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Posts Tagged ‘used cars’

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Car Care Means Battery Maintenance

January 25th, 2010 by Matthew C. Keegan | 2 Comments | Filed in Autos Express

Cold weather can place an enormous burden on your car with your battery straining to provide the juice needed to help it run. If your battery is not working optimally or dies, then you may find that heat and lights are not working at full capacity or your car’s engine might not turn over, leaving you stranded.

Your car's battery is under assault due to winter weather conditions.

CarMax, the nation’s largest used car retailer, offers some timely advice about car batteries that we’re happy to share with SayEducate readers. “Car batteries supply electrical energy to retain the memory in the onboard computers as well as the energy needed to start the engine,” said Tom Damon, ASE Master Technician for CarMax. “Proper maintenance is vital to keep your vehicle running year round, especially during the harsh winter months.”

Let’s review some of the do’s and don’ts of battery care as offered by the CarMax technicians:

Do’s

* Wear proper eye, hand and clothing protection when working with batteries.
* Check the terminals where cables connect to be sure they are tight and corrosion free. If corrosion is present, have terminals cleaned by a professional.
* Lubricate terminals with a dab of petroleum jelly to keep cables clean and free from corrosion.
* Make sure the battery is firmly secured to its mounting bracket. An unsecured battery can become damaged and cause short circuits.
* Check the fluid level unless it’s a maintenance-free battery. If the fluid is low, add distilled water. If there is no fluid visible, then replace the battery.
* Keep your battery case clean. Dirt conducts electricity and can discharge the battery. Use a solution of baking soda dissolved in warm water to clean the battery. Wet the case and agitate with a nylon bristle brush to scrub surface. Rinse well with plain water.
* Batteries come in many different sizes. When replacing a car battery, make sure you choose the right size for your vehicle. When it comes to car batteries, bigger is not always better.
* Prior to disconnecting the battery, check manufacturer specifications on what items may be disrupted when disconnecting the battery. For example, the radio may require a security code when the battery has been disconnected.
* Always disconnect the negative cable first and reconnect it last.
* Charge battery in a well-ventilated area.

Don’ts

* If your battery is frozen, do not charge it, as it may explode! One visual sign of a frozen battery is that the sides are bowed out. This condition is dangerous; the battery will need to be replaced.
* If you need to charge your battery yourself, switch the charger to a low-charge setting. Most chargers have this feature, but if not, have a professional charge the battery.
* Don’t charge a dead battery with a car’s alternator. An alternator is not designed to function as a charger, and it may be damaged or have a shortened life as a result.
* Never lean over a battery when charging, testing, or jump-starting the engine.
* Don’t disconnect battery cables while engine is running (your battery acts as a filter).
* Don’t let the battery get totally discharged. Most car batteries get their power from lead cells submerged in electrolyte and these cells can be damaged when the battery is totally discharged.
* Don’t let the battery get hot while charging.

If you are not familiar with battery maintenance, most any major auto parts retailer can test your battery for free. Some stores offer battery charging services too which can ensure that your battery is ready to take on winter’s worst.

Source: CarMax


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Fire Sale Prices For Pontiac, Saturn Models

December 31st, 2009 by Matthew C. Keegan | 4 Comments | Filed in Autos Express

Potential Savings of $7000 Per Vehicle

Save big bucks on an orphaned Saturn Aura.

If you have been holding back on buying a new car in search of a better deal, you are not likely to find one better than what your Saturn and Buick-Pontiac-GMC dealers have to offer. Right now, General Motors is offering dealers $7000 for every Pontiac and Saturn car on their lots, if these cars are moved to service or rental vehicle fleets. Those vehicles would then be made available to consumers, supposedly at a heavy discount.

Gently Used Cars

Technically, if you were to purchase one of these cars, you would be buying a used model. That is because the dealer becomes the owner of the car before you do. Still, most of these vehicles are likely to have new car mileage, which means that there may be just a few miles on the odometer when made available for sale. Importantly, buyers will have the balance of the GM warranty applied to their barely used new cars, another reason why Saturn and Pontiac cars are likely to sell fast over the days ahead.

GM is taking this approach for two reasons: both the Saturn and Pontiac brands are being retired and the company wants to finish December on a high note. The December selling period ends with the close of business on January 4, therefore there is still time for dealers to snap up inventory. At any point, dealers will turn around and sell these cars, perhaps as discounts of up to $7000 per car.

Your Orphaned Car

One important fact consumers should keep in mind when purchasing a Pontiac or Saturn is that you’ll be owning an orphan car. An orphan car is a vehicle whose parent (make) has been discontinued, which means that the resale value of your vehicle may be poor.

Fortunately, other GM divisions can service these cars and the automaker will be providing parts for many years to come. Buy an orphan vehicle especially if you plan to keep it for many years, rendering its resale value of no consequence for you.

General Motors is also closing on a deal to sell its Hummer brand to a Chinese company and it may keep its Saab unit alive long enough for a new buyer to snap up its Swedish brand. In any case, when the smoke clears North American GM buyers will see that only four brands remain: Cadillac, Buick, Chevrolet, and GMC.

Adv. – If you’re planning to buy a new car, then you’ll want to get price quotes or find a dealer to arrange for a test drive. You may also want to arrange for your own auto financing which can save you hundreds of dollars on your next car loan.

Photo Credit: GM Corp.


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Consumers Warned About Atlanta Area Flood Damaged Cars

September 28th, 2009 by Krayton M Davis | 5 Comments | Filed in Autos Express, News

The recent floods in and around the Atlanta area were of historic proportions. Homes were destroyed, crops ruined and vehicles swept away. Thankfully, casualties were kept to a minimum, but the rebuilding process is likely to take many months to complete.

Flood Damaged Cars

CarMaxSound familiar? It should. Over the past several years devastation has taken its toll on communities from Texas to the Carolinas as hurricane and tropical storm activity rendered many areas uninhabitable for days, weeks, even months. As recovery began in these areas, a number of housing scams came to light as did one involving automobiles – flood-damaged vehicles which were declared destroyed, but “repaired” and retitled and sold to unsuspecting buyers.

CarMax, which is the largest supplier of used cars in the country, has been warning about “Katrina Cars” and other damaged vehicles for several years. Most recently, CarMax issued a news release detailing the problem and telling potential buyers what to look for.

Signs of Damage

“Consumers should be aware that some businesses and individuals may try to sell salvaged and flood-damaged cars without revealing the vehicle history,” said Jason Day, Atlanta region vice president of purchasing for CarMax.  “Flood-damaged cars that are not structurally or mechanically sound could be repaired, re-titled, and sold to unsuspecting buyers.”

CarMax’s purchasing team offers these ten tips for identifying a vehicle with possible flood damage.  If any of these signs are identified, ask further questions to determine if flood damage occurred:

  1. Check for a moldy smell inside the car and feel the carpet for dampness
  2. Be suspicious of an older car with a brand new interior or carpeting
  3. Check for rust under the brake or gas pedals
  4. Look for dirt or rust under the dashboard and floor mats
  5. Inspect the bolts and screws under the seats for evidence of rust
  6. Check the undercarriage for excessive rust
  7. Check inside the trunk under the carpet and in the spare tire well area for rust, dirt or sand
  8. Look for corrosion, water marks, or a thin brown line on the exterior of the vehicle
  9. Check to see if the electrical system works
  10. Check the VIN number with AutoCheck or Carfax to see whether a flood claim has been filed or a salvage title has been issued on the vehicle

Free History Report

For their part, CarMax provides a free AutoCheck vehicle history report for every used vehicle.  The company’s countrywide team of more than 800 car purchasers has been trained to observe whether a car has flood damage or has been in a major mishap.  CarMax has a policy in place where they will not sell any car that has flood or frame damage or an odometer or title discrepancy.

Source: CarMax

Adv. — If you’re considering purchasing a new car, should you accept dealer financing or would you be better off shopping around for the best deal? If it comes down to deciding between a hefty rebate or low interest rate financing, take the money and shop for an auto loan elsewhere. Visit SayLending.com for all of your lending needs including new and used car auto loans at competitive rates.


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The Savvy Consumer: Used Car Buying Tips

September 3rd, 2009 by Matthew C. Keegan | 3 Comments | Filed in Autos Express, Consumer Tips

New car sales were up again last month in the US, thanks to the federal government’s Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS) program which encouraged people to trade in their clunkers for eligible, new vehicles. As much as new car sales were up, interest in used cars has also remained strong.

New car buyers have had their day in the sun regarding their purchase. How about you? Are you planning to buy a used car this year?

New car buyers have had their day in the sun regarding their purchase. How about you? Are you planning to buy a used car this year?

One negative aspect of CARS is that there are now some 700,000 fewer old cars on the road, vehicles which might have been of interest to buyers. Although that loss is virtually a drop in the bucket considering that there are more than 250 million registered vehicles in the US, prices are affected particularly for sport utility vehicles which were the most traded in cars in the program.

You can’t do anything about supply and demand when it comes to buying a new car, but you can keep in mind six points as you shop for a used car including:

1. Research – Before heading out to a used car lot or visiting a private buyer, determine what that car is actually worth. Kelley Blue Book (KBB) offers excellent information at www.kbb.com which will tell you both the trade in and used car value of most any vehicle dating back to the early 1990s.

2. Negotiate – Don’t ever pay the window price listed for a used car. Most times, those prices have been greatly inflated which means that there is plenty of room for you to demand a better deal.

3. Inspect – Unless you’re particularly gifted with shopping for a car, you’ll want to make sure that you have a thorough inspection of the vehicle accomplished first. If the used car dealer refuses to allow you take the car to your mechanic, then move on. If he agrees, then pay your mechanic to examine the car for potential problems.

4. Contract – Keep this in mind when you prepare to sign a contract to purchase a used car: there isn’t a cooling off period with your purchase. With other contracts, you have 72 hours to cancel but not so with a used car. Once you have signed the contract, then it is yours. Laws may vary from state to state, however.

5. Warranty – What sort of coverage are you getting with your purchase? Will needed repairs be covered? Who is responsible for maintenance? And, does your state have a lemon law that will protect you in the event that things go wrong? Lastly, will purchasing an extended warranty be worth it and what will it cover?

6. Finance – How will you pay for the car? Are you arranging independent financing or will you rely on the dealer to finance your car? Keep in mind that with the used car dealer you could pay an inflated rate for your loan especially if your credit isn’t that good. Expect that the dealer to get a sizable referral commission to maximize his profit too.

Of course, if you buy used, you should run a CARFAX report to make sure that it wasn’t damaged previously. Used cars were reclaimed after hurricanes Katrina and Rita, with unsuspecting buyers snapping them up and running into problems later on.

Adv. — You’re planning to buy a new car, but should you accept dealer financing or shop around for the best deal? If it is a choice between getting a nice rebate or low interest financing, take the money and shop for an auto loan elsewhere. Visit SayLending.com for all of your lending needs including new and used car auto loans at rates you can afford.


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