Today’s economy has affected homeowner’s and owners of recreational vehicles like boats. With the real estate market on the down slope and people loosing their jobs the ability to pay mortgages and monthly payments on recreational vehicles has decreased. Foreclosures and repossessions are becoming common place.

Boat Repos

Many of the beautiful boats that are owned by private citizens are being repossessed by banks, credit unions and insurance companies. The payments are not being made and the companies are taking back these boats. As a result of this happening there has been a resurgence of boat repos being auctioned, bank repos and liquidator sales.

Repo Scams

There are several repo scams popping up now that there are so many people that are unable to pay the note on their boats, and people on popular auction sites and online sites are trying to take advantage of people during these hard times. They are offering ridiculous amounts of money for boats and they try to get personal information from the unsuspecting sellers and that is where fraud takes place. The best way to purchase a repossessed boat is to check with the local boating organization that have years of experience that can make a customer aware of the legal auctions that are being held in their specific areas.

Conclusion

Many Boats are being repossessed now and those looking to get a nice boat for a very reasonable price are on the good end of this phenomenon, but there is also the other side where people are loosing their prized possessions. Homeowners before the recession were using the equity in their home to pay on their boats, but with the economy the way it is now they were unable to do that and they lost their boats. The boats that are being auctioned off are being sold for a fraction of the value, of at least 40-60% off of the book value.  With current information reported on the repo cars guide Banks, credit Unions and insurance companies are trying to unload some of these boats and they are letting them go for a fraction of what they are worth. This is a great resource for buyers because these financial institutions don’t have the place or the desire to house these large items.

Bank repossessed cars are a good way to find a used car at a price that is well below market value. If you are able to pay cash or obtain an auto loan, you can take advantage of bank-owned vehicles. Repossession of cars by banks happens when the person who borrowed the money on a car loan from a bank is no longer able to make repayments in a timely manner.

Losing the means of transportation can be extremely frustrating. The person losing the auto must figure out another way to get around. Banks must act responsibly in order to protect assets, such as car loans, from becoming liabilities.

When the original owner of an automobile that is headed toward repossession gives up on making further payments, he can either allow a bank agent to pick up the vehicle or can do a voluntary surrender. Even when the vehicle is removed forcefully from the owner’s possession, there is still time to redeem the car before it is sold.

Once it becomes clear that the owner will not be able to reclaim the car, a bank will generally try to sell it from bank property. Flyers advertising the vehicle or by notifications on a website may be prepared. Banks may try to sell the automobile directly for a period of time and then place it on an auction site. Sometimes public auctions are held, either in written or oral form.

When banks hold a property auction on vehicles or other repossessions, it hands over ownership to the winning bidder. A bidder usually must have cash or financing in place in order to get ownership papers. Often, the price is lower than the costs would be for a similar used car through an auto dealership.

Before purchasing bank repossessed cars, you should do the necessary research to determine the condition of the used vehicle. Once you see a potential vehicle on the bank website, you can follow up with the bank for more details. Repossessed vehicle are often resold very rapidly, so you should act right away if you are interested in the car.

A good friend of mine came to me with a fairly common problem at one point, and I figured it is worth addressing in a public forum. She was attempting to put together her Village Auto Insurance claims after an offending driver totaled her parked car. She was having trouble getting through to the company in a timely fashion, as well as making her claims clear, and of course, getting any follow up.

While I cannot speak against Village Insurance, as there are many many similarly named auto insurance companies across the fifty United States, and in fact I do not even know what particular insurance company she is with, I can give a little bit of sound advice about this problem in general.

When you do your car insurance shopping, you do not only want to buy a policy that offers low monthly payments and good coverage. Obviously, both those attributes are incredibly attractive. Alluring, in fact. But if customer service is the pits, then whether you are the delinquent driver or someone else has damaged your car, you will be in a pretty sticky situation. Getting your claims through and seeing effective results may take ages. In fact, a common problem is for people to simply “give up” on getting damages straightened out because their insurance company was so difficult to deal with. So, make sure you get good reports about the company’s customer service before signing a policy with them! You will be doing yourself a priceless favor.

But once you have already gotten into an accident, it’s important to follow through with auto insurance claims. While it might be an enormous hassle, you don’t want to just give up. For one thing, you’ll be losing out on money, but also, if the onus of the accident is put on you as a result of your giving up on the claim, you could be face with elevated insurance rates in the future.

Before you start looking around to see if you can beat your van insurance renewal quote, stop and read these few money saving tips. They could lower your insurance premium and give you savings that you can spend and enjoy on something else.

Search and find a cheaper quote by using our simple and handy van insurance comparison table. You can compare the main features, level of cover and amount of voluntary excess. So you know you’ll be getting the best deal for you and your business.

When you fill in the online form don’t forget to tell the insurer that you want a quote that includes cover for business use as well as domestic. As some motorists do tend to make this mistake when getting a quote and then when they go to making a claim, find out that the insurance company will not pay out. Don’t let this happen to you!

Grow your no claims discount as long as you can by becoming a good driver on the busy roads. You’ll find that some insurers offer a discount up to seventy percent, which can make a huge difference and saving off your premium. More than van insurance offers are a good place to start looking.

Get an alarm or immobilizer fitted to your van to help stop and prevent your vehicle from being broken into and you having to make a claim to the insurer. Most providers will give you a small discount if you are protecting your vehicle against thieves. You’ll be considered less risk, thus giving you a lower priced quotation.

Ensure that who ever is driving your van needs to be aged over twenty five years old and have a clean driving license i.e. they do not have any driving conviction. If they do then your insurance premium could become quite expensive.

Also when filling out the online form in the personal details of the quote process, always putt the correct details i.e. driving convictions and age. Otherwise if you have to make a claim and they find out the information is incorrect; you may find you policy to be invalid.

Good luck with your search in finding cheaper van insurance!

Any contractor who is looking for a vehicle to do their work should consider conversion vans. These are more economical than a truck is going to be and it can also keep expensive tools and equipment from being damaged by rain or snow. They also use less gas than a large truck is going to use, which is a huge money saver too.

Contractors who are looking for a new work truck may want to consider conversion vans instead. These vans can be customized to be used by contractors without much extra expenditures. Slots can be created for small tools along with screws and nails that every contractor is going to need. There is even going to be room for a generator that can run power tools in areas where there is no electricity.

One reason conversion vans are a great option is because they are completely enclosed, so any tools and equipment that is being stored inside are going to stay safe and dry when the weather is bad. This means there is not going to be any need to go running to cover these tools when it begins to rain or snow. The contractor can stay comfortably inside their home and know that all equipment is going to be safe.

Another reason for these vans to be a good option is that there is no need to empty them at night to keep expensive tools from being stolen. Everything can be locked up tight after each job is completed. Add in a vehicle alarm and everything is going to be safe until the next project is begun.

Most contractors use trucks for their main work vehicles without ever considering a van. Vans are a safe way to keep tools stored without having to move them into a garage or house. Because they are completely enclosed, they can also protect the contents when the weather is bad.

If you’ve been involved in a serious auto accident, it is almost imperative that you hire the right attorney.  In settlements for auto accidents that involve large sums of money and insurance company will most likely unleash its team of lawyers on your case.  If you have no legal or negotiating stances it can be really hard to get the amount of money that you deserve.  This is where lawyers can help.  They bring years of experience and knowledge about settlement claims in auto accidents to your side of the bargaining table.  Finding the right one for your auto accident insurance claim is of extreme importance.

The first thing that you should make sure of in choosing your attorney, is that he specializes in auto accident litigation.  Just as you wouldn’t go to a surgeon for psychiatric therapy you shouldn’t go to an attorney specializing in criminal law when you’re trying to negotiate your auto accident settlement.  Look at his win loss record, and also look for testimonials from happy clients.

Additionally, you should also find an attorney that thinks your auto accident claim is winnable and worth the amount of money ou are seeking.  If an attorney doesn’t put all of his effort behind your case, chances are you’re not going to stand a chance.  However, a lawyer that thinks your case can be won will put much more time and effort into it, because they stand to make a healthy commission if you succeed.

Whatever attorney decide to hire, make sure you stay in close touch with them.  Communicate all the details of your case and give them all the information that you have pertaining to it.  If your lawyer has all the information no matter what it is.  He will be able to draw a clearer picture of the amount that you can gain in the settlement.

The LA Times reported an interesting story today where despite all the bailout money the US Taxpayers have given them, automakers don’t understand what we really want.

GM, Chrysler don’t get it – Los Angeles Times

After receiving billions of dollars in taxpayer-funded bailouts over the last few months, General Motors and Chrysler returned to Washington on Tuesday to shake their chrome-plated tin cups again.

In addition to begging for billions more in bailout funds, the automakers presented the Treasury Department with plans for how they will repay — eventually — their taxpayer-funded bailouts and get back on their feet.

Americans need cars that go farther on a gallon of gasoline, pollute less and save money at the pump.

Even if we give them more money — and we will — automakers need to embrace the will of the people.  If automakers meet California’s clean law to reduce polluting hydrocarbons, we will see more efficient automobiles that will withstand future gas price increases.

But this takes time.  It takes many years to develop a test a new car.  It’s something that is not done over night. America is to impatient to wait until 2015 for these cars.  The question you have to ask, will American automakers still be around by then?

If you’re a Motor Trader you’ll know more than anyone just how price sensitive the automotive industry can be. And as Motor Trade Insurance is likely to be one of your companies biggest outgoings paying the right price for your Motor Trader Insurance is going to be vital.

Whilst the UK has benefited from a pretty stable financial environment in recent years with rising house prices, low interest rates and many companies making money there now maybe signs of a change. During 2006 interest rates rose steadily and with 1 rate rise in 2007 already (and with more forecast as the year progresses) there is every chance that there will be less disposable income in the UK economy.

So what will this mean for consumers and Motor Traders?

Well for consumers it could mean they have less money to spend on new cars, second cars or indeed on the servicing and repair of existing vehicles. There is also every chance that as value for money becomes more of an issue they will shop around to secure the best price and service.

And when Motor Traders Insurance policies come due for renewal there is every chance they too will start looking around to secure the best deal on their Motor Trade Insurance. And if indeed money is an issue it is very easy for companies in the motor industry to opt for the cheapest is best option. After all, isn’t one type of Business Insurance pretty much the same as all the others?

Well for Motor Traders in the UK I would urge you to proceed with caution as whilst low cost motor trade insurance is available from many different insurance providers you don’t want to leave yourself in a position without the right level of cover or the right insurance excess (or deductable).

For many motor traders the best option to take when buying motor trade insurance for the first time or when their current motor trader insurance comes due for renewal would be to consult the services of an insurance broker. An insurance broker who specializes in motor trade insurance can search the market to find you the right cover at the right price so you not only save time – but you also save money.

In the event of you needing to make a claim they can also help you get the claim settled quicker and more favourably. A good insurance broker should give you advice and make sure you only pay for the insurance cover you need and want.

An Introduction on eBay – eBay car auction site

EBay has become one of the most popular ways to sell goods currently available in the world. Thanks to eBay, virtually anyone with a computer, an internet connection, and a simple to make eBay account can trade online.

People are free to sell goods, buy goods, sell unwanted goods, buy goods in bulk and sell for profits, whatever the cause, eBay can suit your n needs. The auction site has become so popular over the last few years that the company is now expanding to heights never before imagined by the founders.

EBay is well known around the world and it has users based in many countries. The good thing about eBay is that can sit in the comfort of your own home selling away until your hearts content.

eBay car auction site Now, on to the car auction side of eBay..

Although eBay is more than just a car auction site as we have discussed above, it is indeed also a very popular car auction site. Many people who trade in cars are turning to eBay to sell their cars.

You can sell cars fast on the eBay car auction site, write out full detail on the car you are selling, offer specific viewing times, and to be honest, probably get a price on your car than you would offline. This is simply because you are advertising your car to much people. You can reach thousands of people via eBay, so the marketing power of the auction site is tremendous.

How long to list the car for on the eBay car auction site

We generally don’t give a guideline to this because it depends on how fast you want to sell the car, however, if you want to advertise to more people for longer, you could put the car on for 10 days, set a reserve price, and see what happens.

A reserve price is simply a price that you wont take any less than, viewers wont get to see this, but lets say your car is worth $2000, and the auction finishes with $1500, you wouldn’t have to sell the car, this means eBay offers some form of protection for sellers who want the money they feel the item is worth.

However, if you don’t set a reserve, you have to sell the car at whatever the auction price is, so if the car sold for $1500, you would have to sell the car for this price.

Before we start to look at why using an insurance broker could be the perfect way to buy your Motor Trader Insurance let’s start off with a few supposed truths about the insurance industry.

Number 1 – Let’s be honest from the beginning and just say it – most people don’t like insurance. For most people losses rarely occur and therefore they are paying out insurance premiums year on year and yet they don’t actually see any real benefit of it.

Number 2 – Most people (even those who have suffered a loss and have made a claim) see insurance as too expensive with actual insurance companies seen as money grabbing and having no purpose other than to make money.

Number 3 – People see insurance as either boring and sold by men in suits or sold using annoying advertising on the television promising cheap or the cheapest insurance and delivering call centres who seemingly have replaced customer service with queues and staff who don’t really know what they are talking about.

If you’re a Motor Trader who needs to purchase Motor Trade Insurance and any of the 3 points above ring a bell with you then you really need to read on and discover just 4 reasons why using an insurance broker could be just what you need when you next buy your business insurance.

The first reason for using an insurance broker is that they can save you time. Yes you could spend time trawling the internet, thumbing through the yellow pages or ringing around a selection of insurance companies but you could also contact just 1 insurance broker and let them do the work for you. As a motor trader I’m sure you’re time could be put to better use elsewhere anyway.

The second reason why you might want to use an insurance broker when purchasing motor trader insurance is that providing they are independent (that is they have access to more than one policy) they can search to find you the very best cover. Cover that in some cases isn’t available anywhere else.

Another reason for choosing an insurance broker is that they can very often provide you with a level of service that you won’t find elsewhere. Go direct with an insurance company and there’s every chance you’ll be faced with queues, call centres and people without a real understanding of your needs. However choose the right insurance broker who understands the motor trade and you can benefit from advice and guidance aimed at reducing your exposure to risk. And in the event of a loss occurring they will even act on your behalf to make sure your claim is settled quickly and favourably.

The fourth and final reason why using an insurance broker could be just what you need when buying motor trade insurance is that they could save you money and we’d all no doubt like to be paying less for our insurance. A good broker will therefore be able to take advantage of the facilities they have with the leading insurance companies so you benefit from the cover, the service, the time savings and the premium savings all from the same source.

Motor Trade Insurance doesn’t have to complicated or expensive so find the right broker and make sure the price is right for your Business Insurance.

Whether to buy a new car or buy a used car is often times the first decision that needs to be arrived at before you can actively begin perusing purchasing your next vehicle.

Let’s take a look at some tips, pros, and cons when it comes to making this decision.

First of all, having been in the automotive business for many years, I almost always lean toward finding a good used car that fits what I am looking for. For me, I believe that used cars offer the best value for your dollar. In most cases, you’ll find used car departments are much more used to and willing to negotiate the price that they have posted on the car. From a negotiating standpoint, most used cars won’t have all of those superfluous dealer ‘add-ons’ stuck on the window either that will just never do.

In the automotive market, used cars will most certainly come with a lower initial price tag than a comparably equipped new car. And not only will the price be lower, you may also find that so is your cost to insure the used car as well as the tags, and taxes. Depreciation being what it is; means that with a car a couple of years old, the biggest depreciation hit has already occurred. And from a tangible perspective, you may have a better chance of getting those upgrades you’d like to have on the used car that you couldn’t otherwise afford going with the new.

Yet, with all of this, buying a used car isn’t for everyone. Finding a used vehicle that fits one’s entire car buying criteria can be a tough exercise in balancing what you want with the value versus risk inherent when it comes to used cars.

Not so many years ago, reliability was a major concern when purchasing a used car… and rightfully so. Today however, reliability problems are a fraction of what they used to be. Today’s vehicles, when properly maintained will easily go for 100,000 miles and it’s not uncommon for vehicles to be motoring along as they approach 200,000 miles or more. And with all of the information now available online, the risk factor is again reduced even a bit more.

Even though more reliable today, buying a used car for people means buying a car that is probably out of its original bumper to bumper warranty. This alone, is enough to repel many potential car buyers back to the new car side of the dealership.

As you know, if you are looking at buying a used car, you are probably looking at a car that is outside the factory warranty or at least would have very little remaining. With no warranty you’ll be on the hook to pay for any needed repairs out of your own pocket. However, the biggest expense for most all cars today are the things that aren’t covered by any manufacturer’s warranty anyway; items such as brakes, tires, alignment, batteries, etc.

Of course nobody can guarantee that you won’t encounter a lemon. No matter what the make and model, no manufacturer can produce a vehicle that can withstand years of neglect and/or abuse. Always, always, always give the used car a thorough inspection both by yourself and a qualified mechanic; doing this will catch most problems that may be looming on the horizon.

When it comes to financing the purchase of a used car, you find that the going interest rates will typically be higher than new car rates. This is definitely a piece of the puzzle you’ll want to check out. There is no rule of thumb as to what the difference in the interest rate will be between the two because there are just too many determining variables involved such as; the economy, rebates and incentives involved on the new car side, your credit, length of financing, and even the type of used car you’re looking at. Be sure to crunch the numbers for both sides.

With used cars, insurance can save you some money as well because you’ll typically pay less for your insurance on a like model from a few years past. The reason is simple; less cost of replacement for the insurance company and used cars are generally not high on the stolen lists.

And finally, (the latest) safety features could be a concern if you’re looking at used car (particularly if you’re going back a few model years).

All in all, if the touch, feel, and smell of a new car, isn’t a top priority for you, I think you’ll find that a well thought out used car purchase you can get more car and features and still be within your budget.