Thursday, July 30, 2009

Your Ultimate List of Questions to Ask When Buying a Used Car From My Friend John




There is in fact a list of questions to ask when buying a used car, and asking these questions can help you get the best car you can for the best deal you can.

One of the key things you need to be able to get a good used car is information, which is where your list of questions to ask comes in.

These questions will help you figure out if the car is worth buying and they will also help you get the good deals. With all that said, here is the list of questions to ask when buying a used car.

Who was this vehicle bought from?

The car dealership should be able to tell you how many owners the car has had. Ideally, you want a car that has only one owner.

Not that you can't get a good car that has had two or three owners, but a car that's been passed around like the common cold is way more likely to have problems.

What are you willing to sell the car for?

This is question on the list of questions to ask when buying a used car that will really help you get a good deal.

Asking this basically tells the dealer that you are not going to pay the price they have listed, so they better be prepared to deal if they want the sale.

Has this car been involved in any accidents?

Of course, the answer you're looking for is no. It's not uncommon for cars that have been pretty severely damaged to end up refurbished and back on the car lot.

A skilled mechanic can take a car back to good as new condition, but often times the car is restored just enough to sell, and will have problems down the line.



Will they let you do an inspection?

If you have a friendly mechanic available, you should always have a car looked over before you buy it. But even if you don't know a mechanic who will look a car over on the cheap, you should still ask the question.

If the dealership says no, regardless of their excuses, this is not a dealer you can trust.

Does it have a warranty?

The only reason a car is ever listed 'as is' is because the dealership has looked at the car and decided the car will cost more to repair than they can possibly make on the deal, so you should always make sure a warranty is available.

If one isn't, chances are there is something wrong with the car that the dealer doesn't want you to know about.

By using this list of questions to ask when buying a used car, you'll be able to get a real picture of how good a car you're getting and this can be handy in negotiating.

If you've decided a car has had an accident but it's worth buying, you can use this knowledge to get a better deal. Just make sure you always have all the information before you make any car purchase, used or otherwise.

Don't fall for the dealer's trap

Read their playbook, touching on establishing control and exerting their persuasion from the moment you pull on the lot all the way through the car buying experience, and learn how to fight back.

This information has the potential to save you untold thousands on your next vehicle purchase, a risk you can't take in today's tough times.

Take this eBook for more details and options "take the house edge."

Talk soon,

John

Monday, July 27, 2009

5 Negotiating Tips For Used Car Buying That Will Save You Money Today


Finding good negotiating tips for used car buying is trickier than finding a map to buried treasure.


This is no surprise at all, really; salespeople spend everyday selling, while the rest of us might have to try and get a good deal every few years.



Because of this, most of us don't really have a clue on how to negotiate. Fortunately this article will give you the top five negotiating tips for used car buying.

Tip Number One - Be Prepared

This probably the most important of the negotiating tips for used car buying that this article will discuss. Before you even consider buying a used car, make sure that you do your research on the cars you like.

You need to know how much cars you want should cost, and if you find a car you like, do some research on that particular car. The more you know, the less dealers will be able to take advantage of you.

Tip Number Two - Play It Close to Your Vest

You should know exactly how much money you have and how much you are prepared to pay, but the dealer shouldn't. The salespeople will always try to get you to pay the most they can get out of you for the car, so don't make this easy for them. Keep the amount of money you have close to your chest.

Tip Number Three - Don't Be Intimidated

This is one of the tougher negotiating tips for used car buying for most people. You need to know that you have the power in the deal.

They are selling to you, so don't let them try to rush you through the process or pressure you into buying too fast. Be prepared for the hard sell, and don't let them push you around.



Tip Number Four - Always Take Your Time

Unless you are absolutely positive you've got the best possible deal, always walk away from the deal and come back another day.
You need the time to process everything, and you need to be able to sit down and think without a salesman breathing down your neck.
Always give yourself time to look at the deal at your leisure.

Tip Number Five - Shop Around

Do not, under any circumstances, go to just one used car lot. You need to go to as many as you can stomach, and you should probably be taking notes.

The more car lots you visit, the more information you will have to negotiate with. Showing the salespeople that you know exactly how much another lot will charge for a similar car will give you the leverage you need to get a great deal.

These 5 negotiating tips for used car buying will help you get the great deal you're looking for, but you need to use them. The most important thing to remember is that the choice is yours and you have all the power.

The salespeople will try to take the lead, but they will only get it if you give it to them. Use these tips and show them who is in charge.

Ready to take control of your car buying experience?
We're here to help. Get Taking the House Edge today, and get the inside scoop on all the dealer's tips, tricks, and ploys designed to control you (both physically and psychologically) and extract the maximum profit possible.

Click here now and find out more information.

Talk soon,

John

Thursday, July 23, 2009

BEST TIME TO BUY A NEW CAR


Today I have got this eMail from John Meyers, an ex-car salesman. It's not about hockey but gives us more money to spend ...enjoy!

Knowing the Best Time to Buy a New Car Can Save You Big Money



Hi, Alex

If you know the best time to buy a new car, you can save a ton of money on the next car that you buy.
For most people, buying a new car tends to elicit a variety of emotions: the thrill of looking for a new car, the dread of having to deal with a car salesman, the concern at finding the money.
This has lead to an awful lot of "folk lore" methods which are supposed to save you money. However,it has left one big factor unexamined; when is the best time to buy a new car.

There is one little piece of so called wisdom about this, but honestly it's not really right anyway. So rather than spend time dispelling the myths, lets get right to the meat of the matter.

You need to understand a little bit about how car dealerships work in order to understand why knowing the best time to buy a new car is important. Car dealerships, or at least car dealerships that are selling new cars, are tied to the car manufacturers.

So, basically, a dealership that sells Ford is, in some way, a part of the larger Ford Company.
The manufacturer has numbers that they want the dealership to hit. These numbers are pretty key in determining the kind of deal you will get from the new car dealer.

If a dealership sells above the number that the manufacturer demands, the dealership gets a bonus. This can be on the order of tens of thousands of dollars, and the bonuses are determined monthly.

What this means for you is that the time of month. is the biggest factor. determining when the best time to buy a new car actually is.



Dealers will, of course, deny this up and down, saying that they have to sell cars all month long. But, the truth is, the best odds for you getting the best deal, happens on the last business day of the month.
If a car dealership is ten cars short of their bonus numbers, on the last day of any month, they are going to work hard and bend over backwards to get anyone who walks on to that lot; to drive away in a new car. This can lead you to getting the kind of crazy deals that occasionally come along.

Which makes perfect sense, if you think about it. If the dealership loses a thousand bucks on the car that they sell you but that sale qualifies them for ten thousand dollars in bonuses, they are still way ahead on the deal.

This makes the last day of the month the absolute best time to buy a new car.
Most people think that the period just before the new models come in; is the best time to buy a new car. Actually that is somewhat of a myth.

Yes, the dealers need to get the "old model year" cars gone and make a pretty good deal to get the new "old model year" gone, but the savings that you are going to get are false savings.

You see the very minute you sign the papers and drive out of the dealers drive way, your new "older model car" has become a year old. So guess what? Your brand new car has already depreciated one year in value and you haven't had the car 5 minutes yet.

So remember, the best time to buy a new car is the last day of the month. If you are going to get a great deal, a deal that makes it seem like the dealer might need to be committed, this is the time when you are going to get it.

Discover the secrets behind dealer tactics, including the control exercises they're using on you from the moment you walk in the door, all the way down to the "funny accounting" going on behind the scenes...

Talk soon,

John

Monday, July 20, 2009

NICK LIDSTROM - CORVETTE Z06



CORVETTE ZO6

The red, white and blue Corvette Z06 pace car that Lidstrom was piloted is Chevrolet’s flagship performance car. The Z06 has a top speed of 198 mph and will go from 0-60 in 3.7 seconds. ...
"I'm really excited about driving the pace car," Lidstrom said. "I've never done anything like this before so I'm really looking forward to it. I actually haven't driven the Z06 before but I am a fan of sports cars and I've heard a lot of great things about this particular Corvette so I know it will be a lot of fun."


"In looking for a pace car driver for this event, we wanted somebody who really represents the city of Detroit," said Ed Peper, Chevrolet general manager. "Nick Lidstrom, a local hockey hero, fit the bill perfectly, especially with his love of cars. We're proud to have him behind the wheel of a Corvette Z06, Chevy's flagship performance car, pacing an event that we're so gladly welcoming back to the city."


NICK LIDSTROM. DETROIT RED WINGS

AND JUST IN CASE YOU DON'T KNOW:

Corvette Z06 refers to a high-performance version of the Chevrolet Corvette. There are two iterations of the Z06:

C5 Z06 - Based on the C5 Platform from 2001 - 2004
C6 Z06 - Based on the C6 Platform from 2006 - Present
The Z06 was on a one year hiatus in 2005

Friday, July 17, 2009

MATS SUNDIN - VOLVO 400 BHP SLEEPER





Mats Sundin suports Sweden auto industry. Alex Ovechkin can drive German Mercedes. Mike Green - Italian Lamborghini. I am driving Nissan Maxima. But Mats prefers VOLVO. His 400 BHP VOLVO SLEEPER is shown on this video provided by Sundin's fans from Sweden.

Monday, July 13, 2009

WAYNE GRETZKY: YOU SHOULD TAKE THE FLEX!


by: auto123.com

Oakville, Ontario -- The blue-oval automaker celebrated the official launch of the 2009 Ford Flex yesterday at its Oakville assembly plant, near Toronto. To illustrate the magnitude of the event, Ford Canada invited legendary hockey player Wayne Gretzky.


Legendary hockey player Wayne Gretzky (right) and Ford Motor Company President for the Americas, Mark Fields, celebrated the production of the 2009 Flex at the Oakville assembly plant, in Ontario.

At the end of the ceremony, the Great One made a surprise entry in an all-new Flex driven by Ford's president for the Americas, Mark Fields. The latter told everyone in attendance: "Flex drives as good as it looks, and the Oakville team is going to deliver another high-quality crossover for customers."

About a thousand Ford workers were on hand for the launch and, according to Mr. Gretzky, "the team here at Oakville continues to be at the top of their game."

Wayne Gretzky has been a spokesman for the brand for the last five years in Canada. Though he did not make it official, Barry Engle, president of Ford Canada, hinted that we might again see the greatest hockey player of all-time on television, this time to promote the Flex.

Innovative manufacturing
Production for the 2009 Ford Flex started in May and the pace is progressively increasing. This crossover is built on a flexible assembly line -- a Ford's first in North America. It allows the automaker to quickly shift models and production capacities while incorporating all the options to meet customer demand more effectively.

Consequently, the Oakville plant can now produce three separate vehicles (the Flex as well as the Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX twins) using two different platforms. "Right now, we're going with a 50/50 distribution: half of the vehicles that roll off the line are Flex models, while the other half is comprised of Edge and MKX units, explained Zorin Trbovic, Director of Final Assembly, with whom we toured the facility prior to the ceremony. Eventually, we could produce other vehicles even with a whole new platform, but nothing has been confirmed yet."

According to the rumor mill, the 2009 Ford Flex will reportedly share its platform, much like the Edge teams up with the more luxurious MKX. The new model would be called Lincoln MKT, with production obviously taking place in Oakville too.


The Flex is built on a flexible assembly line, which means that other vehicles using a different platform can also be manufactured here.

Monday, July 6, 2009

2010 Nissan Altima Hybrid Review

By Joseph Mars


Buying a hybrid car is like making a compromise to helping the world. It's a joyful experience that makes you feel great and it gives you pride in knowing that you are now part of those who don't just go around burning gas like it will last forever. However, with so many choices out there, how do you know which car to buy?



WICH CAR IS GOOD FOR HOCKEY FAN? HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THIS ONE?

That's why I started researching all the available models out there. Here is my latest hybrid car review: The Nisssan Altima Hybrid.


The 2010 Nissan Altima Hybrid is the first attempt to break into the hybrid market from Nissan. With a 244.8v NiMH battery pack designed by Panasonic, the Altima is a hodge podge of automotive ingredients that range from Ford to Toyota. The exterior is nicely packaged and yet traditional in a specifically Nissan way.


The 2010 Nissan Altima Hybrid is a response from Nissan to the success of the Toyota Prius. Nissan claims that diesels are the most efficient route to take with hybrids. That's why Nissan is debuting their hybrid line with a diesel.


The Altima hybrid is only on sale in 8 states, which will make it hard to find replacement parts and general service for the vehicle. All in all, this hybrid doesn't exactly spark excitement when I think of it. The overall design is the same as the non-hybrid Altima and the car wasn't that impressive even when it was only gasoline. It is rumored that a new redesign will be implemented in the 2012 model. It might be a good idea to wait the two years for the new version.