Thursday, September 6, 2007

cars

Helpful Tips For Buying A New Car by Gary Ruplinger


Buying a new car can be fun and exciting, but it can also be very stressful. After all, it is a very big decision. If you are organized, armed with knowledge, and understand the game, you’ll find the experience a lot more enjoyable so here are some tips for buying a new car.
Start with the basics. Decide what type, size, and price range meets your needs; then move on to the details of the deal.


The invoice price is what the dealer paid for the car, not including any incentives from the vehicle manufacturer. The sticker price is the price the dealer wants you to pay for that car, including any optional packages that may be on that particular vehicle.


Find out the invoice cost of the car. This is the key to what type of deal you can get. Once you know what the dealer paid, you can better negotiate with the dealer. The dealer typically isn’t going to give you this information, so you’ll have to play detective and round it up yourself.
You can easily get this information by spending less than $20 and calling the Consumer Reports New Car Price Service. It’s a good investment because it usually results in about a $1,200 savings.


Now it’s time to get ready to bargain. Ask the salesperson to deal on their base markup over cost. Never bargain off the sticker price. You’ve got the invoice price and that’s what you bargain off of. What type of deal you can get depends a lot on supply and demand.
If the car you are looking at is in high demand, but there aren’t a lot of them available you could end up paying the full sticker price. On other models, you could land up paying just $500 over invoice and that would be a good deal!


Be wary of the “for just a few” game. It’s a game of up-selling for services and items you often don’t need – undercoating, fabric protection, rust proofing, windshield etching, extra warranties, etc. Some of these services are nice; but most aren’t needed. Be careful because they can very quickly add a couple thousand dollars to your costs. So don’t get caught up in the “for just a few dollars more you can have…”


If you have a vehicle you are going to trade in, don’t disclose this information to the salesperson until the price of the new car has been established and agreed upon. That way the price you are given for your trade is the true amount that is being offered rather than some inflated figure on paper. Then you can decide if you really want to trade your vehicle in. Often, selling privately is a better choice.


Keep your stress down by knowing what you want before you begin. When it comes time to get your financing in place know what size payment you are comfortable with and then work your terms to meet that payment size. Again, don’t get caught in the up-sell game.
These tips for buying a new car will have you smiling and relaxed through the entire buying process.

Gray Rollins is a featured writer for several automotive websites. Visit us for more new car buying tips and be sure to check out our exotic cars website.
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

Why Are We In Love With Sports Cars? by Gregg Hall

Why do so many of us find sports cars irresistible? Few objects inspire the emotional attachment that sports cars do among auto enthusiasts. There are always dedicated fans of almost every technology, but sports car fans band together in clubs, spend a significant percentage of their free time preoccupied with their car, and may even begin to create a self-definition that seems to be centered upon their favorite auto.

There is something about sports cars that makes them uniquely attractive to many drivers.
Of course, it would be impossible to isolate exactly what it is about a well-designed sports car that engenders such attachment, but there are some factors that would logically contribute to the commonly seen love affair between men and their sports cars.

Initially, it seems as if much of the attraction is grounded in symbolism. Sports cars have long been portrayed as sources of freedom. Drivers are left unencumbered by the limitations of other automobiles are seen as having a uniquely free and flexible life on the open road. This notion of freedom is intensified when one considers convertible sports car offerings. In such circumstances the driver is not boxed in like others. He can tackle any road while being completely open to the elements.

Additionally, the allure of sports cars lies in their innovative technology. We live in a world that worships at the altar of technological advances. The sports car is a moving amalgamation of technical expertise. Sports cars are a bundling of technological miracles. From aerodynamic styling to compact yet powerful engines, they represent the cutting edge of technological design. In a society entranced by technology and innovation, the sports car has an iconic appeal that is difficult to equal.

Sports cars also represent the flipside to our technological obsession. Although we, as a society, crave more and better tech we also fear these developments will diminish our humanity. Some have even argued we have an underlying fear of losing control over our own advances. The sports car simultaneously represents our technological prowess while reassuring us we retain dominion over our creation. Sports cars are built to respond the driver. In fact, they are sold as being the most responsive cars available. The driver is left in ultimate control. Man creates the new technology and harnesses it. It is the perfect version of our technological dream in action.
Finally, the sports car appeals to man’s desire to reassert his strength in a world that no longer requires physical prowess. Humanity has grown softer and the need for violent power to function successfully has been reduced to near zero. The sports car provides an alternative means of expressing whatever hard-wired tendencies toward strength and prowess that may be lurking in the deep recesses of the human mind. The sports car is an embodiment, after all, of the human physical traits once needed for survival in leaner times. Speed and power are combined and become a proxy body for the driver placed behind the wheel.


The sports car, it would seem, is a perfect object of affection. It allows us to explore our concept of freedom. It shows us our continual technological advancement while simultaneously reassuring us that we can keep our new technologies under our control. Meanwhile, the sports car acts a proxy body for us to express a seemingly instinctive need for demonstrating physical prowess.

Gregg Hall is a business consultant and author for many online and offline businesses and lives in Navarre Florida with his 16 year old son. Get the car care products you need at http://www.carcarewizards.com
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

When To Buy A New Car by Gregg Hall

This is a question that many new car shoppers wrestle with constantly. How do I know when is the best time to buy a vehicle? It is hard to discern, especially when we are constantly under a barrage of advertising from dealers claiming “This weekend only, the best deals of the year!”
If you fall in love with a particular vehicle and develop a “gotta have it” mentality you will end up paying too much. Just think back to the Mazda Miata, the Dodge Viper, and even the Dodge Ram of 1995. All of these vehicles had addendums or add on prices on top of the window sticker and people were getting on waiting lists to buy them! The Miata and the Viper sold for as much as $5,000 over sticker and often there were people standing in line to pay it. My advice is wait, wait until the initial excitement and fervor has calmed down to where you can negotiate a reasonable price. A couple of other considerations are the following: Some new models have bugs that may be worked out over the first three or four months and also if the sales aren’t what was expected the factory may come out with rebates which will save you big money.


From the standpoint of the best time of the month to buy, the end of the month you can usually get a better deal. The reason for this is that most dealers set quotas for their mangers and salespeople to meet and they will usually do whatever it takes to get the deal so they can meet their quota. Just be sure of the expiration of any incentives that may exist on the vehicle you are interested in.


Beware end of the year sales. Why do I say this? Most dealers are going to make the same amount on a car at the end of the year as they would at the beginning, unless you can practically steal the vehicle I don’t suggest buying at the end of the year when the next year’s models are coming in. You are getting a car that is already one year old, even though it may have no miles on it, it is still going to be worth thousands of dollars less immediately.


In general some time in the middle of the model year is the best time of the year to buy. If you want a really good deal don’t go looking on the weekend when the dealer is overflowing with customers. Go shopping late at night right before the dealer is going to close or go shopping when it is cold or rainy. When the customer traffic is slow, the dealer will do more to make the deal.

Gregg Hall is a business consultant and author for many online and offline businesses and lives in Navarre Florida with his 16 year old son. For quality car care products go to http://www.carcarewizards.com
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

What’s Your Favorite Car? by Jonathon Hardcastle

Have you ever wondered about the differences in the tastes of men and women when it comes to cars? Clearly, men prefer cars that look tough and masculine and ooze power while women prefer cars that are “cute” and stylish, right? Well, that’s true to a certain extent, according to a recent study on car ownership between the sexes. However, what may be surprising to some is that there are areas of common interest between men and women and that both actually share a liking for the same favorite cars.

According to registration records for new 2005 and 2006 car models (January 2006 to the present), men love luxurious, high performance cars, preferably with a horsepower of 367 or more. On the other hand, women prefer cars that are affordable, practical and safe. They also put a premium on design flair in their cars as evidenced by the popularity of the Eclipse Spyder convertible, which had the highest percentage of female registrants of any car on the market. The preferred horsepower for the women’s cars were way below the standards of men, with the top five models having only an average 172 hp compared to 367 hp in the men’s favorites. It was just like you expected, right?

It was interesting to see the Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder on top of the list of women’s favorite cars. If you take a good look at it, it does somehow seem like a feminine-looking car. But hold it. The Eclipse Spyder also happens to be the car of choice among 34.2% of male registrants. In fact, the study showed that registration records indicate that men sometimes buy feminine cars but women rarely purchase male-oriented, testosterone-fueled sports and luxury cars.
The thing is, what really makes a feminine car? I mean, I always considered the Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder to be a masculine car ever since I first saw it in the 2003 movie "2 Fast 2 Furious," particularly since it belonged to the angry, muscular ex-convict played by Tyrese Gibson.

The next popular cars for women were the Toyota RAV4 sport utility vehicle (SUV) and another Mitsubishi favorite, the hardtop Eclipse coupe. The men’s favorites were the Honda Acura NSX sports car and DaimlerChrysler's Mercedes-Benz S55 AMG performance sedan.

Jonathon Hardcastle writes articles on many topics including Automotive, Outdoors, and Recreation
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com



Why Are We In Love With Sports Cars? by Gregg Hall

Why do so many of us find sports cars irresistible? Few objects inspire the emotional attachment that sports cars do among auto enthusiasts. There are always dedicated fans of almost every technology, but sports car fans band together in clubs, spend a significant percentage of their free time preoccupied with their car, and may even begin to create a self-definition that seems to be centered upon their favorite auto.

There is something about sports cars that makes them uniquely attractive to many drivers.
Of course, it would be impossible to isolate exactly what it is about a well-designed sports car that engenders such attachment, but there are some factors that would logically contribute to the commonly seen love affair between men and their sports cars.

Initially, it seems as if much of the attraction is grounded in symbolism. Sports cars have long been portrayed as sources of freedom. Drivers are left unencumbered by the limitations of other automobiles are seen as having a uniquely free and flexible life on the open road. This notion of freedom is intensified when one considers convertible sports car offerings. In such circumstances the driver is not boxed in like others. He can tackle any road while being completely open to the elements.

Additionally, the allure of sports cars lies in their innovative technology. We live in a world that worships at the altar of technological advances. The sports car is a moving amalgamation of technical expertise. Sports cars are a bundling of technological miracles. From aerodynamic styling to compact yet powerful engines, they represent the cutting edge of technological design. In a society entranced by technology and innovation, the sports car has an iconic appeal that is difficult to equal.

Sports cars also represent the flipside to our technological obsession. Although we, as a society, crave more and better tech we also fear these developments will diminish our humanity. Some have even argued we have an underlying fear of losing control over our own advances. The sports car simultaneously represents our technological prowess while reassuring us we retain dominion over our creation. Sports cars are built to respond the driver. In fact, they are sold as being the most responsive cars available. The driver is left in ultimate control. Man creates the new technology and harnesses it. It is the perfect version of our technological dream in action.
Finally, the sports car appeals to man’s desire to reassert his strength in a world that no longer requires physical prowess. Humanity has grown softer and the need for violent power to function successfully has been reduced to near zero. The sports car provides an alternative means of expressing whatever hard-wired tendencies toward strength and prowess that may be lurking in the deep recesses of the human mind. The sports car is an embodiment, after all, of the human physical traits once needed for survival in leaner times. Speed and power are combined and become a proxy body for the driver placed behind the wheel.


The sports car, it would seem, is a perfect object of affection. It allows us to explore our concept of freedom. It shows us our continual technological advancement while simultaneously reassuring us that we can keep our new technologies under our control. Meanwhile, the sports car acts a proxy body for us to express a seemingly instinctive need for demonstrating physical prowess.

Gregg Hall is a business consultant and author for many online and offline businesses and lives in Navarre Florida with his 16 year old son. Get the car care products you need at http://www.carcarewizards.com
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com


When To Buy A New Car by Gregg Hall

This is a question that many new car shoppers wrestle with constantly. How do I know when is the best time to buy a vehicle? It is hard to discern, especially when we are constantly under a barrage of advertising from dealers claiming “This weekend only, the best deals of the year!”
If you fall in love with a particular vehicle and develop a “gotta have it” mentality you will end up paying too much. Just think back to the Mazda Miata, the Dodge Viper, and even the Dodge Ram of 1995. All of these vehicles had addendums or add on prices on top of the window sticker and people were getting on waiting lists to buy them! The Miata and the Viper sold for as much as $5,000 over sticker and often there were people standing in line to pay it. My advice is wait, wait until the initial excitement and fervor has calmed down to where you can negotiate a reasonable price. A couple of other considerations are the following: Some new models have bugs that may be worked out over the first three or four months and also if the sales aren’t what was expected the factory may come out with rebates which will save you big money.


From the standpoint of the best time of the month to buy, the end of the month you can usually get a better deal. The reason for this is that most dealers set quotas for their mangers and salespeople to meet and they will usually do whatever it takes to get the deal so they can meet their quota. Just be sure of the expiration of any incentives that may exist on the vehicle you are interested in.


Beware end of the year sales. Why do I say this? Most dealers are going to make the same amount on a car at the end of the year as they would at the beginning, unless you can practically steal the vehicle I don’t suggest buying at the end of the year when the next year’s models are coming in. You are getting a car that is already one year old, even though it may have no miles on it, it is still going to be worth thousands of dollars less immediately.


In general some time in the middle of the model year is the best time of the year to buy. If you want a really good deal don’t go looking on the weekend when the dealer is overflowing with customers. Go shopping late at night right before the dealer is going to close or go shopping when it is cold or rainy. When the customer traffic is slow, the dealer will do more to make the deal.

Gregg Hall is a business consultant and author for many online and offline businesses and lives in Navarre Florida with his 16 year old son. For quality car care products go to http://www.carcarewizards.com

What’s Your Favorite Car? by Jonathon Hardcastle

Have you ever wondered about the differences in the tastes of men and women when it comes to cars? Clearly, men prefer cars that look tough and masculine and ooze power while women prefer cars that are “cute” and stylish, right? Well, that’s true to a certain extent, according to a recent study on car ownership between the sexes. However, what may be surprising to some is that there are areas of common interest between men and women and that both actually share a liking for the same favorite cars.

According to registration records for new 2005 and 2006 car models (January 2006 to the present), men love luxurious, high performance cars, preferably with a horsepower of 367 or more. On the other hand, women prefer cars that are affordable, practical and safe. They also put a premium on design flair in their cars as evidenced by the popularity of the Eclipse Spyder convertible, which had the highest percentage of female registrants of any car on the market. The preferred horsepower for the women’s cars were way below the standards of men, with the top five models having only an average 172 hp compared to 367 hp in the men’s favorites. It was just like you expected, right?

It was interesting to see the Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder on top of the list of women’s favorite cars. If you take a good look at it, it does somehow seem like a feminine-looking car. But hold it. The Eclipse Spyder also happens to be the car of choice among 34.2% of male registrants. In fact, the study showed that registration records indicate that men sometimes buy feminine cars but women rarely purchase male-oriented, testosterone-fueled sports and luxury cars.
The thing is, what really makes a feminine car? I mean, I always considered the Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder to be a masculine car ever since I first saw it in the 2003 movie "2 Fast 2 Furious," particularly since it belonged to the angry, muscular ex-convict played by Tyrese Gibson.

The next popular cars for women were the Toyota RAV4 sport utility vehicle (SUV) and another Mitsubishi favorite, the hardtop Eclipse coupe. The men’s favorites were the Honda Acura NSX sports car and DaimlerChrysler's Mercedes-Benz S55 AMG performance sedan.

Jonathon Hardcastle writes articles on many topics including Automotive, Outdoors, and Recreation
Article Source:
http://www.articlerich.com


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