5 Things to Know When Shopping for Car Rentals.(car tips)

Car Tips

For most people the use of a car rental is a necessity. It generally is done as the result of a need for a replacement vehicle for a period of time. Most people do not rent cars on a regular basis and do not know all the ins and outs involved in the rental contract. There are some very basic, although important steps that should be followed when renting a car.

You do not need to have personal auto insurance to rent a car; they will ask you if you would like to purchase their insurance for the duration of the rental contract. If, however, you have your own insurance policy, be sure to call your agent to see if you are covered during your use of a rental car. If your personal auto policy covers you, there is no need to purchase a policy from the rental company.

After you have called around, found the best deal and reserved your choice car; it is time to pick it up. Be sure to have all of your personal paperwork with you, including your auto policy if you will not be buying theirs. Before you sign the contract, read through it and ask any questions you may have.

You will of course, need a valid drivers license to rent the car. If you do not have a license, they will not rent to you under any circumstances. Most companies will also require you to reserve your car with the use of a major credit card, however, you can pay in cash if you would prefer.

Keep in mind that most rental companies will not rent to any driver under the age of 25. If you fall under that magic number, you more than likely will need to get an older relative or friend to sign the actual contract for you.

-Car Tips-

5 Steps to A Great Rental Car Experience.(car tips)

Car Tips

There are times in one's life when the use of rental cars cannot be avoided. When someone plows into you at an intersection, when you are taking a 2-day trip and your compact car just does not have enough room to stretch out, these are times when you are happy that there are rental cars at your disposal. Before you rent that car, though, you should know some things about the process.

1- The first step involved in obtaining a rental car is to do research on the companies in your local area. There are a number of nation wide companies and more than likely local companies to choose from when conducting your research. Try to narrow them down to three or four companies that are closest to either your pick up location or your destination.

2- You will want to ask about procedures that may be required by the rental company. Many companies require that the car be fueled up before its return, if this is not done, they will charge you extra for it. It may also be in your best interest to ask what the fee would be if the car is needed for longer than expected as well as what the rate is for late drop off.

3- If you have personal auto insurance, call your agent to see if you are insured with a rental car as well. This will allow you to save money by turning down the insurance offered by the rental company at the time of vehicle pick up.

4- Finally, you have chosen the company and the car, its time to pick it up. Make sure that you have the paper work that you will need. Most companies will require you to show your drivers license, be sure to have it. Also, your proof of auto insurance, if you will be turning their insurance down. A major credit card is necessary; if you are not using cash to rent your car, do not count on them taking a check.

5- Be sure to read the contract and ask questions about anything that you do not understand. It's better to take sometime at the counter or on the phone to pin down the details, than to think you got it and have to deal with the company in the event of an accident. Ask questions!

-Car Tips-

4 tips to save a bundle on your next new car purchase.(Car Tips)

Car Tips

Many of us have been at the car dealership and have been drained by a salesperson during price negotiations for the purchase of a new car. Most people give in too easily or do not negotiate at all to avoid the dreadful act. This only means more money in the car dealers’ pocket, while you are out of several thousand dollars! Yes, they make that much in profit per car.

This article unveils the dealer’s selling tactics and how you can get around them. But before we dive into the new car buying tips, we need to understand what makes up the dealer’s profits.

In addition to the MSRP (manufacturer suggested retail price), which is the dealer’s cost for the car plus an additional 20-25% profit, a dealer also gets financial incentives from the manufacturer when a new car is sold. This is called Holdback.

Depending on the car, dealers can make hundreds on each car through holdbacks. Dealers also get additional incentives and bonuses on selling a car before the end of the month and/or quarter.

A shrewd dealer can make several thousand on a new car even by selling it at invoice price. This is how new car buying can become tricky for the consumer.

Ready to learn how not to put a dent in your wallet on your next car purchase? Here are four tips to get you started. Each one is a dealer tactic to watch out for.

1. The Guilt Trip

As you may have noticed, every desk in a dealership has photos of the salesperson’s family, instead of photos of cars. Midway in the negotiation, the sales person will bring them up and make it look like his little commission check can hardly pay for his daughters college and little Bradley’s braces.

A seasoned salesperson will soon have you feeling guilty for driving the price down and hurting his commission. Watch out not to fall for this tactic, since you already know about holdbacks and incentive programs from manufacturers.

2. Wearing You Down

Come prepared to spend half a day at the dealership or pay whatever the dealer asks for. Car Dealers are trained to delay and tire you out to the point where you give in and accept their price just to get out of there.

After you make your offer, sales people typically claim they would have to run it by their manager. You may then have to re-start negotiating with the manager, who is also a seasoned salesperson. This dance goes on for a while until you give in.

Remember, there are multiple dealerships in a city, so they need you more than you need them. Demand to speak to the manager after a certain time period or threaten to leave.
Because you are devoting a lot of time to bargain with the dealer, they know you are a serious buyer, so they will not let you leave. The earlier you can speak with the manager, the faster you can leave.

3. The Test Drive

We all enjoy a good test drive and look forward to it. Although it is essential to test drive a car before you buy it, remember to not show your absolute love for the car to the salesperson. Their goal is to get you emotionally attached to the car, so it becomes a must have for you. I have learned it the hard way.

To hide your emotional tears from the salesperson, mention the features of a competing car in the same class, like the new shape, light, leg room, resale value etc. This will make the salesperson a little vulnerable.

4. Monthly Payments

This one is to confuse you. Dealers will start talking about monthly payments rather than the total price of the car. They will start by asking how much you are willing to pay per month and how much of a down payment you are willing to pay. Since people don’t want to look like they cannot afford a certain car, they will usually give a higher number. Big Mistake!

You have left little room for negotiation when this happens. Always steer the conversation to the total price of the car and do NOT mention any trade-ins at this point. Only after the total price of the vehicle is completely negotiated then talk about interest, monthly payment and trade-ins.

General Rule;

As a general rule, remember to only focus and negotiate on the Total Price of the vehicle. Everything else is pretty much the car dealer’s trough.

If the above new car buying tips seem like a lot of hassle, yet you still want to get the best price in town, there are some websites that do this for you. www.AutoAuctionBids.com for example is a great website for this because you can collect price quotes from multiple local dealers for a particular car as well as its competing car models (like Honda Accord, Toyota Camry and Ford Taurus) and compare them.

The website then allows you to send back the lowest quotes received for each car make to all participating dealers in your area through the website itself.

Dealers view this price and continue to submit new lower prices over a 3 day period. By putting local car dealers in such a price competition allows you to avoid the dreadful face to face negotiation and yet gets you the lowest price in town for up to 3 competing car makes.

The best part about AutoAuctionBids.com is that it is absolutely free for you and there is no obligation to buy after the new car auction is over.

-Car Tips-

3 Secret Tips Before You Buy A Used Car.( Car Tips)

Car Tips

I have always purchased my cars used. And every single time, I got a great deal because of a few secrets that is easy to do.

These secrets will save you money. And the good news is there is no luck involved.

If you follow these steps you are guaranteed to save lots of money, so please pay attention.

BUYING A USED CAR Power Tip #1 - Check Consumer Reports on the safest cars out there. Looks are one thing, but never ignore safety.

Here's what you do: Go to a reputable car repair shop and ask if you can bring the vehicle by for a look-over.

There is a 99% chance they will say "yes".

While you're there, ask what cars they have to repair most often. Also, ask what the inspection includes, how long it takes, and the price. Always get this information in writing - just to be safe.

Once the vehicle has been inspected, ask the mechanic for a written report with a cost estimate for all necessary repairs.

Be sure the report includes the vehicle's make, model and VIN. If you decide to make an offer to the dealer after approving the inspection, you can use the estimated repair costs to negotiate the price of the vehicle.

Do you see how easy it is?

Are you going to purchase from an individual? If yes, then here is your next tip.

BUYING A USED CAR Power Tip #2

Remember, private sellers generally are not covered by the Used Car Rule and don't have to use the Buyers Guide. However, you can use the Guide's list of an auto's major systems as a shopping tool.

It's simple.

You can ask the seller if you can have the vehicle inspected by your mechanic. If he/she says no... beware. No matter how nice the car appears, something fishy is going on.

Now, a private sale likely will be on an "as is" basis, unless your purchase agreement with the seller specifically states otherwise. If you have a written contract, the seller has to live up to the contract.

The car also may be covered by a manufacturer's warranty or a separately purchased service contract. But that doesn't mean that the warranty and service contract are transferable.

Plus, other limits or costs may apply. Before you buy the car, ask if it's still under warranty or service contract, and review that baby carefully.

Some states will require vehicle sellers to pass a vehicle inspection before a sale is made. That's not always the case, though. To find out what your state requires, contact your state Attorney General's office or a local consumer protection agency.

Hey, it's just a phone call. And it will take less than 5 minutes.

Whether you end up buying a used car from a dealer, a co-worker, or a neighbor, follow these tips to learn as much as you can about the car:

BUYING A USED CAR Power Tip #3

Examine the car carefully yourself using an inspection checklist. You can find a checklist in many of the magazine articles, books and Internet sites that deal with buying a used car.

Once I bought a used car in August, and never thought to test the rear defroster. Guess what? Come November, I found out it didn't work. If you're shopping in the summer, don't forget to check the heater. And if it's cold as ice outside, still turn that air on full blast and make sure it works!

Test drive the car under varied road conditions--on hills, highways, and in stop-and-go traffic.

Ask for the car's maintenance record. If the owner doesn't have copies, contact the dealership or repair shop where most of the work was done. They may share their files with you.

Talk to the previous owner, especially if the present owner is unfamiliar with the car's history.

Have the car inspected by a mechanic you hire.

There you go.

Follow those three "used car buying" tips and you are guaranteed to save a ton of money buying a used car.

-Car Tips-