Drive a lot? Consider buying roadside assistance

It can be frustrating to have your car break down on the highway. Few people will stop to offer help to disabled drivers. You may not have a cell phone with you, so you'll have to walk to find help. And even if you do have a phone with you, how likely are you to know the number of a nearby towing service? All of these things combine to make a bad situation worse. A good solution, particularly if you spend a lot of time driving, is to pay for a roadside assistance plan.

A roadside assistance plan is a form of insurance. You pay for the service from a variety of sources; you might even buy it from your car insurance company. The annual fee that generally costs less than the cost of a single tow can be quite a bargain should you be unlucky enough to have a breakdown as the cost of towing a car even a short distance can easily amount to $100 or more. If you live in a rural area where services are not readily available, roadside assistance could save you several hundred dollars on just a single breakdown.

Here are a few sources you might consider for buying a roadside assistance plan:

Your car insurance company - Most provide basic towing services for a small annual fee added to the cost of your regular premium. Rates vary from company to company, but towing service can often be had for as little as $10 per year.

AAA - The American Automobile Association includes roadside assistance as part of their basic annual membership. The cost varies, but typically runs between $40 and $80 per year. The services they offer are not limited to towing; gasoline, repair of flat tires and even locksmith services are available should you lock yourself out of your car or run out of gas.

AARP - The American Association of Retired Persons offers a roadside assistance plan for members. The cost is similar to that of an AAA membership, and you must be at least 50 years of age to join.

If you spend enough time driving, you will eventually have a breakdown while on the road. It isn't just the province of defective auto lemons; it eventually happens to all cars. It would be nice if everyone could plan when and where to have a breakdown, but that just isn't possible. It is, however, possible to be prepared for those types of emergencies. A roadside assistance plan is an inexpensive way to make sure that you and your car can be towed to safety in case of a roadside emergency.

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Are You Buying A Stolen Vehicle?

Auto and car theft is a crime. In truth, the term 搈otor vehicle theft?could actually be used to refer to instances where automobiles, buses, motorcycles, snowmobiles, trucks, and other similar means of transportation are stolen. You see, this crime is actually punishable as a felony. This is primarily because this kind of situation causes extreme emotional and economic distress to its victim and to the society as well.

Many automobiles and cars are being stolen every minute. And it could be reflected in the various terms and phrases that has arisen and created to refer to it. Carjacking is one term and it means stealing a vehicle while it is still occupied by the owner or the driver. Another one is joyriding and it refers to stealing a motor vehicle and then later on abandoning it.

Of course, there have been ways and actions that the authorities have come up with to assist consumers and customers with ways to ward off any attempts at stealing their vehicles. In the United States, it is required that motor vehicles have vehicle identification numbers (VIN) and they must be registered with a vehicle licensing authority. If a vehicle has a VIN, it makes reselling a stolen vehicle very hard.

As per statistics, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) claims that a motor vehicle is actually stolen every 25 seconds in the United States and the chances of recovering them dwindle to something much lower than 50 percent.

According to Larry Gamache of Carfax, 揅ar thieves go into car lots to find vehicles that match the cars they steal. They抣l take off the VIN plate and put it on one they just stole. Then they抣l sell it to someone who has no idea it抯 a stolen vehicle.?
With that, it is important to note the VIN of your vehicle before you purchase a car. Try checking the VIN number on the dashboard and compare it with the car抯 title documents. You can check it out for discrepancies. And if you find any, it means that something sure is wrong. Gamache also adds, 揧ou should also match that number in other places, including under the hood and at the door jamb on the driver抯 side. Then check that vehicle ID number to make sure it matches in all three spots.?
Stealing cars could be rampant however it does not mean that you have to keep your vehicle looking bad and not maintained. You can find quality and impressive Ford Excursion parts and other Ford parts at Ford Parts and Ford Auto Parts. Its collection of Ford parts will surely give your vehicle a boost in performance for all parts have undergone strict quality control measures.

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Are You Buying Sports Seats For Your Car?

Purchasing sports seats for your car is considered as one of the ways of sprucing up and upgrading your vehicle. In fact, it is one of the not so used ways to customize a vehicle. You see, for most people, the common ways of upgrading a vehicle would be to change wheels, wheel covers, car seat covers, carpets, bumpers, and grilles.

Changing your car抯 seats to sports seats may not be so popular however, there are some matters to take into consideration when you have decided that sports seats may be the best thing that could happen to your vehicle. After all, overlooked as they may seem, sports seats actually do not just provide your car with a sporty and aesthetic appeal but they also give you and your passengers comfort through long or short drives.

Before doing anything else, you should ask yourself how much are you willing to spend and how much could you really afford. By answering this first question, you would be able to check and ask around as per any sports seats that would fall within your budget range. Remember that sports seats come in a variety of options ?each more sophisticated than the next. In fact, there are even sports seats that come with electronic adjustments of the lumbar support.

If you have no idea whatsoever as per the kind of sports seats that you would like for your car, you can check out automotive magazines. Or you can also visit automotive websites. If you choose to do so, you can also try contacting manufacturers to get the names of dealers of sports seats in your locality.

Upon visiting an auto parts store that offers sports seats, make sure that you ask the store抯 personnel to show you their collection of these. That way, you can personally inspect the seats so you could choose which ones to purchase. Consider the seats?safety features. Make sure that you choose those that has a high and close back rest which has the capacity to support and protect your back. Also make sure that it supports not only your back but your whole body as well.

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Why You Never Stand A Chance When Buying A Vehicle

If you are in the market for a vehicle and think you can do a little research on the internet and then go and make a great deal you will get ripped off...

The reason that the average car buyer will never get a good deal on a vehicle is most vehicle purchases are made using emotional triggers that the auto dealers use to manipulate the ususpecting public.

They include:

Fear Of Loss - once the car dealers have figured out your hot buttons and which model you are interested in they will make you think that there is only a few models left. If you are looking at a used vehicle this is even more evident.

Prestige - auto sales people will make you feel like a million bucks when driving the vehicle. They'll even ask questions like "Will this fit into your garage?" which assumes mental ownership because now you can picture the vehicle in your garage.

Value - every auto dealer will tell you how great the resale value of their vehicle is. While almost every vehicle loses an average of 25% the first year there is no such thing as a vehicle that has value.

While there are a few good auto delers out there most of them will try and squeeze every penny out of you so they can line thier wallets. Think about this. Do you know a poor car dealer? I sure don't.

There are a few steps that you can take to gain a competitive advantage:

1. Do your research online and do not go into any dealership until you have a good idea on what make and model you are interested in
2. Call the dealership before going to test drive. Most dealerships have an Internet Department and will sell their vehicles for less than by just walking in. Contact this department first.
3. Don't negotiate payments, just total amount of purchase. Most buyers fall into the trap of monthly payments and do not look at the total overall cost of their purchase.

With a few minutes of work you could save yourself thousands of dollars... if you would like additional money saving tips visit: http://www.BeforeYouBuyACar.com

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Cheap Used Car for Buying

Are you looking for buying used car? But confused in lots of question than do not worry you can find number of online sites which offers you complete guide to buying and selling used cars. Where you can learn who to get a best deals, sell for the highest prices, watch for scams and tricks, calculate payments, get advice on insurance and warranties, find out about used-car leasing, get safety and reliability data, and learn how to select the best used cars to meet your needs.

Many people who need a new car are stretched for extra money. Some turn to expensive loans or some other way but there are easier ways that often get overlooked. Check online sites where you can find cheap used car for your convenient.

Today Internet is a vast marketplace for buying and selling automobiles. Which find out some of the best places to search for used cars online and to get prices are Cars Direct , Autobytel , Auto web , and Auto Trader.

Directly buying from automobile dealer can be risky as many Used-car dealers want to sell you the cars they have on their lot, not the car you actually want. They can make it appear on their showroom that they have thousands of used cars, including just the one you want, but, in fact, they only have a few. It's plain old smoke and mirrors.

You will see that used car prices change from day to day it抯 due to the change in the prices of new car that affect used car prices. Since the size of your used car payment depends on a combination of price, how much you can pay down, the length of the loan, and the annual interest rate, you need a special loan calculator to tell you what your monthly payments will be.

Anna Josephs is a freelance journalist having experience of many years writing articles and news releases on various topics such as pet health, automobile and social issues. She also has great interest in poetry and paintings, hence she likes to write on these subjects as well. Currently writing for this website Best Cheap Used Car. For more details please contact at annajosephs@gmail.com

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Ultra Low Priced Cars: Will You Buy One?

North American motorists have gotten used to paying $20-$25,000 or more for their new vehicles. Long gone are the days when sub $10,000 cars ruled the highways, with few cars available for under $15,000 these days. All of that will be changing as the pending introduction of cheap cars from China as well as imports from Mexico and other third world nations will reshape the automotive landscape. Will you buy one of these bargain brands or will you stick with one of the trusted names? Let抯 step forward a few years to look at a radically changed automotive market and just what it may have to offer to you, the value conscious consumer.

If you follow automotive press reports then likely you have heard talk of cheaply priced cars from China being imported to the US and Canadian markets. At prices reported to be as low as US$ 6500, these cars have created a lot of buzz and have raised concern about the entire automotive industry, domestic and foreign. One big question asked includes this: how will domestic manufacturers be able to compete price wise? Well, prices won抰 be quite as low as first reported once certain safety and anti-pollution measures are added in; instead the final starting price will likely be in the neighborhood of US$ 8500.

Regardless of exactly where the final starting prices are set, an economic tsunami could hit in short order.

Two of China抯 top brands, Chery and Geely, are reportedly preparing to export cars to the US in 2008. Both manufacturers produce several lines of vehicles, but current manufacturing output is limited. Expect no more than 200,000 of these vehicles for the first few years, but maybe millions more once additional capacity has been brought online.

In India, several manufacturers have been quietly expanding capacity to serve the burgeoning Indian market. One manufacturer, Tata Motors, even has pledged to build a car starting at US$ 2000. That抯 no typo ?two thousand dollars for a new car! The last car that sold at this price in the US was the VW Beetle. Of course, you have to go back to the late 1960s to find a new Beetle at that price.

Will Tata and other Indian automakers export their cars to the U.S.? Given the current state of the Indian auto industry, likely this will not happen for some time. Capacity is expanding, but it is barely keeping up with domestic demand. Plus, each model would have to undergo extensive upgrades in order to conform to strict U.S. emissions, safety, and quality standards. Yet, the possibility of a car that will greatly undercut Chinese models in price is intriguing.

Don抰 think for a moment that leading world automakers will take these challenges lying down. Ford is proposing to build a sub-$10,000 vehicle in Mexico; GM is tapping its South Korean arm Daewoo for additional low cost models; and DaimlerChrysler is shopping around for a partner to help build it own super cheap people mover for around the same price.

Toyota, Honda, and several other Asian manufacturers will be sure to respond. With factories scattered across the globe, each company can pull a model from one factory and ship it to the U.S. to compete. Already, Honda and Toyota are offering cars at around $12,000 or less and each of these models could retail for much less if they are built in countries where wage levels are very low.

So, what does all of this mean for consumers? Well, you aren抰 likely to see an across the board drop in automobile prices, but you probably will see the end to 搒ticker shock?the phenomenon that has stunned new car buyers for the past generation. What you may find is this: $60,000 Lexus?and $6000 Scions being sold side by side. A huge difference in price, but something that the North American auto enthusiast may find to be commonplace.

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To buy or to lease?

Article Body:

Buy or Lease?

It抯 the classic dilemma that faces every auto-consumer out there: Pay

cash upfront or forego the ownership and pay monthly settlements instead?

Buy or lease for a new set of wheels?

As is the case with every other common dilemma, there is no slam-dunk

answer. Each option has its own benefits and drawbacks, and it all depends on a set of financial and personal considerations.

First, your finances. Affordability is clearly key, and you need to ask the question of how stable is your job and how healthy is your general

financial situation. The short-term monthly-cost of leasing is significantly lower than the monthly payments when buying: you only pay for 搕he portion?of the vehicle抯 cost that you use up during the time you drive it.

If you have a lot of cash upfront, then you can opt to pay the down

payment, sales taxes - in cash or rolled into a loan - and the interest

rate determined by your loan company. Buying effectively gives you

ownership of the car and that feeling of 揻ree driving?that goes on

providing transportation.

If, say, you want to get into luxury models but can抰 afford the upfront

cash of purchasing the vehicle than you抮e a good candidate for leasing.

Unlike buying, it gives you the option of not having to fork out the down

payment upfront, leaving you to pay a lower money factor that is generally similar to the interest rate on a financing loan. However, these benefits

have a price: terminating a lease early or defaulting on your monthly lease payments will result in stiff financial penalties and can ruin your credit.

You need to make sure you carve out the monthly lease payment in your

budget for the foreseeable future, at least for the duration of the lease.

Besides the financial aspect, making a buy or lease decision depends on

your own particular lifestyle choices and preferences. Think about what the car means to you: are you the sort of person to bond with the car or would you rather have the excitement of something new? If you want to drive a car for more than fives years, negotiate carefully and buy the car you like. If, on the other hand, you don抰 like the idea of ownership and prefer to drive a new car every two to three years then you should lease. Next, factor your transportation needs: How many miles do you drive a year?

How properly do you maintain your cars? If you answer is: 揑 drive 40,000

miles a year and I don抰 really care much about my cars as I don抰 mind

dealing with repair bills? then you抮e probably better off buying. Leasing is based on the assumption of limited-mileage, usually no more than 12,000 to 15,000 miles a year, and wear-and-tear considerations. Unless you can keep within the prescribed mileage limits and keep the car in a good condition at the end of your lease, you might incur hefty end-of-lease costs.

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FREEBuying Tips For Used Cars

Resorting to buying used cars is not a bad idea. For some people who cannot afford to buy brand new cars, second hand cars offer valuable alternatives to saving money for other important matters.

In fact, in a 2005 survey, more than 60% of people surveyed are becoming more open to procuring used cars rather than brand new.

Attractive as it may seem, before you decide to make a purchase of and used cars models, there are some things you need to know and advice that will help you make the most of buying used cars.

Below are some recommendations that you may want to follow to secure your finances and optimize your car buying experience.

?Research Police Records

Do some searching on the web or through your Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) or local police. These agencies will be able to help you track the legal history related to the used car you are trying to purchase.

Stolen cars reported to police agencies are tracked for possible resale. Consulting a police agency would save you from potential headache and probable involvement in the sale of illegal or stolen item.

?File a Vehicle History Report

The recent hurricanes gave us a new idea of how the business of used cars works in this diverse marketplace. Cars that are completely submerged in water and totaled are sent to motor shops for remodeling and washed to bring it anew.

An interesting example to cite is through ordering a CARFAX Vehicle History Report. This verification and research policy empowers consumers to choose the right products for them and optimize the use of used cars.

?Take note of the detailed damage and its extent

The history report will provide details about the level of damage including but not limited to internal and external corrosion, broken parts such as frame damage due to accidental or intentional dilapidation, fluid leaks, corroded electronic main parts and accessories and tarnished frames and the location where the car was originally purchased and dismembered for resale.

Additionally, particulars about the source of damage like due to natural phenomenon such as hurricanes and flooding are detailed as well.

?Try Browsing for Online Best Buys

Take an online survey of some of the must and best buy items on the net offering used car models and brand new models. Some reputable websites offering these kinds of services like http://Car.com and invoice Dealers offer reasonable car package and discounts which will allure you to buying new cars instead due to their competitive and reasonable prices.

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Buying versus Leasing A Car

If you are considering whether to buy or perhaps lease your next car and which would afford you the best deal, most consumer experts agree that from a purely financial aspect you will be better off in buying your next car.

Of course paying cash in full is the best possible scenario since with this option you would avoid any type of finance charge. But for the vast majority of us and for the scope of this article we抣l take a look those purchases or leases that involve financing.

In the short term leasing may look attractive to you because monthly lease payments will more than likely be less than the monthly payments of a purchase agreement. Why? Because with a lease you are essentially only paying for the part of the car you are going to use. It抯 kind of like splitting the cost of a pizza with someone. You are only paying for the pieces that you are going to eat. In car terminology the part that is left over in a lease is called the residual value of the car. The higher the residual value of the car the less of the car you will use during the lease so you payments for the part that you do use (the lease) will be lower.

Typically lease durations are 24, 36, or 48 months. Do not sign up for a lease beyond 48 months. Actually anything beyond 36 months is pushing the value of the lease. Don抰 let the car salesman get you into a longer lease just because they make your monthly payments look more attractive. Remember time costs you money and the car抯 residual value will plummet and you loose all the advantages of leasing and still be left with nothing in the end.

For some drivers the car buying decision isn抰 based purely on bottom line numbers. And this is fine. It抯 strictly personal. Leasing does afford you the ability to always be driving a new car. A car that is within a few years of the latest body style and technology. A car that is always under the factory warranty. For the person that has accepted the fact that they enjoy being in a newer car and that car payments is just another monthly expense, then why not get the most car for the money? Then leasing could be a good alternative.

If this is your personal preference the other two questions you must answer are how many miles a year do I drive and how hard on cars am I? The mileage question can really come back to haunt you if you are not careful. People who are in new cars and thus enjoy driving them and showing them off more will have a tendency to drive them more. Be very careful with you mileage. Going over your allotted mileage on your lease could end up costing anywhere from 15 to 30 cents per mile beyond the lease mileage allowance and this can get painful in a hurry. In most leases you can purchase additional mileage up front at the time of the lease but keep in mind if at the end of your lease you haven抰 used all of your miles, you don抰 get that money refunded back to you.

I mentioned a bit earlier you need to consider how well you treat your cars. Only you will know this and you need to be honest with this one. Don抰 think that you can turn your lease car in at the end of the lease with the car in sub par condition. If you do, you may be assessed reconditioning fees that could become rather hefty.

In summary, from a purely financial perspective buying your next new car is the best over the long haul. But, car with car ownership, so much personal preference, and personal priorities come into play. If you think leases look attractive, be absolutely certain about your mileage you will drive. Take good care of the car. And finally check with your insurance agent first to make sure that you don抰 give back the money you save in monthly payments to your insurance company.

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