Beating recession with pre-owned vehicles

It cannot be argued that these are difficult times. From big corporations to small business-owners to individuals, everybody is feeling the credit crunch.

A car is an expensive acquisition second only to buying a house. But amid the global financial crisis, we still need a vehicle to take us from place to place, something to use either personally or for business purposes.

It is perfectly understandable that consumers are reluctant to dig into their pockets for their hard-earned cash in these trying times. But what is the answer for this? What if you really need a car but can’t seem to justify the expense?

Buying a used car would be a good idea.

Not convinced? What follows are several points that, hopefully by the end of this article, might change your mind.

Just remember that the most important thing you should consider is that someone affected by recession, someone who absolutely needs a car, is more likely to buy used than new. Why?

Here are but a few reasons:

When you buy a pre-owned car, you avoid overpayment

With the economy in bad shape, the first ones to feel it are new car manufacturers and, in turn, new car dealerships. They would be the last to admit it, but car salesmen will most probably jack-up the price of their cars to add their own personal fee to the total price you pay.

When you buy a pre-owned car, you own it outright

One sage advice during a recession is to own things outright to avoid monthly payments. During lean economic times, it is easy to get behind on your monthly payments and this can ruin your credit history. It’s much easier and wiser to purchase a pre-owned vehicle outright than it is a new one.

When you buy a used car, you save on insurance and taxes

When buying a new car during a recession, you will probably end up paying a huge amount of money for both the vehicle insurance and taxes. This will eventually add up to your monthly bills. However, if you choose to buy a pre-owned vehicle, the tax and insurance payments will be minimal.

Because most of us are already tightening our belts amid hard economic times, it’s just not a good idea to add to our financial worries.

With this said, it’s pretty safe to say that buying a pre-owned vehicle during a recession is one of the best decisions you might make.

Petrol or diesel: What fuels your drive?

Before anything else, if you have only tried driving petrol powered vehicles and not a diesel or vice versa, you should try driving both first – and no, not simultaneously. And if it has been a while since you’ve driven one or the other, it would be wise to try again with the more current models; the technological changes might surprise you.

The choice between petrol and diesel always boils down to one’s personal preference yet very few people are undecided about the issue. Try asking your friend about which engine type is better and he’ll likely give you a very passionate opinion rather than a straightforward answer. If you want the objective truth, let me give you the facts so that you can decide for yourself.

Fuel Economy

With the rising oil prices, fuel economy is a crucial factor in choosing your next car. Diesel engines are inherently more fuel efficient and can save you money in the long run.

They are more efficient than petrol (per liter of fuel burned) because diesel fuel has a higher energy density. When engines run while the vehicle is at idle, a diesel engine will only consume about one third of what a petrol engine will. Diesel fuel is also generally priced lower than petrol, at least right now. All these potential savings from a diesel unit could substantially accumulate over the years, especially if you plan to rack up a lot of kilometers.

Maintenance Cost

In the short term, regular maintenance for diesel units will cost more as they need to be serviced more often, they have a larger volume of oil in the engine, and diesel replacement parts can become quite expensive.

On the other hand, diesel engines become cost effective in the long term because of their excellent durability. An average petrol unit can only run for about 200,000 kilometers before needing a major overhaul while an average diesel engine can go three times further – and while regularly pulling heavier loads.

Noise and Vibration

Engine noise reduction technology has rapidly improved during the last decade. But the fact remains that diesel engines are relatively louder and shakier than their petrol counterparts. The difference becomes more noticeable when the vehicle is at idle or when it is accelerating from low speeds.

Emissions

If you want to know which type of fuel gives off more pollution, I’m afraid the answer is too long and complicated for me to coherently address in this article. Suffice it to say that only diesel engines emit significant amounts of Nitrous Oxide (NOx) and soot. While both diesel and petrol emit Carbon Dioxide (CO2), diesel emits slightly less for the same amount of energy output.

Speed and Power

Let’s not go down the long and winding “horsepower vs. torque” road. The more important thing to know is that diesel engines can always beat petrol when it comes to towing capacity and pulling force because they generally produce more torque. On the other hand, petrol engines can give you even more speed and acceleration while at high speeds because of the higher horsepower and RPM they can attain.

So, what’s the verdict?

Still undecided? You might want to consider the following: what you plan to use the vehicle for and what type of environment you are living in.

If you want a car that is quick and quiet for your everyday driving in paved and narrow roads, if you don’t plan to ferry a lot of people and haul heavy stuff, and if you plan to replace your vehicle before it reaches the 200,000 kilometer mark – get a petrol compact or sedan.

If you live in are where steep climbs and rough roads are the norm, if you are looking for a vehicle which is ideal for towing or hauling heavy loads, if you plan to take on a lot of passengers everyday, if you plan to get a lot of good mileage and long term fuel economy – get a diesel truck, van or SUV.

by: Edon Canada
AutoTerminal.com

The truth about Lemon cars and how to avoid buying one

No, were not talking about the green, refreshing fruit we’ve all come to love- but of a defective car. The term “Lemon” has been coined for new or used cars which after purchase, has been found by the buyer to have defects not readily apparent before it was bought. Defects could range from simple design flaws to life threatening flaws due to parts installed incorrectly during manufacture.

The term nowadays, is also associated with any product which has major defects that make it useless for its purpose.

New and used lemons

In perception, brand new cars may contain technical defects or workmanship errors. This could be due to incorrect design or errors during the assembly process at the factories. Parts and wiring may have been installed incorrectly or cars may have hidden defects under the hood.

Used cars on the other hand, become lemons once they are not used according to the set standards, abused or poorly maintained, repaired or worse, has been unprofessionally rebuilt after meeting an accident. A common practice of fraudulent dealerships is the tampering of lemon vehicles to manipulate high mileage, technical and mechanical defects, corrosion and more.

The used line up may also encounter the same problems as that of their brand new counter parts, but the problems are way much worse.

A form of lemon known as “Cut and shut” a type of car body collision repair where a wrecked portion of a car is sawed off and is replaced with a section from a matching car. A car that is cut and shut is very dangerous as it will surely come apart under strenuous conditions, high speeds and road mishaps. Usually, cars that have been cut and shut are the ones that were salvaged after a serious collision.

Poorly repaired collision-damaged vehicles are also bound to be a risk with Unibody problems. A Unibody by the way, is the type of construction used in motor vehicles where parts such as the floor, roof, and panels are wielded together to produce a unit. This process has been employed in the manufacture of vehicles since 1987. It eliminates the need to construct a separate frame for every vehicle produced.

Car weight may be reduced, but its unibody parts are prone to bending as they were designed to absorb the impact of g-forces or damage in severe accidents which may cause the car not to work properly when it is still driven (even with stringent repairs) after a grave blow.

Protect yourself from lemons

As a consumer, there are legislative measures that protect you against lemons and manufacturers nowadays are very vigilant about their products that they would be willing to give you back your money, buy back the defective vehicle or exchange it for a new one right away once it has undergone multiple repair attempts yet the problems still persist or when defects caused your new vehicle to be out of service over a long period of time because of repairs.

In buying new or used cars, please take note of the following:

1. Do a research on the manufacturer or find out from the authorities if there has been a recall on your model.
2. Be in the know of your model’s safety recall and maintenance history through consumer safety groups, auto magazines, newspaper articles and website reviews.
3. Ask car shops and mechanics how often your model shows up in their shops for repairs.
4. Do a survey among other owners of your model if they are satisfied with their cars.
5. For used vehicles, always get a vehicle history report to make sure that the car you’re buying is clean with no major wrecks or any illegal activity in history.
6. Be suspicious of a model that’s being sold at a very cheap price. Ask around why the price is so. Be warned of dealers / sellers who try to close a deal too quickly.
7. Buying from an owner? Always see to it to have a trusted mechanic inspect the car. Avoid cars that have been in an accident or have frame damage.

Drive safely.

by: Jovir Amatong
AutoTerminal.com

Money saving car care and maintenance tips

There are loads of stuff that you can employ to assure that your vehicle is always in tip top shape, while easing on the budget and saving precious time. Instead of always going to the car shop whenever conks are heard under the hood, why not fix minor car problems on your own?

You’re not only giving yourself a favor by not going thru the hassle of the long wait to have your car fixed at the local car shop, but you’re also protecting yourself from unscrupulous mechanics who might take advantage of your predicament.

Here are a few tips to get you worry free on the road.

1. Read your car repair manual and other Do it yourself (DIY) books

It wouldn’t hurt for you to take some time off to read and study the ins and outs of your car. You’ll be familiar with the specifications and the proper maintenance of your vehicle. DIY books also abound, providing you the basic and advanced techniques which could save you hundreds perhaps thousands of dollars on repairs.

By reading, you’ll have the ample knowledge to get the job done yourself whenever unpleasant situations arise. Like a bible is to a clergyman, always see to it to have a book or two beside you for quick reference in emergencies.


2. Keep the right tools in your toolbox

It is very important that you use the right tool for the right job because if you use the wrong one, you might end up with broken nuts and bolts or worse, have them worn out.

Here’s a rundown of the basic tool must-haves for your toolbox.

A. Jack and Jack Stands – Conventional for changing tires and fixes under the chassis. Remember to never rely on the jack whenever lifting your car. Always have jack stands on hand for support and safety.

B. Philips and Flat tip screwdrivers - Always have a pair handy for turning loose screws and replacing worn out ones. You can also use these to poke and reach things fallen among tiny and hard to reach corners.

C. Standard and Long nose Pliers - It never pays to have a pair of these handy for gripping and the easy removal of bolts and nuts. These can also be used to hold or clip wires when you’re working on wiring connections.

D. Wrench or Spanner set - Always keep a set to turn bolts, nuts and other hard to turn items. Select the appropriate wrench size and number to that of the bolt and nut you will turn.

E. Wire strippers and cutters - Must-haves for fixing and replacing old worn out wires or stripping them.

F. Standard Tire Wrench/ Iron - A must-have for tire replacement.

G. Towing Cable - Very helpful when you need to be securely towed away in an emergency.

H. A roll of Electrical tape (Preferably fire retardant) – Handy in times of replacing and insulating stripped or worn out wires. Select the fire retardant type as it provides maximum protection and adheres better than the regular type.

I. Spare bulbs - It surely pays to have a spare bulb on hand for sudden shutdowns in important beacons such as signal, safety, break and head lights while driving down dark roads at night.

J. Work light / Flashlight – Very useful to lighten dark nooks and crannies that you’re working on. A work light can either just be a regular flashlight or the kind with nodes that you can tap to the positive and negative terminals of your car’s battery.

K. Tire Inflator – Though this tool may not fit your toolbox, but having one beside it in your baggage is very helpful for mending flat tires while travelling in areas where car shops and gas stations are scarce.


3. Driving routine check ups

Before hitting the ignition keys, a short round up check is helpful to ensure hassle-free and safe driving. A routine check up may be time consuming, but it can save your life and of those you’re travelling with.

A. Check for Water, Break, Steering and Transmission fluid levels. This is to avoid overheating, steering problems or worse, break loss while travelling. Fill up to recommended levels only.

B. Check the Tire pressure. Remember that unequal pressure among your tires will greatly dampen speed and stamina, thereby increasing your car’s fuel consumption.

C. Check the lights. For those who frequently travel at night, a check on all signals and lights is a must. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know what dangers await you, driving down that dark road with busted lights!

Relax and safe driving.


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