Don’t Get Scammed on Maintenance!
Vehicle ownership can be expensive, even if you don’t own an expensive luxury car from BMW Dealer Oakland. In fact, several of the luxury lines offer “free” maintenance for a set period of time when someone buys one of their new models. Sadly, not everyone in this country is honest and trustworthy, so as a consumer, you need to be on the look out for scams and being overcharged. When you take your car from Honda Dealer Trenton to the local shop for your routine oil change, chances are that they always come back saying you have a few other minor things they would like to fix. The shop will tell you it is imperative you fix them now and it will only be a couple hundred dollars for all of it! Ouch.
Below are some of the key terms consumers need to watch out for. These services are low cost for the mechanic to perform and also high profit, meaning you are getting scammed. If you get your car from GMC Buick Dealer Dallas in for a routine oil change and haven’t had any problems with your car’s performance, remember that when the mechanic comes back to tell you their findings. If they suggest you need an engine flush, which can run upwards of $200, say no thanks. When you get home, look at the oil cap and if you see deposits then they might be correct, and you can get your engine flushed next time. Another common service scam has to do with cleaning your fuel injectors. Again, it will cost upwards of $200 and if you haven’t noticed a problem, then don’t bother fixing what isn’t broken!
Lastly, be cautious of the gimmick gadgets. By this, we mean the “premium” low cost upgrades that they will try to up-sell to you. Similar to high octane gas, sure it definitely won’t hurt your vehicle and may or may not improve longevity and performance; but at what cost is it really worth it? Oil and fuel additives can be as low as $10 each time, but it really adds up over time. Unless you are going for synthetic oil, the regular run of the mill stuff will do just fine.
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Red Light Cameras: Yay or Nay?
As citizens of this country, there is a certain amount of blind faith that we put in our government to protect us. But what if some of the laws and regulations that are in effect actually end up doing more harm than good? Here is a scenario to ponder: you are pulling out of Brandon Chevrolet Dealer after just buying your new car and get pulled over by the police for speeding. They then find that you don’t have current registration and hassle you about that, but you just got the car and you haven’t gotten your registration in the mail yet. This is a mild scenario, but still it happens and is frustrating for consumers. What about those pesky red light offense cameras that several cities have installed? You are driving in your new car from Nissan New York when the light changes quickly to red and then you receive a ticket in the mail. Maybe you did or didn’t run the red light, but in this economy is it right for cities to be scraping every cent out of their citizens in this manner?
Having recently gotten one of these red light tickets, I can tell you first hand how infuriating the process was. The traffic court was full of other drivers there to contest their tickets, some driving cars from Acura Pittsburgh. One woman was contesting her ticket because she stopped at the red light but then inched out to see if she could safely make a right turn; the camera interpreted this as running the light. She contested and won, but the judge cautioned her to stop at the line next time and stay there.
What is even more interesting is that some cities have begun removing their red light cameras because the revenue from tickets decreased as people became more aware of their locations and thus changed their driving habits. We can all appreciate efforts to make the streets safer for all, but is this really the right way to do it?
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More FICO Confusion.
Anyone who has ever purchased a vehicle from Indiana Chevrolet Dealer or some other dealership knows how long and how much of a hassle the whole process can be. They take and take and take from you; all your personal information, your patience, and your time. The whole process can be incredibly frustrating, and if you are shopping at a higher end place like Acura St. Louis you might find yourself negotiating more than you care to. Well, the folks at Fair Isaac Corp. have made that process hopefully a little easier. It might be confusing at first, but once the dust settles, it should be a good thing for everyone, consumers and dealerships like VW Arizona alike. The credit score inventors have decided to revamp their scoring process once again, this time hopefully making it easier for dealers and lenders to finance more people.
FICO 8 is already being used by about 2,500 banks, dealerships, and other financial places of business. Corporations still have their choice of using either the new system or the older one, but sooner rather than later everyone will convert to the new scoring system. FICO 8 will still work off of a 300 to 850 point scale range, with people who fall in the 300 to 499 area considered high risk. The new system will say that low risk people are those with scores of 800 to 850.
But, the accuracy of the new scores has increased so much that lenders can be more confident lending to a greater population of people because the new system is able to predict risk much more accurately. Or some lenders and dealerships may choose not to change their cutoff score and thus they will incur less losses over time. But, turning people away will not help you sell cars! With how reliant our society has become on computers, payment histories are able to change more quickly and are far more accurate. As consumers are able to change their credit score quicker, lenders can feel more confident lending to people and know that hopefully they will not default on loan payments.
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Ford Initiating Simplified Auto Loan Forms;
As a form of consumer protection, Ford and other automakers will begin to offer simplified auto loan forms. The latest Ford model prices can be see at Cincinnati Ford Quotes. Ford is looking to initiate nation-wide consumer protection measures that the Obama administration has overseen. Consumer protection is of the utmost concern after the recent mortgage market collapse and the large number of bad loans that were given. There are several Volkswagen models that can be purchased with loans on good terms with Volkswagen Specials, and many automakers have now begun to only offer financing to the prime financial market.
Mazda Boston and other dealers may be willing to work with consumers with less than perfect credit, but now financial regulations are limiting the types of loans that can go out to that group. There are now also limitations on credit scores, for instance it has become very difficult for those with a credit score of less than 640 to get an auto loan. In the past, this was possible with subprime loans.
The new regulations are designed to protect consumers from complicated auto loan forms in which details about the loan may be difficult to spot or even hidden. In the past, some dealers used forms that had verbose material about the terms of the loan, so much that the consumer would not take the time to adequately examine the terms and would become stuck with a loan that was not good for them.
The auto loan form plan is a part of a broader initiative to regulate the consumer credit and mortgage industry which was more of the problem behind the recession as opposed to subprime auto loans. The new U.S. consumer protection agency would be behind the efforts to make the auto loan forms more simplified, and the program will be implemented over the next few months.
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Distracted Drivers!
There is no argument against the fact that Americans are increasingly busy and our laundry lists have just gotten longer. We can all agree that 24 hours in one day simply isn’t enough sometimes! We do our part and lend a helping hand when we can. One example is choosing to drive a Ford Escape Hybrid so that there are less emissions going into the environment. Or perhaps you visited Seattle Nissan and checked out their used car inventory. It is a great time to buy used, especially with places like VW Arizona carrying less new inventory and trying not to flood the market with new cars that won’t sell. There are many things that you can successfully multi-task, such as household chores or tasks at work. But one thing that state governments are passing laws on are multi-tasking while you are behind the wheel. Several states already have legislation on the books against talking on a cell phone or texting while driving, but what are some other sources of distraction that driver’s need to be a little more cautious of.
This problem has become so common that the U.S. Department of Transportation has an entire website devoted to the topic of distracted drivers! They break it down into three main sources or types of distraction that drivers fall victim to. First, there is visual distraction, which simply involves taking your eyes off the road. Think about how often you do that and the reasons you find yourself doing that. Second, there is manual sources of distraction. This could be as simple as changing the radio station, but the U.S. DOT says it is manual distraction whenever your hands are removed from the steering wheel. Lastly, there are cognitive sources of distraction, and this involves whenever your brain is not focused on what you are doing, which in this context is driving. Think of how many times you have driven someplace familiar and not really been conscious of what you are doing because your brain goes into auto-pilot and suddenly you are at your destination; it can be scary!
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Avoiding High Pressure Sales Techniques
Buying a new car is already a stressful experience, so you have to wonder why some car salesmen don’t try to make it a more pleasant experience. You walk onto a lot and see signs for Ford Incentives, which is already a pull at your emotional strings attached to your wallet. We all want to save a dollar or two, and the idea of incentives and rebates is hard to pass up. The auto industry has gone too long with their high pressure sales tactics. Minneapolis Toyota Dealers and Peoria Volkswagen are two dealerships we know of that truly don’t use high pressure sales, but rather approach you with an honest effort. As for the rest of the dealerships across the nation, be cautious and follow the advice listed below so that you can recognize high pressure sales trained techniques when you see them!
There are the salesmen who will urge you to go and shop around to compare rates with other dealerships. Perhaps that salesman quoted you a great price on a vehicle, and then after two days of exhausting car shopping you return to your first stop for that great deal. Here is where you just got taken advantage of; either the vehicle has sold and you must find something else, or when the salesman presents the quoted price to his finance guy, the boss will reject the price.
Other sales techniques include making friends with you instantly. While this may be great customer service, it can also be high pressure. People don’t like to let down their “friends,” and if your car salesman friend really wants you to buy a car from them, they may try to guilt you into the purchase.
Another technique is to make it seem that the offer you are being quoted is an incredibly limited time deal, and unless you act instantly, you will never get such a great deal again in your life. The truth of the matter is, cars on dealership lots don’t move at record speeds. Chances are you should opt to shop around and come back to share the lower quotes you received from other places.
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Auto Warranties: Bring Out Your Magnifying Glass
When you were taught as a youngster to always read the fine print before signing a contract, it was meant to be a lifelong lesson that you still do in your daily life. However, many Americans know that to get what we want there is often a lot of bureaucratic red tape. Sometimes we just go along with it so that our wishes come true. Other times we read and read and read so that we know what it is we are agreeing to when we sign a piece of paper. How many of you know the exact warranty coverage on the vehicle sitting in your driveway? Is your warranty good? How does it measure up to the nation average and comparable other auto maker warranties?
You typically have a basic warranty, or bumper-to-bumper, that is short. The longer warranty is the powertrain warranty, but it is awfully limited. Some companies offer a corrosion warranty as well as roadside assistance. An example would be if you bought a Volkswagen from Peoria VW; you can expect to get a 3 year 36,000 mile basic warranty, and your powertrain will be covered for 5 years 60,000 miles. Keep in mind that it is whichever comes first, if you reach the limit in years or the limit in miles. VW models also come with an impressive 12 year corrosion warranty and 4 years of roadside assistance. This article will not cover the specific definitions of roadside assistance, but beware that an auto brand’s definition of roadside assistance will be night-and-day different from another car company’s definition; hence, read your fine print!
Toyota Los Angeles will give you a 3 year 36,000 mile basic, a 5 year 60,000 mile powertrain, and a 5 year corrosion warranty. They do not come standard with roadside assistance. Something to keep in mind also is that the manufacturer will often offer extended warranties or your finance lender will offer you extended warranties. These cost money, but consider how long you plan on owning your vehicle to decide if you should spend the extra money for the extended coverage.
Vehicles purchased from Charlotte Jeep Dealer come with the pretty much industry standard basic warranty 3 year 36,000 miles but Jeep vehicles come with an unlimited powertrain warranty. Again, read your fine print, as unlimited seems too good to be true.
Kia, Hyundai, and Mitsubishi all offer impressive 5 year 60,000 mile basic warranties combined with the industry leader 10 year 100,000 mile powertrain warranty. There is a handful of brands that offer unlimited powertrain warranties, but again, read those with a fine-toothed comb!
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Beware Decreasing Vehicle Values!
People who buy their vehicles from Jersey City Cadillac Service should not worry too much about the depreciation of their vehicle’s value. Cadillac is a luxury brand who is known for their quality vehicle production and customer service. And VW Deals are offered continuously it seems and they are always updating and improving their vehicles, which helps retain value. The line up at Troy Honda and other nationwide Honda dealerships know that they made a solid product with a stellar reputation. So why is it then, that some vehicles have a blue book value far less than what you might think?
How a vehicle loses its value is not a consistent formula. A lot of things go in to the equation. Kelley Blue Book uses the term residual value to represent what a vehicle will be worth in the future, and then compares that to the selling price of the vehicle when it was new. A lot of value goes back to basic economics: supply and demand. The market determines what things get to keep value and what things don’t. As a consumer, you hope that your vehicle retains its value. Americans always want new, new, new. If you go to trade in your current vehicle, you might be shocked and disappointed to find out what it is worth, or what it is not worth!
Both the BMW M6 and the Land Rover Range Rover have had a 19% decline in their residual value. Keep in mind that both of these vehicles start out with an initially high price, so they have more value to lose. The BMW M6 has likely lost a lot of value as it has a base price of $102,000. People are still buying high-end sports cars, just not as much as when the economy was stronger. The Range Rover is experiencing a loss of value because engineers have not redesigned the model since 2003 and its base price is $79,000. With recent reports of consumer dissatisfaction and lack of quality vehicles, Range Rover’s value will continue to decline.
Lesson to be learned: just because you spend a lot to begin with does not mean you will get anywhere near the return on your investment!
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Car Buyer Scam!
Car sellers beware, there are people in this world trying to scam you out of thousands of dollars. You wouldn’t be able to afford even amazing VW Deals if the scammers get your money. Before you decide just to trade in your vehicle at Bradenton Used Cars rather than try to sell your car yourself, take a few moments to familiarize yourself with the following common scam framework. After you rid yourself of your old car and walk away with some cash, you can visit New York Ford and find yourself a great deal on a new Ford vehicle and take advantage of their current rebates and incentives.
This most common scam occurs when you post your vehicle online, perhaps with Craigslist or AutoTrader. You took the time to take pictures and write a great summary to try and lure potential buyers. Ideally you get some response from interested buyers. However, be cautious if an overly interested buyer contacts you and says they live in Africa or some other foreign place. What is going to separate this buyer from actual, legitimate buyers besides their foreign and distant address is that they are extremely excited to purchase your vehicle and don’t question any flaws you may have listed about your vehicle. In fact, they offer to pay your asking price and don’t try to negotiate with you at all to lower your selling price.
When you are selling your vehicle, it is kind of exciting and your usual judgment may not be present. That eagerness to sell your vehicle may lead you to ignore the red flags an outside party would notice, especially in this situation. This “buyer” is going to have poor English skills in their email communications and tell you that they are an American but work overseas. Further, they have a colleague that will come pick-up the vehicle from you and have it shipped overseas. You are still safe and are only in a scam in-progress. The buyer is then going to send you a check or money order; the check will be personal or business, but is going to look completely legitimate. But, the check you receive is likely to be more than the agreed upon selling price. At this time, the “buyer” will ask you to send him a check for the excess amount. This is the scam! You have just deposited a counterfeit check into your account and then withdrawn money to mail this “buyer.” It takes over a week for a check to clear and be processed, and you have already sent out the excess amount to the fake buyer. So simply, remember, if it is too good to be true then it likely is!
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Don’t Fall Victim to Credit Scams.
How many of you have received offers in the mail urging you to refinance? Make sure you read those letters thoroughly. A lot of times, they are scams and will not help you improve your credit score or successfully refinance your auto loan. While everyone loves Boston Nissan Deals, you need to research those amazing offers before signing your name on the dotted line. A bottom line rule: unless that refinance offer comes from Louisville Toyota directly or Volkswagen Peoria or the dealership where you purchased your vehicle, you should be cautious.
Think back to what your parents have been telling your for ages: if it sounds too good to be true then it probably is. Those ads offering amazing low rates no matter what your credit score or financial situation are meant to be appealing, especially to financially tight patrons. When it comes to money talk, people are incredibly vulnerable and may throw their typically good judgment to the wayside. Remember that if you respond to one of these ads, you are sending them incredibly private information that could allow them access to your finances.
How can you decide if a company is legitimate? You can visit register.com and look up the website address to see if the domain owner matches the rest of your documentation. It is incredibly easy for scammers to set up a fake company front to trick people into thinking they are legitimate. You can always do a google.com search for the company and add the word “scam” or “complaint” in your search query to see if others have the same concerns you do. Also, try checking with the Better Business Bureau to see if complaints have been issued against the company.
Before we lost all faith in humanity, some offers you receive offering a lower APR for your auto loan might actually be legitimate. Saving yourself money in the long run is always worth a bit of extra time on your part. Just take your time to make sure you are working with a trusted, real company.
