Used Car Values

When you are buying or selling a car, it is important to understand what drives used car values. You should research the used car value using different methods to make sure you are knowledgeable about the price ranges associated with similar cars. While a new car’s value depreciates the moment it is bought, you can follow certain steps to make sure it will maintain its maximum value in the future. Read these blog posts to learn how to evaluate the value of a used car and maximize its used car value.

Transmission Technology and Safety Advancements

May 17, 2012

Plenty has changed in the way speed and torque is transferred from the engine to the wheels since General Motors first introduced the Hydra-Matic transmission in 1940. The Hydra-Matic replaced the “third pedal”, the manual clutch, with a system of automatically changing gears using hydraulic pressure. The Hydra-Matic transmission was also battle tested in the [...]

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America’s Most Expensive Gas Prices

May 1, 2012

Earth Day, April 22, 2012, provided a milestone for the analysts at AOL Autos. Scott Burgess scoured his records to see what towns had the most expensive gas prices and what it would cost to fill up the biggest gas-guzzlers on the road today. With gas prices soaring, the unfortunate news is that it takes [...]

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A Critical Look At Oil Change Intervals

April 25, 2012

Controversy rages on over the timing of changing the oil in your car. Rages might be too strong of a word, but for the average car owner, knowing when to get an oil change is at least confusing. The old advice was to get an oil change every 3,000 miles. Many newer cars recommend 5,000 [...]

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Engine Detailing Improves Used Car Value

April 24, 2012

Lift the hood at any new or used car dealership and you will see a sparkling clean car engine that looks like it is newer than the odometer might otherwise suggest. That is part of the value proposition. Auto auctions routinely detail the engine area as part of the auto reconditioning process, suggesting that even [...]

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Moving To A New State? Check Out License Fees Before You Move

April 18, 2012

Every once in a while, I come across an article that catches me by surprise. Even though I am well aware that registration and licensing fees vary state by state, I had no idea that the costs varied so widely. Writing in the current edition of “Where to Retire” magazine, Editor Mary Lu Abbott points [...]

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Summer Gasoline and Higher Gas Prices

April 17, 2012

Do you notice that your fuel efficiency (miles per gallon) changes from time to time? Do you wonder, as I do, how gasoline prices can fluctuate $.50 to $1.00 per gallon in a matter of weeks? Gasoline is gasoline, right? Not quite. Since 1990 and the Clean Air Act, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires [...]

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Traffic Fatalities Lowest Since 1949

April 12, 2012

The amount of information available about our cars, our driving habits, and our safety on the roads is amazing. While doing some research on passive restraint usage, I came across some facts that completely surprised me. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the total number of traffic fatalities in motor vehicle crashes [...]

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CarGurus Names Their Top 10 Fuel Efficient Vehicles

April 11, 2012

The auto research and shopping site, CarGurus, has identified their top ten fuel-efficient vehicles for under $15,000. They anticipate that cars offering significant gas mileage will increase in price throughout the summer months. In a recent press release, CarGurus released their methodology and forecast for fuel-efficient vehicles. “Gas prices have proven a reliable indicator of [...]

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Do You Need A Rearview Backup Camera?

April 3, 2012

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has asked Congress for a mandate that all cars and trucks have rearview cameras by the 2014 model year. Backup cameras would add an estimated $200 per vehicle, or $2.7 billion to the automotive industry. An estimated 228 people are killed each year by being driven over by cars going in [...]

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2011 Used Car Value Catches New Car Value In A Hot Car Market

March 27, 2012

Is it possible that buying a new car could actually be cheaper than buying a one-year old used car? Kelley Blue Book did some research and discovered that it is not only possible, but actually happening. The Kelley Blue Book research shows 10 cars worth consideration because of the trend. But before we get to [...]

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