Archive for the Automotive Category

When you buy a car, what is most important to you: purchase price, cost of ownership (regular maintenance, repairs, insurance, MPG, depreciation), utility, performance (how fast and how well it handles), safety, image or the green factor?  Maybe you consider them all, but some prioritize the list differently. Strangely, many people do little research and… Read More »

A few days ago in a question and answer automobile section of the Wall Street Journal, a reader asked if it was okay to buy a SAAB. If you don’t already know, the Swedish automobile manufacturer filed for bankruptcy about a year ago. No one has yet to step up to the plate to buy… Read More »

Does it make sense to buy a new used car that gets great mileage, compared to keeping an old heap, thinking that the gas savings will outweigh the cost of borrowing? Suppose an old family van isn’t needed anymore since the kids are out on their own. It could be tempting to consider alternatives, for… Read More »

I’m a car guy, and since I like to keep my car nice it has always driven me crazy that the xenon headlight lense covers were no longer crystal clear, but yellow and brown. They didn’t shine as bright either, since the aged plastic filtered the light. I drive a 1999 Toyota vehicle with over 285,000… Read More »

With gasoline hitting or exceeding $4 per gallon in many parts of the country, it is important to consider your annual cost of gas when purchasing a new or used car. In 2009 gas was less than $2 per gallon, and it seems that we have gotten used to the current costs. With the price… Read More »

If you are considering a new or used car purchase you may want to check out a good article at AOL Autos “Here are the autos mechanics see the most.“

General Motors (GM) announced another “temporary” production halt for its $40,000 electric hybrid Volt car. This car was doomed to fail from the start when they priced it almost twice the cost as Toyota’s Prius. The average passenger car shopper is looking for a car that is priced similar to other cars in the size… Read More »

Dave Ramsey says that no one should ever lease a car, he calls car leases fleeces, is it true, is this fair, should no one really ever lease a car, and is it always a rip off? Basically a lease is the purchase of the car’s value that you will be using. Dave’s overall recommendations are to minimize… Read More »

Many people, particularly those wanting to drive a really nice car or wanting to appear successful are sometimes tempted to buy used luxury brand cars. If you don’t have a large savings account, or mechanical abilities to fix cars (or a good friend who does), never buy a used BMW, Mercedes, Jaguar, Land Rover, Audi, Saab, Porsche and Volvo or… Read More »

Are you thinking about buying new tires before the hard winter weather hits?  Have you looked at them lately, do they look bald?  The old rule of thumb is to stick a penny in the tread and if the tread doesn’t go above Abe’s head then it is time, even if close you are ready. Tires… Read More »