I have always purchased my cars used. And every single time, I got a great deal because of a few secrets that is easy to do.

These secrets will save you money. And the good news is there is no luck involved.

If you follow these steps you are guaranteed to save lots of money, so please pay attention.

BUYING A USED CAR Power Tip #1 - Check Consumer Reports on the safest cars out there. Looks are one thing, but never ignore safety.

Here’s what you do: Go to a reputable car repair shop and ask if you can bring the vehicle by for a look-over.

There is a 99% chance they will say “yes”.

While you’re there, ask what cars they have to repair most often. Also, ask what the inspection includes, how long it takes, and the price. Always get this information in writing - just to be safe.

Once the vehicle has been inspected, ask the mechanic for a written report with a cost estimate for all necessary repairs.

Be sure the report includes the vehicle’s make, model and VIN. If you decide to make an offer to the dealer after approving the inspection, you can use the estimated repair costs to negotiate the price of the vehicle.

Do you see how easy it is?

Are you going to purchase from an individual? If yes, then here is your next tip.

BUYING A USED CAR Power Tip #2

Remember, private sellers generally are not covered by the Used Car Rule and don’t have to use the Buyers Guide. However, you can use the Guide’s list of an auto’s major systems as a shopping tool.

It’s simple.

You can ask the seller if you can have the vehicle inspected by your mechanic. If he/she says no… beware. No matter how nice the car appears, something fishy is going on.

Now, a private sale likely will be on an “as is” basis, unless your purchase agreement with the seller specifically states otherwise. If you have a written contract, the seller has to live up to the contract.

The car also may be covered by a manufacturer’s warranty or a separately purchased service contract. But that doesn’t mean that the warranty and service contract are transferable.

Plus, other limits or costs may apply. Before you buy the car, ask if it’s still under warranty or service contract, and review that baby carefully.

Some states will require vehicle sellers to pass a vehicle inspection before a sale is made. That’s not always the case, though. To find out what your state requires, contact your state Attorney General’s office or a local consumer protection agency.

Hey, it’s just a phone call. And it will take less than 5 minutes.

Whether you end up buying a used car from a dealer, a co-worker, or a neighbor, follow these tips to learn as much as you can about the car:

BUYING A USED CAR Power Tip #3

Examine the car carefully yourself using an inspection checklist. You can find a checklist in many of the magazine articles, books and Internet sites that deal with buying a used car.

Once I bought a used car in August, and never thought to test the rear defroster. Guess what? Come November, I found out it didn’t work. If you’re shopping in the summer, don’t forget to check the heater. And if it’s cold as ice outside, still turn that air on full blast and make sure it works!

Test drive the car under varied road conditions–on hills, highways, and in stop-and-go traffic.

Ask for the car’s maintenance record. If the owner doesn’t have copies, contact the dealership or repair shop where most of the work was done. They may share their files with you.

Talk to the previous owner, especially if the present owner is unfamiliar with the car’s history.

Have the car inspected by a mechanic you hire.

There you go.

Follow those three “used car buying” tips and you are guaranteed to save a ton of money buying a used car.

About the author:

Charlie E. Hendersen is the author and creator of the FREE website: GetAnotherCar.com”>http://getanothercar.com”>GetAnotherCar.com A site dedicated to providing useful tips for buying and maintaining your car. -

Thinking Like a Cuban
Since this is an auto repair blog, not my personal podium for political commentary, I’ll skip talking about how stupid a Cuban embargo looks in the year 2010. But I do have an automotive angle. Since the trade embargo began in 1960, Cuba has become famous for its collection of classic American cars. It’s not that they have extremely rare cars, it’s that they managed to keep them running without any proper replacement parts for almost 50 years. That’s some feat, and it’s been accomplished by sheer determination on the part of die-hard Cuban auto enthusiasts. They are so proud of this achievement that the Cuban government has decided to recognize the so-called Yank Tanks that roam its streets by opening an automotive museum featuring many American cars kept alive in Cuba, including a 1905 Cadillac that was used until some time in the 1980s! My point is this: If Cuban mechanics can keep a 1905 Cadillac running without any parts to do it with, you can do anything you want to your car! All it takes is determination, confidence, and a quick trip to the auto parts store.

For more information on the Cuban automotive museum, The Dep sito, read this.

Thinking Like a Cuban originally appeared on About.com Auto Repair on Saturday, January 2nd, 2010 at 23:47:26.

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More Debate Over Tire Pressure

The debate over correct tire pressure never seems to cool. There are actually a few debates. Two favorites are the”tire pressure vs. gas mileage” debate and the “sidewall vs. door jamb” debate. A recent letter from Diana got me interested yet again in the latter argument:

Diana writes: I’m researching this and it seems there is a 50/50 agreement between the tire “experts”. 50 percent say look on side wall of tire and 50 percent say use car rating on inside door panel. I’ve used the inside of door panel rating and my tires wear on the outsides, which proves underinflation and this is evident on all 4 tires.

Aha! Now we have some evidence against the door jambers. If you think of the issue logically, it only makes sense that every tire is different, some vastly, and the tire manufacturer is going to know better what pressure is optimum. I think the info on the door jamb is only reliable if you use the exact tire your car came with every time you buy replacements. I know others of you see things differently — let the debate rage on!

More Debate Over Tire Pressure originally appeared on About.com Auto Repair on Tuesday, December 8th, 2009 at 01:06:19.

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Worst Body Work Ever?

Before today, if I’d been asked about the worst example of body work I’ve ever seen, I’d have been choosing between a few really, really bad Bondo jobs I’ve seen over the years. One poor Ford Fiesta I once knew had so much filler on the front end it looked like a clay pot coming at you. Records are made to be broken, and that Fiesta just got knocked off the block by a maroon conversion van. Wow. I’ll let the photo speak for itself, but I think you’ll agree that it’s some pretty low-quality work.

Don’t let your car or truck be the butt of jokes, learn how to do decent body work and you’ll save serious money at the body shop while keeping your car off blogs like this.

Worst Body Work Ever? originally appeared on About.com Auto Repair on Monday, November 30th, 2009 at 23:45:21.

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Do you remember the last speeding ticket that you received? Do you remember thinking that you should have had a radar detector? Do you remember thinking that you didn’t even know how to start looking or what to look for when getting one? Well, life just got a little easier; follow these tips when you decide you don’t want another speeding ticket to remember.

The internet is the best source of information for most people. There are a number of sites that offer expert testimony regarding the options and models that will best suit your specific needs and budget.

An interesting fact to keep in mind when deciding whether to purchase a radar detector, there are over 100,000 radar detectors in use by law enforcement everyday in this country. That number is steadily climbing by approximately 20,000 more every year. Are these odds that you want to be up against the next time you are speeding?

Price is also a consideration for most people. However, the old adage, you get what you pay for, is incredibly true in the case of radar detectors. When you think about the money that is spent when you get a speeding ticket (the cost of the ticket, time away from work to pay for it, increased insurance costs, etc), it is worth it for most people to spend the extra money to buy a high quality radar detector. That being said, most detectors can be found starting at around $90.00.

Do you remember the last speeding ticket that you received? Do you remember thinking that you should have had a radar detector? Do you remember thinking that you didn’t even know how to start looking or what to look for when getting one? Well, life just got a little easier; follow these tips when you decide you don’t want another speeding ticket to remember.

About the author:

#EANF# -

Want Your Body Repair to be Green?

It’s amazing to me how many Americans are embracing the concept of Green living. We’re not only recycling, but it seems more and more people are starting to make regular decisions based on their impact on the environment. I think it’s great! Well, unless it means I can’t drive my vintage cars anymore, I’ll jump teams for that. But in the spirit of a more Green lifestyle, I think it’s always a good idea to consider Mother Earth when we have the chance. Repairing your car after it suffers body or paint damage is a good opportunity to make a Green decision. Auto painting is traditionally an environmentally unfriendly process. Chemicals in the paint are very hard on the atmosphere. With no alternative, body shops are forced to make the sacrifice and minimize the harm done by incorporating expensive filtration systems and efficient use of materials. Even then auto painting is an environmental disaster. Thankfully, we now have a Green alternative for painting your car. Newly adopted water-based paints are making a huge difference in the environmental impact of auto painting. Brands like PPG’s Envirobase auto paint provide the same paint quality your car came with without the headache. If you’re having body work or paint repair done on your car, make it a Green repair and find a shop who uses a water-based paint exclusively.

Want Your Body Repair to be Green? originally appeared on About.com Auto Repair on Wednesday, December 16th, 2009 at 22:18:58.

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Is some maintenance unnecessary?
We all know how important it is to keep up with our car or truck’s regular maintenance. Without the attention it needs, your vehicle will surely fail you sooner than it should. Oil changes are a given maintenance procedure, but what about some of the less common jobs? Are they necessary or just a way for repair shops and auto parts stores to get a few more dollars out of your pocket? The debates over necessary or unnecessary maintenance procedures have been raging for as long as cars have been on the road. Every mechanic and do-it-yourself car owner has an opinion about what cars need and how often they need it. So what maintenance fits into the don’t-need-it category? I’ll throw the first one out there — the chassis lube. Most cars made in the past few decades have almost nothing to lubricate chassis-wise. The cars’ aren’t even built the way they were back in the chassis lube days!

What maintenance do you see as unnecessary? Engine flushes? 3000-mile oil changes? Let me know!

Is some maintenance unnecessary? originally appeared on About.com Auto Repair on Saturday, December 5th, 2009 at 21:03:43.

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Fun With Car Myths
One of my fellow About.com Guides, Cars Guide Aaron Gold, has a funny blog entry going on common car myths. It’s worth checking out, and adding to if you have any of your own. You can see it here.

Fun With Car Myths originally appeared on About.com Auto Repair on Thursday, November 26th, 2009 at 22:16:22.

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Many of us have been at the car dealership and have been drained by a salesperson during price negotiations for the purchase of a new car. Most people give in too easily or do not negotiate at all to avoid the dreadful act. This only means more money in the car dealers pocket, while you are out of several thousand dollars! Yes, they make that much in profit per car.

This article unveils the dealer s selling tactics and how you can get around them. But before we dive into the new car buying tips, we need to understand what makes up the dealer s profits.

In addition to the MSRP (manufacturer suggested retail price), which is the dealer s cost for the car plus an additional 20-25% profit, a dealer also gets financial incentives from the manufacturer when a new car is sold. This is called Holdback.

Depending on the car, dealers can make hundreds on each car through holdbacks. Dealers also get additional incentives and bonuses on selling a car before the end of the month and/or quarter.

A shrewd dealer can make several thousand on a new car even by selling it at invoice price. This is how new car buying can become tricky for the consumer.

Ready to learn how not to put a dent in your wallet on your next car purchase? Here are four tips to get you started. Each one is a dealer tactic to watch out for.

1. The Guilt Trip

As you may have noticed, every desk in a dealership has photos of the salesperson s family, instead of photos of cars. Midway in the negotiation, the sales person will bring them up and make it look like his little commission check can hardly pay for his daughters college and little Bradley s braces.

A seasoned salesperson will soon have you feeling guilty for driving the price down and hurting his commission. Watch out not to fall for this tactic, since you already know about holdbacks and incentive programs from manufacturers.

2. Wearing You Down

Come prepared to spend half a day at the dealership or pay whatever the dealer asks for. Car Dealers are trained to delay and tire you out to the point where you give in and accept their price just to get out of there.

After you make your offer, sales people typically claim they would have to run it by their manager. You may then have to re-start negotiating with the manager, who is also a seasoned salesperson. This dance goes on for a while until you give in.

Remember, there are multiple dealerships in a city, so they need you more than you need them. Demand to speak to the manager after a certain time period or threaten to leave.

Because you are devoting a lot of time to bargain with the dealer, they know you are a serious buyer, so they will not let you leave. The earlier you can speak with the manager, the faster you can leave.

3. The Test Drive

We all enjoy a good test drive and look forward to it. Although it is essential to test drive a car before you buy it, remember to not show your absolute love for the car to the salesperson. Their goal is to get you emotionally attached to the car, so it becomes a must have for you. I have learned it the hard way.

To hide your emotional tears from the salesperson, mention the features of a competing car in the same class, like the new shape, light, leg room, resale value etc. This will make the salesperson a little vulnerable.

4. Monthly Payments

This one is to confuse you. Dealers will start talking about monthly payments rather than the total price of the car. They will start by asking how much you are willing to pay per month and how much of a down payment you are willing to pay. Since people don t want to look like they cannot afford a certain car, they will usually give a higher number. Big Mistake!

You have left little room for negotiation when this happens. Always steer the conversation to the total price of the car and do NOT mention any trade-ins at this point. Only after the total price of the vehicle is completely negotiated then talk about interest, monthly payment and trade-ins.

General Rule;

As a general rule, remember to only focus and negotiate on the Total Price of the vehicle. Everything else is pretty much the car dealer s trough.

If the above new car buying tips seem like a lot of hassle, yet you still want to get the best price in town, there are some websites that do this for you. www.autoauctionbids.com for example is a great website for this because you can collect price quotes from multiple local dealers for a particular car as well as its competing car models (like Honda Accord, Toyota Camry and Ford Taurus) and compare them.

The website then allows you to send back the lowest quotes received for each car make to all participating dealers in your area through the website itself.

Dealers view this price and continue to submit new lower prices over a 3 day period. By putting local car dealers in such a price competition allows you to avoid the dreadful face to face negotiation and yet gets you the lowest price in town for up to 3 competing car makes.

The best part about AutoAuctionBids.com is that it is absolutely free for you and there is no obligation to buy after the new car auction is over.

About The Author

Chris Fox

For more information on cars and car auction visit http://cheap-car-auction-portal.com. -

Worst Body Work Ever?

Before today, if I’d been asked about the worst example of body work I’ve ever seen, I’d have been choosing between a few really, really bad Bondo jobs I’ve seen over the years. One poor Ford Fiesta I once knew had so much filler on the front end it looked like a clay pot coming at you. Records are made to be broken, and that Fiesta just got knocked off the block by a maroon conversion van. Wow. I’ll let the photo speak for itself, but I think you’ll agree that it’s some pretty low-quality work.

Don’t let your car or truck be the butt of jokes, learn how to do decent body work and you’ll save serious money at the body shop while keeping your car off blogs like this.

Worst Body Work Ever? originally appeared on About.com Auto Repair on Monday, November 30th, 2009 at 23:45:21.

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More Debate Over Tire Pressure

The debate over correct tire pressure never seems to cool. There are actually a few debates. Two favorites are the”tire pressure vs. gas mileage” debate and the “sidewall vs. door jamb” debate. A recent letter from Diana got me interested yet again in the latter argument:

Diana writes: I’m researching this and it seems there is a 50/50 agreement between the tire “experts”. 50 percent say look on side wall of tire and 50 percent say use car rating on inside door panel. I’ve used the inside of door panel rating and my tires wear on the outsides, which proves underinflation and this is evident on all 4 tires.

Aha! Now we have some evidence against the door jambers. If you think of the issue logically, it only makes sense that every tire is different, some vastly, and the tire manufacturer is going to know better what pressure is optimum. I think the info on the door jamb is only reliable if you use the exact tire your car came with every time you buy replacements. I know others of you see things differently — let the debate rage on!

More Debate Over Tire Pressure originally appeared on About.com Auto Repair on Tuesday, December 8th, 2009 at 01:06:19.

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