For decades we have seen the shows, where the major manufacturers roll out their new models and a few flashy "prototypes" that will never see an assembly line. Then there are the rod and custom shows, populated thirty years ago by twenty- and thirty-somethings and filled these days with middle aged and older who still love classic American cars, both stock and in all the different permutations of customization they have gone through over the years.

And of course there’s the Concourse D’Elegance crowd, oohing and aahing at Ferraris from the fifties and as well as the older exotics such as Packards and, going even further back, Hispano-Suizas and Auburns.

For those who lived American Graffiti and those who live for the foreign classics, if you’re involved at all in building, maintaining or participating in the fellowship that has built around classics and exotics, you should consider utilizing a website.

First of all, it’s a great way to show off your car or cars, whatever you’ve got in the garage that is carefully driven once a week and towed, gleaming, to car shows. Secondly, it’s a communications device for like-minded collectors or builders that may be interested in your specialty - whether old Corvettes or sixties . There are current web sites for national and regional organizations as well as a number of sites that specialize as classified advertising for scarce auto parts.

A personal site, however, is going to give you a far different type of interaction with your fellow wrench addicts. Instead of searching impersonal national websites for parts or people with similar interests, you can use your site to bring them to you. Proper use of keywords and perhaps a classified ad or two online will bring potential contacts to you personally, and there they will find a site with photos of your car(s), your shop and a little history about your involvement.

You don’t have to find contacts like that at shows or in pulp publications for parts and project cars. A properly designed site for a car enthusiast that elaborates on his area of interest and the history of his cars will give that person a potentially national social role in the company of his peers, just as the kids are using MySpace to communicate.

You can advertise for parts, show vehicles for sale - with unlimited photos and videos, if you wish - and put the word out for a car you might be seeking for your next project. This approach will also limit your needs for entering ads in national locations. All you need to do is mention "55 Chevy for sale at www.old55.com" or whatever your site address is, and the interested parties will come to you. No more details listed in long paragraphs done in tiny print - and no more photos of your car on a page or in a lineup of dozens of other vehicles.

About the Author:

Madison Lockwood is a customer relations associate for http://www.apollohosting.com. She helps clients understand how a website may benefit them both personally and professionally. Apollo Hosting provides website hosting, ecommerce hosting, & VPS hosting to a wide range of customers.

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Posted on 20-12-2006
Filed Under (Automotive) by Auto News

When you have made a solid decision about which type of car will best fit your needs, it is time to zero in on the details. You will have to decide on specifics like, make, model, color, options and more.

Of course we all would like to own a car that we have chosen every last bit of detail for, be it an unusual paint job or something as practical as an ABS system.

However the more you are willing to give on your preferences, the better your chances are of making a great deal on your car purchase. There’s no need to sacrifice any options that are absolutely necessary to ensure your safety and comfort while on the road, but if you are willing to be flexible as to what color and accessories are included in the package, you may just find a more reasonable deal and certainly more options to choose from. This will give you more leverage when it comes time to bargain for the final price of the automobile.

Let’s put it this way: say you have very strict requirements about your chosen car’s paintjob and rims. Or perhaps you just have to have that expensive and esoteric . What are the chances that your has a car on with those exact same specifications? Fairly slim actually and if they do have what you want in stock, chances are you will have no other choice but to pay the price the dealer is asking for. Either that or find another car dealer who does carry your chosen model in stock but is willing to lower the price.

Of course if you do find the model you want with the specifications you want, you wouldn’t want the dealer to know that so you can proceed with the negotiation as if you were just not that particular about the little details.

You may want to call several in your area and ask about your chosen . This will give you an idea how much of them are available so you can then plan your bargaining strategy accordingly. Keep track of the results you gather from your inquiries; make notes detailing the name and contact information of the dealer and what line of cars they carry. This will help you get a clearer picture of all the options available to you when you make your final decision.

About the Author:

Jim Karter is an auto expert from Boston, MA, who owns and run the website http://www.drnew.com which provides all car dealers information from various states and cities of America. So if you are looking for any car dealer information you know where to look for.

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Posted on 08-12-2006
Filed Under (Automotive) by Auto News

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 , note the following details You will need:

of everyone involved in the accident. Don’t forgrt to add yours too. These details should cover the Drivers Name, driving and details including the insurance company name, policy number and contact details. Finally remember to get the 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 of any witnesses such as name, address, phone number and 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!

About the Author:

Steve Dolan has been involved in several accidents and learned ‘The Hard Way’. Find out what to do and not do at http://www.accidentsweb.com

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Posted on 03-12-2006
Filed Under (Automotive) by Auto News

Listing a car on ors” rel=”tag”>eBay Motors has become one of the most popular ways of . With over 3 million unique visitors to eBay Motors UK each month, a car is sold every two minutes. eBay Motors has a number of distinct advantages over straightforward classified ads, not least the space to fully describe the car, add multiple photos, and the reduced hassle of only having to deal with one buyer, the buyer that wins the auction. Clare Gilmartin, the head of eBay Motors UK, reaffirmed this by saying, “The beauty of eBay Motors is that there’s no need for negotiation and you see the buyers bidding up the price, with sellers often getting more than they expected.” In actual fact, many buyers go on eBay in search for a bargain. Therefore the following guide has been put together to ensure that your car doesn’t become one of those bargains.

The first step is to do your homework. Find out the trade-in value of the car through getting an instant valuation from a website such as wewillbuyyourcar.com. Then use the excellent tool on parkers.co.uk. Use these two valuations to identify a fair price for your car. Be sure not to set the reserve price to high, as this will scare off many potential buyers. Often products and cars with lower reserve prices will end up receiving higher bids and a higher final sales price.

Perhaps the most important aspect of on eBay Motors is the description of the car. There’s a wide choice of on eBay so a poor description or missing details will result in people bidding for other cars. Firstly, a picture says a thousand words. Several pictures say even more so be sure to include photos of the tyres and the inside of the car as well. Mention that you have all the – the V5 Registration Document, MOT Certificate, and Service History. Also explain your payment terms and whether you offer delivery or collection only.

Aside from the eBay description there are other steps that can be taken to help buyers feel more confident. Consider purchasing an AA Car Data Check. This will provide details of whether the car has been written off, if it has a finance agreement against it, along with a full description of the car, including details such as engine size, fuel type and date of first registration. Mentioning that the AA Car Data Check can be viewed will really help to instill confidence into potential buyers.

Once the auction has begun stay involved in the process of selling your vehicle. Assuming that you’ve accurately described the car and added various photos, only serious buyers will get in contact. Respond to any questions quickly and accurately. Finally, once the auction has been finalised payment must be made. Many people choose to use Escrow.com, eBay Motor’s finance partner, which acts as a secure third party to protect both the buyer and the seller. The buyer pays escrow.com, the car is then collected or delivered, the buyer then checks over the car, after which point Escrow pays the seller.

Generally, making a successful and satisfactory sale on eBay Motors is all about establishing credibility. The feedback score helps but a detailed description, multiple photos, an AA Car Data Check and the use of escrow.com all help greatly to make buyers feel more secure, ultimately encouraging them to bid higher.

About the Author:

Charles Cridland founded http://www.yourparkingspace.co.uk/, a site where you can offer your driveway or garages for rent, or find long-term parking spaces for rent.

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Posted on 03-11-2006
Filed Under (Automotive) by Auto News

Selling your car can be tricky, particularly if you want to receive the best possible price. Buyers have a huge choice so it’s vital to make sure that your car stands out from the crowd. Some simple tactics, such as making sure you set a fair price, ensuring that your car looks great and using clever negotiation tactics, can be the difference between making a quick sale or being left with an unwanted car on your hands for months.

Setting the Price

Ensuring that you’ve valued your car correctly is the most important aspect when selling a car. Set too high a price and you could end up with a car stuck on your hands for months, whilst setting too low a price will result in a quick sale but knowing that you could have done better. Parkers.co.uk has an excellent section, where you can quickly receive a reliable price estimate.

Also, take a look through the local classifieds to get a feel for prices. Take into account the number of miles that you car has traveled and whether any extra features have been installed over the years, such as air conditioning or a stereo system.

Preparing the Car

On average clean and polished for 10% more than the same cars when they are filthy because buyers like to know that the car they are buying has been cared for. Dealers will also pay more for because it saves them time and money cleaning the car themselves.

For the outside of the car use a good quality before polishing the car to create that ‘new car’ shine. Then power spray the tyres and clean alloy wheels. This clean and exterior will create an excellent first impression.

Use a vacuum cleaner to remove any dust and dirt from inside the car. Dashboards should be cleaned with a ‘low-gloss’ dashboard cleaner. When cleaning the windows remember to be careful around the heater elements in the rear window. Finally, ensure that the car smells nice. In particular remove any cigarette smell.

Where to Advertise

As a generalization when selling a car there are two options available – sell it yourself or sell direct to a dealer. Selling direct to a dealer is a quick and easy way of getting the car off your hands as you don’t have to advertise, deal with buyers, or take the risk of being unable to sell your car for months, during which time your car continues to devalue. Companies such as webuyanycar.com will provide an instant quote online for the majority of used cars.

The downside with selling to a dealer is that you’re unlikely to receive the best possible price. Advertising and selling the car yourself is more time consuming but can also be more profitable. eBay Motors has become one of the most popular ways of buying and selling a used car, so much so that a car is now sold every 2 minutes through the site. When selling through eBay make sure that you include a lot of information about the car along with a couple of photos.

Negotiating the Price

When potential buyers take a look at your car and decide that they are seriously interested in purchasing it the chances are that they will attempt to negotiate the price. This is to be expected because buyers like to think that they are getting a good deal as well. Therefore have a target price and lowest acceptable price in mind before you enter negotiations. If the two offers are some way apart then a moment of silence is often the best tactic. People find silence uncomfortable and awkward, often resulting in them making a compromise offer half way between the two valuations. It’s at this point that you can propose meeting half way between your offer and the new offer, gaining yourself a better deal.

Completing the Deal

Once a price has been agreed the deal still needs to be completed. Ask the buyer for their ID, address, and landline number because sometimes things go wrong in which case it’s good to have a way to contact them. If paid by cheque only let the buyer drive the car away once it has cleared. Finally, write a receipt stating that you are selling the car, and include the details of the car, yourself and the buyer. Write on the receipt ‘accepted as tested and seen’ to cover yourself against any future claims for damages. Then have the receipt signed by both yourself and the buyer, after which a successful sale will have been achieved.

About the Author:

Charles Cridland is the founder of http://www.yourparkingspace.co.uk/, a site where you can earn money through renting out your private parking spaces, or find convenient and affordable parking spaces for rent.

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Posted on 30-10-2006
Filed Under (Automotive) by Auto News

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. , 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-plus, and a host of other confidence-building words. What’s the best plan, and are extended 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 . 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 : 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 . 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!

About the Author:

Theodore P. Olson (Ted) holds extensive certifications from Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, GM, and ASE. He is the author of eight books and numerous articles on the automotive service industry. RepairTrust Fair http://www.repairtrust.com/

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Posted on 06-10-2006
Filed Under (Automotive) by Auto News

If you’re in the planning stages of your next vacation and they include a rental car, you may want to talk with your insurance agent about the options that you may have.

When it comes to traveling and more specifically rental car insurance, the market is extremely competitive for your . This is because not only do the insurance companies compete for your dollar, but so too do the , and your credit card companies as well. And while all this competition may sound as though it works to your advantage as a consumer, all the marketing hype may change if you have an accident.

Start by contacting your and see if your policy includes rental car insurance. Most auto insurance policies do including covering you in a rental car as well. Of course, verify this with your agent. Make sure it includes collision and liability insurance (damage to your car and to the other vehicle). Make sure your current coverage doesn’t fall short of the type of car you may be planning on renting. For instance, if you drive an older car with minimal coverage, you may be putting yourself at risk if you’re going to rent a top level newer car. So, check on any limitations that your policy may have. Find out what the conditionals are ahead of time so you don’t get caught short.

If you are considering getting your rental car insurance through one of your credits cards, then you should shop carefully. Call your credit car company and them to fax or the details to you. Either way get their coverage in writing. Again, ask specifically about collision and liability coverage and if there are any limitations or stipulations or complete exclusions. Don’t assume that just because they offer you ‘insurance’ that you will have the coverage completely protects you.

Thinking about getting your coverage directly from the rental car company? You’ve got some more investigating to do. Insurance coverages from rental car companies are all over the place and generally can be fraught with all kinds of stipulations and exclusions and certainly not all rental car companies are not on equal ground.

Don’t base parts of your decision to go with insurance from the thinking that if you are at fault in an accident that you can avoid a potential rate hike from your home insurance company. Your regular insurance company can raise your rates no matter who cuts the check. If you are involved in an accident make sure that you report this to your insurance company back home because if the credit card insurance or the rental car company insurance doesn’t pay… and you haven’t reported it to your insurance company, you could paying out of your own pocket.

Make sure you ask a lot of questions and get them answered well before you go on vacation. And as a side note, you may want ask your agent with whom you have your homeowner’s policy about what is the coverage in the event you have personal belongings stolen from a rental car. It may sound like a bunch to get done before you go on vacation, but getting yourself the proper insurance can literally save you financially.

About the Author:

Jeff Neilan worked for many years in the automotive industry as a salesman, finance manager, new & used car manager. With Jeff’s working knowledge of car dealerships you’ll find his articles on car buying insightful and rewarding. Visit http://www.acarbuyersguide.com for more of Jeff’s articles.

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Posted on 29-01-2006
Filed Under (Automotive) by Auto News

The redesigned 2007 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder convertible, which goes on sale in March, has a base price of $25,984, including shipping. The base GS model has a 2.4-liter inline-four engine that can produce 162 hp. It is mated to a five-speed manual transmission.

The 3.8-liter V-6 engine in the GT model makes 260 hp and is mated to a six-speed manual. Its price starts at $28,864, including shipping. Mitsubishi Motors North America expects sales to be evenly split between the two models.

Designed to appeal to convertible and sports car enthusiasts of all ages, the Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder GT echoes the concept-car design of its coupe sibling with sleek, taut, muscular lines and engaging details such as bright finish LED tail lamps and monocle-lens head lamps.

“The new Eclipse Spyder GT captures the essence of Mitsubishi by offering customers a stand-out design and performance at an affordable price,” said Rich Gilligan, president and CEO of Mitsubishi Motors North America. “Its high-quality automatic top makes Eclipse Spyder GT a convertible for all seasons and is more like a top you would expect to see on a $40,000 car than one that starts at under $26,000.”

The Eclipse Spyder GT challenges more expensive sports models with its 260-horsepower, 3.8-liter V6 engine mated to either a standard six-speed manual transmission or an optional five-speed automatic. The GT’s 258 lb-ft of peak torque gives this model “right now” off-the-line response. With the standard six-speed manual transmission, the Spyder GT can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in about seven seconds.

The 2007 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder GT arrives in Mitsubishi dealerships in April.

For the best deals on Mitsubishi models, contact your favorite Mitsubishi Car Dealer, Manly Mitsubishi in Santa Rosa, CA. [PRWEB]

tagTRAX: | | | |

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Saleen THR SuperchargerTHR, the first authorized Private Dealer of the complete Saleen line of Mustang parts and accessories, has announced special discounts on Saleen Mustang Superchargers during this last week of introductory pricing.

Current retail pricing is $4999, and will go up to $5999 on January 1. THR is offering additional incentives for customers who purchase these Saleen Superchargers during the last week of December. For more details, contact THR direct at 877-50-STANG or visit www.texashotrods.com.

As a complete Saleen dealer, THR offers price match guarantees and customer assistance. “We always focus on making the customer happy. We install what we sell, so we have the expertise to guide our customers through the whole process from purchasing the right parts to installation assistance,” says THR President Brian Metzger.

Saleen Mustang, one of the top names in Custom Performance Modifications for Mustangs, has announced that it’s introductory pricing for the 2005 Series IV Supercharger will be over on January 1st, 2006. Saleen created a Supercharger system that produces over 400 hp and 420 lb torque. This system is custom made as a direct bolt on for the new 2005 Mustangs, one of the most popular releases in Ford Mustang history. [PRWEB Dec 27, 2005]

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