The Used Car Blog
We want consumers everywhere to feel confident about their ability to engage in the used car process on their own terms. We’re going to be posting articles about every aspect of buying used cars, from giving you tips on how to judge the condition of a used car to knowing your way around financing options to what you should look for when test driving a vehicle.
Adding New-Car Tech to Your Ride
When you make the smarter financial decision to buy a quality used car instead of spending more money on a brand-new car, your new ride might not have every single piece of technology you would like to have. The good news is that adding new-car tech to your ride is surprisingly affordable. This article will outline some of your many options to bring your ride up-to-date with add-on tech available today.
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The Newest Used Car Scam
The last thing you want to happen when shopping for a used car for sale privately by its owner is to find yourself the victim of a scam. This article will cover relevant details of the newest used car scam as reported by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and what you can do to protect yourself from this scam and other that swindle consumers out of millions of dollars each and every year.
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Why Millennials Should Buy Used Cars
If you're a Millennial and need to find your next car, then you have to face the question of whether you should buy a brand-new car or purchase a used car. How do you go about answering this question? You must consider a variety of factors, and this article will outline them in a way that helps you figure out what's best for you. Spoiler alert: We believeyoung people should buy used, and we'll explain why.
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How to Avoid Buying a Lemon: Our Top 7 Used Car Buying Tips
In a perfect world, no one buying a used car would ever end up with a lemon, but it does happen. Sometimes people selling a car try to hide damage or tamper with the odometer or cover up a serious accident. The best way to protect yourself from buying a lemon is to follow our top 7 used car buying tips found in this article. Use these tips when you shop for your next used car and you'll easily avoid buying a lemon and all the frustrations that come with it.
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Creating Your Used Car Shopping Budget
Do you know the biggest mistake is when people are shopping for their next car, whether it's a new or used car? The answer might surprise you: It's not knowing how much you can afford to pay for a car. Part of the issue is that there is more to owning a car than just the original price tag of the vehicle itself. When it comes to creating your car shopping budget, you need to make sure you're considering the full cost of owning a car. This article will help ensure you cover all the bases.
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How do I Know if a Dealer Trade in Value is Fair?
When it's time to sell your car and get another one, you're faced with the question of what to do with the old car. Should you sell it yourself privately? That can be a long, drawn-out process that involves a lot of leg-work with no guarantee you'll get the price you want, although it's normally the way to get the highest price possible. What about trading it in at a dealership? That is certainly the easiest and fastest way to sell your car, even though it usually doesn't get you the most money. But how do you know if the trade in value the dealer offers you is fair? Follow our advice in this article and you'll figure it out in no time.
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The Difference between a Service Contract and a Warranty
Automotiveservice contractsare a staple in the used car business, but you may know them by another name, "extended warranty." You might even be familiar with these terms outside the automotive sphere, such as when buying electronic devices or appliances, but there is a bit of confusion, which leads some to financial pain of one kind or another. First, though, why do you want a warranty to begin with?
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How to Maintain or Improve Fuel Economy
Look at every new car and many used cars, and you'll likely notice two things: the EPA Fuel Economy and Emissions label for new cars and "Fuel Sipper" or "Thrifty" for used cars. Even at home or on the job, fuel economy might be of some importance to you, whether refueling costs are sucking away at your paycheck or siphoning from your bottom line. Finally, anyone concerned about the environment might also be looking into fuel economy, because the less fuel you burn, the fewer emissions go into the atmosphere.
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DIY Auto Repair: When Should You NOT?
If you have a little mechanical aptitude, can follow instructions, and have a good DIY auto repair toolbox, maintaining and repairing your own vehicle isn't all that difficult. Thanks to the internet, you don't even have to have a mechanic-buddy to help you: there are videos and blogs covering all kinds of DIY auto repair and maintenance topics. In fact, you may have foundthisarticle searching for DIY auto repair tips.
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The Importance of TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitor System)
Tires are literally your only connection to whatever road you travel, so it goes without saying that they are critically important to your vehicle's performance, fuel economy, ride quality, and safety. While tire wear represents a long-term concern, usually wearing out in 25,000 to 50,000 miles, tire pressure is a more immediate concern, fluctuating day by day. Because tire pressure is so critical to the operation of the tire and the safety of the vehicle it supports, theTREAD Act(Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability and Documentation Act) was enacted to bring tire pressure front and center in the minds of drivers across the country.
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