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One of the biggest moments in many people’s lives is driving off in their brand-spanking-new automobile. It’s an exhilarating feeling. It’s also a big moment because in that very instant, that brand-spanking-new car loses a big chunk of its value—the difference between the retail price you paid and the car’s wholesale value. That’s typically thousands gone in an instant.

That’s why some car buyers choose to shop around for a used car. You save yourself that steep initial drop-off in value. More importantly, you get a car that runs just as well, is just as dependable, and looks and feels as good as that new car—that is, if you play your cards right.

For if there is one pitfall of buying a used car, it’s the risk of buying a piece of scrap, a death trap—call it what you want, you get the point: the wrong car. Used car sellers, after all, have nearly as bad a reputation, if not worse, than lawyers do. This holds true for individual people selling their cars through newspapers, Web auctions and classified sites, or with the old-fashioned signs in their car windows. The saying, “Buyer Beware,” nowhere has more meaning than with cars.

The opposite to that, of course, is that there are some real steals out there in used cars. We’re talking about quality vehicles that will perform beyond your expectations at a low price. Here’s how to find these perfect used vehicles, and avoid the top scams that used car sellers everywhere try to pull on you. Also beware it is estimated 250,000 to 500,000 cars could have been damaged during hurricane Katrina.

1. Get a second opinion for the excitement. Used car sellers will bombard you with every adjective under the book to sell you on a car—sporty, thrifty, fast, and etc. Don’t take their word for it. Instead, find someone you know, whether a neighbour, a colleague, a family member, or a friend, who owns the same make and model of the vehicle, and ask them for their opinion.

2. Do a background check. One of the most unethical, but legal, things someone can do to you is sell you a used car that’s been in a flood (and sort of repaired), or one that’s had 10 previous owners (none of whom repaired it). To be sure you don’t fall victim to this, track down a history report, including a clearance check on the vehicle title. You can even get some of this information from the seller, simply by asking why they are selling it. You’d be surprised what beans people may spill.

3. Examine for past damage. Used car sellers may also try to flog a vehicle that was wrecked in a major accident. It’s amazing what car body experts can do to repair a car’s exterior. So don’t go by the outer appearances of a vehicle. Before you buy it, make sure that it does not have serious damage to its frame, which it would have if it was involved in a crash.

4. Call up your trusted mechanic. Used car sellers, especially the big lots, will say they put their used cars through a “100 point inspection,” or something like that. Once again, a second opinion is in order. Get this one from your own mechanic. He’ll be able to tell how good a shape the car actually is in. Also be sure to ask him or her how often the car had been serviced. A good mechanic can even gauge that.

5. Research for recalls. Needless to say, a used car dealer may sell you a car that’s actually under recall in his mad rush to get the car off his lot. So be sure to call the car manufacturer, or visit their Web site, to see if the vehicle has any active recalls.

6. Avoid the leftover lemon. Along with recalled vehicles, sellers may even perpetrate something much worse on you—sell you a lemon. (By definition, a lemon is a car that’s still under warranty, which has such major problems that, warranty or not, it still cannot be fixed in a reasonable way.) The best way to avoid this is to research in Consumer Reports or the various automobile magazines, which all have yearly reviews of every make and model on the market. They’ll tell you whether a kind of car is known for being a lemon and prone to breakdowns.

7. See through the old paint and bait. Along with performing their “100 point inspection,” car sellers may shine and wax a used car—even repaint it—to hide dents, dings, and rust spots. A keen eye, though, can see right through this.

8. Take the test drive. Once you’ve done all your research, homework, extra credit, and everything else called for in the first seven steps, then comes the fun—the test drive. Drive the car for as long as its owner or dealer will allow you. Then you’ll get a better feel for how the vehicle handles, accelerates, brakes, and otherwise suits your tastes (or doesn’t).

9. Be wary of the pushy seller. At any stage of the game—from the moment you first talk to the seller to the test drive—be careful if the seller gets pushy. Any dealer or seller who is in a rush to move a vehicle should set off bells and whistles. Why the rush? Are they hiding something? In some cases the seller may just be excited to sell you the car—and actually happy for you—but in many other cases, they may be up to something. Better be safe than sorry.

Follow these simple steps to avoid the scams and pitfalls of used car deals, and you could get the car of your dreams—for far less than you’d pay if it was brand-new. Plus, you get that same high when you drive your new used car home, without losing thousands of cash.

We provide free useful tips fortnightly on repairing and maintaining your automotive. See more at http://forms.aweber.com/form/38/1010223238.htm

If you feel I've missed out a thing or two please add your experience.

Quite often, a visit to the car repair shop can be even more painful than a visit to your dentist. Perhaps physical pain it’s involved, but some car repairs can leave your wallet feeling pretty empty and you with a bad taste in your mouth. The best way to avoid costly repairs is to take preventative steps that will keep your car in the best condition possible.

The first thing to do is to follow the maintenance schedule as outlined in your owner’s manual. The best one is always that recommended by the manufacturer and if you fail to follow those guidelines, your warranty may be voided for future repairs. Always be sure to change fluids, filters and spark plugs as the car’s manufacturer recommends.

Upgrade your motor oil to a high performance synthetic oil, which can help to prevent certain problems and can also improve your car’s performance.

Always be sure that your tires are properly inflated. This is especially important because tires with too little air, or too much, can result in excessive wear and may cause a blow out. It is often recommended that tire pressure be checked during every visit to the gas pump. While this may seem like a lot, you won’t be sorry that you have kept your tires in the best shape possible. For reasons of both safety and the expense of new tires, this exercise is well worth it.

If you notice unusual noises on your car, check with your owner’s manual for information. Quite often, noises are perfectly normal and there is no need for concern. Your owner’s manual will let you know whether or not a visit to the car repair shop is necessary.

If you do have to take your car in for repairs, be sure that you are dealing with a reputable company and ask your family or friends for recommendations.

When it comes time to begin the repairs, get an estimate in writing. A quality repair shop will be able to provide this information and should also be able to assure you that the repairs will not exceed 10% of a specific cash amount as outlined in the estimate.

The aforementioned steps will help to keep your car running smoothly and may also keep some extra bucks in your wallet. With the cost of gasoline prices these days, a few extra cash can go a long way.

We provide free useful tips fortnightly on repairing and maintaining your automotive. See more at http://www.emech.com.ng

When buying a second hand or used car, running a VIN number search is almost always a good idea.

If you’re not already familiar with it, a VIN number is a long string of letters and numbers that identify your vehicle. It is usually found on the dashboard, tucked up close to the base of the windshield. Each vehicle has a unique VIN.

Looking up your VIN, it can tell you a lot of useful information about the future automobile, including:

Title history
Accident history (if any)
Lease/rental history
Maintenance history

http://catalog.baldwinfilter.com/pdfs/VINDecoding.pdf


We provide free useful tips fortnightly on repairing and maintaining your automotive. See more at http://www.emech.com.ng

It is noted that we drive an average of 60 kilometers each day, and spend almost 60 minutes a day in their cars. With the price of petrol at the pumps skyrocketing, it just makes sense to do everything you can to save your hard-earned money. It doesn’t seem like petrol prices will return to ‘normal’ any time soon. You need all the ammunition you can get to fight back; here are 8 tips to help.

1. Make fewer trips
Did you know that when you drive a car that has been parked for a few hours, the engine is cold and it uses much more fuel for the first nine kilometers or so? Ideally you'd merge all your daily errands into one big trip. Often that's not possible if you have to pop out during the day to drop off and collect the family, but try not to go out separately to do the supermarket shop or buy a newspaper.
2. Don't drive in the rush hour
There are few bad places to spend your time than stuck in a traffic jam, but it's also a very costly way of travelling. Every time that you stop and start in traffic, your car needs first gear and an enormous amount of fuel to get going again. Second gear is not much better. The best way out is to not travel during the rush hour. You can also save some fuel by trying to understand what the traffic is doing in front of you, and travelling steadily at a slow speed, rather than accelerating and braking
3. Regular tune-ups and oil changes will save you petrol in the long run.
4. Check out petrol prices on the internet. There are websites that will let you find the best deals on petrol in your area, without having to drive around looking for them.
5. If you are in the market for a new car, check out the hybrid models.
6. Use the cheapest petrol possible. Most modern cars run just as well on regular unleaded as on the more expensive premium petrol.
7. Turn off the air conditioner. Running the a/c makes your car’s engine work harder, causing it to burn more petrol.
8. Check your tyre pressures regularly
The lower the tyre pressure, the more fuel the car needs to move it down the road. We recommend that you take five minutes every fortnight to check the tyres. If you're not sure what the pressure should be, you can normally find the figures near the lock inside the driver's door.
Use these tips to squeeze the most kilometers out of each liter of petrol, and start saving money at the petrol pumps today.

We provide free useful tips fortnightly on repairing and maintaining your automotive. See more at http://www.emech.com.ng
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It is noted that we drive an average of 60 kilometers each day, and spend almost 60 minutes a day in their cars. With the price of petrol at the pumps skyrocketing, it just makes sense to do everything you can to save your hard-earned money. It doesn’t seem like petrol prices will return to ‘normal’ any time soon. You need all the ammunition you can get to fight back; here are 8 tips to help.

1. Make fewer trips
Did you know that when you drive a car that has been parked for a few hours, the engine is cold and it uses much more fuel for the first nine kilometers or so? Ideally you'd merge all your daily errands into one big trip. Often that's not possible if you have to pop out during the day to drop off and collect the family, but try not to go out separately to do the supermarket shop or buy a newspaper.
2. Don't drive in the rush hour
There are few bad places to spend your time than stuck in a traffic jam, but it's also a very costly way of travelling. Every time that you stop and start in traffic, your car needs first gear and an enormous amount of fuel to get going again. Second gear is not much better. The best way out is to not travel during the rush hour. You can also save some fuel by trying to understand what the traffic is doing in front of you, and travelling steadily at a slow speed, rather than accelerating and braking
3. Regular tune-ups and oil changes will save you petrol in the long run.
4. Check out petrol prices on the internet. There are websites that will let you find the best deals on petrol in your area, without having to drive around looking for them.
5. If you are in the market for a new car, check out the hybrid models.
6. Use the cheapest petrol possible. Most modern cars run just as well on regular unleaded as on the more expensive premium petrol.
7. Turn off the air conditioner. Running the a/c makes your car’s engine work harder, causing it to burn more petrol.
8. Check your tyre pressures regularly
The lower the tyre pressure, the more fuel the car needs to move it down the road. We recommend that you take five minutes every fortnight to check the tyres. If you're not sure what the pressure should be, you can normally find the figures near the lock inside the driver's door.
Use these tips to squeeze the most kilometers out of each liter of petrol, and start saving money at the petrol pumps today.

We provide free useful tips fortnightly on repairing and maintaining your automotive. See more at http://forms.aweber.com/form/38/1010223238.htm

Quite often, a visit to the car repair shop can be even more painful than a visit to your dentist. Perhaps physical pain it’s involved, but some car repairs can leave your wallet feeling pretty empty and you with a bad taste in your mouth. The best way to avoid costly repairs is to take preventative steps that will keep your car in the best condition possible.

We provide free useful tips fortnightly on repairing and maintaining your automotive. See more at http://forms.aweber.com/form/38/1010223238.htm