How To Never Make Another Car Payment

How To Never Make Another Car Payment
by: Tony Puckerin

AgainCar prices today compete with small houses and well-equippedmobile homes. As these price increases become more accepted byconsumers, so too are the longer terms that are necessary to fitthem into cost of living budgets. At one point, the magic paymentamount for the retail automobile market was $200 per month. Butthat payment would only satisfy a loan of approximately $8000-10000 depending on interest rates.The average car payment today is closer to $400 per month andthat's with financial institutions stretching the terms to 72-84and 120 months. Something has gone terribly wrong in the psyche ofconsumers to even imagine that an automobile will not becomeobsolete before it is all paid up, 6, 7 or 10 years down the road.All they really need to do is take a look at a vehicle sold in1995, 1997 or 1999, to get a live preview of what their new carwill look like and potentially what it will be worth.Interestingly, research indicates that most Americans get boredwith a car after driving it for 24-36 months. Why thenwould the typical financing term be 72-120 months? At the point of purchase, most consumers tend to forget that carpayments never include the cost of insurance, required maintenanceand gas. When these items are added to a car payment, it caneasily exceed what some people are paying in mortgages.It's analogous to the Middle Eastern people like Iranians whoseculture practices beating themselves on the back with chains andwhips. Every month, millions of Americans face the self-inflictedpain of making another car payment. Like the Iranians, theybelieve that if they can do it, it must be good and it willsomehow make them better people in the hereafter. A self-made millionaire, Dr. Cooper, an advocate for reversingunnecessary consumer debt has come up with a simple plan to changehow we think of automobile ownership. His plan uses the samephilosophy that our grand fathers grew up with, i.e. never buyanything that you cannot afford to pay for out of your own pocket.Unfortunately, if we lived by those rules we would need trafficlights and zebra crossings on our major highways because theywould be packed with pedestrians. Well let's share Dr. Cooper's plan. He calls it the "VehicleSaving Fund". This is a basic commercial bank savingsaccount that can be started at any local bank. To make it moremeaningful to you, lets call it the "Freedom From CarPayment Fund." Anyone can start such a fund; it does notmatter if they are currently financing a vehicle. The idea is that if you intend to be a productive member ofsociety and enjoy the benefits of your labor you will need to havepersonal transportation. This is not optional for most people whodo not live in a big city where public transportation isavailable. The fund should be considered absolutely necessary,much like the rent or mortgage, it's a living expense. Here is how it works; if you are currently driving a financedvehicle, resolve to pay it off in its normal term. It's hard tokeep making payment on a vehicle you do not like but that's wherethe discipline becomes important. Also, resolve to put aside asmall amount every month to your "Freedom From CarPayment" account. Initially, it is totally understandablethat it may be a little difficult but the amount is not important,it's the habit and the psychology of doing it that makes all thedifference. You can start with as little as $5-$10-$25 just becommitted to doing it every month until it becomes a habit. You will also have to make a decision to continue driving thevehicle you are currently paying, this plan does not work if youdecide that you need a new vehicle before paying off the one youare driving. The closer you are to your end of term, the betterposition you will be in to get what you want. But there is norush, when you pay it off you should then begin to put the amountof your previous payment into your vehicle fund. Now with theequity in your current vehicle and your savings you can beginshopping. Considering the prices of automobiles today, there is a highprobability that because of your vehicle depreciation and thesmall savings, you might not have enough money to buy a newvehicle. If you do not have enough to purchase what you want,there are always other options; the first is to buy what you canafford. The alternative (worst-case scenario) is facing the dealerwith no savings and having negative equity in the vehicle you arecurrently driving.Strange concept, I know, but when its all said and done,transportation is transportation, it gets you from point A topoint B. The only difference is what you are willing to pay to getthere. For many, because of the values they hold "whateverit takes" is an appropriate answer but the mind set has tonow change to discipline and the desire to stop making lifetimepayments. If you don't have a car right now and are enjoying the bliss ofnot having a financial obligation to an automobile, you can beginyour savings immediately so that when the time comes you will havea sizable chunk to begin your search for your new car. You are ina very good position if you are not in the market presentlylooking for a vehicle.You have the time to save and plan for your next automobile. Beginthe "Freedom From Car Payments Fund" today and in acouple of years you will really be much better off. Contrary towhat dealers try to make you believe, car ownership does requirelong term planning in order to break the cycle of swappingpayments every 3-4 years. It is a long term serious investment.It's that simple. Easy, no but simple, and it can be done. Itrequires discipline and patience two characteristics that are noteasily harnessed in by the now generation. The obvious benefit isno car payment but you will also save on insurance and have muchmore disposable income for other necessities. With determination,a little vision and planning anyone can drive exactly what theywant; without the burden of a monthly payment. Could that be you?

About the author:Tony Puckerin is an Automobile Broker in Southern Florida who represents clients at local automobile dealerships. His service has recently expanded to Internet and cover the United States and a few select international clients. For more information go to http://www.automobilenetmarketing.com

Buying a New Sports Car – Twelve Tips To Avoid Financial Sticker Shock

Buying a New Sports Car – Twelve Tips To Avoid Financial Sticker Shock
by: Valerie Mills

Nothing (well, almost nothing) can compare to the thrill of driving a road-hugging high performance sports car. Instant steering response. Power at the exact nanosecond you ask for it. Then, if you have one of the sexier models, you’ll attract attention on the road, filling up, and in the shopping mall parking lot. Yes, you can pretend you’re driving the Autobahn with the wind blowing your hair. But beware of state troopers just waiting for an “arrest me red” entry on their ticket issuing track record. Before You Fall In Love . . . Before you step into that showroom and fall in love, consider the following practicalities: 1) How much do you want to spend? $20,000? $30,000? Or more? 2) What’s the tradeoff between performance (power) and gas mileage? Higher performance usually equals less gas mileage. Does the vehicle use premium gas? Right now, the difference between premium and regular is 20 cents per gallon. At 20 miles per gallon and 15,000 miles per year, the cost differential is $150. 3) What about reliability? Some upscale models cost considerably more to maintain and have a higher incidence of repair costs. Would you appreciate paying $125 just to diagnose the problem when the check engine light comes on? Or paying $70 for an oil change? 4) In a climate where snow and ice are winter realities, do you want to drive it year round? Or store it over the winter? A rear wheel drive sports car is impractical for winter driving. A front, all-wheel, or 4-wheel drive sport car can be driven in snow and ice, if you use all-season tires. If the little devil comes with performance tires, you will want to buy all-season tires (and possibly rims) for winter driving. Add another $1500 to the price of the car for the right tires and rims. Do Your Homework . . . 5) Once you’ve decided price, performance, gas mileage, reliability, and practicality for all-season driving, get on the Internet. Here you can compare models and pricing and read reviews. Google “buying a new car” or “new car prices” and several sites will pop up. Another source is Consumer Report (the new car issue) where your criteria will be easy to find. Red dots are good. Black dots are not. Most American car dealers consider this issue of Consumer Report a nightmare because it favors foreign car models, especially Asian cars. However, as explained in the newest version of this report, American car manufacturers are catching up. 6) Find out what you should pay before stepping into a showroom. Dealers will offer below invoice prices even on some sports cars because of rebates, dealer incentives, and dealer returns when they make a sale. 7) Remember the incidentals. Yes, you have to pay to transport the vehicle from the manufacturer. Yes, you have to pay for options. And remember the sales (and sometimes luxury) tax. The Driving Experience . . . 8) Unless you have driven the exact model and year you want to purchase, step into the showroom and test drive the car. Driving the previous year’s model is unacceptable. If the dealer lures you into his web and asks you to test drive an earlier model, RUN out of the show room. You’re wasting your time. 9) Pick at least 2 different road types for test driving. The winding, hilly road is one road type. Road hugging capabilities are tested here. If the car is standard, smooth-shifting is another test. A car that cuts back after you release the clutch is NOT smooth shifting. The highway is another road type. Make sure power is sufficient to handle entrance ramps and merging with traffic. If you get an instant response at highway speeds, the car is a possible winner. Closing the Deal . . . 10) If you like the car, get the dealer’s best quote. Then, find at least one other dealer to give you another quote ON THE SAME CAR. If you don’t like the car in the test drive, you probably won’t like the car – ever. Move on to the next model. 11) When you decide on a car, call your insurance company and find out what the vehicle will cost per year. And don’t choke on your coffee when you hear the amount – you can shop around. 12) Estimate how much the real estate taxes will be on the car, especially if it’s a high-priced model. This could be another financial shocker! As you can see, sports car buying is a process. Do you need to do all this stuff? Nope, you don’t. But consider the financial sticker shock when you’re paying an extraordinary amount for maintenance, repairs, gas, insurance, and taxes! Just for that Autobahnesque experience!

About the author:Valerie Mills,a copywriter/designer specializing in direct mail and web advertising, has written sales letters, web sites, and brochures for the finance, self-help, and technology areas. She also audits sites for usability, sales appeal, structural integrity, and readability. In addition, using her experience as an educator and corporate trainer, Valerie has written several articles and a parents' guide to coach kids of all ages about money and personal finance. Refer to web sites http://v.mills.home

What to do when a cold engine is hard to start

What to do when a cold engine is hard to start
by: Jakob Jelling

Starting a car with a cold engine can be very difficult sometimes and it can become a real obstacle for those who live surrounded by extremely cold weathers. This way, for all those who might experience this problem it is not only important to learn how to overcome it but also why it happens in order to be able to prevent it as much as possible as well. Cold engines might experience problems at the time to start due to different reasons. One of these reasons can be based on the effect which cold has on liquids evaporation. When it is cold, gasoline evaporates less and this cause it to be more difficult to burn due to the fact that it is burnt when it is evaporated.Another reason by which a cold engine might have problems to start is caused by the fact that oil becomes much thicker in cold than the way it is in hot. Oil, like any other liquid changes its consistency when it is exposed to very low temperatures as well as it changes back when it is in a very hot weather, and this might cause oil to have problems at the time of circulating in the car engine. Besides the engine, car batteries might experience problems while being in cold weathers as well and this could affect the engine. Batteries function through chemical reactions which loose agility while being cold and therefore, in such circumstances, batteries don't function properly. When this happens, the car energy becomes affected and this causes problems for the engine start.If these three problems happen together, starting an engine might become a really hard task to achieve. In order to overcome the lack of gasoline evaporation problem, you can spray ether into the engine which would evaporate quickly and help the engine start. Besides this, you can also to prevent having oil too thick which wouldn't circulate properly by using thin synthetic oils. You should also try to maintain the car isolated from cold as much as possible, but by using the two last mentioned methods you would experience much less problems at the time of staring the car in cold weather.
About the author:Jakob Jelling is the founder of http://www.autorized.comPlease visit his website to learn about auto maintenance, auto insurance, auto safety and much more!