5 great opportunities to find a deal The best time to buy a new car might simply be when you need it most. But if your purchase is not urgent and maximizing savings is your goal, there are some dates on the calendar it certainly helps to know about. The following are all smart times to visit the dealership and shop for a deal. 1. Late in the month The last week and particularly the last weekend of the month are often when dealership staff need to sell the final cars that enable them to meet their sales… Read More
Steer past these potholes to reach the best deal on your financing Newcomers to auto financing, and even those who have financed before, can easily become smarter shoppers by learning from the mistakes of others. Here are five common car loan errors to avoid when buying a vehicle. 1. Not budgeting Spending thousands of dollars may not be something you can afford to do on impulse, so work out how much you can spend before getting dazzled by a shiny new vehicle. Consider what you might have as a down payment and trade-in allowance; budget what you can… Read More
You might think the pleasure of driving a sports car would mean clocking endless miles during the course of ownership. Not so. In fact, full-size utilities see much more of the road and are the vehicles we drive the most. These hardworking haulers have the highest average annual mileages in America, reveal data from iSeeCars.com, based upon the sale of 10-year-old vehicles. Their extra capacity to accommodate passengers and cargo, which makes them popular with families and businesses alike, is partly why, says the auto research site. Reliability, also, accounts for their high mileage. Spacious… Read More
When you need to finance a car with a credit score south of 600, you’ll be looking at an auto loan for bad credit.* As there are different sorts of poor credit, such as those caused by a discharged bankruptcy, no credit history or just late payments, the best option will depend on your own situation. That said, there are some general points that will help you find it. Overall, you’ll want a lender that’s easy to deal with, offers the greatest chance of approval and, if approved, gives you the most favorable terms on your loan. Read through… Read More
Poor credit might feel like an extra load, but it doesn’t have to make buying a truck hard work. There are huge numbers of pickups on the road today, and not all of their drivers got behind the wheel with perfect credit scores. Here are some useful pointers for purchasing a truck with bad credit, including how to save time and money.* 1. Check your credit Credit score is a big factor in most auto lending decisions, both in terms of whether an application is approved and what rate may be offered. Your score is based in part… Read More
There’s plenty of choice these days, but which infotainment systems are best? Consumer Reports members can speak to that. First of all, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto trump built-in devices, although it’s close. Sixty-four and 59 percent of members said they were very satisfied with these respective options in a survey encompassing 60,000 vehicles. The same degree of satisfaction across automaker infotainment was 58 percent. For the smartphone-compatible systems, car owners highlighted the easy-to-use design of Apple CarPlay, while Google Assistant’s voice control was a particular strength of Android Auto – beating many built-in equivalents. Built-in systems, however, were… Read More
It’s back-to-school shopping season, and one of the largest items on the list could be a car. What sort of car it is will probably vary, depending on whether you’re approaching the purchase as a student or parent. As a student, you might be relishing the prospect of your very first vehicle and envisioning the coolest new ride in which to enjoy your independence. As a parent, you may be more concerned with safety and cost. Providing a meeting place between the two are Kelley Blue Book’s 10 best for the new school year. Handpicked by the editors, these vehicles… Read More
Special financing is a term often used to describe auto loans for consumers with bad credit,* which can include people who have been through bankruptcy or repossession, and those with limited credit histories. There are plenty of companies in the auto finance industry willing to accept applications for subprime loans, so if your credit is poor, there may be a lender ready to offer the financing that helps you get on the road. First of all, keep in mind vehicle loans for people in bad credit situations typically come with higher annual percentage rates than those offered to consumers with better credit. That’s how the… Read More
Winning an auto award is one thing. Winning time after time is another and suggests that vehicle, or brand, is seriously worth considering. Pricing and research site Kelley Blue Book is continually assessing the latest models and, as a result, has arrived at its most-awarded cars and car companies for 2019. The “best of the best” vehicles have racked up multiple accolades across categories including best buy, 10 best, 5-year cost to own, resale value and more. As such, they include a mix of car, SUV, minivan and truck options that could help you start or streamline your shopping list.… Read More
Out with the old, in with the new. Volkswagen has ended production of its famous Beetle in favor of a new compact SUV tailored to the North American market. The final model in a long line of Beetles rolled out of the production plant in Puebla, Mexico, last month, eight decades after the car’s beginnings in Germany, in 1938. First introduced to America in 1949 as the Type 1, some 21.5 million of the original Bug were sold worldwide as “The People’s Car” became a cultural icon. Nearly 5 million were purchased in the U.S. Reintroduced to a new… Read More