Description of your blog http://yourdomain/blog Thu, 12 Feb 2009 10:36:28 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://yourdomain/blog http://yourdomain/blog/index.php?entryid=25


Bugatti Veyron $1,700,000



The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 is the most powerful, most expensive, and fastest street-legal production car in the world, with a proven top speed of over 400 km/h (407 km/h or 253 mph). It reached full production in September 2005. The car is built by Volkswagen AG subsidiary Bugatti Automobiles SAS and is sold under the legendary Bugatti marque. It is named after racing driver Pierre Veyron, who won the 24 hours of Le Mans in 1939 while racing for the original Bugatti firm. The Veyron features a W16 engine—16 cylinders in 4 banks of 4 cylinders.







According to Volkswagen, the final production Veyron engine produces between 1020 and 1040 metric hp (1006 to 1026 SAE net hp), so the car will be advertised as producing "1001 horsepower" in both the US and European markets. This easily makes it the most powerful production road-car engine in history.



Ferrari Enzo $1,000,000







The Enzo Ferrari, sometimes referred to as the the Ferrari Enzo and also F60 is a 12-cylinder Ferrari supercar named after the company's founder, Enzo Ferrari. It was built in 2003 using Formula One technology, such as a carbon-fiber body, F1-style sequential shift transmission, and carbon-ceramic brake discs. Also used are technologies not allowed in F1 such as active aerodynamics. After a maximum downforce of 1709 pounds (775 kg) is reached at 186 mph (301 km/h) the rear spoiler is actuated by computer to maintain that downforce.



Pagani Zonda C12 F $741,000









The Zonda C12 F debuted at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show. It is the most extensive reengineering of the Pagani car yet, though it shares much with its predecessors including the 7.3 L V12. Power is increased to 602 PS (443 kW/594 hp) with a special clubsport model producing 650 PS (478 kW/641 hp). The company promises a 3.2 second sprint to 60 mph (97 km/h, a top speed over 374 km/h (225 mph) and it will be the queen in braking from 300 km/h to 0 (186 mph to 0). The Zonda F clubsport has a power to weight ratio of 521 bhp/ton (384 W/kg) . Compare, for example, the Enzo Ferrari which has a power to weight ratio of 483 bhp/ton (356 W/kg).





Koenigsegg CCX $600,910







The Koenigsegg CCX is the latest supercar from Koenigsegg. CCX is an abbreviation for Competition Coupe X. The X commemorates the 10th anniversary of the completion and test drive of the first CC vehicle in 1996. The CCX is intended to be more suitable for the U.S. market and thus engineered to comply with US regulations. The CCX is powered by a Koenigsegg designed and assembled, all aluminium, 4700 cm³ DOHC 32-valve V8 based on the Ford Modular engine architecture enhanced with twin Rotrex centrifugal superchargers with response system, 1.2 bar boost pressure and an 8.2:1 compression ratio. The engine produces 806 hp (601 kW) and 678 lbf.ft (920 Nm) on 91 octane (U.S. rating) gasoline, 850 hp (634 kW) on 96 octane (Euro rating) gasoline and 900 hp (671 kW) on biofuel.



Porsche Carrera GT $484,000







The Porsche Carrera GT is a supercar, manufactured by Porsche of Germany. The Carrera GT is powered by an all-new 5.7 litre V10 engine producing 612 SAE horsepower (450 kW). Porsche claims it will accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (62.5 mph) in 3.9 seconds and has a maximum speed of 330 km/h (206 mph), although road tests indicated that in actuality the car could accelerate from 0-60 in under 3.5 seconds and to 0-100 in 6.8 seconds and has a top speed of 335-340km/h (209-212.5mph).



Mercedes SLR McLaren $455,500







The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren is a sports car and supercar automobile co-developed by DaimlerChrysler and McLaren Cars. It is assembled at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, England. Most people presume "SLR" to stand for "Sportlich, Leicht, Rennsport" (German for "Sport; Light; Racing"). The car's base price is £300,000 or $455,500. The SLR has a supercharged 5.5 (5439cc) litre dry sumped 90 degree V8. It produces 466.8 kW at 6500rpm (626 hp) and 780 N·m (575 ft·lbf) torque at 3250 - 5000 rpm.



Maybach 62 $385,250







The Maybach 57 and 62 were the first automobile models of the Maybach brand since the brand's revival by DaimlerChrysler. They are derived from the Mercedes-Benz Maybach concept car presented at the 1997 Tokyo Motorshow (which was based on the Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedan). DaimlerChrysler attempted to buy the Rolls-Royce/Bentley marque when Vickers offered the company up for sale. When this attempt failed (they were outbid by BMW and Volkswagen respectively) they introduced the Maybach as a direct challenger in 2002. Both models are variants of the same ultra-luxurious automobile. The model numbers reflect the respective lengths of the automobiles in decimetres; the 57 is more likely to be owner-driven while the longer 62 is designed with a chauffeur in mind. The engine is a Mercedes-sourced 5.5-liter twin-turbo V12, generating 550 hp.



Rolls-Royce Phantom $320,000







The Rolls-Royce Phantom is a luxury saloon automobile made by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, a BMW subsidiary. It was launched in 2003 and is the first Rolls-Royce model made under the ownership of BMW. It has a 6.8 L, 48-valve, V12 engine that produces 453 hp (338 kW) and 531 ft·lbf (720 N·m) of torque. The engine is derived from BMW's existing V12 powerplant. It is 1.63 m (63 in) tall, 1.99 m (74.8 in) wide, 5.83 m (228 in) long, and weighs 2485 kg (5478 lb). The body of the car is built on an aluminium spaceframe and the Phantom can accelerate to 60 mph (100 km/h) in 5.7 s.



Lamborghini Murcielago $279,900







The Lamborghini Murciélago is a GT and supercar automobile made by Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. and designed by Luc Donckerwolke. It was introduced in 2002 as the successor to the Diablo. The body style is a two door, two seat coupé. The LP640 version was introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in March of 2006. It features a 6.5 L engine, now producing 640 bhp, improving performance substantially. There were also a few minor external changes, primarily to the low air intakes.



Aston Martin Vanquish $255,000







The Aston Martin V12 Vanquish is a supercar manufactured by Aston Martin since 2001. It rose to fame after being featured as the official James Bond car in Die Another Day, the twentieth James Bond film. In the film, the Vanquish has the usual Bond film embellishments, including active camouflage which rendered the vehicle virtually invisible. The Vanquish is powered by a 5.9 L (5935 cc) 48-valve 60° V12 engine, which produces 343 kW (460 hp) and 542 N·m (400 ft·lbf) of torque. It is controlled by a fly-by-wire throttle and a 6 speed 'paddle shift' or semi-automatic transmission. A special V12 Vanquish S debuted at the 2004 Paris Auto Show with the power upped to 388 kW (520 hp) and 577 N·m (426 ft·lbf).]]> charlie@gmail.com Articles http://yourdomain/blog/index.php?entryid=25 Tue, 13 Mar 2007 05:02:38 +0100 http://yourdomain/blog/index.php?entryid=24
CR Good Bet: Toyota Prius $20,000-$24,000

The response to our 2005 Annual Subscriber Survey was overwhelming. We received responses on more than 1 million vehicles. Because of that, our data paints a more expansive reliability picture than ever before.



This year 62 models made our CR Good Bets list of typically reliable models that have performed well in our road tests, compared with 54 last year.



Our 2005 list of CR Bad Bets, models that are considered especially risky buys and that have exhibited several years of below-average reliability, has 34 models.



CR Good Bets and CR Bad Bets are based on our larger lists of Reliable used cars and Used cars to avoid (available to ConsumerReports.org subscribers). These comprehensive lists give you a rundown of all the models that were found, from our data, to be above or below average in reliability. Owners reported on any serious problems they had had with their cars, minivans, SUVs, and pickup trucks in the previous year.



CR Good Bets

The best of both worlds



These are models that have performed well in Consumer Reports road tests over the years and have proved to have several or more years of better-than-average Used Car Verdict. They are listed alphabetically.





Acura Integra

Acura MDX

Acura RL

Acura RSX

Acura TL

BMW Z3, Z4

Buick Regal

Chevrolet Prizm

Ford Crown Victoria

Ford Escort

Mustang (V8)

Honda Accord

Honda Civic

Honda Civic Hybrid

Honda CR-V

Honda Element

Honda Odyssey

Honda Pilot

Honda Prelude

Honda S2000

Infiniti FX35 (V6)

Infiniti G20





    Infiniti G35

Infiniti I30, I35

Infiniti QX4

Lexus ES300, ES330

Lexus GS300/GS400, GS430

Lexus IS300

Lexus GX470

Lexus LS400, LS430

Lexus RX300, RX330

Lincoln Town Car

Mazda Millenia

Mazda MX-5 Miata

Mazda Protegé

Mercury Grand Marquis

Mitsubishi Galant

Nissan Altima

Nissan Maxima

Nissan Murano

Nissan Pathfinder

Pontiac Vibe



    Subaru Forester

Subaru Impreza

Subaru Impreza

WRX, STi

Subaru Legacy

Subaru Outback

Toyota 4Runner

Toyota Avalon

Toyota Camry

Toyota Camry Solara

Toyota Celica

Toyota Corolla

Toyota Echo

Toyota Highlander

Toyota Land Cruiser

Toyota Matrix

Toyota Prius

Toyota RAV4

Toyota Sequoia

Toyota Sienna

Toyota Tundra













CR Bad Bets



These models from the Used Cars to Avoid list have shown multiple years of much-worse-than-average Used Car Verdicts. They have regularly shown more problems than most models each production year.



BMW 7 Series

BMW X5 (V8)

Chevrolet Astro

Chevrolet Blazer

Chevrolet Express 1500

Chevrolet S-10 (4WD)

Chevrolet TrailBlazer

Chevrolet Venture

Chrysler Town & Country (AWD)

Dodge Grand Caravan (AWD)

GMC Envoy

GMC Jimmy

GMC Safari

GMC Savana 1500

GMC Sonoma (4WD)

Jaguar S-Type

Jaguar X-Type



        Kia Sedona

Land Rover Discovery

Lincoln LS

Lincoln Navigator

Mercedes-Benz CLK

Mercedes-Benz E-Class (V8)

Oldsmobile Alero

Oldsmobile Bravada

Oldsmobile Silhouette

Pontiac Aztek

Pontiac Trans Sport/Montana

Saturn Vue (AWD)

Volkswagen Cabrio

Volkswagen Jetta

Volkswagen New Beetle

Volkswagen Passat Wagon (V6)

Volvo XC90









About these lists

The lists are compiled from overall reliability data covering 1998-2005 models with better-than-average or much-worse-than-average reliability. CR Good Bets and CR Bad Bets include only the models for which we have sufficient data for at least three model years. Models that were brand new in 2004 or 2005 do not appear. Problems with the engine, engine cooling, transmission, and drive system were weighted more heavily than other problems.
]]> charlie@gmail.com Articles http://yourdomain/blog/index.php?entryid=24 Tue, 13 Mar 2007 04:48:19 +0100 http://yourdomain/blog/index.php?entryid=23 ]]> test@yahoo.com Tips http://yourdomain/blog/index.php?entryid=23 Tue, 13 Mar 2007 03:52:15 +0100 http://yourdomain/blog/index.php?entryid=22


By using resources readily available on the internet, you can totally turn the tables on Car Dealers and finally make your car buying experience easy ... and yes ... even enjoyable. You can actually be the one doling out the novacaine and telling the Dealership to "rinse and spit".



One: Start By Shopping From Home. No salesman is required. Eliminate the high pressure sales pitch and the possible steering towards a vehicle the Dealer needs to sell as opposed to one that suits your needs much better. And in effect, you're pitting one Dealer against another to find the best deal.



Two: Know Prices. For used cars, use Kelley Blue Book. While Kelley Blue Book doesn't check actual Dealer prices to determine current values, their mathmatical formulas will give you a ballpark figure which is good to know. Sometimes they're high and sometimes they're low, but overall they are usually pretty close to retail values. And again, having checked actual prices at AutoTrader and other sites, you'll have a firm grasp of what would be an excellent price to pay.



Three: Try To Buy Towards The End Of The Month. Yes, most Dealerships have aggressive monthly quotas and the last few days are often "make or break" time. Because certain bonuses and incentives may kick in, they are much more likely to take a "get it off the lot right now" attitude. This can lead to a much more receptive response to your low offer.



Four: Phone The Dealer. Don't go there in person ... yet. Pave the way with a phone call. Get a Salesperson on the phone and explain that you will buy their car within 48 hours assuming a mutual agreement is reached. Do the same at 2 or 3 Dealerships and negotiate your price exclusively on the phone. Tell them you don't want to waste your time or theirs but you're a serious buyer fully prepared to purchase. Let them know you're doing the same at several other Dealerships and you're simply going with the best deal. You'll find you come to an agreement in a matter of hours, certainly with 24 hours if you do this just before the month ends.



Five: Don't Pay Dealer Fees. Explain that you won't pay Dealer Fees of any kind. You'll pay the vehicle price plus tax and tag only. We see Dealers who routinely add on $200 to $1,200 in extra fees on every car they sell, new or used. "Prep Fees", "Destination Charges", "Processing Fees" and all sorts of crazy things. These are nonsense add-ons and pure profit for the Dealers. Even those Dealers with smaller fees of $195 to $500 are padding their wallets at your expense. Don't fall for it when they say, "Everyone has to pay them".



Six: Ask For More Information. When buying a used car, ask that the car's CarFax or AutoCheck History Report be emailed or faxed to you. Any reputable Dealer will provide it at their own expense, so there's no reason for you to have to shell out for it. You want to make sure from the outset that this is not a vehicle that's been in a serious accident, flood damaged, designated as a Lemon and so forth. Also ask that pictures of any dents, dings, scratches and blemishes be emailed to you. Ask if they've had the car mechanically inspected and if so, get a copy of the report. If not, why not?



Seven: Now Go To The Dealership. Okay, you've come to a very advantageous price agreement and everything about the vehicle appears excellent. Now it's almost time to close your deal. Go drive the car and kick the tires. Make sure you enjoy the drive and the vehicle is indeed in as good condition as you were led to believe ... at least as far as you can tell. If everything looks good, put a deposit ($100 to $500 should be sufficient) to hold the car, contingent on it passing a third party Mechanical Inspection.



Eight: Get An Independent Mechanical Inspection. Not everything gets reported on CarFax. Nor is a car in excellent condition just because it appears to drive well. It's very important to have the vehicle independently inspected on your own. What if there's frame damage? What if there are signs the transmission is about to go?



Nine: Always Be Willing To Walk Away. Hey, there's lot of cars out there. Unless everything goes just the way you want, walk away from the deal. It's got to be a great car at a great price or simply don't buy it. Don't get emotionally attached to the car. The Dealer will not want to lose the sale. They will sense from your attitude that you mean business and it's extremely likely they will do what they have to to get that car off the lot. There's nothing a Dealer hates more than a "close but no cigar" ending, especially when they know you've left to go someplace else to buy the very same day.



Ten: The Only One Getting Root Canal Was The Dealer. Assuming the inspection was favorable, you're ready to buy the car (if the inspection found some minor problems, ask them to have them fixed prior to delivery ... at their expense, of course). When you're satisfied, make an appointment to come in and do the paperwork. Explain that you have an appointment across town and you'll need to be in and out in 20 minutes. Otherwise, you won't be able to finalize things for a few days. Again, they need this sale this month, not next. They'll have you flying through the process to make it happen.



You've been in control during the entire process. You've called every shot and got exactly what you want. In fact, when you walk into the Sales Manager's office to do the closing, say, "Open wide. This won't hurt a bit".]]> test@yahoo.com Articles http://yourdomain/blog/index.php?entryid=22 Tue, 13 Mar 2007 03:48:57 +0100 http://yourdomain/blog/index.php?entryid=21


Taking A Free Service To The Next Level:



Okay, this is really good and works like a charm. And it's incredibly easy ... taking less than two minutes of your time. Sound too good to be true? Well, it's not and smart new car buyers are doing it all the time. You can even test it out yourself even if you're not interested in buying a car right now as a sort of "dry run" for when the time is right for you.



Bear with me for a few paragraphs because I need to explain the background for this technique first.



It's based on a free service we've all probably seen before. Then we're going to add a simple, but incredibly effective, "twist" that turns seasoned Car Dealerships into jello ... and gets you the best possible purchase price.



This Is How It Works Without The Twist:



It's very likely that you've seen "new car quote" services on the big automotive sites such as Automotive.com, Cars.com, Edmunds.com and many others. You know, "Tell us what new car you want to purchase and you will receive competitive quotes from multiple area Dealers" ... or something along these lines.



That's all fine and dandy. Dealers want your business and know you're getting offers from their competitors. They don't want to lose the sale so they give you a very good price in order to be the winner.



Theoretically, what then happens is the car buyer looks at the bids, goes to the Dealership who won the competition, does the paperwork and drives home in their new car.



By itself, this is a very legitimate way of getting a "good" deal ... much better than shopping at a Dealership and hoping you can negotiate something good. Afterall, it's good to have Dealers competing for your business.



But we're not interested in "good". We're interested in "great" ... or even "crazy".



This Is How It Works WITH The Twist:



In order to get the quotes (I'll tell you where in a moment), you're going to have to submit your email address and phone number. Don't worry about giving your phone number. This is a part of this strategy that pays off in a big way, as you will see. But make your "contact preference" email.



You've invested less than 2 minutes of your time (probably about 30 seconds, actually). It's been free and you are under absolutely no obligation of any kind.



So, let's say you now have 3 or 4 bids. The prices already look good to you based on the new car prices you've seen on Autotrader and so forth. But now, you take this a step further.



Why should you accept ANY of these bids? There's no reason to even go with the lowest bidder. Why? Because you can easily make them go still lower.



Here's how:



You'll likely receive follow-up phone calls from the Dealerships. They'll say something like,



    "So we gave you an incredible price. When would you like to come in for delivery?"



Your response, nomatter how low the bid, should always be,



    "Sorry, while I really want to buy this car, I'm afraid your bid takes you out of the running. If you want to make another offer today, I'll look at it."



Say this (or email it if you don't get a phone call) to every bidder. Trust me, they WANT this sale and you'll now get a new round of even lower offers.



If a Dealer says there's no way any other Dealer can be underselling his price and he wants to see the lower offer in writing, don't play his game. Instead say,



    "Look it. I'm pretty happy with the price I've been given. Put yourself in my place. If I give it to you, you'll undercut it by $50 and then I have to go back to him and he'll undercut you by $50 and it turns into a real pain for me. All I can tell you is that if you want to send me another offer, I'll definitely consider it. It's up to you".



You'll either get another offer, or the Dealer will drop out. And when a Dealer drops out, you know you were really getting their best price ... the strategy was working.



The last Dealer standing gets the sale. And believe me, it will be at an outstanding price following this process.]]> test@yahoo.com Articles http://yourdomain/blog/index.php?entryid=21 Tue, 13 Mar 2007 03:43:43 +0100 http://yourdomain/blog/index.php?entryid=20


When you're buying a used car, reliability, quality and dependability are a critically important factor to evaluate. After all, you want to avoid the expense, hassle and lost time of a car sitting in a repair shop all too often.



The problem is that real hard and objective data is hard to come by. This isn't information the car manufacturers readily share in a comprehensive way. Perhaps they're a little "sensitive" about it.



Well, in a new study on the reliability and repair records of 3 - 9 year-old automobiles by Warranty Direct, released in February (2007), we're given some real objective comparisons ... and over such a large number of vehicles that it's being touted as the largest study of its kind.



You see, this company is a huge underwriter of used car warranties. They cover over 450,000 vehicles in the United States and the United Kingdom which include 33 different manufacturers.



All they had to do was tabulate their claim records. And what can be more authentic than real people, putting mileage on real cars and encountering real problems ... and having them reported?



Here's The Car Rating Results:



The results show the number of failures reported for every 100 vehicles (3 -9 years-old) covered by Warranty Direct’s policies.



And just so you understand what the numbers mean: Mazda, with a score of 8.04%, would mean that nearly 92 percent of the Mazda cars covered experienced no mechanical failure of any kind ... pretty darn good.



# 1. Mazda - 8.04%

# 2. Honda - 8.90%

# 3. Toyota - 15.78%

# 4. Mitsubishi - 17.04%

# 5. Kia - 17.39%

# 6. Subaru - 18.46%

# 7. Nissan - 18.86%

# 8. Lexus - 20.05%

# 9. Mini - 21.90%

# 10. Citroen - 25.98%

# 11. Daewoo - 26.30%

# 12. Hyundai - 26.36%

# 13. Peugeot - 26.59%

# 14. Ford - 26.76%

# 15. Suzuki - 27.20%

# 16. Porsche - 27.48%

# 17. Fiat - 28.49%

# 18. BMW - 28.64%

# 19. Vauxhall - 28.77%

# 20. Mercedes-Benz - 29.90%

# 21. Rover - 30.12%

# 22. Volvo - 31.28%

# 23. Volkswagen - 31.44%

# 24. Jaguar - 32.05%

# 25. Skoda - 32.12%

# 26. Chrysler - 34.90%

# 27. Audi - 36.74%

# 28. Seat - 36.87%

# 29. Renault - 36.87%

# 30. Alfa Romeo - 39.13%

# 31. Saab - 41.59%

# 32. Land Rover - 44.21%

# 33. Jeep - 46.36%



Any Real Surprises?



Perhaps some eyebrows rise seeing Mazda at #1. But I have to say, we were only "pleasantly surprised".



In our 4-plus years of turning the car business upside down, we've sold far more Mazdas than Toyota or Honda models. We were just always impressed with them, particularly when comparing prices. Thought they were a lot of car at an affordable price and our customers have had nothing but good experiences. Well, I guess now the rest of the world knows.



How about Kia at #5? Yes, we've considered them a rising star for some time now. Look for more good news from them going forward ... and Hyundai as well.



How about poorer ratings for some of the luxury cars such as BMW and Mercedes? Well, this really shouldn't shock anyone. There's a lot of life in these brands, but higher maintanence costs have always come with them.



It's too bad we don't see American car makers in the top 10. But again, that's still no surprise (although I thought Chrysler would have done better). But we think this could be changing in the not too distant future.



We see the American manufacturers making strides in this area. Also having some positives to share is Consumer Reports, who recently reported in its 2006 Annual Car Reliability Survey that the Fusion and Milan outscored the Honda Accord V6 and Toyota Camry V6 in predicted reliability.



The Zephyr also did very well in the upscale cars category, scoring just behind the Lexus ES350. Some other domestics also did well, including the Buick Lucerne, Cadillac DTS, Chevy Tahoe, GMC Yukon and Pontiac Vibe.



Note that we don't see GM (or Acura) among the 33 manufacturers listed above. I don't know why. Perhaps Warranty Direct does not have warranties for those makes.



At any rate, hope this proves useful.]]> test@yahoo.com Articles http://yourdomain/blog/index.php?entryid=20 Tue, 13 Mar 2007 03:41:28 +0100 http://yourdomain/blog/index.php?entryid=19


Dealers Had To Adapt Or Perish:



I found this solid resource recently and thought I'd pass it along. You see, I just don't think over 99% of car buyers really understand what is going on at a car Dealership ... and they're leaving big bucks on the table they should be saving. And I mean BIG bucks.



This is despite thinking they're smart and informed buyers ... and even despite being convinced they got a great deal. I'm afraid that unless someone is an "insider" who works in Sales at a Car Dealership, they're really no match for what's really going on below the surface.



Here's why ...



Car Dealers Faced A Big Problem:



You see, roughly in the 2000 to 2002 time frame, Dealers were taking a hit from a new breed of "smart" internet car shopper. People were using Kelley Blue Book and getting invoice prices, ratings and so forth on the internet. This was helping them get much better deals.



But, as you may well know, the car industry is BIG business. In fact, it's second only to the real estate industry. And these guys are pros. No way were they going to take this lying down.



So, by necessity, they evolved. They needed to be able to counter all this information car buyers were bringing in with them. And evolve they have.



Unless you're some kind of "insider", they can now easily handle the retail or trade-in value from Kelley Blue Book you're waving in their face. And as far as the invoice price you got from edmunds.com, or some other site? Piece of cake for them to prove that it's just not accurate, even though it may well be.



The wealth of information available to literally anyone on the internet raised the bar for the Dealers. And being the multi-billion dollar industry they are ... with incredible financial resources and highly paid, Madison Avenue marketing talent ... they sure weren't simply going to sit back and say ...



"Sure, we'll sell it to you for the invoice price you have there." Or, "You have Kelley Blue Book? That's fine, we'll accept that."



Of course, this just doesn't happen. There's too much money involved. They have risen to the occasion to maintain their lean, mean selling machine.



A Warning: The Dealers Have Adapted



The problem is that nomatter how "smart" or how "informed" a car buyer thinks he or she is, the Dealers are prepared to expertly counter just about everything thrown at them.



And unless you know how they are going to handle you and your "smart buying tactics", I'm afraid it's quite unlikely you'll ever get the "great deal". You may think you have as you're driving your car home, but no ... you'll probably have paid $1,000 to $3,000 more than you had to.



In fact, you may not even fully understand what you REALLY paid.



How Ready For You Are They?



Just think about this for a second:



You buy a car what ... maybe once every two or three years, if that? Well, they go through this exact routine everyday ... all day. They're pros. They've seen it all, nomatter how "smart" you think you are, they've seen it hundreds and hundreds of times.



Some Things To Consider:



What do you do when they produce an invoice with a much higher price than the one you got on the internet?



What do you do when they logically and convincingly ridicule the Kelley Blue Book value you brought with you?



Do you know what "4-Square" is? And even if you do, do you know how to deal with it?



Do you know what "Dealer Cash" is, as opposed to "Holdback? And again, how do you use this information to get your price even lower?



How about the "Hit Figure? "Going For A Bump? "Using Leg? "Packed Payment? And on and on.



Even if you're one of the few who know what these things are, can you recognize them in action and keep the Dealers playing by your rules, not theirs?



If it's not one method, it's another. They've probably got close to a dozen ways to skin your cat.



I Recently Found Some "Inside" Help That I Believe Solves This Problem:



Since I seem to be asking a lot of questions here, here's another: Do you think it would payoff to have a Car Dealership General Manager in your hip pocket (working FOR YOU) on your car purchase?



And I'm talking about a "General Manager". Not a salesperson. Not a Sales Manager. Not a Desk Manager.



I'm talking about the person who runs the show ... the person who leads and controls the salespeople, the managers, the finance department ... everyone. I'm talking about the most important person in the operations of the Dealership who calls all the shots and answers to no one but the owner.



I know A Car Dealer GM Who Resigned And Became A Consumer Advocate:



Yes, he was a car seller extroadinaire. In fact, he was so good he rose to become the General Manager of a thriving Dealership. Just my opinion, but I think he wouldn't be a bad guy to have on your side.



The good news is that he's walked away from "the darkside". And he's written extensively about how Dealers counter everything smart, internet-savvy car buyers throw at them.



Even with my own four years in this business trying to help people save money, I have to admit I learned that there were some things I still didn't have a clue about.



My own opinion is that this is the kind of information that should save car buyers an additional $1,000 to $3,000 over what they thought was a great deal ... and truly get the absolute best deal.



And to me, this was the kicker ...



He'll Also Serve As Your Personal Car Buying Coach:



I thought this was really unique. After going through all the material, if you like, he'll personally guide you through your next car purchase. You just contact him and he'll take you through the whole process. Questions along the way? Yep, just let him know.



This is what I meant about having a General Manager in your hip pocket.



When I came across this, I immediately paid the 29 bucks ... even though part of me wondered if it might be too good to be true, despite all the testimonials. But happily, I discovered he is the real deal. He uncovers everything discussed above ... and much more.



I spent the rest of the afternoon reading the downloadable book. Couldn't put it down, in fact. I found it just loaded with all the inside info. And as I said, I was fascinated by the stuff even I didn't know.



I haven't even gotten to the videos yet (other stuff too).



I've also had several email conversations with him as a followup. He's very friendly, accessible, straight forward and extremely sharp. Turns out he's been doing this for over two years. The bottom line is that I think he's providing a service people don't even realize they need.]]> test@yahoo.com Articles http://yourdomain/blog/index.php?entryid=19 Tue, 13 Mar 2007 03:39:02 +0100 http://yourdomain/blog/index.php?entryid=17




It seems like the vast majority of people take little interest in their auto insurance. Well, they're flushing money down the toilet. It may be boring, but spending a few minutes here to review the key factors will put hundreds of dollars into your pocket. Actually, it will run into the thousands in no time.



Save Up To 55% Or More In Minutes:



So, let's jump right in to show you just how simple saving this money is. Oh, and if you pay your premiums annually or bi-annually, your car insurance company will be mailing you a refund after reading this.



You're Getting Fleeced On Your Deductible: If you have a $100 or $250 deductible, you're taking a terrible beating (your insurance company LOVES you though). This is one of the most expensive parts of your coverage and you can easily save 30% to 40% right here. Just look at the math:



As an example, let's say that you would save $300 a year by switching to a $500 deductible. Well, if you have an accident as often as once every three years, you would have saved $900 in premiums and recieved $400 in extra deductible coverage once. So, you're a full $500 ahead! You'd have to get into an accident more than 2 times every three years for this to make sense financially.



And even then it wouldn't work because with a driving record like that, the insurance company would raise your premiums through the roof.



How many accidents have you actually had in the last 10 years? Let's say you had one. You would have pocketed $3,000 in premium savings and received $400 extra once, for a net gain of $2,600. That's not chump change. Let's say you even had 3 accidents ... you'd still be $1,800 richer.



Change your deductible. Stop gifting the insurance company.



Too Much Property Coverage Is Damaging Your Bank Account: Your $100,000 Property Damage coverage ISN"T for your car. It's for damage caused to telephone poles, fences and what have you. Where do you drive? Are you driving into homes? Even then you'd be hard pressed to cause that kind of damage.



Drop your coverage down to $50,000. If you have very little net worth, you can even go to $25,000.



Car Safety Related Features Payoff: Most people know that they can get discounts for one or two safety factors. But there's a whole bunch. Is your company even aware that you may qualify for these? Let's review the list:



  # Anti-Lock Brakes

  # Front And Side Air Bags

  # Automatic Seat Belts

  # All-Wheel Drive

  # Traction Control

  # Stability Control

  # Running Lights

  # Safe Driver Status (usually 3 years)

  # Good Student Status (any young drivers in the family?)

  # Car Parked In Garage

  # Multi-Car Discount

  # Multi-Policy Discount (home and car)



Make sure your insurance company is aware of any of these you qualify for.



Too Much Bodily Injury Coverage?: Most companies automatically set this at $100,000. But it should depend on your net worth. If the value of your net assets is $50,000, there's no sense in paying to protect $100,000 of assets. Drop it to $50,000.



If you have little or no net worth, opt for the minimum coverage (usually $25,000).



Uninsured Motorist Coverage? What A Rip!: Most people think this covers you if you get hit by someone who doesn't have insurance. Well, I've got news for you ... you're already covered! Yep, you're covered by the Collision coverage of your policy anytime your vehicle gets hit ... insured or not.



This only covers you if the other driver is uninsured and your own insurance isn't enough to cover it. This coverage is so flimsy only about a dozen states mandate it. Agents in the other states just tack it on anyway and get away with it because consumers just don't understand it.



Bottom line? Drop it. If you have to have it in your state, get the minimum.



Medical Coverage Is Usually Unnecessary Too: Why? If you already have a health plan for family members, there's no reason to pay for this one too. Non-family members in the car are covered under your Bodily Injury coverage and under their own health plans. So, if you have a health plan, you're free to drop this one.



Death, Dismemberment And Loss Of Sight - Been There, Done That: Why? Again, if you've got life insurance, you've got all this. So, why pay for it again? These are overpriced benefits tacked on that most people never question. If you don't need it, don't pay for it.



Roadside Assistance?: Does part of your vehicle's Manufacturer's Warranty already include this ... free? Then drop it from your policy. If you are a AAA member, then you also don't need to be paying for this. If you're not an AAA member, become one. It's cheaper and has many more benefits.



Car Rental Reimbursement: Again, another overpriced extra that's rarely used. Most companies have a number of restrictions on it and when it can be used there's usually a maximum daily rate allowment of about $30.



Let's say you're paying $75 a year for this. Well, in ten years that's $750! Just rent a car (or borrow one) the time or two this happens and you'll keep all or most of that $750 in your bank account.



What To Do Now:



Two Things. The first is good. The second is better.



First: Contact your current car insurance company. Tell them the changes you want to make and get a new quote. If you've already paid for your coverage, they'll be sending you a refund check.



Second: Get multiple quotes for the best deal. This is crucial. How do you know if your own company is even competitive price wise? This is a very competive industry and you will see large differences in prices for the exact same coverage. Make sure you're not wasting money.



And because of the competitive nature of this industry, many companies will also tack on an additional 10% to 20% discount for new customers.





Here's The Easiest, No-Hassle Way To Get The Best Rates:



Go to Insurance.com and take several minutes to fill out the form. You'll then get instant quotes from the top companies, such as Travelers, AIG, Liberty Mutual, esurance, Hartford and many others. Their average customer reports saving $451. So, go to Insurance.com and in a few minutes you'll see the exact amount of savings the above tips will mean to you.





Happy Money Saving! - Joshua Rose]]> test@yahoo.com Articles http://yourdomain/blog/index.php?entryid=17 Tue, 13 Mar 2007 03:23:11 +0100 http://yourdomain/blog/index.php?entryid=16


Instead, I thought I'd pass along what I consider a fairly solid resource for anyone thinking of doing this ... whether part-time or full-time.



What I can contribute on the topic is that if you use your smarts and do things right, there are indeed opportunities out there. I mean, just about everyone buys a car every few years. There's just no question about the size of the car market and the ongoing consumer demand for the product.



We started our own business, part-time, with no prior car selling experience, in March of 2003. And I'd say today, most of the large, traditional Car Dealerships here in South Florida know who we are ... and hate our guts. :-) So, it is indeed do-able.



But many people would like to do something much smaller on a strictly part-time basis. They prefer to buy and sell 1 to 3 cars a month just to make some extra money on the side. And this isn't chump change because the average profit on a used car sold by a Dealer is right around $1,500. Profits can be higher or lower depending on how good the original purchase price was. And individuals naturally have lower costs than Dealers



I know people who pick up a car here and there in their spare time and sell tem for $1,000 - $3,000 profit, usually closer to the $1,000 figure. We've got one guy in particular here that's bought probably 10 to 15 of our trade-ins and seems to be doing real well.



Anyway, back to the "resource":



For those of you interested, I would also caution you that this is a "tricky" business. You can get stuck with some real "dogs" (we still do from time to time). You can overpay for a vehicle (yep, we still do this on occasion too) and have a hard time selling it. You can buy a great car at a great price but find out later that the demand for that particular model has evaporated (yep, been there done that), just to name a few potential pitfalls.



So, you can get sliced and diced in this business. After four years, we like to think we're pretty smart about things. But we still get sliced and diced from time to time. Perhaps the best advice I could give about business is that as soon as you think you know everything, you're in trouble. It's always an ongoing learning process.



At any rate, I scouted around on the internet to see what I could find on the subject, and found quite a lot actually. Unfortunately, a lot of it was junk. Found some stuff that looked good too but I was kind of shocked at the prices ... in the $300 to $600 range.



Then I found this one resource that seemed to cover the important things too, but only cost $47. I figured, "what the heck", and bought it. Seemed like a reasonable price for someone who was thinking about this ... I mean, sell just one car with these techniques and you're already way ahead. I also liked the fact that he was putting his money where his mouth was with a one year guarantee.



Turns out I thought it was pretty solid. The guy is definitely experienced in the ins and outs of this business and I think it will give anyone interested a solid foundation to actually make money doing this. I guess I'd say it's a good "blueprint" to follow.



There's a lot of necessary information. But in a nutshell, he covers what I consider to be the key issues ... and with lots of examples.



You'll definitely need to know how to buy cars so that you'll have a price advantage over the competition. This is critically important. Obviously, "price" matters a lot to buyers. It also will determine your bottom line.



Another crucial factor is knowing how to attract car buyers. It doesn't do you any good to have a great price but find that no one is calling. You'll need to learn the best ways to promote your car cheaply and to make your ads stand out from the pack and be irresistable.



You'll also need to know the specific kinds of cars that will turn over fast so that you can put money in the bank and move on to the next one. In effect, it's best to carve out a specific market niche to get yourself going. And then expand on that niche as you go along, if you decide to go that route.



His specific niche is real cheap cars (like $2,000 or less ... sometimes a lot less) that he turns over very quickly. That's all fine and dandy (it's not our niche, as you may know). But his methods of buying and selling cars can be applied to any more upscale segment of the market as well.



(Actually, selling low priced cars at the beginning could be pretty wise. The smaller the car investment, the smaller the risk.)



Okay, enough from me. If you're interested you can go and check out: Making Money Buying And Selling Cars.



And for those of you who pursue this, let me know how things go for you.



Wishing you happy car selling profits! by Joshua]]> test@yahoo.com Articles http://yourdomain/blog/index.php?entryid=16 Tue, 13 Mar 2007 03:20:34 +0100 http://yourdomain/blog/index.php?entryid=15
1. Always buy a used car from a company used car showroom or from dealers recognized by car companies. Avoid private and unrecognized car dealers (and individuals) unless you know them intimately, as small time car dealers are mostly in this business for a fast buck.

2. While inspecting a used car, take a reputed mechanic with you and ask him for a full report. Ask him to pay particular attention to the engine, odometer, tyres, battery, boot and the body (to see if it has been involved in an accident). Remember, a car is an expensive proposition and if you are stuck with a car that needs repairs or new equipment, then be ready to shell out quite a bit from your pocket. It's better to know what will be involved from the very beginning rather than repent later.

3. Find out the fair market price of the used car by running a search on the Internet or glancing through the newspapers and making a few calls to dealers and individuals.

4. Check these seller's car ownership documents: Registration certificate, insurance and the pollution/emission certificate. If the car has been registered in a municipal area, then check the municipality certificate too.

5. If any of the car's papers do not appear genuine, do not buy the car. For all you know, you may be buying a stolen car or one that has been involved in a hit & run case.

6. Take possession and transfer of the following documents from the previous owner: RTO tax receipt, car registration papers, insurance papers, road tax papers, original invoice and loan discharge papers (if the car was financed).

7. Normally when you buy a car in India, the Regional transport Officer needs to be informed about the change in ownership by both the transferor and the transferee. Make sure that the transferor complies by this rule.

In the end, don't hurry and rush through the deal. Take it easy, follow all the tips above and you're sure to land up a great bargain.]]> suniltinani@yahoo.com Tips http://yourdomain/blog/index.php?entryid=15 Fri, 16 Feb 2007 08:03:51 +0100 http://yourdomain/blog/index.php?entryid=14
It happened 15 days back when my wife literally forced me to hawk off our Maruti 800 and pick up the Zen Estilo, because according to her, "The Zen was the cutest, and the beautifulest of all Indian cars". Well, I was leading a happy existence with my Maruti 800 and was reluctant at first, but you know how women are – once they're obsessed you have to give in or be ready to live a life full of misery and tears.

So, I gave in and spend about a lakh extra and bought a Zen Estilo. And then, at the dealer's showroom, I got in to drive the car home – and it was love at first sight:

But, first things first, the getting inside experience was so easy and pleasant as compared to the "get on your haunches and get inside" experience that I used to have regularly with my old Maruti 800.

The inside was just as beautiful as the exteriors. Okay, I didn't mention this – but from outside the Zen Estilo looks like a tall, beautiful, elegant and colorful bug. Though it does remind you of Daewoo's Matiz, the Zen is taller and the Matiz is no comparison.

Okay, back to the insides: they were truly beautiful. Dual tone colors, a solid, handsome dashboard, powerful air conditioning, plush interiors and just about every nook and corner got me into the mood immediately.

The drive home was superb. Zen Estilo's power and maneuverability on Indian roads was super smooth and just what the doctor ordered – the engine was powerful and the steering wheel fit my hand like a glove. God, this was the first time my wife had suggested something of great value!

It's been 15 days and I've fallen in love with my Zen Estilo. Now, I don't cast a second look at Indica, Getz, Santro, Wagon R – and I've completely stopped looking at that old foggy, Maruti 800! And guess what, people stare at me whenever I take my Estilo for a ride! I'm famous!

And my affair with the Estilo has just begun!]]> suniltinani@yahoo.com General http://yourdomain/blog/index.php?entryid=14 Fri, 16 Feb 2007 08:02:43 +0100 http://yourdomain/blog/index.php?entryid=12 babai@go-globe.com Q&A http://yourdomain/blog/index.php?entryid=12 Mon, 29 Jan 2007 02:46:02 +0100