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Don’t Forget the Insurance When Buying Your Next Car

jcme — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:05:02 +0000

When many consumers are financing their next used car, they often compare the monthly payments to their paychecks. They then look for the most expensive car they can afford. Unfortunately, they do not consider other auto-related expenses like maintenance, insurance and fuel. If you are like this, we would like to offer some ways to save money on your auto insurance so you can afford more car.

Ask for Discounts
Your auto insurance agent is not going to go through all the available discounts and see if you qualify for them. That’s your job. Ask for a list of possible discounts and bring the agent’s attention to the ones for which you qualify. You could end up saving hundreds of dollars a year.

Purchase a “Low-Profile” Car
When shopping for a used car, the vehicle you choose will play a role in your insurance premiums. Instead of looking for something flashy, find a “low profile” use car to save on insurance. Things like four doors instead of two and two-wheel drive instead of four-wheel drive help save on auto insurance.

Shop Around
All auto insurance companies are not equal and neither are their prices. You may be surprised how much prices can differ once you start calling around. You could save hundreds of dollars a year for the same coverage just be choosing one auto insurance company over another.

These are just a few things you can do when financing your used cars. These tips can either help you afford a better car or put more money back in your pocket each month.

Three Tips for Buying a Used Car

jcme — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:05:58 +0000

More and more people are buying used cars these days because new cars are simply too expensive and they depreciate too much within the first year. Here are some tips to consider to make your next used car purchase easier and more rewarding.

Get Pre-Approved
Before you start shopping for a used car, go to your credit union or bank to get a loan. After considering your financial situation, the financial institution will tell you how much they can loan you and how much they will charge you for interest.

Consider Your Needs
When deciding what type of car to purchase, be realistic about your needs. Are you looking for something with a lot of cargo space for camping on the weekends? Or are you looking for something that is fuel-efficient for those everyday commutes to work? Answering questions like these will help you determine what type of car to purchase so you can narrow down your list.

Read Reviews of Various Cars
Don’t just choose a used car because it looks nice or because it drives well. Read reviews about it before making your final decision. There may be recalls on that particular model or there may be some other common problem that other owners have had with it. Reading the reviews could save you a bunch of headaches in the future.

Discussing Overheating in Your Used Cars

jcme — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 10:05:07 +0000

On Tuesday, we told you what you should do when you see your used cars begin to overheat. We mentioned the first two vital steps – turn off the engine and open the hood. But what do you do after that? Here are the next steps to help save your engine as much as possible.

Call a Tow Truck
If your engine is overheating, you definitely do not want to try to drive it home. The best thing to do is to call a tow truck and have your car towed to a service station or home.

Diagnose the Problem
If you choose to have your car towed to your home, diagnose why your car overheated once everything cools off. There are several reasons a car may overheat. Was it low on engine coolant (antifreeze)? Is the thermostat working properly? Is the fan operating? These are the three main reasons for overheating and they are easy to diagnose. However, there could be other problems such as a malfunctioning radiator or some gunk clogging up the radiator or the hoses. If you are not sure how to fix the problem, have a mechanic perform the repairs. An overheating engine is not something you want to fool around with.

Your quality used cars will last you for many years if you take care of them properly. Don’t let an overheated engine diminish the life of your used cars before getting as much out of them as you can.

Alternatives to Texting when Driving Your Used Cars

jcme — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 10:05:04 +0000

Have you ever caught yourself texting on your cell phone while behind the wheel of your used cars? That’s a dangerous habit that could end up in a collision or even a death. But one man wants to make it safer and he has come up with some software to accomplish just that.

Matt Howard is a software engineer that absolutely loves texting. However, when he was backing out of his driveway one day and almost hit a kid behind him because he was texting, he wanted to come up with a solution to the problem that texting and driving causes. His creation – ZoomSafer – recently launched in public beta testing.

ZoomSafer is a piece of software that determines how fast your phone is moving. If the software decides you are driving in a car, it sends a message to people who text you during that time. The message tells the person that you are driving and you will get with them when you reach your destination. Another feature makes the phone beep when you get a text from a priority contact. With the push of a button, you can make the phone read the text to you so you can keep your eyes on the road.

Do you think this will make it safer using your phone while driving your used cars? Or is it still too tempting to text and do other things while behind the wheel? Let us know your thoughts below.

Tips for Better Commutes in Your Used Cars

jcme — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 10:05:15 +0000

Commuting to work is something very few people enjoy doing. Dealing with other drivers and getting stuck in traffic is just a horrible way to start the work day. But you can make your commutes more bearable in your used cars. These tips and suggestions may help the time go by faster.

• Listen to audiobooks. Catch up on all that reading you have always wanted to do buy getting those books on tape or CD. You might be able to get through an entire novel every week and be a “well read” person in just a few months.
• Catch up on the news or current events. Turn on a political talk radio program or NPR to catch up on what’s going on in the world.
• Broaden your musical horizons. Get a satellite radio subscription and listen to some music you’ve never listened to before. You might find something you enjoy!
• Relax. With the busyness of work and home, you can use your commuting time to just relax and let your mind refresh itself. Just be sure to keep your focus on the road so you don’t get into an accident!

Hopefully, these commuting tips will come in handy when driving your used cars to and from work. Give them a try starting today!

Three Benefits of Using a GPS in Your Used Cars

jcme — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 10:05:26 +0000

Do you have a GPS device in your used cars? If so, you probably already recognize several benefits you have enjoyed with this handy gadget. If you don’t have one yet, you are missing out. Here are three major benefits you can enjoy by having a GPS device in your used cars.

• Unmistakable Directions – If you travel a lot or even just once a year for a vacation, you are never lost in an unfamiliar town with a GPS device. When driving cross-country, I like to pull over in the early evening and explore the town we are staying in for the night. With my GPS, we can explore all we want without ever getting lost.

• Safer Driving – When driving somewhere at night, your GPS device tells you in advance of the turns you need to take. This reduces the need to slow down at intersections to read the street signs so you are actually a safer driver.

• Local Restaurants and Attractions – You can find things to do wherever you are simply by searching for something you enjoy. Do you love Italian food? Most GPS devices will tell you where the nearest Italian restaurant is in relation to where you are.

With a GPS device, you can enjoy your used cars much more than you used to. Check one out today!

What are Some of Your Driving Phobias?

jcme — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 10:05:28 +0000

All of us have something that we are either afraid of or something that we try to avoid when driving out used cars. Some driving phobias are based on logic while others may come from something less logical and, at times, even silly. Look through these five driving phobias and let us know if you experience any of these when driving your used cars.

1. Parallel Parking
How many people actually know how to properly parallel park these days? Not many. That’s probably because many drivers have a phobia about even trying to do this.
2. Highway Driving
My mother-in-law has a phobia of driving on the highway. She has only had her license for about 10 years but I bet she has only driven on the highway during her driving test.
3. Steep Hills
Going up steep hills is a phobia for many drivers who own used cars with manual transmissions. Getting your car to go without rolling back too far simply takes practice, but it can be difficult to get the practice you need.
4. Left Turns
Again, my mother-in-law has this phobia. She just hates turning left because she’s always afraid an oncoming car is going to appear out of nowhere and smash into her.
5. Bad Weather
This is a logical phobia because you never know what other drivers are going to do when snow and rain are on the roads. No matter how careful you are, another driver can ruin your day by being careless in bad weather.

Do you have any of these phobias behind the wheel of your used cars? Or do you have others? Let us know in the comments section below.