Automotive Addict

I am going to give my #1 tip to sale more cars in the economic times we are in! Everyone that has been selling cars for some time now would agree that this is the hardest time we have seen for some time. You have to call your existing customers and "Love the one your with" because you do not know when you will see another.

But, for my all time favorite tip to sell more cars. When you first hear this you will say that it does not work, but give it a try and I bet you will thank me later! Get a paper and look in the "Cars For Sale" section. Go through this section and call about these cars for sale and tell the individual that you work at a car lot and you may have someone interested in their vehicle. You are not lying because your used car manager is interested in buying the car in the form of a trade. Ask the person if they are replacing the car or are just trying to sell. You will be surprised at the number of individuals that say they are going to buy a car as soon as they sell that car. Now, you have something to talk about. What if I can trade with you and give you what you are asking for the car? Everyone knows that this is the end of year and the deals do not get better than what they are right now. It may be wise to trade and take a lesser amount for the car and save more on the one they are buying.

You will be very surprised if you take this idea and run with it. Here is why it works. You are calling to help them and they are very eager to talk with you because you are approaching them in a different manner than if they walk on your lot. I have sold numerous cars this way and I think you will too. Just send me all the referals!!!

This is the top 20 reasons that women purchased GM vehicles, including cars, trucks and SUV's.

1. Exterior Styling 63.3%
2. Vehicle Ride 58.0%
3. Dependablility/Reliable 55.2%
4. Exterior Color 52.5%
5. Interior Roominess 49.4%
6. OnStar 49.2%
7. Feeling Safe 48.8%
8. Seating Comfort 47.8%
9. Vehicle Reputation 46.5%
10. Dealership Sales 44.5%
11. Manufacturer Rep 44.1%
12. Value for Money 44.1%
13. Interior Styling 42.7%
14. Fun To Drive 42.3%
15. Handling/Maneuverable 41.3%
16. Exterior Size 38.8%
17. Brand Reputation 38.6%
18. Vehicle Quietness 38.4%
19. Seating Capacity 37.4%
20. Brand Name 37.0%

Over 70% of OnStar Subscribers indicate they will purchase their next vehicle with OnStar equipped.

Looking to buy a New Car? Why not make sure you get the best price possible. Get A Quote. Quick.and FREE so you know you received a Great Deal on your New Car!

It is incredible how fast vehicle technology marches on, especially advances in safety and stability systems. Bosch have now been making ABS systems for 25 years, and the electronics have moved on dramatically since the first versions. Conventional racing wisdom says that drivers can usually brake in a shorter distance that ABS using methods such as 'threshold braking', but Bosch think differently:

"ABS significantly improves vehicle stability and usually also shortens the braking distance."

There are very few accurate figures for stopping distances in the same car with and without ABS in the public domain. If you have personal experience in a modern car, in both slippery and high grip surfaces please comment below.

The eternal debate.

Conventional wisdom tends to favour rear wheel drive (RWD) for track and fast driving based activities, this is because the grip requirements of the tyres are spread between all four wheels - front for steering and rear to put the power down. In theory, this division should provide a more balanced and composed car than front wheel drive (FWD), which have to deal which have the steering and driven wheels on the same axle. A powerful FWD car can also suffer from 'torque steer' which means drivers have to fight with the wheel when accelerating hard.

Fast front wheel drive cars tend to handle in a more neutral manner, but trying to accelerate and steer can sometimes result in understeer, as the total available grip can be used up trying to do both these activities at once, resulting in a car which continues straight on despite turning the wheel. However, accelerating while on a corner with rear wheel drive can result in oversteer. But which of these is more desirable on the track?

Well, both of these effects will lose you time if you're trying to be competitive - but it could depend on the track and conditions. Less experienced drivers will find understeer more natural to correct - simply ease off the gas and apply a little more steering lock to bring you back on course. Oversteer can be more of a shock to the system as the back of the car tries to catch the front, but with practise can also be controlled easily too.

Another factor to consider is 'turn in' (i.e. the willingness of a car to change direction quickly when cornering). As FWD tend to have more weight at the front (due to the drive train and engine in the same place), this can provide high levels of grip at tun in especially if combined with a brief lift off the throttle to cause forward weight transfer. In addition, as the driven wheels are pointing in the direction of desired travel this can have the effect of pulling the car round.

When thinking a track car, it might be worth considering front wheel drive after all!

With Gas Prices rising higher and higher, Chrysler has come up with a promotion to help you spend less at the pump, I think!

The May Gas incentive for Chrysler works like this. If you buy a Chrysler, Jeep, or Dodge during may you will only pay $2.99 for gas for 3 years. "Lets Refuel America" is the slogan tag line.

Now, for the limitations. You have to use your credit card to purchase the gas and the amount over $2.99 will be billed back to Chrysler. You have to give up rebate money to receive this gas offer. Strike #3, the gas savings are covered for 12000 miles of driving per year for 3 years. And, it does not cover some of the gas guzzlers like the Wrangler, Viper, and Dodge Challenger.

I think customers are tired of all the sales gimmicks that are only designed to drive sales and are not for the customer at all. Why not give the customer the rebate and take the gas savings out of the profit of the car? Why not load a card with $1000 that can be used for anything the customer wants to spend their money on?

Why not lower the salaries of these advertising consultants to give more back to the customer! Wow, I know I made someone mad with that one. I believe we are in a time when customers are smarter than ever. Customers have the all powerful Internet. Most customers come to the dealerships knowing more than the salesman about a vehicle because of the Internet. Don't think you can patronize a customer with savings that comes from their own pockets, it wont work!

This is just one persons opinion, please let me know how you feel by your comments.

High Gas Prices are an immediate discussion when someone comes to the car lot. The first thing most say is "I bet you are making GREAT Deals on SUV's." Or, "I bet you can't give those Yukon's away." My response is always the same, "They are actually our best seller right now!" It is the truth, but I love to see the expression on peoples faces when I say this. When the fact is, they are also looking at the large SUV and hoping I would say we could not give them away.

That was VERY strange! As I am typing this article, I hear the news say GM is laying 3500 workers off due to low sells of Large Trucks and SUV's! I work at a GM lot and SUV's are selling better than ever at my dealership. Gas prices at this time in my area are around $3.45 for regular unleaded, but this seems to be an afterthought for customers. Most feel if they are going to pay these types of gas prices, they are going to ride in comfort. So much for my thought that this was the case across the country after hearing of the GM Layoffs.

Now that I told you what my customers are buying, let me tell you what I think of the high gas prices. I think it is a bunch of BS!!! Is there anything we can do to lower our fuel costs? There actually are a few things you can do to save BIG.

3 QUICK TIPS TO GET BETTER GAS MILEAGE FROM YOUR CAR, TRUCK, OR SUV!
1) I recently changed my air filter and I have seen at least a 10% improvement in gas mileage. I am going to change the fuel filter as well and I know this will also help. A fuel injection service would also be a good idea to improve fuel mileage. So tip #1 is to have your car, truck, or SUV serviced. This includes checking your tires and alignment to make sure your vehicle is steering and traveling with as little friction as possible.

2) Set your cruise on a lower speed than normal. I know this is hard for many, but if you usually go 75 on the highway, set your cruise on 70. You will see a HUGE difference in fuel economy. If you have a MPG instrument economy, check it out and you will see. This is the gauge that tells what fuel mileage you are getting at any given time and goes up and down. It stays higher when you set the cruise on a lower speed because the engine is running at a more steady pace.

3) This is a tip than can be argued, but I have checked it and it works. Keep your car clean and put a good coat of wax. This reduces friction from the air traveling over your vehicle and will improve fuel economy. Don't question me, check it for yourself. It may not be but 1 mpg better, but it will be better. Also, keep your window rolled up or your truck bed closed.

I first must say something that many do not want to hear. The job of a Car Salesman is to sell their car at the highest price possible and the customer is trying to buy the car at the lowest price possible. This is automatically set up to cause conflict, but you must realize a car salesman is hired and trained to make the dealership money. This makes some angry, but think about your own job. You are hired to make your boss or your company more money. If you are in customer service, your job is to make customers happy so they spend more and come back more often. If you work on an assembly line, your job is to perform your job as fast as possible to make more units at a lower cost per unit so your company can make more money. Any job you think of is in place to make the company money unless you work for a not for profit organization.

When you understand that a car salesman is there to do a job, it will be a lot easier to haggle and get a better price. Let me say this though. If your salesman lies or cheats you in any way, this is a whole different issue, I have no sympathy for a lying salesman--throw them to the wolves! I say haggling or dickering is good clean fun for both parties. Many customers enjoy this part of the sales process and many hate it, but I will show you easy steps to get a better deal on your next new or used car, truck, or SUV.

Now, with all that said, lets assume you know what car you are going to buy. You have done your preliminary research and have narrowed it down to at least a certain class of cars. You may be to the point you are comparing a Pontiac G6, a Nissan Altima, and a Toyota Camry. Try to narrow down to the point you are comparing 3 cars or 3 trucks etc. Don't get to the point you are comparing a Nissan Maxima and a Toyota Corolla unless you want to see which is going to be in your budget. You don't know how daunting it is to a salesman when you are comparing my top of the line car to a budget car at another car lot. And you are telling me my car is too high, but you don't want to look at my budget car. You can see what I mean, compare apples to apples.

Looking for a new car?

To negotiate to your advantage you must break your car deal into components. You are saying, Components? Yes, your car purchase has several affecting components. You may have a Trade In - 1 component, Price on the auto of your choice - 2ND component, and the Interest Rate at which you will finance - 3rd component. You also have some sub-components like how long you will finance your car. Will you finance for 60 months, 72 months, etc, but we will leave that for another discussion. Lets focus on Purchase Price, Trade In, and Interest Rate. These are the 3 main things that are negotiable on a new car purchase and used car purchase.

My first car negotiation tip is an easy one and the main component when buying a car. The price of the car your are buying is negotiable. You will have a salesman tell you the vehicle is already discounted from the factory with rebates. You and I both know the car can still be discounted from the dealership unless you are buying a Saturn with one price shopping. I will say GM has gone to value pricing and it has narrowed the margin of discount, but it still can be discounted. The best way to find out what you can buy the car for is at Yahoo! Autos This is a FREE service so take advantage of it. Just click the link and pick the make and model you are shopping. You will be taken to a second page with 3 simple steps. Fill in the form with which trim level, color, and any comments for other options. Fill in the 2ND step with your name, address, phone, and email. The last 2 questions are payment method to see if you will be using rebates, and buying how soon--put within 48 hours or your quote will be set aside. The 3rd step is important, make sure you check the box for (select all dealers). This will ensure you get the lowest price possible. Then click the button that says (Get Free Dealer Quotes). Sit back and check your email for the easiest way to get quotes quick. If you do nothing else, follow this step as it can save you thousands. You can also go back and select another make and model you are shopping to comparison price shop.

The second negotiation tip has to do with interest rate when financing your auto. Many do not realize that one of the most profitable aspects for the dealership is financing a car. Here is how it works. The dealership does not finance the car, they actually finance with outside banks and just do all the paperwork necessary for the bank. The dealership sends the signed paperwork to the bank and the bank cuts the dealership a check. This is why all dealership sales are cash sales, but cash sales do not make any money for these car-lots. The dealership pulls your credit and sends it to the appropriate bank. The bank sends an answer back that says your buy rate is 5.75% or whatever it is according to your credit. Now, pay attention, this is when the dealership says we can do the loan for you at 7.75%. These 2 percentage points on a 20,000, 30,000, or even 40 or 50,000 auto can add up. The bank will then finance your car, send the dealership their money for profit on the car and interest profit over what they charge. So the question is how do you know what interest rate you deserve. I would say check with your bank, but dealerships get lower rates than a customer from some banks so why not apply for a loan directly with a Direct-To-Consumer Lender, Roadloans. Dealerships are not allowed to use Roadloans as they only deal directly with the consumer. And, when approved you will get a blank check overnight in the mail with instructions to buy a car. Now you are a CASH Buyer!

The last negotiation tip is when it comes to trading a vehicle. This one is a little more difficult, but there are a few tips to ensure you get the most for your trade. The biggest problem when it comes to the trade in is negative equity. I have a few tips at Negative Equity; Trading a Car When You Are Upside Down! Another way to avoid being upside down is to check out tips to sell your car instead of trade. kbb.com is a good place to see what your car is worth. When you put your vehicle in, make sure you don't put excellent condition. The dealership must figure in expenses with your trade such as running it through service to check it out, detailing, getting dents and dings out, etc. Kelly Blue Book figures are a little high anyway unless you are in California or some of the other big cities.

When you have received your low quote, obtained financing, and found what your vehicle is worth, it is time to go to the dealership. It should be pretty easy at this point. You already have the price you will pay and financing, so it comes down to trade in at this point if you even have a trade. This should be the easiest car you have ever purchased.

First let me give an explanation of how works. Gap Insurance basically works how it sounds, it covers any gaps left over by your regular car insurance.

Lets say you buy a 40,000 SUV that depreciates $15000 when you drive it off the car lot. This actually happens, but dont forget about the vehicle you traded in that you were upside down on and carried money over to your new purchase. Now, you carry over $5000 and you now owe $45000 plus taxes, interest, etc. Your vehicle is worth $25000-$30000.

Now, lets take this example and assume your vehicle is stolen or you are in an accident and your SUV is totaled. You owe close to $50000 after taxes and fees and some interest charges. Your insurance wants to settle with you and pay what the vehicle is actually worth. They say they are going to pay more than it is worth and settle with you for $38000-$40000. But wait, You owe more than that amount on your vehicle.

This is why dealerships have made untold fortunes selling Gap Insurance Policies at the time of purchase. Many customers buy their car and tell the salesman they must have Gap Insurance added. Many will not buy a car without Gap Insurance. If you have ever had a total loss with your vehicle and had to use insurance, you would have piece of mind with Gap Insurance. You would actually be able to go and buy another car immediately because you know you will have at least a zero balance on your loan.

Now, lets talk about the cost of Gap Insurance. The dealership I work at charges $799 and many other dealerships charge more than this amount. You must buy Gap Insurance at time of purchase.

This is a guide to check your February 2008 GM Rebates and special interest rates for Pontiac, Buick, and GMC. I say this a guide because when you go to your local dealer they will enter the VIN of the vehicle you choose to get exact rebates. Each vehicle has to be entered because there may be extra rebates on some. Also General Motors has different regions in the country that may offer different rebates, so check with your local dealer to get exact information. This is just a guide.

The special interest rate is if you give up the rebate to get a lower interest rate. The rates are in order for 36 months/48 months/60 months/72 months. The conquest rebate is for owning a non-GM vehicle and may be limited to certain regions of the country so check with your local dealer for specific details.

Pontiac, Buick, GMC, Rebates:
Buick Enclave $0
Buick Lacross $1500
Buick Lucerne $2000
Pontiac G5 $1000
Pontiac G6 (all) $2000
Pontiac Grand Prix $2000
Pontiac Solstice $500
Pontiac Torrent $2000
Pontiac VIBE $1250
GMC Acadia $500
GMC Canyon Reg Cab $500
GMC Canyon Ext/Crew $2000
GMC Envoy & XL $3000
GMC Sierra Reg Cab $1500
GMC Sierra EXT $2000
GMC Sierra CREW $2000
SIERRA 2500/3500 GAS $1500
SIERRA 2500/3500 DIESEL $1500
GMC Yukon $2000
GMC Yukon XL $2000

Pontiac, Buick, GMC, Special Rates:
Buick Enclave 5.9/6.9/7.9/std
Buick Lacross 3.9/4.9/5.9/6.9
Buick Lucerne 2.9/3.9/4.9/5.9
Pontiac G5 4.9/5.9/6.9/std
Pontiac G6 (all) 2.9/3.9/4.9/5.9
Pontiac Grand Prix 2.9/3.9/4.9/5.9
Pontiac Solstice 3.9/4.9/5.9/std
Pontiac Torrent 0.0/0.9/1.9/3.9
Pontiac VIBE 4.9/5.9/6.9/std
GMC Acadia 5.9/6.9/7.9/std
GMC Canyon Reg Cab 3.9/4.9/5.9/6.9
GMC Canyon Ext/Crew 3.9/4.9/5.9/6.9
GMC Envoy & XL 1.9/2.9/3.9/4.9
GMC Sierra Reg Cab 3.9/4.9/5.9/6.9
GMC Sierra EXT 3.9/4.9/5.9/6.9
GMC Sierra CREW 3.9/4.9/5.9/6.9
SIERRA 2500/3500GAS 3.9/4.9/5.9/6.9
SIERRA 2500/3500DIE 3.9/4.9/5.9/6.9
GMC Yukon 4.9/5.9/6.9/std
GMC Yukon XL 4.9/5.9/6.9/std

Pontiac, Buick, GMC, Conquest and Bonus Cash:
Buick Enclave $500
Buick Lacross $500
Buick Lucerne $500
Pontiac G5 $500
Pontiac G6 (all) $500
Pontiac Grand Prix $500
Pontiac Solstice $0
Pontiac Torrent $500
Pontiac VIBE $500
GMC Acadia $500
GMC Canyon Reg Cab $0
GMC Canyon Ext/Crew $0
GMC Envoy & XL $500
GMC Sierra Reg Cab $0
GMC Sierra EXT $2000 Invoice Credit 9-1-07
GMC Sierra CREW $2000 Invoice Credit 9-1-07
SIERRA 2500/3500GAS $750 Bonus Cash+2000 Invoice Credit
SIERRA 2500/3500DIE $1750 Bonus Cash+2000 Invoice Credit
GMC Yukon $0
GMC Yukon XL $0

The GMC Sierra $2000 Invoice credit is if the vehicle was invoiced prior to 9-1-07 and this extra money ends on 2-13-07 so you need to hurry to get this extra rebate. The Sierra listed are 1500 (half tons) unless denoted by 2500/3500 which are 3/4 tons and 1 tons. There are also some February Dealer Bonus Cash Certificates in some regions that dealers can apply to 07/08 Sierra's. They can apply a $250 certificate up to 4 certificates equal to an extra $1000. You can see why when you go to the dealership and the salesman says we have to enter the VIN to see what rabate to apply, they are not lying. GM has some of the most complex rebate structures in the industry, but it is used to keep the inventory newer. The older units are given a higher rebate to move them out and get new units on the ground. These rebates are scheduled to go thru 3-3-08 but may change at any time. I will say again, this is just a guide and check with your local dealer for exact rebates for your region.

This is a break down of some of the rebates and rates for Pontiac, Buick, and GMC. Check out what you can actually buy the vehicle for from the dealer not including rebates. You can get a price before ever visiting the dealer by entering your vehicle of choice at Yahoo Auto's!

Bankruptcy is one of those things people hate to do, but sometimes is the only way out of a desperate situation. After Bankruptcy, it is possible to get a Car Loan!

After Bankruptcy, go to your local bank and see about taking out a small personal loan with some collateral. It does not have to be a large amount to start out. Try borrowing $300 and put your computer or TV up for collateral. This is just a start to building your credit up after bankruptcy.

Next, apply for a credit card. This is what got most in Bankruptcy trouble in the first place so be careful. A high risk card may have a large fee just for opening. You may have a $200 balance the day you open the card, but this is just to get a start on your credit. Do Not go out and charge a large amount on the card. After 3 or 4 payments, your limit will be raised so do not get carried away. You want to always keep your balance on a credit card below half of the available limit to get maximum points on your credit score.

After Bankruptcy, you do not have to pay extra for a car. Some loans do require you to pay an acquisition fee, but do not think you have to pay full sticker for the car. Go To Yahoo! Autos and get a FREE QUOTE on the vehicle of your choice. Make sure you fill the form out completely and they will fight for your business. This will give you a price before credit is ever discussed.