The FCX Clarity hydrogen car is now available for lease from participating Honda dealers for Southern California residents who live in Santa Monica, Torrence or Irvine.

The FCX Clarity lease runs at$600 per month which includes maintenance and insurance costs. Honda is currently limiting the lease to residents who have access to fueling service areas.

The 270 mile range car runs off a hydrogen fuel cell and is refillable at designated filling stations provided by Honda. Honda has also partnered with Plug Power Inc. to develop a Home Energy Station which is small enough to fit in the home owners garage.

Financing the purchase of your car can be difficult. Recent research has highlighted the fact that most consumers have decided how to pay for their vehicle even before visiting a forecourt. Reasons for this include high interest rate charges and the motor trade’s poor reputation. Showroom finance is often not considered as an option, with high street and online lenders greatly preferred, perhaps not surprising considering that they do traditionally provide better car finance deals.

There are six main ways in which a new car can be financed. The first is a credit card. However, high interest rates mean that this should only be used as a short-term measure, possibly to pay a deposit. One of the most popular ways of paying for a car is through a personal loan. This simply involves taking out a loan with a bank or other financial institution, and can often be arranged over the phone. Interest rates are competitive and you can pay for the whole cost of your car. Alternatively you could deal with your existing lender if you have a mortgage. Money can be borrowed from a mortgage provider, either by getting a second mortgage or withdrawing equity from your house. The advantage of this is that you can deal with your existing lender and interest rates are very low. However, mortgage loans are over a longer period and a penalty may be imposed if you decide to repay the loan early.

Personal loans, mortgage top-ups and credit cards are the three most popular and well-known methods of paying for a new car. However, three additional options are available which may suit certain people. The first is Hire-Purchase or Conditional Sale, whereby you discuss and agree with the dealer how much you need to borrow. The dealer then gets in contact with the Motor Finance Company and pays for the car on your behalf. You then agree to make monthly payments to the dealer, with the car only owned by yourself once the car has been fully paid for. Low interest rates, deposits and flexible payment terms are associated with this form of payment.

If the car you wish to buy is slightly out of your price range you may want to consider a Personal Contract Purchase. In this option you defer part of the cost of the car until the end of the payment agreement, at which point you can decide to trade-in the car, hand it back to the dealer, or pay the outstanding amount and keep the car. This is an excellent way of being able to afford a car which would otherwise be too expensive. The final option for financing a car is simply to rent it, known as Personal Leasing or Personal Contract Hire. In this case you agree to rent the car from the dealer for a fixed period of time, which includes all maintenance costs. This is an excellent choice if you only require a car for a set period of time, such as 6 months. It eliminates the hassle of buying a selling a car and is simply fixed cost motoring.

To decide exactly what car finance deal you should choose you can fill out a questionnaire on financingyourcar.org.uk – it’ll then recommend the type of finance deal that will suit you best, potentially saving you hundreds of pounds.

Auto leasing and the marketing thereof have been somewhat under the radar the past few years due to very low interest rates offered up by lending institutions. For most, the allure of leasing a car has been the advantage of lower monthly payments. With the low financing rates, this advantage has been shifted to traditional financing.

The world of car leasing has a long history of being somewhat less than straightforward. Even now one can find some pretty good deals out there, but the financial process around leasing a car can still be more than a bit confusing. And it’s this confusion that can leave you with a less than warm and fuzzy feeling after your leasing transaction is all said and done.

So, in an effort to avoid or mitigate the confusion when it comes to auto leasing, let’s take a look at some basics.

In auto leasing you are only paying for (in the form of monthly payments) the portion of the car that you use over the life of the lease (the part you use is how much the car depreciates). As part of your monthly payments, you’ll also be paying sales tax and finance charges.

Yes, finance or interest charges. In car leasing vernacular this is known as the ‘money factor’.

What determines how much of the car you will use is the car’s residual value. The residual value is a predetermined number as to what the market value of the car will be at the end of the lease.

For example – if a $20,000 car has a residual value of $11,000 at the end of your 36 month lease – this means that you will have used $9,000 of this car; so your monthly payments will be based on $9,000 over 36 months. As you can see, the better a car holds its residual value or the higher that value is… the more favorable your monthly payments will be.

More often than not the money that you will need to come up with up front is your first monthly payment and a security deposit. Of course, you are more than welcome to put more money down (cap cost reduction) just like when purchasing a car; if you want to lower your monthly payments even more.

The cap cost or capitalization cost is another name for the price of the car you’re looking at. And, just like purchasing, you can and should negotiate the price or in this case the cap cost of the car. In fact, I wouldn’t even disclose the fact that you’re considering leasing until you’ve negotiated and agreed on an actual selling price of the car you’re looking at.

As you see, doing your homework is every bit just as important as and probably more so than when you are actually purchasing the car. Negotiating and leasing a car based solely on achieving a monthly payment is probably the number one reason consumers get stuck paying too much.

Cap cost reduction is almost always negotiable. If a dealer tells you that it is not or unwilling to do so… they are plenty of other vehicles and dealers that offer and will.

We touched on the ‘money factor’ which is the leasing equivalent of the interest rate. Are you getting the best possible ‘money factor’? Just like the purchasing side, the dealer can add points to a money factor just like they can to an interest rate in order to maximize their profit. This is why it is extremely important for you to know your credit score and at what interest rate you qualify for before you even set foot in a dealership or you could really get … well … made love to.

Many factory warranties on vehicles run for 36 months. This is a good reason not to be looking at leasing a car for longer than the factory warranty. In addition, once you get out past 36 months on a car lease, you rapidly start losing the advantage of the residual value since most depreciation occurs early on.

Lastly… well, maybe not lastly when it comes to leasing but lastly within the scope of this article; if you have good credit, or perhaps have been a good or repeat customer, ask the dealer to waive the security deposit and/or the acquisition fee. First of all, they won’t if you don’t ask; and secondly this is certainly a fair request as part of the negotiating process. Worst case they say no. Best case… you save some more of your hard earned money.

Everybody hates car salesman. They talk too fast, use too many clichés, and are generally exasperating. There’s nothing worse than being verbally romanced only to find out you were ripped-off—or is there?

How about getting ripped-off repeatedly? How about getting ripped-off repeatedly for years? How about never even knowing you were ripped-off, repeatedly, and for years?

Welcome to service! When it comes to swindling, automotive service representatives are the real experts. They have more experience, and way more opportunity to rip you off.

A car salesman has only a few chances to rip you off provided you even engage in negotiations. There’s the price of the car, financing, leasing, accessories/options, extended warranties, your trade-in, and the general bull that wafts from the salesmen’s mouth.

You should also watch out for the finance manager. Today’s finance folks aren’t just number crunchers, they’re salesmen in disguise. This is where you’ll be encouraged to buy the extended warranty and a host of other accessories that can all be packaged up nicely into your financing.

Car sales rip-off attempts are easily thwarted. Number one, you can just walk away! Also, there are numerous resources on how to buy a car without losing your shirt. If you’re interested, visit the RepairTrust resource link @ www.repairtrust.com and you’ll find several sites that will tell you everything you want to know about buying, trading, leasing, financing, new, used…etc.

It’s quite different in the world of car repair. Your car needs service. You HAVE to deal with a service representative, like it or not.

The folks in the dim underworld of automotive service are well-trained in the art of ripping people off. They’re not the feeding-frenzied, thrashing sharks of sales that are easy to spot.

No, service representatives are the Great Whites. They primarily hunt alone, hiding in the murky waters of service, striking without warning.

What’s really scary is that the service industry is infested with Great Whites. Traditional tips and suggestions to avoid their attacks don’t work. This is evidenced by the fact that service customers are scammed “tens of billions of dollars every year.”

Information is the key to STOP a Great White. If one knows who, what, when, where, why, and how it hunts, one can take control.

Importantly, “Sharks are not mindless eating machines.” The Great Whites of the service industry are experienced and smart. There are so many attacks from so many different directions, and new technologies provide fresh chum daily.

With auto repair, technology creates confusion. Technology creates ripples and waves, making it difficult to see below the surface of even simple auto repairs.

The Great White can sense the anxiety of a service customer, like it can a struggling swimmer. In the midst of this confusion, the waters of service get even murkier, and SPLASH—it’s cost you an arm and a leg.

In today’s service environment, the service customer needs protection, and needs to be empowered with accurate information and powerful tools before even entering the waters. There’s no need to lose any limbs, ever!

Major car manufacturer Toyota has produced car models that have consistently ranked high in both the US and Japan market, specifically with regard to the Toyota Camry and the remodeled Toyota Corolla.

While the Toyota Camry has been the best-selling car in the United States for the past four years (2002-2005), back in Japan where Toyota is based, it is the Toyota Corolla that has been the best selling vehicle. Reports say there were 70,675 units of the Toyota Corolla sold from January to June this year. That total is actually a decrease of 11.7% from their total sales during the same period a year ago.

According to figures from the Japan Automobile Dealers Association, the Toyota Corolla has actually been the best-selling car in Japan for the last four six-month periods. Toyota actually released a fully remodeled Corolla in August 2000 and its impressive sales performance since that time attests to its immense popularity.

The performance of the Toyota Camry in the United States has been simply amazing. Not only has it been the best-selling car for four straight years now, it has also been the country’s best seller in eight of the last nine years. It has consistently topped its mid-size competitors such as the Honda Accord and the Chevrolet Impala in that period.

Reports say that plans are currently afoot to launch a hybrid Camry later this year as well a fully redesigned version of the Camry in 2007. The general expectation is that Toyota Camry set to be unveiled Monday at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the sedan likely will set the bar high for its competitors.

Understandably, Toyota has been mum about the new Camry, hardly releasing any details. However, according to Jim Press, president and chief operating officer of Toyota Motor Sales USA Inc., it will offer better style, technology and drivability. And it will build on the reputation the nameplate has established in previous incarnations.

Press said he expects the company this year to sell about the nearly the same as the 432,000 Camrys it sold in 2005, but may lose some sales as it switches from offering the old model. He said Toyota strives to keep Camry’s style timeless while keeping in mind the goal of a well-balanced car that satisfies drivers’ needs.

People have different opinions when it comes to leasing a vehicle and buying a vehicle, but here’s the basic gist of it: buying a vehicle differs from leasing a vehicle in that buying a vehicle requires you to pay for the entire vehicle, whereas leasing a vehicle requires you to pay for the amount of the vehicle you “use up” during a set period of time. Simply put, once the time period is up the person leasing the vehicle may decide to buy the vehicle, or move on.

There’s no difference, however, in purchasing automotive insurance for bought and leased vehicles. If you lease a vehicle and finance through the dealer or a bank, you’re still required to purchase automotive insurance for your leased vehicle. Just because you’re only paying for the portion of the vehicle that you use during a specific time period doesn’t mean you aren’t responsible for repairing the damages to the leased vehicle, or the damages your leased vehicle may inflict upon another person’s vehicle, or another person.

For example, if your leased vehicle is involved in an accident that is your fault and involves another party, you’re responsible for paying to repair not only the damages to your leased vehicle, but the damages to the other party’s vehicle, as well. At the same time, if your leased vehicle is involved in an accident but no other party is involved, you’re responsible for repairs to your leased vehicle if the accident was your fault.

Too, your leased vehicle may be involved in an accident that wasn’t your fault with a party that doesn’t have automotive insurance. By having automotive insurance for your leased vehicle, you are safeguarding yourself against drivers who don’t have automotive insurance.

The purpose of automotive insurance is universal. Regardless of whether you buy or lease your vehicle, and regardless of your reasons for buying or leasing, you must still purchase automotive insurance.

By leasing a used vehicle, you can obtain a luxury model car or an SUV at much lower monthly payments than are imposed when you buy a new one. However, you must do your homework in order to find the best deal available.

When researching leasing costs, pay close attention to the initial market value and the estimated residual value of the used car you are considering. This value is more difficult to predict for used vehicles than for new ones because there is no "sticker price" as set by a factory on a used car. You can use a variety of sources to obtain a rough estimate of the used vehicle’s value, however. These include local dealerships and online car evaluation tools; a quick search on the Internet will find a host of these car evaluation tools and most are provided free of charge. You can also get a good estimate by comparing the lease on a used car to a lease on a new car of the same model and make. Used vehicle leasing is best when residual value has depreciated least. You’ll find better bargains at the luxury end of the vehicle market where cars retain their value better.

Initial mileage and overall vehicle condition should be two other things to consider when leasing a used automobile. With a used car, the maximum mileage should total no more than 12,000 miles per year. A car that is three years old with 50,000 miles is not a good leasing deal. You should also examine a vehicle for worn fabric on the seats, worn pedal pads, or a dirty engine. These are signs of excessive use and might indicate a rolling back of the odometer. If the used car has not been certified, it should be inspected. You can ask the dealer for a certification program sponsored by the manufacturer or have it certified by a qualified service or mechanic.

Most used-car lease arrangements do not include gap coverage. Gap coverage is a special kind of insurance that is usually offered on new-auto leases. It protects the consumer if the leased automobile is lost, damaged, or stolen. Car insurance policies usually only cover what the car is worth at the time of the loss or damage and not what you may still have owing on the lease. This difference could total thousands of dollars. Therefore, you shouldn’t consider a used-car lease that does not include gap coverage. This coverage can be arranged separately, either with the lease dealer or with your own car insurance company.

Once you have decided on getting a new Acura, visit the manufacturer’s website for details on what is available and how to locate the dealers closest to your location. With this information you are ready to start getting quotes so that you can begin the process of financing your car.

There are a wide range of payment options that you can explore to find the one that best suits your circumstances. The main ones are:

·Pay cash This is a quick alternative, but not many persons are able to come up with the full payment price for a new car. If you pay for your car up-front, you may be able to get an even better deal. Also, ensure that your dealer gives you a good warranty.

·Leasing This option allows the consumer to lease the car they want through a leasing company. Most choose a set period for the lease. This period is normally the length of the car’s warranty. With is arrangement, the leasing company will buy the car and you pay an agreed upon monthly payment. Generally this monthly payment is less than if you take out a personal loan. Once the lease period is up, the consumer can either opt to purchase the car for themselves or go into another lease arrangement normally for a newer model vehicle. As an added bonus, some leasing arrangements take the hassle out of car maintenance as the leasing company is responsible for this.

·A loan Another popular financing option is taking out a personal loan from a bank, credit union or other financing agency. The consumer will need to make an agreed on monthly payment to the lending agency for the life of the loan. Once the loan is paid off, the car is yours.

·Trade-in of your old car Trading in a used car can also help with financing a new car as the funds obtained can be used to make the down payment. Some of these options are easier than others based on your credit rating.

With gas prices hovering at $3.00 per gallon, drivers have already begun to migrate from gas guzzling SUVs to fuel efficient hybrids. As a sign of the times, GM recently announced that they plan to discontinue the namesake of the “Hummer deduction” in favor of the smaller Humvee.

“In addition to getting better gas mileage, purchasers of hybrids are also rewarded with a sizeable tax credit through 2010,” explains Andrew Schwartz, CPA, founder of CPANiche.com, a site where taxpayers can interact with CPAs who specialize in a variety of niches such as healthcare and real estate professionals.

“The new hybrid car tax credit replaces the $2,000 Clean Fuel deduction that was in place through the end of 2005. But you should be aware that this credit is only available in connection with the purchase of a new hybrid vehicle, so leasing one or buying a used hybrid vehicle won’t qualify.”

According to the information available on the IRS’ website, below are the vehicles currently eligible for this tax credit, along with the credit applicable to that model:

• Ford Escape Hybrid Front WD - 2006 $2,600
• Ford Escape Hybrid 4 WD - 2006 $1,950
• Honda Civic Hybrid CVT - 2006 $2,100
• Honda Civic Hybrid SUVEL - 2005 $1,700
• Honda Insight CVT - 2005 & 2006 $1,450
• Honda Accord Hybrid AT - 2006 $1,300 or $650
• Honda Accord Hybrid AT - 2005 $650
• Lexus GS 450h - 2007 $1,550
• Lexus RX400h 2WD or 4WD - 2006 $2,200
• Mercury Mariner Hybrid 4 WD - 2006 $1,950
• Toyota Camry Hybrid - 2007 $2,600
• Toyota Highlander Hybrid - 2006 $2,600
• Toyota Prius - 2005 & 2006 $3,150

Even though the hybrid car tax credit runs though 2010, the credit won’t be available for long on many popular models. To level the playing field for Ford and other newcomers into the hybrid market, the allowable tax credit starts to disappear for a manufacturer once they have sold 60,000 hybrid vehicles. [PRWEB]

Sunny Tan, author of the controversial fuel saving guide for motorists, Gas Mileage Tactics, is re-releasing his latest edition of his book with more additional ways to help drivers save their gas money.

Part fun and part enlightening, just about anyone can flick through a few pages from the book and expect to get serious results with their way of driving, which ultimately cuts down their gas mileage expenses.

According to Sunny Tan, many drivers out there resort to using different sorts of high tech gadgetry and equipments and have their cars modified, just to maximize the use of every drop of liter of their gas intake. However, in the long run, this will not only cause serious damages to their vehicles, but also burn big holes in their wallets.

“The reason car manufacturers like Toyota and Honda spend millions investing in R&D is to develop vehicles that are safe, reliable and roadworthy. What makes you think that some backyard mechanics in your area have that sort of capability in modifying a car while ensuring it is still roadworthy?”

“The fundamental thing about saving up your gas money and reduce the petrol consumption of your car begins all the way from when you start your car, how you maneuver the steering wheel and how you step on the pedals,” says Sunny Tan.

In some other countries like America, the IRS has provided a way for the drivers to claim some kind of deduction out of their mileage claim usage.

“Basically you need to maintain proper records of all you business use of you vehicle. You need to learn how to keep tax records for your vehicle, how to keep and log mileage records and vehicle expenses,” according to Sunny.

When asked about how much potential savings of the tax reduction for gas claims, he quoted an example that based on 2002 gas allowance of 36.5 cents per mile; one can get a rough estimate of $292 - $365 worth of tax reduction in a year.

In the book, Sunny writes about tips and techniques to get best possible gas saving out one’s car. The whole book was divided into several chapters such as good driving attitude, taking care of certain crucial car components and engine, getting the best wheels for the car and even some discussion on few popular gas saving devices.

Drivers who have learnt and practiced some of the techniques have discovered amazing results from their gas mileage savings alone. “I’ve recently tried some of the methods described in Sunny’s Gas Mileage Tactics book and I’m satisfied with the noticeably increased fuel mileage I am getting”, says one of the satisfied readers.

“In such trying times of rising petrol costs which could easily burn holes in many motorists’ pockets, Sunny Tan’s easy-to-read-and-apply e-booklet bearing tips on fuel-saving is like welcomed rain on parched earth during prolonged drought”, as described by a prominent and well-respected author and speaker. [PRWEB]

tagTRAX: ways to save money | gas mileage | mileage expenses | gas money