Car rentals are used by many people for different reasons. Usually, people need car rentals for a replacement vehicle for a short period of time. As such, people don’t actually rent cars on a regular basis and are thus ignorant of the ins and outs of car rentals.

There is basically no need of having any personal auto insurance when renting a car. However, car rental services usually ask if you are interested in buying insurance for the period of the car rental. But if you already have your own insurance policy, confirm with your agent to see if you are covered for car rentals. If you have coverage, there is no need of buying another policy from the car rental company.

It is of course necessary to have a valid driver’s license if you intend to rent a car. If you don’t have a valid driver’s license, you cannot rent a car. There are also some companies that reserve your car with a major credit card while you can pay with cash if preferred. Another point to remember when approaching car rental services is that they will not rent any car to a driver under the age of 25. So if you are underage, you will have to have an older friend or relative to sign the contract on your behalf.

Of course, don’t forget to confirm their rates to know if you are charged hourly, daily, weekly or on a monthly basis. It is always a good option to look around and compare several car rental service providers, to find out the best deal and rent the right car. When picking the car, make sure that you have your personal paperwork and auto policy with you. Make sure you read the contract, and clear any doubts before signing the contract.

When you next go on vacation the best way to explore a new country is by car. Renting a car allows you to sightsee at your own pace to tourist spots of your own choice. You can easily rent cars from car rental services, but there are certain things you should keep in mind when you are renting a car abroad.

* It is a good idea to make all arrangements from the USA itself before you embark on your vacation. If you rent directly in a foreign land the language and cultural barriers, the foreign currency conversion rates, unfamiliar rental rules and other differences may utterly confuse you. Instead if you rent right from your home country, you are more likely to catch the hidden costs such as late penalties, gas charges and others.

* Make sure your billing starts right from the time of the drop-off. Remember, there are agencies that charge on a full 24-hour basis, even if you use the car for lesser hours per day. Avoid these types of car rental agencies.

* There are various types of discounts that are available on car rentals internationally. For example, the frequent flyer discount, credit card discount, AAA discount or senior citizen discount etc. are the most common type of car rental discounts. Insist on getting the discounts if you qualify for them.

* When you are booking in advance, consider the prospective size of your luggage and the number of people traveling with you. In case the luggage and the size of your group are small you can consider a smaller car. But if you feel you are going to travel with a big group or have big or quite a few luggages, then book a roomier car.

* You should carry an international driving permit with you. It is recognized by some 150 countries. However you must be at least 18 years old to obtain an international driving permit. In the USA, two agencies are authorized to issue the document: the American Automobile Association and the American Automobile Touring Alliance.

* Do not expect to rent a luxurious or automatic car in other countries as you would expect to rent back home. For example, if you rent a car of European make, there is a high possibly that you have to drive a manual stick shift car. However, since you are not familiar with your way around in a foreign city it is better that you insist on renting an automatic car even though it comes at a higher price tag.

So you see, driving in the foreign land is much more than laughing about driving on the wrong side of the road! Be prepared and carry the right documents for safe and happy driving abroad.

Many companies offer services for car hire in Murica or at the airport. San Javier airport in Murica is located at the northern shore of the Mar Menor. Since 1996, this airport has experienced tremendous growth in flights for tourists. This has resulted in more car hire companies operating in and around the airport.

Car Hire Murica Planning

Consider the size of the car you will need. An economy car is cheaper in terms of rental rates as well as fuel costs. A smaller car will get better gas mileage. If you are travelling with your family or a larger group, you may need a larger vehicle. Otherwise, a compact is a good choice.

Consider insurance when you are planning a car hire. You may have coverage with your car insurance or credit card company. Check with your broker before your tip. If you are already covered, you can save between $5 and $10 per day on your rental costs.

Book in advance for any car hire. You will pay more if you don’t reserve in advance. In addition, your choices may be limited. If you are travelling in the busy season, which is summer, you may not get the car you need. In the very busy weeks, you may not be able to get a car at all.

To hire a car, you will need the proper documentation. Most companies will ask for your driver’s license, proof of insurance and a credit card. Find out in advance which cards are accepted. Many companies have a minimum age requirement for rentals.

Inspect the car before you leave. Take not of any scratches, dents or areas where the paint is chipped. Call these to the attention of the company’s representative. Be sure all damage is noted on the rental agreement. If possible, take pictures with a digital camera to record the damage. You don’t want to be blamed later for damage that was already there when you picked up the car.

Comparing Companies for Car Hire Murica

The rates for the same car can vary considerably from company to company. Compare basic rates and the fees for extras. Some offer all inclusive rental packages, while others charge for extras. These extras can include insurance, mileage, the cost of additional drivers, airport taxes and other fees.

Find out what is included in the price you are quoted. If the company charges a basic rate with add on fees for extras, have the clerk calculate all expenses at the time you are given the quote. This will give you a more reliable comparison.

Get the agreement in writing and be sure to get a confirmation number. You don’t want to go through all the work of comparing prices only to end up paying a higher price later. A quote in writing with a confirmation number for your reservation will help you avoid headaches later.

Compare the cost for picking the car up at the airport or renting in the city. In many cases, there is no real difference in cost. In other cases, you may save money by hiring a car in the city. Most companies will provide transportation to and from the airport. In general, it is cheaper if you pick up and drop off the car in the same location, whether it’s in the city or at the airport.

Compare daily and weekly rates with each company. The weekly rates are often cheaper. If you are staying five days, it may still be less expensive to reserve the car at the weekly rate. You can still return the car early and save money.

Look for coupons or discounts for your car hire. If you book your flight through a travel agent, you may get a discount on a car hire. Organizations such as AAA or travel clubs often offer discounted rates to members. Travel magazines sometimes contain coupons for rental fees. Find and use any discount you can to save money.

What You Need to Know After an Auto Accident

The worst thing has just happened to you. You have had an accident. There’s never a good time to have an accident but it always seems to happen at the worst possible time. So what do you do? First off you need to stay calm. It’s a totally natural reaction to lose your head or panic right when you need to be rational. Just after the accident is the time you should be taking note of all the information you will need to ensure that you are fully compensated and covered for any damage done to your property or to you. Talk to witnesses, get their contact details, make notes and take pictures if possible at the time of the accident. You’ll be glad you did as it will be difficult to accurately recall all of the details as time passes. Finally remeber not to admit that you caused the accident, even if you did.

Right after the accident this will all be the last thing you think of so make a checklist and keep it in the car.

While you are at the Accident Scene, note the following details You will need:

Driver Details of everyone involved in the accident. Don’t forgrt to add yours too. These details should cover the Drivers Name, driving license details and driver insurance details including the insurance company name, policy number and contact details. Finally remember to get the car license plate number.

If you are carrying a camera take pictures of the accident scene, the damaged vehicles and any injuries that were caused by the accident.

Note the contact details of any witnesses such as name, address, phone number and email address so that you can follow up with them later.

Post Accident Follow Up

Complete your own fully detailed description of the accident as soon as possible after it occurred. You can fill this in with the details and any pictures that you took at the scene of the accident. If you were injured then take pictures of your injuries.

Follow up with the witnesses to the accident and get their written details of the accident. If the Police attended the scene of the accident ask for their report.

After the Accident

If you were injured you will need to keep track of the following medical expenses and visits:

Any hospital visits and treatments at hospitals such as MRI, x-ray, physiotherapy and laboratory services.

Over the counter and prescription medications.

You should keep track of the dates, times and reasons you had to visit a doctor or the hospital and keep a note of the time off of work due to the accident. If the time off caused a loss of income you should get a letter detailing all of the lost income from your employer. Similarly if you are still in school you should keep track of all of the hours of missed schooling due to the accident.

While you are undertaking medical treatment you should take pictures of your injuries to show their progress over time. Keep a log of the date and time of the picture and add details of any pain that you are experiencing, how you are feeling, and any distress or discomfort that you experience as a result of the accident.

Keep track of all other expenses related to the accident. These will incluse some of the following: Property damages such as car repairs, damage to barriers, fences and signs.

Some other indirect expenses may also occur such as a cancelled vacation due to injuries sustained in the accident or the cost of a rental car while yours is repaired.Finally there are other miscellaneous costs, such as ointments,lotions to treat your injuries and bandages.

Finally

Never reply to any questions or queries from any other party involved in or related to the accident, such as insurance companies or attournies without first consulting your attourny. Do not settle any bills or sign any documents until you are sure of the extent of current and future medical expenses related to the accident, and have agreed it with your attourney.

We sincerely hope you never need this advice, but if you are involved in an accident it’s comforting to know that we are here!

While on vacation, you and your family are eager to explore and to get to know the people and the culture at your own pace and leisure, but you may find the organized tours too boring and hectic, and the public transport system too confusing and challenging. To get the most out of your vacation the best solution for you may be to rent a car.

The quickest way for you to find a car rental service is to search on the internet or just to leaf through the yellow pages of your local directory or to look at the classified pages of the local newspapers. You should easily be able to find plenty of advertisements for the local rent-a-cars.

If you are unfamiliar with what car rental services are, they are services that engage in the business of renting out cars for short periods of time, most often to visitors or travelers. And the length of this rental period may vary from just a few hours to even a few weeks. Obviously this kind of car rental service does require a fee, but the rental car rates are usually quite reasonable depending on the type of rental car you want to drive, ranging from small compact cars to family-sized minivans or SUVs.

If you need to locate a car rental service, networks and branches of numerous rental car agencies can be found spread out across the entire country and sometimes abroad as well. These car rental agencies are generally located near airports or in central locations of cities. So even if you are unfamiliar with a new city, it is not at all hard to locate a car rental agency.

Not only do rental car services cater to travelers; they also cater to those people whose cars are temporarily out of service, damaged or destroyed, and also to those who may be waiting for an insurance renewal. Other than renting out passenger cars, car rental agencies also rent out heavy duty vehicles such as vans or trucks for industrial transportation purposes.

If you decide to use a car rental service you have to keep the following points in mind:

* You have to return the car exactly in the same condition as it was at the time of renting.

* You have to pay extra charges if you exceed the distance that was stipulated in the contract.

* You must be over a specific age in order to be able to rent a car. In some state this age can be as high as 25.

* Many of the agencies take advantage of GPS technology to ensure that the car is not driven above a certain speed limit or does not go beyond a specified territorial limit.

How much insurance does one need? You have the big four: home, health, life, and car insurance. Then there’s a second category, which starts getting a little hazy with credit card insurance, purchase protection plans, fraud insurance and more. Extended warranties, also called extended service contracts, or extended service policies fall into the mist of this second category.

Extended warranties are supposed to pay (in full or in part) for specified repairs for a specific period of time after the expiration of the factory warranty. They can be a great value. They can also be a significant waste of money. It gets quite foggy in the details. What exactly is covered? How long? How much? Are there hidden charges?

There are numerous extended warranty companies and an even wider variety of warranty packages available: silver, gold, platinum, platinum-plus, and a host of other confidence-building words. What’s the best plan, and are extended service contracts worth the money? Extended warranties, like life insurance policies, are a numbers game. They’re a gamble. You pay $2500-$4500 for a 2 year, 100,000-mile protection plan and hope that you get at least that back in warranty repairs. The provider on the other hand, hopes to pay out less than it insured.

There are three major types of plan providers: The manufacturer, the dealership/third party, and third party providers. Each one has its assets and liabilities (discussed ahead).

What exactly is covered in an extended service plan? As mentioned above, what’s covered depends on the package purchased. Some plans only cover the power train: the mechanical components of the engine, transmission, and rear-end. Others cover the power train plus some electrical components. Still others cover electrical, advanced electrical, and computer components. Some only cover what’s listed in the contract. This is called a “Stated” or “Named” contract. This means that if it’s not stated, it’s not covered. Some cover bumper-to-bumper, similar to a manufacturer warranty, except trim pieces, upholstery, exterior components, cosmetic items, and a number of other exclusions.

Never before has the adage, “The devil’s in the details,” been so applicable.

Manufacturer Extended Plans: Extended service plans from the manufacturer are the best in terms of coverage, convenience, and quality. Coverage is similar to the warranty while the vehicle was under its original factory warranty—with similar exclusions stated above. The billing is direct, meaning you don’t have to pay out-of-pocket, except for a deductible, if applicable. Quality is great too, as an extended warranty from the manufacturer will only use factory parts. They also have money, so there’s less risk of bankruptcy.

The down side of manufacturer extended service plans is that they are not cheap. These plans are generally the most expensive, require low mileage standards, and necessitate servicing your vehicle at a dealer for coverage.

Dealership/Third Party Plans: Extended warranties from a dealership are actually from a third party insurer. These providers are “generally” reputable, but not always. However, if there is an issue (such as the warranty provider filing chapter 11, which is quite frequent in the extended service contract business), the dealer “may” step in to cover any repairs that would have been covered under the defunct plan. Also, claims are easier: billing is direct because the dealership has a working relationship with the provider, and there is usually agreement on price.

Some dealers set up their own “internal extended warranty,” which is honored by the selling dealer. This is rare, and should not be confused with a manufacturer warranty. Important: extended warranties are often passed off as “manufacturer” warranties. They’re not. This is a sales trick. Also be aware that there is a significant mark up, as the dealership is merely acting as the middle man. Lastly, extended warranty companies often go bankrupt without warning.

Third Party Plans: These plans are called third party plans because they are outside the responsibility of the manufacturer and the service center performing the repairs (unless there’s a working relationship with a repair shop as stated above).

There are hundreds of extended service contract companies. Some have good reputations, some don’t. Third party plans are frequently sold by used car dealers. You may also receive an official looking notification in the mail stating that your warranty is expiring, and directing you to call an 800 number ASAP. This is a marketing tactic by an independent warranty provider. Despite the “official” appearance of the postcard or envelope, it’s not from the manufacturer. Manufacturers do not send out reminders about warranty expirations.

Given the wide-variety of third party plans there are numerous red flags.

1) Claims: Extended warranty companies will be quick to tell you that filing claims is easy, and that the service center gets paid immediately via a credit card. Thus, there’s no out-of-pocket expense for you. However, the warranty company can’t dictate a service center’s policies. Some service centers will only accept payment from the repair customer. Thus the burden is on the repair customer to fill out the forms, contact their warranty company, and await reimbursement via check, which can take 2-8 weeks.

It is the service center’s responsibility to contact the extended warranty company to let them know what’s wrong with the vehicle and to check coverage. This process can take anywhere from 20 minutes to 20 days, sometimes more, depending on the degree of repairs and especially the amount. (See $1000 and Adjusters ahead)

Service centers and extended warranty companies frequently battle over the “fair” price of repairs. Many repair shops no longer negotiate, and just state the price, leaving the contract holder (i.e., the service customer) responsible for the difference.

2) Rentals: Rental coverage is a great benefit. However, there are fixed rates and time limits. In other words, the warranty company is not going to pay to have you drive a Mercedes-Benz, even if you drive a Benz. Rental allowances range from $25 to $35 per day. Also, rental coverage is based on the number of hours it takes to repair the vehicle, NOT how long your car has been at the shop.

3) $1000 and Adjusters: Repairs that approach $1000, or that require a significant amount of work, will be cause for the warranty company to call in an adjuster to confirm the diagnosis. This will delay the repairs by a minimum of 24-48 hours. It may cost you additional money when an adjuster is involved. You may be charged to have your vehicle pulled back into the shop for inspection, as well as for the time spent with the adjuster.

4) Tear-down Charges: In many cases, an extended warranty company will require that a particular component be taken apart for inspection to determine if the repair is indeed needed and covered. This puts the service customer in a very awkward position. The customer will have to authorize potentially hundreds of dollars of tear-down expense in the hopes that the repair is covered. If it’s not, the customer is out the hundreds in tear-down PLUS the actual repair. This does happen!

Common Myths:

1) “Extended warranties cover maintenance services and brake work.”

No. Extended warranty plans do not cover maintenance or wearable items. Brake pads and rotors are wearable parts. Maintenance such as coolant, brake and transmission flushes, tune-ups, services, oil changes, bulbs, wipers, and more are not covered.

2) “They told me it’s bumper-to-bumper, so it covers everything right?”

Wrong. Not even a factory warranty covers everything. When pitching the sale for the extended warranty, one is very often lead to believe that he or she will have nothing to worry about. This is just not true on so many levels. For example, if your bumper falls off it’s not covered.

3) “I don’t have to pay anything, right?”

Wrong. Despite the claims of 100% coverage, there are many factors involved. The labor rates, labor hours, diagnostic times, parts prices, and machine work are just a few items that often conflict with a service center’s policies. Some extended contracts only pay a maximum of $55 per hour, and only allow one half hour for diagnostic time. This is generally unacceptable to the service center, as labor rates have skyrocketed to over $100 per hour at many dealerships, and average $75 at local shops. Moreover, with the complexity of today’s vehicles, diagnostic time is at a premium. The customer pays the difference.

4) “If I have an expensive problem, I can just purchase an extended service contract.”

It’s unethical, but it’s an option many attempt. However, most service contracts have a minimum time requirement before the first claim can be filed: usually three months. Also, many contracts require that your vehicle be inspected by a service center to check for pre-existing conditions—just like life insurance.

5) “My contract lasts up to 100,000 miles.”

Only if the time limit doesn’t run out first. All extended warranty plans have a time limit. For example, a typical contract will state that the vehicle is covered for two years or 100,000 miles, which ever comes first. During the sales pitch, however, the emphasis will be on the 100,000 miles, not the time.

6) “If my car breaks, it gets fixed like new.” Actually, depending on the contract, an extended warranty company can insist on installing remanufactured or even used parts.

Items commonly not covered by extended warranties: • Any component with a pre-existing condition • Any component related to a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) • Many components that has been updated by the manufacturer • Extra components necessary “due to manufacturer updates” to complete the repair • Trim pieces: molding, cup holders, dashboard, console, body parts, glass • Many accessories: radios, DVD players, TVs • Many expensive electronics: climate control units, navigation assemblies

Service contract positives: Some service contracts are transferable, and may thus increase the resale value of a vehicle. Many come with trip interruption reimbursement, towing and 24-hour road side. Some plans can also be financed, or have E-Z Pay Plans. Others offer a money-back guarantee.

What should you do? You’ll get lots of advice about doing the research, comparing plans, and reading the fine print. This is all sound advice. But what about doing the math?

Let’s say a plan costs $2500 for 2 years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first. To break even you’ll need a minimum of $1250 per year in covered repairs, excluding regular maintenance. Remember covered is the vital word here.

Another way to break it down is to anticipate having to pay $104.17 per month over the next two years in “covered” repairs. Do you want to take that bet?

What could happen? You could double your money or more in repair work. You could conceivably get a new engine and transmission (or used ones anyway). You could also easily spend $2500 for a service contract, and still have to pay another $2500 for repairs, which for a variety of reasons, were not covered under your plan. Now you’re out $5000.

Alternatively, you could keep the initial $2500. In many ways all an extended warranty does is prepay for repairs. You could stick the money in the bank and collect interest. Then you could withdraw the money for repairs as needed.

Another consideration that’s rarely discussed is the cause of the problems. Many car repairs problems are the result of wear and tear, neglected maintenance, physical damage, or acts of God—such as flood damage. None of this is covered. The gamble only covers failed components.

If the vehicle you’re driving does cost $2500 to $4500 in repairs due to outright failed components, is it a vehicle you even want to consider keeping? A vehicle that needs this kind of repair work due to mechanical, electrical, or computer failures may not be worth it. The $2500-$4500 would be better spent on an upgrade to a quality vehicle rather than insuring a lemon.

There’s no question that auto repair is expensive, and even quality cars break from time to time. But do they breakdown to the tune of $2500-$4500? That’s a hefty bet on a “possibility.”

Terence O’Hara from the Washington Post makes an excellent assessment about extended warranties in general. He writes:

…extended warranties play upon a basic human trait to avoid loss, even if it means sacrificing a possible future gain…the gain is all the other things of value that a consumer could buy with the money that was spent on a warranty

What’s the best plan? Money in your bank account!

Buying or selling your car in an auction can give you a headache if you do not have any idea what you are getting yourself into. Let me give you some answers for the most frequently asked questions about auctions.

What is an Auction?

An auction is one of the first means of doing business and profitable exchanges. History books show that art, land, crops even people were being auctioned off in the past. Hey, even the Roman Empire was auctioned.

What about Automotive Auction?

An auto auction is the ideal environment for car dealers to remarket their cars. This is the perfect opportunity to make the big bucks and get that great sell that you have been waiting for. The true market value of the vehicle is also determined once a vehicle is put on an auction block.

Auto auctions exist to market cars. Its main objective is to make the deal fast and accurate. It serves as the impartial trading floor which offers security and integrity to the participants. It also varies in size depending on the number of employees, cars or how big the area they occupy.

Auto auctions may also offer different services like, repairs, reconditioning, financing, arbitration and a host of other services.

How do I participate in an auto auction?

As there are a number of auction houses available, choose a reputable auctioneer to buy or sell your car to. Keeping in mind the kind of car you want to sell or buy, the geographical convenience and the services the auction operators offer, these factors will determine the auction you will want to participate in.

Be also aware if the auction is an open or closed auction. Open auctions, as the term suggests, are open to any registered dealer. Most auctions are open but may be tailored to specific kinds of vehicles like car fleets, rentals, repossessed units or special dealer consignments. A closed auction is limited to specific participants.

It is also advised to check the websites of the auction houses you want to participate in. It is a good idea to request for an auction tour. This will give you the chance to inspect their facilities and operations. This is also the best time to ask and clarify details such as the biding process, services offered and other questions which comes to mind when you are inspecting the lot.

Once you have decided which auction house to participate in, get the necessary paper work done and be sure to have an identification card and a bidder’s badge. If you are buying, get a hold of the ‘run list’, which is a computerized list of vehicles being auctioned off on a specific date, the commercial consignor and similar information. It is also a good idea to get a sales lot parking plan. Vehicles are typically grouped and the parking lot plan will help you locate which lane to go to.

What is a ‘floor price’?

Also known as the ‘reserve’ or ‘low’, the floor price is the lowest price the seller is asking for. If the price is not met while on the block the seller can lower it to attempt a sale. If the floor price is still not met, the vehicle can be placed in the “if bid” where the bidder agrees to buy the vehicle if the seller agrees to his offer in a specific period of time.

How do I evaluate the vehicles?

There are usually pre-selling inspections where you can appraise the vehicles that are being auctioned off. Each vehicle has a windshield marking where information like the seller’s name, model of the vehicle, mileage, run number and lane assignments are posted.

For a fee, post sale inspections are also available in some auction houses, where auction mechanics are available to check the engine, air-conditioning, brakes, frame, transmission and the rear end.

It is also wise take advantage of the free arbitration services which protects the interests of both the buyers and sellers of the vehicles. You can also test-drive the sold car if you present a valid I.D. to the arbitration department. Most auction houses have test tracks, so make use of this service and be assured that you got your money’s worth.

What happens after I won the bidding?

After your purchases have been completed, go to the front office of the auction house and finalize your transactions by making the required payments. The title is then transferred to your name. A gate pass will be issued for your purchased vehicle.

What are Internet Auctions?

Auction houses are taking advantage of the present technology available to them. Cyberlots or cyber auctions allow sellers to post their vehicles on the net, including photographs and information about the specific car they want to sell. Most cyber auctions have limited time frames.

Most of us realize that used cars are usually less expensive than new cars. But we often still shy away from that kind of bargain because we may be intimidated by just what we may be buying. Could it be a great deal, or a lemon? And how do you know? Well, there actually is a way to work through the process of buying a great used car if you follow a few simple steps and stick to your guns. Would it surprise you that your first stop should be your credit union? Well, it should be.

You need to know how much car you can afford, and what the terms will be before you go car shopping. When you talk to your credit union, make sure you understand the difference in rates, if any, between various car model years. Newer car loans are generally lower than the interest rates charged for older models. Why? The lender assumes more risk with an older vehicle, and they pass some of that risk on to you in the form of a slightly higher rate. Does that mean you should only buy newer models? Not necessarily. That newer car will probably cost more, so even at a lower interest rate your payments could be higher than the payments on a less expensive older model at a slightly higher interest rate. Of course, your individual credit-worthiness will impact the loan rate you are quoted, as with any other financial product. Be sure you ask, too, if the credit union is sponsoring a used car sale any time soon. These events can give you a great place to comparison shop for dozens and dozens of vehicles. The prices are usually marked on (or in) the cars, and may be purported to be “non-negotiable.” But ask anyway. You may be able to negotiate a lower price, so why not check it out?

One more thing to check about car models you may be interested in is car insurance. It may be worth a call to your insurance agent to get a sense of what differences you might see in car insurance rates for different types of vehicles and models. Should you buy that Mustang or Taurus? It’s not really a surprise that a very powerful engine might be more expensive to insure, is it? So check that out before you buy. You may also want to ask your agent what differences in rates you might see depending on who is driving the car. If your 17 year old son will be one of the drivers, find out what that means to your insurance costs on the vehicle models you are considering.

What’s next? You are ready to start your additional homework. Sounds a little boring? Think about this. The salesman you are buying a car from has sold hundreds of them—or even thousands. How many have you bought? It makes some sense for you to spend a little time in research to even the playing field a little. And if you buy from a private owner, you still need to do your homework to know what little problems to look for that the owner himself may not even be aware of.

Fortunately, there are some disclosure regulations on your side. Some states require safety inspections and require that the results of those inspections be made available to prospective purchasers. Check with your state’s transportation department web site or your state secretary of state’s office or justice department as places to start looking for what help your state’s regulations may provide you. The Federal Trade Commission also has a Used-Car regulation which says that dealers must disclose whether or not used cars have any unexpired warranty protection. These same agencies can provide you information about any lemon laws which may exist in your state.

When you are looking for your car, you will generally find that similar vehicles are more expensive from dealers than from private parties. There are several reasons for this. Dealers often recondition cars. Some offer warranties. And consumers may actually have more recourse if something does go wrong with a purchase from a dealer than from a private party. Consider, also, your own knowledge about cars. If you are a shade-tree mechanic in your own right, you may be able to evaluate a car with more confidence than someone without that knowledge. If that’s your situation, it may be quite logical for you to gravitate toward purchase from a private party.

Most of us have some idea of what kinds of vehicles appeal to us. Make your short list, and hit the computer. You have a better resource than ever before to do some basic research about the models you are considering. One of the most popular such sites is http://www.edmunds.com/, but there are many others including Consumer Reports.

Let’s assume you have identified the vehicle of your dreams, you know what it will cost to insure, and you have a good idea of how to check it out. These sites can also give you vehicle reports on specific individual vehicles when you input the vehicle’s VIN number. The VIN number (Vehicle Identification Number) is usually visible just at the base of the windshield on the driver’s side. A vehicle history report on each candidate is absolutely critical when you have narrowed your choice to 3 or 4 cars. You may also want to circle back to your credit union again to find the ideal vehicle. Many large credit unions have buying services where they will take the information you provide about what vehicle you want and they will search for it for you. Then you can input the VIN and make sure the car is worth pursuing before you even go look at it. Make sure you know what, if any, fees such buying services will cost you.

Another source for your vehicle could be from companies such as Hertz and Avis which sell “program cars,” or cars which have come out of their rental fleets. They often have low mileage and are far less expensive than new cars, but even these vehicles should be thoroughly researched if you are considering purchasing one.

Would you believe that you may want to make one more pass at your credit union once you’ve found the perfect car? Suppose you’ve identified one at a local dealer, you are convinced you have their best price, and you’ve checked out the VIN number and talked to your insurance agent. And you know how much your credit union will lend you at what terms. But you don’t know what they will lend you on THIS car. A great way to confirm that “the price is right” is to ask your credit union exactly what they will lend on the car you want to buy. If it’s considerably less than what the asking price is, you may not have such a good deal after all.

Sound like a lot of work? It’s really not when you consider that our vehicles are going to transport us and our loved ones at 65 miles per hour (or more!) for what we hope is a good long time. Do the work up front to find a safe, reliable, affordable vehicle for your family. It’s a great use of your time!