Car Insurance

People rely and need their cars for going to work, picking up &
dropping off the children and shopping. So it is important to
keep our vehicle up and running. If you take care of your vehicle
it will take care of you and you can save yourself a lot of
possible heartache in the future. There are things that you can
do to make the car more dependable.

To start with, read your owner’s manual. This may seem like the
first thing people do, but you would be surprised how many people
do not even bother to learn what needs to done to their car to
keep it in good running condition. The owner’s manual contains
important information about what maintenance needs to be
performed on your vehicle.

Regular maintenance can keep your car up and running for years.
One of the most important things you can do is be aware of the
type of oil in your vehicle. Periodically check the oil level in
the engine and make sure there is enough. If you do nothing else
this will increase the longevity and life of your car.

Change your oil frequently. You will not damage your engine by
changing it too often. The norm is usually every 3,000 miles. You
will also want to change your oil filter and air filter when you
do your oil change. Again your owner’s manual will let you know
of the proper time to have this done.

On older cars changing the oil yourself may not be difficult,
however with newer cars the way the engine is built could cause
problems. Not to worry though, if you do not feel comfortable
changing your own oil there are plenty of inexpensive oil change
service stations out there that can do the job for you. Most of
the time at these places you will only have to wait 10 to 15
minutes for the oil to be changed and then your vehicle will be
good for another 3,000 miles.

Another thing you can do is to pay attention to your tires and
take care of them immediately if you see an issue developing. A
lot of drivers do not pay attention to the tread and condition of
their tires until it is too late. Most people only repair their
tires as needed or worse yet after a blowout. This is not only
dangerous to you but can leave you stranded. You can lose control
of the car and may cause other damages to the vehicle itself or
hurt yourself and others.

If an accident does not occur you could still end up with a
problem, such as a flat tire, if you are not properly maintaining
your tires. If you do get a flat tire you now have to waste your
time changing your tire, getting dirty and placing yourself at
risk by being close to cars that will be passing by you at high
speeds. By purchasing a pressure gauge and using it you can keep
the tires inflated to their proper pressure. You should also have
your tire properly balanced and rotated to avoid problems and
increase their life.

Checking your car’s fluids to make sure they are properly filled
can also help you maintain your car and keep it dependable. You
should do this when you do your oil changes or based on the
recommendations of your owner’s manual. The fluids to check are
the power steering fluid, break fluid, antifreeze and windshield
washer fluid. You will also need to do a quick visual inspection
of the hoses and belts in your vehicle. This is easy to do and if
you get your oil changed professionally they will often do this
free of charge.

Once something does fail mechanically, get it fixed fast! Do not
wait, more problems could occur based on neglect. When you rely
on a car, as much as most people do, it is important to keep it
in the best condition possible. Remember that it is always
cheaper to prevent the problems then to fix them.

Tip 1 - Pick your time. If you can possibly help it, don’t sell
your car after Christmas, when no one has any money. Consider
holiday periods: will the people be in town or away. Sometimes
this can work in your favor because if people are not at work
they have more time to look for cars, and they are usually cashed
up with nothing to do.

On the reverse side, when buyers are busy working, they don’t
have the time to do a lot of car shopping, which can make
negotiating easier.

Additionally for this reason, if you get a buyer to come on a
week-night, it is unlikely he can compare yours to other cars -
which can sometimes work in your favour.

Tip 2 - First Impressions are everything Just like you are going
on a date - first impressions are everything. Get all the rubbish
and junk out of it. Deodorize it. Wash it, clean it.

Tip 3 - As the good boy scout says. Be prepared. Get your
paperwork in order. Find the spare keys. You don’t want to be
rushing around at the last minute, just when the buyer is ready
to go for it. You can’t find something. He may just say, he’ll
get back to you. Believe me, it happens. So get organized before
hand and you’ll have a much smoother run of it.

See my other articles for more tips.

Graeme Sprigge is the webmaster of SellMyCarForCash.Com, a
website dedicated to enlightening you on how to get the most for
your car in a private sale. The site is is constantly expanding
and includes more great articles, some of which are available for
reprinting in your ezine. There is a lack of unbiased information
on the net in this are so this site aims to fill the gap.

Car prices today compete with small houses and well-equipped
mobile homes. As these price increases become more accepted by
consumers, so too are the longer terms that are necessary to fit
them into cost of living budgets. At one point, the magic payment
amount for the retail automobile market was $200 per month. But
that payment would only satisfy a loan of approximately $8000-
10000 depending on interest rates.

The average car payment today is closer to $400 per month and
that’s with financial institutions stretching the terms to 72-84
and 120 months. Something has gone terribly wrong in the psyche
of consumers to even imagine that an automobile will not become
obsolete before it is all paid up, 6, 7 or 10 years down the
road.

All they really need to do is take a look at a vehicle sold in
1995, 1997 or 1999, to get a live preview of what their new car
will look like and potentially what it will be worth.
Interestingly, research indicates that most Americans get bored
with a car after driving it for 24-36 months. Why then would the
typical financing term be 72-120 months?

At the point of purchase, most consumers tend to forget that car
payments never include the cost of insurance, required
maintenance and gas. When these items are added to a car payment,
it can easily exceed what some people are paying in mortgages.

It’s analogous to the Middle Eastern people like Iranians whose
culture practices beating themselves on the back with chains and
whips. Every month, millions of Americans face the self-inflicted
pain of making another car payment. Like the Iranians, they
believe that if they can do it, it must be good and it will
somehow make them better people in the hereafter.

A self-made millionaire, Dr. Cooper, an advocate for reversing
unnecessary consumer debt has come up with a simple plan to
change how we think of automobile ownership. His plan uses the
same philosophy that our grand fathers grew up with, i.e. never
buy anything that you cannot afford to pay for out of your own
pocket.

Unfortunately, if we lived by those rules we would need traffic
lights and zebra crossings on our major highways because they
would be packed with pedestrians.

Well let’s share Dr. Cooper’s plan. He calls it the “Vehicle
Saving Fund”. This is a basic commercial bank savings account
that can be started at any local bank. To make it more meaningful
to you, lets call it the “Freedom From Car Payment Fund.” Anyone
can start such a fund; it does not matter if they are currently
financing a vehicle.

The idea is that if you intend to be a productive member of
society and enjoy the benefits of your labor you will need to
have personal transportation. This is not optional for most
people who do not live in a big city where public transportation
is available. The fund should be considered absolutely necessary,
much like the rent or mortgage, it’s a living expense.

Here is how it works; if you are currently driving a financed
vehicle, resolve to pay it off in its normal term. It’s hard to
keep making payment on a vehicle you do not like but that’s where
the discipline becomes important. Also, resolve to put aside a
small amount every month to your “Freedom From Car Payment”
account. Initially, it is totally understandable that it may be a
little difficult but the amount is not important, it’s the habit
and the psychology of doing it that makes all the difference. You
can start with as little as $5-$10-$25 just be committed to doing
it every month until it becomes a habit.

You will also have to make a decision to continue driving the
vehicle you are currently paying, this plan does not work if you
decide that you need a new vehicle before paying off the one you
are driving. The closer you are to your end of term, the better
position you will be in to get what you want. But there is no
rush, when you pay it off you should then begin to put the amount
of your previous payment into your vehicle fund. Now with the
equity in your current vehicle and your savings you can begin
shopping.

Considering the prices of automobiles today, there is a high
probability that because of your vehicle depreciation and the
small savings, you might not have enough money to buy a new
vehicle. If you do not have enough to purchase what you want,
there are always other options; the first is to buy what you can
afford. The alternative (worst-case scenario) is facing the
dealer with no savings and having negative equity in the vehicle
you are currently driving.

Strange concept, I know, but when its all said and done,
transportation is transportation, it gets you from point A to
point B. The only difference is what you are willing to pay to
get there. For many, because of the values they hold “whatever it
takes” is an appropriate answer but the mind set has to now
change to discipline and the desire to stop making lifetime
payments.

If you don’t have a car right now and are enjoying the bliss of
not having a financial obligation to an automobile, you can begin
your savings immediately so that when the time comes you will
have a sizable chunk to begin your search for your new car. You
are in a very good position if you are not in the market
presently looking for a vehicle.

You have the time to save and plan for your next automobile.
Begin the “Freedom From Car Payments Fund” today and in a couple
of years you will really be much better off. Contrary to what
dealers try to make you believe, car ownership does require long
term planning in order to break the cycle of swapping payments
every 3-4 years. It is a long term serious investment.

It’s that simple. Easy, no but simple, and it can be done. It
requires discipline and patience two characteristics that are not
easily harnessed in by the now generation. The obvious benefit is
no car payment but you will also save on insurance and have much
more disposable income for other necessities. With determination,
a little vision and planning anyone can drive exactly what they
want; without the burden of a monthly payment. Could that be you?

Have you been dreaming of a new car? As you know, it is not cheap to purchase a new vehicle. If you do not have cash in hand to pay for it you will have to finance it.

The world of finances can be challenging to those who are going through the process for the first time. It is easy to be taken advantage of at the car dealership or by other financers if you do not know how the system works. Once you understand the basics financing a car should be easier for you to comprehend.

The kind of financing or loan you are going to receive will depend on a lot of items but mainly your own personal credit. Before going out to buy the perfect new car you need get your own finances in order and do research. If you are able to do these two items you should be able to get decent financing for your new vehicle.

Getting your finances in order is very important so that you can get the best financing or loan possible. The key factor here is your credit score. You want the highest possible score with the least amount of red flags. This means getting a copy of your credit reports from the big 3 consumer credit reporting agencies. This is now free once a year due to a new federal act that went into affect in 2005.

Once getting a copy of your credit report scour it for anything that may be incorrect or needs to be cleared up. Get the report to look the best as you can before proceeding forward and buying your new car. If your credit report is bad it will make your credit score low and make you either get a bad percentage rate for your loan or make you unable to get a loan period.

Other finances to take care of before getting a loan, is to pay off any credit cards with high APR or other bills that may not allow you to have the money to pay a monthly car loan. Also having these items paid off will look good on your credit report. If your current car is not paid off it would help if you could get that done before applying for a car loan. It is better to do so than trading in a car that is not paid off since some dealerships will give you a bad deal.

It is most helpful on getting a loan if you have worked for the same company for six months or more. Same goes for your living situation. Finance companies do not usually care for nomads. They like to loan money out to those that have a steady job and have lived at the address for at least six months or more.

Once your own financial situation is looking good you can now move onto the research side of things. Research different finance companies so that you can get the best rate. This is easier if you already know what car you are purchasing. This way you can put the amount you are determined to pay for the car into a payment calendar and get a good idea of what your monthly amount will. The amount can fluctuate depending on what percentage rate you get from the finance company but you will have a general idea. You can again make sure this amount will not be a problem for you to pay each month. If it is you may have to find a less expensive vehicle to purchase.

In most cases the car dealership will offer some of the worst financing options. There are times though that if you finance through them you will get incentives you cannot receive any other way. This may be 0% financing or a rebate. Take the warning now though that 0% financing can be very difficult to get. It might be advertised to everyone but only a few people, with nearly perfect credit reports, will be accepted for it. Others might not find out they are not accepted until after they have already taken possession of the new car.

Rebates can be helpful when purchasing a car as well. They can give you money back from $500 to a couple of thousand dollars. If the only way you can get this rebate is if you use the dealership’s finance department you will have to decide if this is a good deal. You might determine it will be good to do and then a few months down the line you can refinance with a new company. This will allow you to get a rebate and then a better rate at a later date.

Go online and find out what rates are. The Internet allows you to easily apply for a loan and get an answer within a day or even a few short hours. Searching for a loan in this way will make it easier to comparison shop. If is better to do more fact finding than applying for loans though because if you apply for too many they will show up on your credit report and likely scare away some finance companies.

Financing your car does not have to be difficult. Doing research to find the best deal is half the battle. The other half is getting your own finances in order. If you are able to have a good credit score and shop around for the right loan you should be on your way to the dealership to buy that new car that you want in no time.

The unfortunate truth is that payment of deductibles is almost always required before making a claim. Deductibles are what you pay before your insurance policy kicks in and are part of your insurance contract. They are universal to most insurance contracts and payments are expected when making a claim to your insurer. The amount of your deductible may greatly affect your rates. The higher the deductible, the lower your rates may be. Consider your driving record, your financial ability to pay, where you live (city drivers tend to be in more accidents), and your aversion to risk before deciding on how much of a deductible you’re comfortable with.

Good news. The good news is that several insurers now offer programs to significantly decrease your deductibles in exchange for your good driving record. MetLife offers a program called Deductible Savings Benefit which allows you to build a $50 benefit for each year of loss-free driving up to $250. Allstate offers an even better deal for good drivers — $100 off of your collision coverage deductible when you sign up and an additional $100 off for each year of safe driving up to $500. Consumers should keep an eye out for other insurers to follow suit with these types of programs.