How To Get the Best Deal on Your Car

If you are ready for a new car, chances are you know exactly what you want. Whether it be a battered old classic you intend to lovingly restore or a brand new sleek sports car; it pays to do some research ahead of time to make sure that you get the best deal possible. Whether you having been squirreling away the pennies for some time or you have secured yourself 0% car finance; there's no sense in wasting your hard earned money by buying a car on impulse. It doesn't matter if the car you want is second hand or brand new, rolling straight off of the production line and onto your driveway; doing some groundwork will make sure you don't get ripped off. After all, when you are cruising around town or meticulously polishing your car you want be able to be that extra bit smug knowing you secured a good deal.

 

Scout Out Second Hand Deals in Other States

As with all significant purchases, shop around. If you are buying a second hand car, you may well want to consider buying one from out of state. Different cars demand different prices in different states. It all boils down to the availability of the particular car you require. This in turn is often dictated by the climate of a particular state. For example, in regions which have a climate which renders cars prone to rust, obviously a second hand car which is rust free will command a higher price. Therefore if you live somewhere where cars start to rust up after their first winter, consider traveling further afield to get a deal on a rust free used car.

The road trip home after collecting your car from another state could be the ideal opportunity to get to know your new purchase. However, make sure you accurately calculate the cost of flying to pick up your car in addition to the fuel costs for the journey home and add this value to the price you are paying for the car when deciding if you have found yourself a bargain. If you are buying from out of state, make sure you do your research into the various tax and registration implications; for example depending when you will get the title and whether the car is registered, you might be required to get an interstate transit permit to make sure you are legal on the drive home.

Be Prepared

Before going ahead with your purchase, do your research and have everything in place. Knowledge is power after all, so you are in the best position to grab a bargain if you have spent some time doing some research. If you are buying a used car, trawl the internet (online auctions, forums and car trading websites) as well as local auctions, classified listings and dealers for a bargain. Once you have found something suitable and at a good price, give the seller a call and fill in the details that might be missing from the ad such as the car's history and specific questions relevant to the make, model and age, e.g. has the timing belt been recently changed? If you are buying brand new, chat to people who already own the type of car you are thinking of purchasing in online forums. This way you can find out which optional extras might be worthwhile additions or which are all looks and no substance. If you are buying from a dealer, see if you can find reviews from people who have bought from them and definitely check out their returns policy.

Whether you are buying new or second hand, you need to set a budget and stick to it. Use resources such as the Kelly Blue Book to see what you should be paying for a new or used car. Calculate running costs such as servicing, fuel consumption, tax and insurance. Again, hit the forums to find out what people are really paying to run your particular vehicle. Once you have your budget ironed out, you need to ensure you have the right finances in place. If you have diligently saved for this day, then make sure the funds are easily accessible. Alternatively, consider guaranteed car loans from a car finance specialist to ensure you obtain the funds you require without any hassle. Having the finances in place ahead of time (and the cash in your back pocket if necessary) will mean you have one less thing to worry about and can swoop in when you see a good deal.

Negotiate

Once all the ground work is complete, bagging yourself a bargain is all about negotiating. Many people shy away from driving a hard bargain and this is what car salesmen bank on. If you have done your research you should have the confidence to go in and negotiate yourself a good price. When buying a second hand car, it is worth taking a mechanic or someone with a good working knowledge of cars (if you don't have that yourself) with you. If they find something requiring expensive work, you can negotiate the price down accordingly. When buying new, often it is worth buying your car towards the end of the month when the cut off for sales targets is looming and staff want to get one more deal in before month end. Similarly, if a new version of the model you are buying is due to be released soon and you are happy with the existing model, you may well find that a dealer is eager to see their old stock sold and may be more amenable to negotiation. However, if you sense that the sales person is not going to go any lower on the price, start haggling over extras; even something as small as a tank of gas or a set of mats equates to money in your pocket.

Precautions While Purchasing Used Car

The economic recession is one of the main causes for the development of used cars market. Nowadays, most of the individuals opt for buying used or pre-owned vehicles because according to them, it is not practical to spend on new autos when the economy is not in a good shape. If you are also considering purchasing a pre-owned car then it is good to check out some of the most significant aspects before actually finalizing the deal.

The very first thing that you should consider before buying used car is your budget. Now, after deciding your budget, next thing to consider is the size that directly depends on the number of persons you have within your family.

After preparing the list of cars you are considering for, you must pick a good dealer who has used cars of the selected models. Once you have short-listed the cars, next task you have to do is to check the years of registration of the cars. Purchasing a vehicle that has run almost more than 17,000 Kilometers is not worthwhile. While carrying out such task always remember to check the functioning of odometers.
Take a test drive along with your own mechanic; it will enable you to check the various parts including the engine plus the transmission whether they are functioning properly or not. In some countries such as the United States, you can avail Car Fax reports & from them, you can further find out the complete history of the automobiles. Through these reports you can also check out the particulars of the accidents if any. Car Fax reports also tell the service history of the cars.

You should always keep in mind to monitor the cooling system, the radiator, the alternator & the starter of the automobile, especially the second hand car. The radiator should be free from any kind of leaks. The working of the Brakes should also need to be monitored. It is always recommended that you should visit the dealer with your own mechanic.

Nobody desires a very cheap auto but at the same time one cannot actually go very far. It is then very much essential that one should inspect autos’ general condition before actually purchasing it. Numerous things that include the make, design, model, & color should only be less important. If you want to buy used or second hand cars, you must consider its functionality as well as affordability!!!

About The Guest Author: 

Sofia Williams writes for www.lahondaworld.com. She is a freelance content contributor and likes to write about various spheres like Social Media, technology trends and her secret favorite – cars and automobiles. She is a keen observer and contributor for various auto forums and the online auto space.

5 Tips for Using an Ipod in Your Car

Body:

Music storage has gone through a transition from cassette to compact disc to MP3 file. While portable MP3 players are great and easy to use, one may come across difficulties when trying to use them in the car. We look at how to overcome the challenges to enjoying MP3 music through your car stereo. It's also worth checking that your car insurance has a contents allowance, if your MP3 player is left in your vehicle.


The Apple Ipod is arguably the most popular, and certainly the most globally recognised MP3 player brand. While this article may refer to the Ipod, these tips apply equally for any type of MP3 player.

Standard Connectivity in New Cars

MP3 players have been around for years now, so most car makers really should be up to speed. MP3 players are the standard means for portable music, so any self respecting car manufacturer should have some sort of way to connect an MP3 player into a car stereo. Just how easy this is, and how well an MP3 player integrates with a car stereo is the test of car maker's efforts with sound system advancement.

Full Integration

This is the ultimate. Many new cars now have stereos that are ready to accept MP3 player plug ins, and allow full operability on the part of the driver. Stereo controls on the steering wheel allow the driver to scan through tracks and albums on an MP3 player and select songs. On some systems, the track names will even appear on the car stereo.

Audio Jack

Having just an audio jack on a car stereo is a passable but sub-standard solution. A non integrated solution means that one needs to handle the MP3 player in order to skip tracks and the like. This can be a little dangerous if the driver is doing this and taking his or her eyes off the road. The shuffle option is useful in providing continuous music, but if the driver gets an incoming phone call or other interruption, it's harder to pause the music quickly and safely.

Cassette Adaptor

If your car has a cassette player, a cassette adapter can be used to link an MP3 player to a car stereo. Again, one can't operate the MP3 player remotely, and there will be some loss of sound to the adapter's analogue format, but it's a pretty cheap solution.

New Stereo

A new stereo is much cheaper than a new car. If you are planning on a new stereo, then it's worth looking for one that offers remote operation. If you are buying a new car, and music is important to you, take your MP3 player and cords into the car showroom, and see how easy it is to hook up.


MP3 players have revolutionised music. It is now possible to carry literally thousands of songs around with you in your pocket. With many of us spending considerable time in our cars, it's important to be able to also enjoy music libraries through car stereos. Taking heed of the points above will make this not only possible, but easy. When comparing car insurance quotes, make sure that installed accessories, like MP3 compatible stereos are covered under your insurance.

Pimp Your Ride With Blaupunkt Amplifier And Car Subwoofer For 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid

12 Blaupunkt for 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid - $ 759.00
Retail Price: 949.99
You Save:$190.99
I've been talking about pimping up your ride. now its time to add some colors and flavors in it. After all what's the use of a shiny and attractive car when you don't have a good sound system or even if you have a good car sound system but it produces a faint and flaccid base.

I bring for you, Blaupunkt amplifier, vivid and lively car subwoofers that can really add a spice in your car stereo system with the high performance 12" subwoofer tube. It has a tendency of boosting up your car's bass by 600 Watts, produces a frequency from 35-500 Hz providing booming lows for your favorite car music. It's easy plug 'n' play car amplifier and no need of cutting, slicing your existing car's wiring. The amplifier's exclusive "Planar Power Plant" ( 3p ) technology makes for a cool running, compact size which is 1/3 of the conventional amplifiers for out of sight mounting flexibility.

The kit includes remote volume control, radio plug in harness, extension harness and speaker wires. Easy to install but still dealer installation is recommended.