Buying a New Car

Buying a new car need not be a stressful (or wallet-draining) experience. Be sure to follow the rules:
1. Buy when you do not need The best way to get a great deal on a new car is to avoid being in position to replace the one you have, because it just broke and it is beyond fixing (or if you just do not want to put any more money on it). Desperation often leads to good business - for the purchaser to anyway. Smart shoppers anticipate the need for a new car and start looking at what's available long before they actually need a new car.
2. Shop for money first If you do not buy a new car with cash, you should think about new car financing (and interest) before you think about what color to get. Many buyers forget that it costs money is just as important to the bottom line, because the new car price. Regardless of what you have saved in advance of the new car price can easily be lost in the course of the loan if you sign up for a loan with a higher interest rate than you could have / should have paid. Check with several potential lenders - including credit unions, banks and automakers' captive finance arms (GMAC, etc.) - then buy a new car. So you can focus on one thing at a time instead of two things at once. You know you have the best you can have on at least one of them.
3. See incentives To jump start sales, many car manufacturers offer various incentives (bonus "loyalty" discounts, special financing deals, etc.) that could be worth several thousand dollars from the new car price. If you are thinking of two similar (but different brand) vehicles, incentives for one of them could be any incentive you need to make the choice between them. You can also use incentives to a mark which is negotiating the purchase of another. Point out to the salesman that you can buy a new car brand "x" for $ 2000 from the sticker and ask if there is anything he can do to make its brand more competitive - such as tossing in a no-cost extended warranty or free oil changes for two years, etc.
4. Do you know what you buy Most models of new cars (and trucks, SUVs and mini-buses also) come in several versions, with your choice of engines, transmissions, safety and other features. You should always know at least as much on your next new car that the salesman does so you can speak knowledgeably about the car with the seller. You do not want to get a ride to buy a new car with things you do not really need or end with one that lacks some things you end up wishing you had bought. Information is readily available: see the car Web sites and read so many experts reviews as you can find. You should also take a thorough test of at least two hours before you buy a new car. Make sure the vehicle is comfortable and there is no design problem (too blind spots, uncomfortable seats, noisy engine / hard to move the transmission, etc.) that you may hate to live with if you really own the car. You can save yourself a big headache and a lot of money too.
5. Know how much your old car is worth A big mistake that many buyers are focusing on the new car, and the price, but forget to know exactly what their age is worth. It does not much good if you save $ 2000 on the new without losing a corresponding amount on your trade-in. The exact value for each used car is vehicle specific, there is almost always significant differences in condition, equipment and mileage. But you can still get a very solid "division" idea by checking the current trade-in/resale prices on cars in your classified ads and in trade guides Kelley Blue Book and National Automobile Dealer Association used car price books. You can adjust the value up or down for things like higher than normal mileage, excellent (or just average) condition and so on. Be aware that there is a difference of about 10 percent in retail vs. wholesale prices. "Retailers" for what used car would be advertised for a private seller or dealer, "wholesale" refers to the offer the dealer, do the car as a trade barrier. The difference reflects his profit margin and costs associated with cleaning and other "prepping" the vehicle for resale. And finally ...
6. Not wear your heart on sleeve Getting emotional about a new car or truck is good, when you get home. But when you buy a new car, you will almost certainly be better if you can remain aloof and detached as Mr. Spock. Never describe more than casual interest in a car, the salesmen react to emotional buyers like sharks react to blood in the water. If you feel that your heart can go further in your head, put a spouse (or a good friend) along to keep you out of trouble. You should convey a "take it or leave" the impression - and more convincing your score, the better the chance that you drive home a business.

How to Buy a New Car

With so many new cars (and trucks, SUVs, hybrids and "crossovers") to choose from, how to buy a new car that suits you? It is easy to go on looks alone, but on the road is a problem (like picking a spouse based on looks alone). Or, you can focus on the price of your new car, but if you make it to the exclusion of other considerations, such as comfort, security or reliability, it is unlikely you satisfied with your "bargain". So where to start? To ensure that you buy a new car that suits your needs, start by answering these 10 questions: 1. Do I prefer a domestic or an import brand? Does it matter? 2. Do I need (or want) a big new car, a medium-sized new car - or a small one? 3. Do I need (or want) a vehicle with rear-wheel drive, front-wheel drive or some form of all-wheel-drive/4x4 system? 4. Do I prefer a soft ride, a company, "sporty" ride - or something in between? 5. How important is power / performance? Do I need (or want) a new car that can do 150 km / h? 6. Do I need (or want) a vehicle that can carry the load? How much? 7. What kind of gas mileage is acceptable - and what is not? Is my personal "tipping point" at least 28 mpg - 16 mpg or OK if the car otherwise meets my needs? 8. How is security? Are crash-avoidance test scores very important? The presence (or absence) of features like side-facing curtain airbags, stability and brake assist? 9. What level of guarantee meet my expectations? Is three years/36, 000 miles enough? Or is it a minimum of five years/50, 000 miles? 10. Is the resale rights / trade-in value a great replacement? Some brands hold their value much better than others. Your answers to the above, will automatically exclude a number of makes / models, reduce your pool of potential candidates substantially. Now is the biggest issue: 11. How much do you spend? Never planning to buy a new car without thoroughly calculate in advance the maximum amount you are comfortable spending - and stick to it. This will keep you on budget and help you avoid the "low monthly payment" SHUCK and jive as often unsuspecting new car buyers in way over their heads. Be sure to include everything in the bottom line, too. This means that the finance costs, interest, taxes, insurance, everything you will need to spend to own and drive the car. With fixed at a figure you can further limit the potential of new cars on the list to a manageable half-dozen or so. Now is the time to actually look at any vehicles left on your list. Sit on it, see how the controls feel and preferably to all for a more extensive test drive. It is strongly recommended that you insist on a test drive at least an hour or two before you even start talking about buying a new car. Otherwise, you can buy a pig in a poke that would prove to have places that are too hard, the engine is too noisy, a transfer that is difficult for you to move smoothly, the blind spots that make changing lanes dangerous - any number of things you can not detect without actually trying out the new car. Take a notebook with you and note the things you like about the vehicle - and you do not - for future reference. Most dealers will accommodate a buyer's request for a test drive. It is a reasonable request, given you are considering a purchase, which can amount to tens of thousands of dollars. If the dealer refuses to allow a test drive, it's smart to just pencil vehicle off the list and go to the next candidate. And remember to take the test without a salesman riding with you. Once you have test driven all the candidates, you will have a much better idea which one of them may be "right" new car for you. Usually you will be able to restrict the choice to just one or two specific models that have the right combination of properties and equipment, style and feel "that works for you. The rest is easy. With fixed on one or two "possible," you can get down to practical details of the research new car prices (remember to bargain from the dealer invoice, not from MSRP "window sticker) and negotiate the best when you buy a new car. A mark / model may be the focus of a very convincing rebate / incentive / financing transaction. Or maybe you can get more options / features of a new model for about the same price as the other. Or maybe you just happen to like how one of them looks a bit more than the other (everything else is more or less equal). But depending on which brand / model you stop driving home, you are obliged to buy a new car that suits you. And it is the very definition of successful new car shopping, whether you're spending $ 15,000 or $ 50,000.

Diesel Cars & Diesel Trucks

Diesel cars are more efficient than gas-powered cars, in small part, because diesel fuel contains more energy than gasoline.
Popular Diesel Vehicles
Chevy Silverado
Dodge Ram
Dodge Sprinter Van
Ford F-250
Ford F-350
GMC Sierra
Jeep Grand Cherokee
More Diesel Cars & Diesel Trucks
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Best Cars for a Long Summer Drive

The end of July is here, and afore we apperceive it, August 2009 will be in the history books.
I anticipate we all charge to accomplish abiding this summertime is one to remember; the summertime of ‘09 should be appropriate up there with the summertime of ‘69. In fact, let’s put that summertime to abashment by all-embracing our wives, husbands, girlfriends, boyfriends, or bodies we best up on Craigslist, packing up a analgesic car, and hitting the artery for a alley cruise to who knows where.
Your minivan isn’t activity to cut it, though. What affectionate of insubordinate chance can you accept applique about in a ‘02 Caravan? For this trip, back it’s aloof you and your sweetie

Automotive Museums in Italy

It is only natural that one of auto racing's pioneer countries would have museums dedicated to automobiles and it does. Travelers to Milan, Italy can enjoy the Alfa Romeo Museum located in Arese, Milan, Italy. The museum is in the former Alfa Romeo factory area and covers almost a century of Alfa Romeo history. During its manufacturing heyday, Alfa Romeo not only produced the automobiles they are famed for but also manufactured commercial vehicles, marine and aircraft engines, locomotives, buses and tractors. The museum occupies 52,000 square feet and comprises six floors. The visitor will find four theme areas that include a chronicle of all the Alfa Romeo road cars manufactured from 1910 plus prototypes, concept cars, scale models and aeronautical exhibits. The first car ever manufactured by Alfa Romeo, the 1910 24 HP Torpedo, is on display here. Most of the one hundred original Alfa Romeo models are fully functional today. The museum shut down for renovations at the beginning of 2009 but is expected to re-open in time to celebrate Alfa Romeo's 100th birthday in 2010. After his father's death, Torino Lamborghini constructed and opened the Centro Studi e Rierche Ferruccio Lamborghini in honor of his father, Ferrucio Lamborghini. The museum is located at Via Statale 342, 44040 Dosso (Ferrara); however, unlike the other automobile museums in Italy this one does not maintain a regular schedule. In order to visit, one must schedule an appointment. Visitors are rewarded with such views as a white Countach Quattro Valvole, a Miura SV, an Espada, and and an early 400 GT. Hanging from the ceiling is a Lamborghini Helicopter, a prototype built by Lamborghini but never produced.
No museum tour of Italy would be complete without a visit to the Galleria Ferrari located in Maranello just south of the town of Modena where Ferrari where Enzo Ferrari was born. The museum is a monument to the man who exuded passion about everything automotive. Ferrari was both a racecar driver and a designer and manufacturer of racing cars. His fast paced adventurous life dances before the visitors eyes throughout the museum packed with memorabilia including the trophies won by Enzo himself and of course, the famous cars. A unique feature of the museum is the amphitheater that houses two F-1 driving simulators. Here, the visitor can experience the thrill of being behind the wheel of a racing car sans the skill and danger. The visitor traveling through Torino should take in the Il Museo Dell'Automobile sponsored by Fiat. However, although there are many Fiats in the collection, the theme is technology displaying cars that featured important innovations in automotive history. The landmark of the collection is the 1907 Itala that won the Peking to Paris race in 1907. Both the race and the car are immortalized in Luigi Barzini Sr.'s book, 'Peking to Paris.' Another famous car on display is the Isotta Franchini that was used by Gloria Swanson in the film 'Sunset Boulevard.' Painted on the front doors are the initials N.D. that stand for Norma Desmond, the name of the character played by Gloria.