 gallons was never polluted by your car grime and the chemicals you used to wash it. And then that 100 gallons wasn't swept down your driveway, down the street and into the storm drain where it eventually made its way to a lake or river.
Saving money, time, and being more environmentally conscious, all while maintaining a brilliant shine on your vehicles has never been easier. You heard it hear first: Waterless car washing will one day be the standard. So go ahead and try it!
1) These products work! Whether you're using standard waterless products such as Dri Wash n' Guard, or an environmentally friendly product such as Eco Touch, this stuff works. I won't go into detail too much here, but basically you spray a section of your car with the product, and the dirt is lifted off the surface and trapped within the foamy liquid, which you gently wipe off with a microfiber towel. You then take a second towel and quickly buff the paint to bring out the shine. Oh and it does shine. No scratches either, surprisingly.
2) Waterless is cheaper per wash than the Hose and Bucket method. Consider that to wash a standard sized vehicle, you use roughly 100 gallons of water, or as much as 250 gallons if you're one of those big manly truck dudes. That water shows up on your water bill, and if you're washing your car every week (like you should be) then those washes are putting a sizable dent in your water bill. Look it up. Then consider what you pay in car wash soap, bug and tar remover, wheel cleaner, mitts and chamois and all the other stuff. Washing with a hose and bucket isn't as cheap as you assumed it was.
3) Waterless is so much faster. No brainer here. You spray one section of the car at a time, wipe it off, and move on to the next. I drive a small car, and I can clean it all in 15 minutes. Previously it took me that long to get out the hose and bucket, fill the buck and wet the car down! And don't get me started on how long it took to dry the car with a chamois. With waterless I'm probably most pleased about not having to dry all that hard water off of my vehicles.
4) Waterless is immensely more convenient. I mentioned some of the hassles of the hose and bucket method above. With waterless you don't even have to pull the car out of the garage! Just grab the bottle of waterless and your two rags and off you go. Speaking of go, throw it in the trunk and take it with you. The next time you're tapped to drive everyone to lunch, take a couple extra minutes and wipe your car down before you go. Like I said before, to a car guy this stuff is important!
5) Waterless is greener. It's not often that you meet a car guy who's genuinely interested in helping the environment. I'm not that guy either, really, but when it's this simple to be "green" then it's hard to ignore. Going waterless means that not only are you saving at least 100 gallons per wash, but that 100 gallons was never polluted by your car grime and the chemicals you used to wash it. And then that 100 gallons wasn't swept down your driveway, down the street and into the storm drain where it eventually made its way to a lake or river.
Saving money, time, and being more environmentally conscious, all while maintaining a brilliant shine on your vehicles has never been easier. You heard it hear first: Waterless car washing will one day be the standard. So go ahead and try it!
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Seven Defensive Driving Techniques That Could Save Your Life
You reckon you are a safe driver, right? No need to enrol in defensive driving classes? It is true that a clear driving record and no involvement in dangerous traffic accidents probably means you are a fairly good driver.
However, serious accidents are becoming more and more common, and are often not the fault of those innocent casualties who are badly injured. Learning basic defensive driving techniques can greatly improve your chances of avoiding death and injury and remaining safe on the road.
Options for learning defensive driving techniques abound. Plenty of driving schools offer defensive driver education, as well as advanced driving programs and online traffic safety courses.
Exhaustive research and analysis into driving accidents and their causes has resulted in the production of the quality learning materials used to teach defensive driving techniques. Research now shows that drivers who adopt defensive driving as a matter of course have a statistically better chance of avoiding serious injury whilst driving on the roads.
Seven Good Defensive Driving Techniques
1. Always use a seat belt. Statistics show that wearing a seat belt greatly improves the chances of surviving a serious road accident. Many countries regard driving without a seat belt as a traffic violation, making it illegal to drive without a seat belt.
2. Anticipate danger by expanding the line of sight and watching the road ahead. Drivers who adopt defensive driving techniques like this, and leave a good gap between vehicles, are able to brake early and take evasive action in time to avoid danger. It also allows plenty of time to notice others entering a freeway or driving through an intersection. Even on a green light, it is still wise to look for other drivers who may be illegally trying beat a red light.
3. Avoid internal distractions. Making sure your driving mirrors are set before you take off is vital for a clear view in both directions. This also avoids the distraction of adjusting them whilst driving. Avoid talking on the telephone, change the CD player or flick between radio stations. In fact, avoid any distracting activity at all which might take your attention away from the main activity, which is driving safely.
4. Watch yourself in heavy traffic. Experts on defensive driving techniques suggest the greatest risk is when drivers find themselves among a large pack of cars. One careless move by any car in the pack has the potential to affect everyone else. The way to avoid an accident is to safely steer away from the pack of cars towards the front.
5. Steer clear of heavy vehicles. Watch carefully for heavy vehicles in your rear view mirror, and avoid driving in front of or beside them. Particularly avoid trucks with heavy, insecure loads, especially when cornering or rounding bends.
6. Drive with two hands on the wheel. Defensive drivers always grip the steering wheel securely with their hands at the nine and three o'clock positions. This position ensures maximum control of your vehicle at all times.
7. Do not travel in the blind spot of another vehicle. Blind spots can be real trap. A good rule of thumb when overtaking or following other traffic is to remember if you cannot see their mirrors, they cannot see you!
Adopting good defensive driving techniques is like riding a horse. Once learnt and integrated into your daily driving habits, they will stand you in good, safe stead for the rest of your life.
So why should you acquire good defensive driving techniques? That is easy. To avoid serious trauma and injury to you and your loved ones, usually caused by other irresponsible drivers.
However, serious accidents are becoming more and more common, and are often not the fault of those innocent casualties who are badly injured. Learning basic defensive driving techniques can greatly improve your chances of avoiding death and injury and remaining safe on the road.
Options for learning defensive driving techniques abound. Plenty of driving schools offer defensive driver education, as well as advanced driving programs and online traffic safety courses.
Exhaustive research and analysis into driving accidents and their causes has resulted in the production of the quality learning materials used to teach defensive driving techniques. Research now shows that drivers who adopt defensive driving as a matter of course have a statistically better chance of avoiding serious injury whilst driving on the roads.
Seven Good Defensive Driving Techniques
1. Always use a seat belt. Statistics show that wearing a seat belt greatly improves the chances of surviving a serious road accident. Many countries regard driving without a seat belt as a traffic violation, making it illegal to drive without a seat belt.
2. Anticipate danger by expanding the line of sight and watching the road ahead. Drivers who adopt defensive driving techniques like this, and leave a good gap between vehicles, are able to brake early and take evasive action in time to avoid danger. It also allows plenty of time to notice others entering a freeway or driving through an intersection. Even on a green light, it is still wise to look for other drivers who may be illegally trying beat a red light.
3. Avoid internal distractions. Making sure your driving mirrors are set before you take off is vital for a clear view in both directions. This also avoids the distraction of adjusting them whilst driving. Avoid talking on the telephone, change the CD player or flick between radio stations. In fact, avoid any distracting activity at all which might take your attention away from the main activity, which is driving safely.
4. Watch yourself in heavy traffic. Experts on defensive driving techniques suggest the greatest risk is when drivers find themselves among a large pack of cars. One careless move by any car in the pack has the potential to affect everyone else. The way to avoid an accident is to safely steer away from the pack of cars towards the front.
5. Steer clear of heavy vehicles. Watch carefully for heavy vehicles in your rear view mirror, and avoid driving in front of or beside them. Particularly avoid trucks with heavy, insecure loads, especially when cornering or rounding bends.
6. Drive with two hands on the wheel. Defensive drivers always grip the steering wheel securely with their hands at the nine and three o'clock positions. This position ensures maximum control of your vehicle at all times.
7. Do not travel in the blind spot of another vehicle. Blind spots can be real trap. A good rule of thumb when overtaking or following other traffic is to remember if you cannot see their mirrors, they cannot see you!
Adopting good defensive driving techniques is like riding a horse. Once learnt and integrated into your daily driving habits, they will stand you in good, safe stead for the rest of your life.
So why should you acquire good defensive driving techniques? That is easy. To avoid serious trauma and injury to you and your loved ones, usually caused by other irresponsible drivers.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Discover Why You Should Buy a Used Car - Last Part
Now after all I made you do in this series of articles, you're ready to purchase the vehicle. But wait theres more to it than just signing and dealing when your purchasing a car. After what I've told you in earlier series about bargaining, theres still even more bargaining when your about to purchase the used car that you want.
When your buying from a seller, he or she sets the price, but your the one buying so you can make he or she an offer. Lets say the seller set the price at $12,000 you can counter that by going down $250 or $500. The reason behind this is to throw off the seller by giving your opinion about the price. If you went down by $1000 obviously the seller would be upset and he or she will probably get defensive; However, if you make a small reduction the seller will be force to consider. Whether or not they accept at least you tried and if they don't conform to your offer then just leave, this will inevitably make the seller change his or her mind.
Dealership is much harder to bargain and deal with because they are professional at this and they have alot of experience from this. But that doesn't mean you can't bargain because without your business, they are out of jobs. It just takes some persistence and mind games to see through all the salesman tactics. When you negotiate the price with the salesman, they are surely inclined to your offer but they have to talk to the sale manager. The salesman won't be back until 10 to 5 minutes and the real reason to this is to confound you with their mind games. If they take their time obviously this can persuade you on buying at the price they want because they wore you out. To counter this you have to look disinterested and move around and look at their showroom car or go back outside to browse through the lot again. When they see you doing this, it makes them want to go with your offer because this means that your ready to walk out anytime. With some perseverance this will pay off and they will eventually succumb to your offer.
Now after the exhausting ordeal your ready to sign the contract and get the hell out there. Make sure you read everything in the documents and know what contract your signing. Make sure if you don't understand a particular question ask them. Also if you get a chance shop around for a loan before you buy because when dealer will say that their rates are low and competitive this can be misleading. Its better that you already know what rates you'll be paying and the deal will go a lot faster.
When your buying from a seller, he or she sets the price, but your the one buying so you can make he or she an offer. Lets say the seller set the price at $12,000 you can counter that by going down $250 or $500. The reason behind this is to throw off the seller by giving your opinion about the price. If you went down by $1000 obviously the seller would be upset and he or she will probably get defensive; However, if you make a small reduction the seller will be force to consider. Whether or not they accept at least you tried and if they don't conform to your offer then just leave, this will inevitably make the seller change his or her mind.
Dealership is much harder to bargain and deal with because they are professional at this and they have alot of experience from this. But that doesn't mean you can't bargain because without your business, they are out of jobs. It just takes some persistence and mind games to see through all the salesman tactics. When you negotiate the price with the salesman, they are surely inclined to your offer but they have to talk to the sale manager. The salesman won't be back until 10 to 5 minutes and the real reason to this is to confound you with their mind games. If they take their time obviously this can persuade you on buying at the price they want because they wore you out. To counter this you have to look disinterested and move around and look at their showroom car or go back outside to browse through the lot again. When they see you doing this, it makes them want to go with your offer because this means that your ready to walk out anytime. With some perseverance this will pay off and they will eventually succumb to your offer.
Now after the exhausting ordeal your ready to sign the contract and get the hell out there. Make sure you read everything in the documents and know what contract your signing. Make sure if you don't understand a particular question ask them. Also if you get a chance shop around for a loan before you buy because when dealer will say that their rates are low and competitive this can be misleading. Its better that you already know what rates you'll be paying and the deal will go a lot faster.
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