Since the used car market has dramatically expanded, finding a good used car can be a tricky maneuver. No matter if you’re buying or selling, you still have to undergo several processes, one more challenging than the other. Although, as you’ve probably guessed, buying a car is a bit more difficult than selling one since you don’t have any information to hold on to. No car history, no report no thing. This turn the used car purchase in a poker match. A lot of it is gambling and guesswork, therefore you have to be cautious when buying a car, to make sure that you’re not getting a lemon. The lemon law cannot protect you from everything.
For example you surely have seen a supposedly expensive car being sold for a considerably lower price than usual. You get all worked up and give the owner a call, to find out that the car has been severely damaged and has undergone some major repairs. This explains the price (not to mention a complete walk away).
Unfortunately there are sellers that aren’t completely true to their word and leave some aspects about the car’s history hidden. How can you guess if the car has been totaled in the past? It can get a little trickier but it’s not impossible to outsmart the seller and end up with a great deal.
If you have any doubts about the sellers “honest word” and get a funny feeling about the car, than you should go directly to the title. The law in most states sais that every insurance company or repair shop has the obligation to report any car crash that resulted in severe damage to the car, or if it has been salvaged. If the title is clean, yet you’re still suspicious about something than keep reading and you’ll find out how to determine signs of recent repairs.
One sign of repairs is the over spray that can be found on the taillights. This is a definite sign that the car has undergone some repairs and a paint job. A seller could easily thwart this obstacle by simply getting a new tail light or, cleaning the one he has stained. If you hear the seller rambling about the great care he has shown to the car and the fact that he never had an accident, than you simply ask him about the fresh looking paint over the taillights. And he’d better have a pretty good reason, therefore if he starts stumbling simply walk away.
Another sign of repair is usually found within the lines where two car parts are interconnected. For example if you have a look at the distance between the hood and the front fender, and see that the distance doesn’t match somewhere, or the space between them get’s larger or smaller than you’ll know that the car had to have it’s fender or hood replaced since none of them are aligned correctly.
If course this doesn’t mean you need to get a roulette and a microscope and start researching the paint before you even asked the owner about the car. Most of the time, sellers realize that you, as a buyer can be very skeptical about acquiring the car. Since they don’t want to ruin the already limited trust you have in them, they will be completely honest about the car’s condition. Keep in mind that not everybody is a crook that will try to fool you. For example if you see some hit marks and he tells you about the small incident, than you know he’s trustworthy.
Post tags: Tags: buy a car, buy a used car, Used Car To Buy
If you are a tourist, a holidaymaker or a recent New Zealand resident, then in order to solve your transportation problem it may be wiser to buy a car in New Zealand rather than renting one. And the key to finding the perfect vehicle is by knowing the main details related to the most significant New Zealand channels before actually going shopping.
So, let’s take a look at the places in New Zealand where you should start your car shopping. All in all, we can consider six different options that depending on the season and of the region you are visiting or currently living in can be the suitable place where you should start searching for a new vehicle. First of the six are the local used car dealerships. Once you enter in one of these dealerships remind yourself that dealers usually heavily mark the prices (so be ready to seriously negotiate) and that they know all the tricks in the book that will help them make even the worst car seem as an amazing deal. You can use as leverage the registration and the WOF of the vehicle, because if the registration expires soon, the dealer might keep up the price but offer you a free registration renewal. Also, pay attention at the WOF (warrant of fitness) because if it’s due to expire soon, the lower price offered by the dealer can be is desperate attempt to sell the car before it has to be the subject of another inspection that will most likely not end with a renewal of the WOF because the car might need serious repairs. Therefore, it’s always a good idea to have a mechanic look at it before you actually buy it. But as long as you know how to protect yourself, these car dealerships are great places to find the prefect car.
Next on our list of places where to buy a car in New Zealand are the local used car dealerships, specialized in backpackers and holidaymakers. They offer a large variety of cars that have been already adjusted to the needs of such people, sometimes including even camping equipment. These cars belong to former travelers that may need to departure soon, so they may offer great deals. But considering that they’ve travelled more than a few miles by driving that car, you should have it inspected by a mechanic.
Local car fairs are another place where you can buy a car in New Zealand. These places are usually a perfect combination between the regular used car dealership and the specialized one, because depending on the season you will find more or less backpacker cars on sale or vans if you are interested in one. On the other hand, if you like to do all your research online you can choose to visit a website like TradeMe that can be considered the New Zealand equivalent of eBay. To buy a car you don’t have to have an account. You can buy one of the cars listed by auctioning online or by privately contacting the owner/seller. The online option is very useful not only because it’s less time consuming, but it’s also a bit safer considering that the seller is required to introduce all kind of details about the car including the number plate, registration, and the WOF expiry date.
Last but not least, there are the blackboard ads in hotels and motels that can put in contact with an understanding seller and the import cars from Japan that might help you buy a car in New Zealand at an affordable price.
Post tags: Tags: buy a car, Buy Car New Zealand, local user dealerships
Since car prices have increased a lot over the past few years, there are few people that can afford to purchase a car with cash. Even with all the incentives offered by the dealership still the idea of purchasing a car with money down remains for most people a fairy tale. However there are some techniques that can turn that dream into reality and, instead of finding yourself in front of a desk at a bank looking for a loan, you’ll sit in your well adjusted seat inside your OWN car.
The best technique for purchasing a car with cash, is using monthly payments. The only difference is that you should try paying those monthly “fees” to yourself. There is no avoiding the fact that if you want to get a car with cash you have to put money aside. For that you have two options: you can head for a bank, get a loan and pay those monthly fees to the bank and loosing 8% of your total sum in the process (that goes as interest to the bank). Or you could pay that money to yourself, get the whole sum, no interest no nothing, just the ownership of a car, and you won’t have the responsibility of paying or the threat of repossession, and most importantly, no threat hovering over your credit score for missed payments.
If you chose to “do it yourself”, than the perfect place to is either at ING Direct where you would create a separate savings account, or at SmartyPig that could transfer money into the account each month. Keep in mind that you need to spend the money before you earn it (and I don’t mean leasing a $100.000 car that you can’t pay for). You need to already have a place for those extra money before they arrive and direct it to the savings account. This includes all kinds of bonuses, gifts, tax deductibles and so on.
Another thing you should consider, at least for a limited period of time, is to have only one car in the family. While this is near to impossible in most cases, some families could actually pull it off if they’re willing to sacrifice a bit, take the bus for a while thus cutting costs and a good organization. Since you drop to a single car for the whole family, you get to cut down maintenance costs and insurance. Take all those savings and place them into the savings account. Use this time as best as possible to help you give your savings account a considerable boost.
When you feel you’re close to the “finish line” you can start looking for a car. The best place to acquire a car with money down, is through a private seller. You have been patient until now. Well it’s time to morph that patience and those savings into a good deal for a good car. If you have a good idea about what kind of car you would like to purchase, than head online and (this is highly important) search all the prices for the car you want + 2 more similar cars. Don’t be shallow because there are thousands of cars out there ready for the taking. Some of them might even prove to be better than your original pick.
After you’ve set your sights on a car, than consider bringing the family. This is important because of 2 major factors: you don’t want to be selfish and chose the car only by the characteristics you alone value, and secondly you gain more trust from the seller.
Post tags: Tags: buy a car, buy a car cash, Where To Buy Cash Car
Acquiring a car is one of the most difficult decisions you usually make in a lifetime. Since you don’t change cars any other day, the method of getting one has to be carefully picked, calculated and integrated in the budget. Because of the decreasing economy, the average Joe can’t just come up with $20000 just like that to buy a new car with money down. That’s why car dealers have developed all types of incentives and techniques for the client to pick. You as a customer have the possibility to lease a car or to either buy it outright or get a car loan. The huge dilemma is which one to pick, what would it be better, leasing or buying?
The conundrum is that there is no direct answer to this question since this particular situation has to be analyzed separately by each individual.
Keep in mind that leasing and getting a loan for car purchase are too completely different things. With one you finance for your USE of the car and the other enables you to purchase it and make you OWNER. Each technique has it’s own advantages and disadvantages.
When you’re faced with this decision, you not only have to analyze financial priorities, but you also should take your priorities into consideration. Think of what’s most important to you. Would you be more satisfied with having a brand new vehicle to drive around without having to face major repairs during this time, or you’d rather purchase one and set for a long term loan? Or would you rather be an owner and face the higher up front costs or you’d rather go for lower up front costs and no down payment despite missing ownership? You need to think about these questions in order to make a decision that will suit you.
When you’re buying, you’re faced with the payment for the entire vehicle’s value regardless of how much mileage you acquire driving it. Usually you have to pay a down payment, take care of sales taxes by either paying them up front or include them in your loan and pay the monthly fees calculated by the loan company. Keep in mind that credit history counts when getting a loan. A good clean credit history will get you the best deals around. The advantage here is that you have ownership over the vehicle so if you feel like it you may sell it, naturally for its depreciated value.
Leasing is a bit different because there you’re only paying for a part of the vehicle’s value. They evaluate this part according to the period of time you want to use the car. During that time, the car will naturally depreciate since its being used. That depreciation is estimated and for that, you will be paying each month, plus a little extra that is the company’s interest called money factor. When the leasing ends, you simply have to go and return the vehicle, or you have the option of purchasing it for its depreciated value.
Because leasing is a bit more complicated that simply getting a loan, you need to think all things through and take all things in consideration. You have to face money factors, residuals and other fees. Because of these complicated factors, you can easily make mistakes or misunderstand some of the many clauses in the contract. You also have to be careful about the number of miles you receive at the contract signing. Each year you get a limited number of miles usually 10000. Therefore be very careful since each extra mile costs.
Post tags: Tags: buy a car, car leasing, rent a car
Buy A New Car Before Filing For Bankruptcy
If you are having financial problems and you are taking into consideration filing for bankruptcy, one of the issues that you need to think about is your car. First of all, if you are thinking about Chapter 7 and you are in the market for a car, you can put a financed vehicle on your personal credit report which will help you rebuild your credit score after filing for bankruptcy.
If the credit score that you have now is pretty good, it is recommended to buy a new car before filing for bankruptcy. If your score is just ok, you can still buy a new vehicle depending on the financing terms. If the credit score is very bad, it would be advisable to stick to your current car before filing and then save some money until you can afford a new one.
You will have to get in touch with your attorney in order to find out which exemptions will be applied and how much equity will you be allowed to protect. For those of you filing for Chapter 13, the same analysis is applicable before filing for bankruptcy. The procedure is different if you have filed for Chapter 13 but you now need a new car. In this case, you will have to get the permission of the Court in order to be allowed to enter into a contract that allows you to purchase a car. Take into consideration that this varies from state to state and also from judge to judge. For this reason, we highly recommend that you talk to your lawyer in order to find out what you can do in this case.
If you are lucky enough, maybe your attorney has a relationship with a car dealer, which means that both of them know the process and have been through the entire procedure and they know what you need to do for acquiring a new vehicle.
You need to know that due to the fact that you are a debtor, buying a vehicle will increase your responsibilities under the Chapter 13 Plan of Reorganization. If you will be able to make all of the payments on time, it will help you a lot in rebuilding your credit during the bankruptcy and after it.
For those of you that want to buy a new car before filing for bankruptcy but want to avoid all of these legal issues, you could talk to a mechanic and see what you can do for prolonging the life of the car that you own at the moment. Another option would be to talk to your friends and see if they have a car that they would be willing to loan if yours no longer works. If you do choose to buy a new car before filing for bankruptcy, your interest rate will be significantly lower as lenders consider those that are in bankruptcy as a higher risk and as a consequence, they charge higher interest rates.
Source: bankrate.com, bankruptcylawnetwork.com
Post tags: Tags: automotive articles, buy a car, buy a new car before filing for bankruptcy
Leasing or buying? This is one of the most popular questions when considering of getting a new set of wheels. Let’s say that you’ve gone for leasing, let’s see where does that puts you in comparison with the ones that bought. About 80 percent of all auto customers and consumer either choose to pay cash or try and finance the purchase with a loan. If you’re willing to give up the idea of owning the car you’re driving, than you’ve earned yourself a new set of wheels and short term benefits that the leasing system provides.
Whether you’re self employed and can simply put your monthly lease payments as a business expense, or you’re heading for a more luxurious model with a lot less cash to pay. Or simply you desire a new car that’s cool, it has the newest technology on the market and simply don’t feel like bounding yourself to a 60 month loan. Or, even better, you just like new cars that appear fresh out of the assembly line and like to have them for 1 year, until the next best thing arrives.
Specialists question the motive of some consumers of changing cars each year since most consumers don’t feel the need to get the “shiny new toy”, well maybe you consider different, maybe you like it new, fast, powerful and shiny.
Because of the small percentage of individuals interested in leasing, demands have dropped dramatically at the end of 2009 but residuals are slowly readjusted and so did the costs of leasing vehicles. Since they have gone with the idea of “affordability is the key” therefore, as we all know, lease deals are directly linked to interest rates and when rates start going up, leasing becomes a much much better option for any car enthusiast.
And it’s not all about lower payments or high interest rates. Leasing offers even more, it offers flexibility. By leasing a car you don’t have to rule out the purchasing option while you are actually using the car. It’s like having a 1 year drive test with it.
Another great thing that is lifted from the shoulders of lessees. They don’t have to worry any more about the depreciation the car suffers, or dicey repair bills, like car owners. When the end of the lease is upon you, you simply take the car back and either you walk away, or if you feel like, establish another contract on the spot and drive away in the new 2011 Audi. The only condition to this is that you have to keep the car in good shape. Be careful, the terms of wear and tear may mean different things to you and the dealer. So if you’re not careful with the car, you might end up paying quite a lot for any broken or torn components. Another impediment is the mileage, but that is easy to track. So as long as you know how to read an odometer, you’ll be just fine.
Of course, leasing may be a convenient service but you have to pay up for that convenient service. The only downside to it (it depends on how you see it) is that at the end of the lease you have to get another lease or make a purchase. So unless you want to take the bus to work, you’ll have to decide. Probably that’s the reason why about 80% of the auto customers would rather have a car for many years. Maybe it’s the since of equity, or their comfort with the car.
Post tags: Tags: buy a car, Buy Vs. Lease Car, lease a car
Better To Buy A House Or A Car First Same Time
This is one of the most difficult choices any teenager that’s slowly but surely reaching adulthood, what should someone that has just graduated from college, that got a decent job and have been saving money for quite some time now get: either start with a car or a house? This is one mean cookie to chew over since it implies a lot of factors and will determine the financial outcome for the next years, while depending on the immediate financial situation of the individual.
Before taking all the angles and situations into consideration, most people will surely answer that a house is the absolute necessity and that’s the first thing you should buy. The logic seems pretty obvious right? Because a house is an asset that increases it’s value over time while the car slowly deteriorates therefore suffering depreciation over time. That advice might be a good one in the long term, although reality is a bit different. Most working employees will buy both as time passes, so the problem is not set on long term investments, the question is which one you should buy first.
Let’s assume that you have quite a few cash saved, from all that work and estimate it around $30.000, you own an old car that’s not worth more than about $2000. Since financing a car will nail your funds to the wall, you want to keep away from that. Since you’re currently living in a rental apartment you’ll want to keep your new car’s prince somewhere around $20.000 that can go to a maximum of $25.000. Since you’re at the beginning of your life, I’m going to assume that you’ve never had to sell or buy a house until now. You’re interested in a house that’s worth about $250.000 while attempting to pay at least 10% of its value as down payment.
You will have to think some things over before attempting to make a decision. First of all, try to evaluate your car and see how much longer it would last you. Have a trusted mechanic analyze it and give you an estimate time it as heft to “live”. Ask about possible repairs that might improve it’s expectancy a bit, or if the repairs alone would be a bigger investment than the car’s worth.
Than you need to sit down, take a pen and paper and start making a budget and some calculations. You need to compare the costs revolving around buying a house, will those costs increase if you buy the house, or your current monthly expenses are rather high and it would be an asset. Take into consideration your current monthly costs and compare them to the total cost coming from utilities, mortgage tax, and other home owner’s taxes plus insurance. To put it simply, which way to go would allow you to save money faster.
Ask yourself some questions like, if you get the house first, how long would it take you to scrap enough money so that you can purchase a decent car directly, not leasing or loaning or other financing methods. Calculate about how much money you will be able to save without having to live with the strictest necessities. The same goes for the car situation. If you decide to go for a car first, how much time will you need to gather enough cash to make that down payment when attempting to get a house, with the same issue of how much cash you can save and live decently each month.
Do what you think it’s best for you as an individual.
Post tags: Tags: Better To Buy A House Or A Car First Same Time, buy a car, buy a house
If you are looking to buy a new car you should consider the 2011 models as well, because these are brand new or redesigned cars that are going to get you noticed. But more importantly, car dealers and especially manufacturers are offering impressive incentives that you will be glad to hear about when you enter a showroom.
One example would be the 2011 Ford Fiesta, available at a starting price of $13,320. This year, this popular small car will be released on the North American market and is considered to be a top car buy, scoring 9.6 points out of 10. That success is due to its comfortable, upscale cabin and some other features that aren’t usually associated with small cars such as the heated seats, the Ford’s SYNC system or the knee airbags for the driver. Moreover, the price is still low even if the car provides hybrid-like fuel economy. The 2011 Ford Fiesta is expected to drive 30 miles with a gallon in the city and 40 miles on the highway.
Another great choice is the 2011 Hyundai Sonata, affordable at a starting price of $19,195. It is an unusual mid-size sedan, cheapest in its class while providing the longest powertrain warranties. Its standard features include XM satellite radio and even Bluetooth. The only drawback is that contrary to other cars in its class that are powered by a V6, the Hyundai Sonata’s engine has only four cylinders. But considering that we are talking about a light car, the power will be enough and if we remind you of the impressive fuel economy you will be convinced. There is no doubt that the 2011 Hyundai Sonata is the most fuel-efficient car in its class, though it’s not a hybrid car.
Your money will be well spent on a 2011 Kia Sorento as well and the starting price is not that bad ($22,395). By loosing its truck-based platform, this car has become one of the most powerful and compact SUVs on the market. It’s a strong competitor of the Toyota RAV4, because it comes with an optional third-row of seats, a feature that is vey rare in its class. Another special feature that describes the standard model is Bluetooth, while the warranties the car manufacturer offers are impressive. Considering that this SUV can seat up to seven passengers, the fuel economy of 21/29 mpg in/on the city/highway is good enough. And if that didn’t convince you I’m sure that the 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty will.
Another good investment for your money is the 2011 Nissan Leaf with a price tag starting at $32,780. That’s an affordable price for an all-electric automobile that will be mass-produced. Its electric motor is powered by a battery pack chargeable by a 220-volt outlet or by a charging station. With a full charge you will be able to drive around 100 miles. And we are talking about a five-passenger hatchback, a family car. A charge for the 2011 Nissan Leaf will cost only three dollars (it’s time for savings), and the tests showed that the acceleration and breaking is as smooth as on any other car.
The 2011 Infiniti M is another impressive car that received a lot of attention. The starting price is of $46,250, but for your money you are getting a full-size luxury sedan. Its redesign included more power, sharper handling and a high quality interior. The technological level is impressive as well, the 2011 Infiniti M being equipped with high-tech safety features and an interesting optional “Forest Air” system.
2011 is definitely a good year for a new car buy.
Post tags: Tags: 2011 ford fiesta, 2011 hyundai sonata, 2011 kia sorenta, buy a car, car buy
There are so many ways for people that want to buy a car to do this. There are the easy ways, by looking the car you want on the internet, give some calls and meet the owners to see the cars for real, or the hard ways, to visit car markets or car dealers and waste a lot of time and money.
In our days internet is a tool for easy finding all information we want. We don’t have to ask relatives or take a lot of visits to find something. Now you have to possess a computer and an internet connection and all you need to know is one click away from you. So, because of this, to buy a car had become one of the easiest things. You can see thousands of cars before you choose one and this from the comfort of your own home. Think about that by visiting dealers or car markets, you have to spend so much time and money for traveling and you are not capable to see a lot of cars in a short time. And also visiting dealers is very tired for us and after long days of searching from dealer to dealer we may get annoyed and stop looking.
So, if you want to be smart and find the perfect car for you fast and easy, I suggest that you look on the internet. The search on the internet can be very precise, you can search cars in your area, or you can search all over the country, you can search by model, year, color, and so on. You can search some special features for the car that you want to buy or you can simply navigate to the websites where people search or want to buy cars and find the car you like before knowing what features it may have.
Websites for cars are real heaven to drivers. Here you can find cars to be sold, cars to buy, information about how you can get a loan or lease if you don’t have enough money to buy the car with cash, information about the perfect insurance for your car and news about cars (new appearances and features). These websites are all the same, just that some are national, some are territorial, some are for new cars, some for used cars, some for classic cars and some for all three types together. You just have to know what are you looking for and you will be redirected to the website that is more convenient for you and that will help you find what you are searching for. There are also a lot of websites that offers online support from its technicians, so you have all the help to buy a car that you always wanted for.
Post tags: Tags: buy a car, buy a new car, buy a used car, cars to buy
Because we just passed an economic recession that brought so many people out of their jobs, drivers started to think about all kind of solutions for buying a car with less money. Savings are more difficult to keep and a car in the family is some tool that became necessary. This is why car customers think more of a loan for buying a car than paying cash for a car.
Car for cash became lately a dream. All people that want to sell a car are choosing a dealer to sell their car and they have to wait a lot of time until a buyer pays cash for their cars. But for all the other people that have money to pay cash for a car even if it is a little bit expensive, there are websites that helps them selling their cars fast and easy.
The best website in this branch is 1800carsforcash.com. This website guarantees to all people that call them and want their services that will sell their cars in less than 48 hours for cash otherwise they will post for free the customer car announce to all important search engines like Google, Yahoo and so on. This website also helps customers that want to take a loan to buy a new car or used car in order to make easier the choose of a customer for a car and of that customer doesn’t have money available at that moment or simply wants to save the money for other investments. This website is giving to their customers a network of professional and licensed car buyers and all offers they receive within 48 hours are sorted and finally the best offer is presented to the customer that want to sell its car for cash.
If you also look for car quotes you can find here quotations for cars from local or national dealers by just visiting the quotation page with one click.
So in our days, in front of the computer you can sell your car for cash, you can buy cars, find dealers, talk to the car dealers online until your purpose is accomplished. You don’t have to spend hours and days for doing all this because we all know that selling a car or buying one is a very hard work that requires a lot of time spend and maybe there are moments when you can’t find the best deal and your search was in vain and finally you end up not enjoying your car. So the best choice is searching on internet and if you don’t buy or sell a car in this way you can go to a dealer and he will help you find what you looking for.
Post tags: Tags: buy a car, Cars For Cash, cash for cars, sell a car
Better To Buy A House Or A Car First Time
You’re at the beginning of adulthood. You have finally graduated from college. You’re good at what you do and found yourself a good job that enabled you to constantly save money. Let’s assume that your used car (not many of us can afford a new car and go to college in the same time) is getting older and older and soon it will need replacing, yet in the same time you want to get yourself into a house of your own. Now the question is: which one should you buy first? A car or a house? This question with a seemingly obvious answer is actually very hard to answer correctly since it depends almost completely on the finances of the individual.
People will usually go ahead and give you, what they think is the best answer. Therefore you will be directed to buy a house. When you think about it like that, a house can last you a lot longer than a car while its value continues to increase. On the other hand a car is slowly depreciating. It might be so when placed on long term, yet in reality things are a bit different. The majority of the working professionals will ultimately buy both. So the real problem isn’t placed on long term investments, since in the long run you will have money for both. The problem lies with the first purchase, car or house.
Better to buy a house or a car first time
I will enumerate a couple of situations and conditions and surely you will be in one of them. First of all since you’ve been working and saving you have about $30.000 – 40.000 in cash. The car you own is a used one and nothing over $1000-1500. You try to keep away from financing a car. You currently live in a rented apartment. You’re hoping to get a car that’s nothing more than $25000, a new one of course. You have never dealt with buying houses before. And finally you’re aiming for a $250.000 house where you can get at least 10% down and estimative closing costs of $5000.
If you find yourself in any of these situations or even all of them, then you need to take a moment and answer yourself these questions. Do so and the answer will come to you directly so you will not have to listen to anyone and just do what you think is right.
First of all: how much longer will your current last you? Get to a mechanic fast and completely evaluate the car see everything that’s wrong with it and ask how much life does “she” has left. If there any cheap repairs that might improve that, do them, but carefully. Don’t put much money in the car if the overall value is not worth it.
Will your monthly expenses increase if you get a new house? Do the math and find out if the current total monthly expenses are cheaper than the mortgage, insurance, homeowner’s tax and other utilities. Simply put which arrangement will allow you to save money the quickest.
In case you decide to buy a house, how much time will you need in order to pull enough cash to get a car with money down? You have to know exactly how much money you can save each month within normal rhythm, not living by the basis need rule.
On the other hand if you decide with buying a car, how much time will you need until you get to the amount of money required for a down payment on the house?
I think you already know the answer.
Post tags: Tags: Better To Buy A House Or A Car First Time, buy a car, buy a house, buy house or car
It’s always madness when it comes to purchases. And to make things even worse there are a lot of factors to take into consideration when it comes to prices. It’s not enough only to choose a car brand that will stick with your budget. You should also consider the state from which you are going to buy it, because believe it or not, there are states in which cars have a lower price in comparison with other states.
O good place to buy a car is Oregon. If you are a lucky man and you live in Oregon you might be able to save a few thousands dollars, because this state is free of sales tax. For the rest of us it might still be tricky, because the state we live in might want us to pay that tax, even if we make the purchase in Oregon. Tough luck!
Another good state to buy a car is Montana, another sales tax free state. As in the case of Oregon, for residents it’s a blessing. For new comers it might be or not depending on their states legislation.
Next in line we have Texas. This friendly state charges sales tax, but offers outraging deals for cars. The large number of car lots will make it possible for you to stay in budget and get the finest car ever. The key for these prices is competition and many people enjoy the results coming from all across America.
Michigan it’s another state in which buying a car will seem like a win-win situation. That’s because Michigan is the home of many car manufacturers that like to drop the prices for their closest costumers. But the saving can be achievable for any of us even if we don’t live there. The deals remain the same for all people and are quite impressive. So, never forget to check out Michigan when you want a new car.
In the end, where you buy the car it’s an important factor. It doesn’t matter that the price is influenced by reduced or nonexistent taxes or other local situations. What matters is that the difference will be felt in your pocket even if you have to go pick up the car or pay for transportation. The deal might still be very tempting.
For research you have the Internet, which will provide you with all the information needed in order to make the decision and the trip you can consider it to be a well deserved vacation. Always keep in mind the best states to buy a car from.
Post tags: Tags: best state, buy a car, car deals, state to buy
If you want to buy a car from a rental company you must forget about the old wives tale that these vehicles are beat to death and not maintained well. You need to think of rental cars just like all of the other vehicles, meaning that you should expect some scratches and scrapes. The good thing is that their engines are most likely better maintained in comparison to the privately owned cars thanks to the fact that these vehicles were constantly undertaken and maintained during their service as rentals cars.
The vast majority of these cars are clean if you decide to get one from a big rental company. Such rental firms usually take the cars out of services after only two or three years. Despite the fact that the rental car loses a large proportion of its value, the most important advantage is that you will be able to get a very good price for it. You can also get extended warranty if you want it.
The automotive market has changed quite dramatically in the last 1-2 decades and will still continue to grow towards emulating the exciting experience of purchasing a new vehicle. Another reason why these cars shouldn’t be overlooked is because the rental companies have clear documents of these vehicles and you can understand that for them to have a good and profitable business, the cars must be in a perfect condition, meaning that you will most likely get a car that is in an excellent shape.
Due to the reason that these rental companies are not looking for a profit, the price tags are most likely to be lower in comparison to the ones available at used-car dealers.
Here is a short list of the advantages you benefit form when purchasing a car from a rental company.
- First of all, you will now all the relevant information about the car, its history service, if it was involved in an accident and other info. As a backup, some rental companies will give you clean maintenance records;
- Low pricing is another reason why it is a good idea to buy such a car. The cars that are less than 12 months old and have been driven for less than 20,000 miles are available at many rental agencies. Whenever a rental company decides to sell a new model, it doesn’t mean that there is something wrong with it and they are trying to get rid of the vehicle. They usually buy the car at a very low price which allows them to sell the vehicles at a very competitive price;
- Thanks to the fact that most of these cars are 1-3 years old, they will come with warranty which means that if anything goes wrong with it in the next 1-2 years, the warranty should cover it.
Now let’s move on to the most relevant disadvantages that occur when you want to buy a car from a rental company.
- Some of the rental companies basically have no idea about how the car was actually used and its endurances while it was in the custody of a customer. For this reason, it is best to choose the most popular rental companies in your area;
- Although the companies give the cars a thorough inspection and verification once the vehicles return to the lot, most of the repairs that are made are only cosmetic and although aesthetics are important, what is inside the vehicle really matters to any potential buyer;
- The selection of cars available is limited to the specific rental company’s fleet.
It is highly recommended to take the car to your usual mechanic (one which isn’t related in any ways with the rental company) and ask him to verify the vehicle and look it over, making sure that there aren’t any major issues with it and everything is up and running as it should.
Another wise decision would be to get a CarFax repot which will set you back about $15. This report will give you the possibility to find out if the vehicle that you want to purchase has been involved in any major accidents or if any major body work or repair has been done.
Some of the most popular rental companies at the moment would have to be the following: Hertz, Enterprise, Budget, Alamo, Avis, National, Thrifty and Dollar.
It seems that due to the oversupply of used cars at the moment, including ex-fleet units, the prices will go down in the near future until the supply reaches a normal level.
In the end, here is how you can buy a rental car from Hertz:
First, go to their website and click on the locations tab located on the left-hand menu bar. After that, click on the page’s drop-down menu to see if they have any cars in your region. Decide upon a make and a model. Click on one of them to find out all the relevant info. Select “I want this car” button. On the next screen you will enter your name, contact information as well as any questions that you want to ask. Arrange a test drive and if you like it, Hertz can aid you in getting the proper financing with a bank or a credit union. Of course, you can do this by yourself.
Post tags: Tags: buy a car, rental company
If you are in the market for purchasing a vehicle, there are a couple of things that you should verify before buying a pre-owned car. For this reason, we have come up with a comprehensive buying a used car checklist which should be verified in order to check if the car is in a good shape and if it deserves the money.
First of all, you will need to have a close look at the car’s body; this means that you need to verify the following:
a) Broken light lenses;
b) Worn / rusted windshield wipers;
c) Corroded / cracked mirrors;
d) Missing wheel covers;
e) Chassis, by looking under the car to see if it is cracked or bend.
After that, you need to play close attention to the condition of the tires:
a) Test the pressure of the tires with a tire gauge;
b) Look to see if all of the four tires are the same make and size;
c) Are the tires wearing on the outside or on the inside edges?
d) Don’t forget to have a look at the spare tire.
You now must get inside the cabin and look at the following:
a) Does the driver’s seat have cracks or cuts?
b) Do the seat belts works as they are supposed to?
c) If the car has them, verify the power windows and locks;
d) Using the key, open all the doors;
e) Verify the seat adjustment feature;
f) Test the sunroof by raising it all the way and lowering it back;
g) If it has one, check how the alarm is working;
h) Look inside the trunk, if it has a musty smell, it means that water is leaking into it;
i) Verify the instrument panel by checking all the gauges, warning lights and signal lights;
j) Check out the hazard lights;
k) Check the air conditioning system and the heater. You need to start the vehicle and let the power unit warm up. After that, turn on the AC. Pretty soon you should notice cold air coming from the vents, regardless of the season. Set the heater to different speeds to see if it works properly. Verify the rear defroster also.
If you are buying a car that comes with an automatic transmission, here is how you should test it:
a) First, put up the car’s hood and verify the transmission fluid by using the dipstick;
b) Now you must touch it and smell the transmission fluid on your finger. It should be clean with no grit and it should not smell burned or scorched;
c) The best test would be to drive the vehicle and if the transmission slips or its reactions are delayed, it means that the car is experiencing gearbox problems. Don’t forget to verify if all the gears work, including neutral, park and reverse. Shift the vehicle into neutral – its transmission should not engage now. After that, immediately shift to drive – there shouldn’t be any delays and it should engage immediately.
For those interested in a vehicle with a manual transmission, here is your buying a used car checklist:
a) Make sure that you try all of the car’s gears. All of them should shift in a smooth matter and there shouldn’t be any vibrations, clunks, jerks or any weird noises;
b) When you are in second / third gear, try to accelerate in a fast matter. The vehicle’s clutch should not slip. If it does, it means that you’ll have to change it pretty soon;
c) During driving, verify how the transmission responds by decelerating and accelerating. If you happen to hear whining or humming, avoid getting the car.
Moving on, now you should check out the engine. Here are a couple of tips to find out its shape:
a) Verify if the oil changes were done accordingly;
b) Do you smell burnt oil?
c) Is the engine dirty or covered with old oil?
d) Speaking of oil, use the oil stick to check it. Make sure that the power unit is cool and the car is sitting flat when checking it;
e) Verify the dipstick. If that metal piece which goes into the engine has heavy oil deposits or is dirty, it means that the owner has not been taking good care of the car;
f) Check dark emissions that look like smoke by starting the car. If you see smoke, it means that the vehicle is burning oil and it also burns more fuel than it should.
One of the best ways to figure out if a car is in good shape or not is by taking it out for a test drive:
a) The car should start easily even on the coldest winter days;
b) When you start it, it should not make noise or smoke;
c) Check for squeaks, squeals and hisses;
d) Drive the car and verify the steering, brakes and see if the work properly.
Post tags: Tags: buy a car, checklist
