Money Saving Auto Tips

In today's economy everyone wants to save money. One of the the biggest budget entries for some is the cost of commuting. The good jobs are in the city, but the affordable living remains in the suburbs. That leaves many of us in a position with three choices, none of which seem like a good idea. We can drive an hour or more in highway traffic, drive to the commuter parking lot and take public transportation, or share a ride with someone. When it comes right down to actual dollars and cents there is a best choice, but many of us find the mst affordable option so unpleasant, we'd rather spend the extra money.

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Trying to find out the price of insurance on that new vehicle you’ve just taken on a test drive is almost as difficult as finding out what an airplane ticket from LA to Chicago will cost. The same way a plane ticket has so many variables (date, time, nonstop or with layovers, business or coach, staying over a weekend or not), so does any vehicle’s insurance.

There are intangible reasons for the costs of a premium, such as the part of the country you reside in, your age and gender, as well as the statistics of the other drivers in your household. It also takes into consideration how many miles the vehicle is driven to work, how much mileage is put on it in a year’s time, the neighborhood it is parked in most often and whether it is garaged or not. Your credit rating and driving records, such as any accidents or how many claims you’ve filed in the past can also have an effect . Since these differ from person to person, you may pay more than your next door neighbor on an identical vehicle, if you’ve got a lead foot and don’t pay your bills on time.Read the rest...

Here’s the thing: Just deciding on the right car and haggling over the final sales price is exasperating enough, so by the time the deal is handed over to the finance department, the buyer is at the weakest point of negotiation.

Unfortunately, financing the car is where most buyers end up squandering their savings on the sales price. Higher-interest loans and expensive extended warranties are where dealers make the most money.

In fact, more than a quarter of a dealer’s profit is made by the finance and insurance office. On average, $947 is made off of dealer financing and another $795 is made via an extended warranty...Read the rest...