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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Bad Versus Good Collision Auto Repair

April 19, 2012

Let me start out by saying that I am a big fan of a well-run body shop. I am amazed at the work quality technicians can accomplish when properly managed and motivated. My sister called several months ago to report that she had been in an accident. A seventeen-year old driver ran a red light [...]

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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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Increased Auto Auction Activity

April 10, 2012

I went to an auto auction today. For me, a trip to the auto auction provides insight into the economy, at least the local economy. When car dealers are shopping for inventory, it means that they have customers ready to buy cars. When new car dealers have trade-ins selling at an auto auction, it means [...]

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Subaru and Costco’s Auto Program Yield An Extra Bonus

April 5, 2012

Using the buying power of Costco, members can purchase particular new cars and trucks from participating local dealers at pre-arranged discounts. The deals vary between manufacturers and by market, but new car shoppers can often find a great new and used car value through pre-arranged pricing before going to the dealership. Stepping outside of the [...]

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Your Car And Income Tax Season: Are They Related?

April 4, 2012

For some people, their income tax refund provides the only time all year when they can amass enough cash for a down payment on a new or used car. Unfortunately, for most of us, the amount of the tax refund is a big surprise rather than a planned event. This makes budgeting for cars, payments, [...]

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