Best SUV’s - My Picks

I’ve been shopping around lately for a new SUV and I thought I would share the list of best SUV’s that I just put together.

1. Toyota 4Runner - I love Toyota 4Runners and am really leaning towards getting another one. Toyota SUV’s are reliable, virtually worry-free, and hold their value well.
2. Land Rover Range Rover - A gorgeous luxury SUV with comfort and safety high on the list of priorities.
3. Volkswagen Touareg - A comfortable interior and smooth, stable ride. VW has a winner here.
4. BWM X5 - With great styling, performance, and flexibility, the BWM X5 is a fantastic choice on our list of best SUV’s.
5. Lexus LX470 - A powerful and ultra-luxurious SUV, the Lexus LX470 doesn’t disappoint. Also, the Lexus brand is known for high-reliability and low depreciation.
6. Porsche Cayenne - Above average safety ratings, performance (it’s a Porsche!), and practicality earn Porsche’s Cayenne a spot on our list.

I haven’t decided which I’m going to get yet (really leaning towards the 4Runner) but you really can’t go wrong with any of these. They’re all great trucks and deserve their place on my pick list of best SUV’s.

Finding the Best Price on a New Car

Let’s face it, shopping for a new automobile can be a real pain. Of course, we all want to find the best price on a new car but not everyone knows how to go about this. Here are a few tips that will really help you get the best pricing possible on your new car…

• Invoice Prices and Dealer Cost - To really get a great deal, it is important to know how much an auto dealer is paying for the car. Once you have this figure, it will be much easier for you to make an offer that gives the dealer some profit and saves you cash as well. Keep in mind that dealer cost is much lower than factory invoice pricing.
• Consider Buying a Demo Car - Buying a dealer demo with a few hundred miles on it is a great strategy that will certainly save you money. This is an easy way to buy new vehicles at a discount and you should try it!
• Use an Auto Loan Calculator - If you’re financing your new car, use a car loan calculator to break down the numbers and the negotiate the financing terms. Working a better interest rate on your new car loan will directly result in you getting a lower price.

The most important thing to do when you’re car shopping is to take your time. Don’t rush into any decisions and make sure you do your research before signing on the dotted line. Good luck finding the best price on your new car!

1967 Chevelle Convertible - A Classic Muscle Car

The 1967 Chevelle Convertible is a muscle car classic and if you’re familiar at all with these vehicles, you know that finding a clean one in excellent condition is becoming harder and harder each year. I’ve had the most luck finding Chevelle convertibles online, here are my favorite places to look:

• Chevelle enthusiast forums
• Auto Trader
• Ebay

Of course, if you’re hunting for one on the internet, it is extremely important to have the car thoroughly checked out before purchasing. If you can’t fly out to do this in person, find a reputable mechanic in that city who can do this for you. You’ll also want to track down some reliable automobile shippers and get quotes on shipping the car to you. The 1967 Chevelle Convertible is definitely a muscle car that you’ll enjoy owning, just make sure that you take the time to find the right one and you’ll be rewarded for years to come.

Extended Warranty for Your Car?

Buying an extended warranty for your car can provide a worry-free driving experience and should really be considered when purchasing both new and used cars. Major mechanical problems such as transmission and engine failure can be very costly, having a solid auto warranty for insurance against this is wise.

While there are many companies selling extended car warranties, not all are created equal. I’ve had both good experiences and bad and would highly recommend that you do your due diligence before buying one. Get online and search for company information on Google and also check the Better Business Bureau’s website to see if the warranty company has received complaints from other vehicle owners.

I had a very bad experience on the first bumper to bumper auto/car warranty I bought because I didn’t take the time to do research before I made the purchase. When the time came to have repairs done, it was nearly impossible to get them authorized by the company issuing the warranty and then several months later the company complete dropped off the map. Fortunately, I learned my lesson and never made that costly mistake again. Before buying a warranty for your vehicle, be sure to do your homework!

Super Exotic Sports Cars - Top Picks

Coming up with a list of the best super exotic sports cars is definitely a challenge for me, there are so many exotics that I would love to have parked in my garage but so little time. As a fan of high-end, exotic cars, I can assure you that there isn’t much else that I would rather be writing about. Here are my top picks, or a wish list if you want to call it that…

1. Ferrari F430 Spider
2. Ford GT
3. Porsche Carrera GT
4. Porsche 993 Cabriolet
5. Ferrari 355 Spider
6. Lamborghini Murcielago

These are all wonderful sports cars and hopefully one day, I’ll be able to make the statement that I’ve owned them all. While super exotic sports cars can be rewarding, they do have their downsides as well (and not just the high upfront cost). Things like reliability and maintenance can sometimes be a drag and this certainly needs to be taken into consideration before making your purchase. For me, the payoff is worth the extra troubles but only you can decide that for yourself.

New 2006 Cars - Favorites

There are some incredible new 2006 cars lined up and we’ve put together a list of our favorites. Here are our top picks for new 2006 cars:

1. Pontiac Solstice - This sporty convertible roadster has us wondering, “Is this really a Pontiac?”… Great design and reasonable pricing should make this a big winner for Pontiac.
2. Dodge Charger - I admit it, I’m a little biased due to the fact that I’m a huge Dukes of Hazzard fan (still to this day) but this baby looks sweet.
3. Audi A8 - Ok, I’m a fan of the movie Transporter so I’m a little biased here too but Audi definitely struck gold with this drop-dead gorgeous luxury sedan. Just make sure you get it in black.
4. Lotus Elise - An affordable supercar with a very reasonable price tag. These things handle like go carts, take one for a spin when you get a chance.
5. BMW 3 Series - The 3 series has always been a favorite, this 2006 beemer is no different.

There are many other new 2006 cars that look promising, but in my opinion these 5 take the cake.

Auto Loan Calculator

If you’re shopping for a new or used car and planning on financing it, it’s a great idea to run the numbers through an auto loan calculator to figure out the exact payment amounts. A good auto loan payment calculator will take all of the following into consideration:

• Auto loan amount
• Interest rate
• Loan term
• Loan start date

The car loan calculator will then use the information that you enter to give you a monthly auto loan payment amount. These are free to use and very helpful when trying to find out exactly how much you can afford to spend on your next automobile.

Auto Trader - Buying Used Cars Online

If you’ve been looking for some good resources for buying used cars online, check out Auto Trader. Auto Trader has an excellent website that you can use for both buying and selling used automobiles and it is a site that gets tons of traffic.

I believe Auto Trader has the widest selection of used vehicles available and they also offer many free resources such as tips for buying and selling used cars online, automobile ratings and reviews, inside reports on auto pricing, automobile safety ratings, and tips on financing your next vehicle. Auto Trader has used cars listed by:

• Car Dealers
• Auto Manufacturers
• Private Parties

Auto Trader also features a very powerful used car search feature that allows you to find the exact vehicle you’re searching for right down to the color. This is a major time savor and once you’ve looked into reliable automobile shippers and had a pre-purchase inspection done on the vehicle, you’ll have saved a lot of time and money buying your next car.

Of course Auto Trader also comes in print form which is published by Trader Publishing Company, but I prefer to use the online version.

Shipping a Vehicle - 5 Important Things You Must Know

If you are in the process of purchasing a car online and are planning on having the automobile delivered to you, there are several important things that you must know about shipping a vehicle before choosing a transport company. Here is our list of 5 key things to look out for:

1. When shipping a vehicle, does the company insure against damage?
2. Does the auto transporting provider give a 100% money back guarantee?
3. Do they have a history of solid customer service?
4. Do they give accurate quotes when it comes to delivery times?
5. Are their prices competitive?

Before you decide to do business with an auto shipping company, make sure that you call them and ask them these 5 important questions. Doing so will save you a lot of potential grief when the time comes to ship your vehicle, I guarantee it.

Donating Vehicles to Charity

Donating vehicles to charity can be an excellent idea in certain situations and it is something that many automobile owners know nothing about. I’m going to shed a little light on this topic…

Instead of selling or trading in an old vehicle, you may want to use it as a charitable donation. The charity that you donate the car to will be able to use the proceeds from the sale to support their cause and you in return, get a tax deduction. Donating vehicles to charity also allows you to avoid the inconvenience typically associated with selling a car.

If you decide that donating your old vehicle to a charitable cause is the right decision, be sure to choose your beneficiary wisely. To be safe, deal with a charity that you are already familiar with as there are many automobile donation scams floating around the internet these days that simply use your good will as a way to cash in big profits.