40th Anniversary Sale! $40 Down Delivers!

Leasing vs Purchasing

While leasing a new car or truck offers a few advantages over purchasing, ( lower repair bills, the latest safety features and the opportunity to drive a late model car) experts tell us that the price is much steeper compared with an outright purchase of a vehicle- and driving it for a few years longer then the finance term. Serial leasing is when you lease one vehicle after another, but it also means that you’ll always be paying to drive a vehicle during the very most expensive portion of their lifetimes, when the Depreciation of the vehicle is the absolute greatest. A vehicle under a lease agreement my lose 30 per cent or more of its value diring the first year, and truth is you are paying for it. Also, there are often times huge penalties you might incur as a result of exceeding the mileage limit or excessive wear and tear on the vehicle. This is money that you will have to pay at the end of the lease in addition to your lease payments, and it is money that you would not have had to pay if you purchased the vehicle.

NOAA: 3 to 6 Major Hurricanes could form over the Atlantic this Year.

More Ways to Save on Gas!!

Sixty-seven percent of consumers say they are combining errands and trips as a result of high gas prices. The last time gas prices averaged around $4 per gallon consumers reduced the number of trips taken as well.

Seeking lower-priced gas stations (46%) and eating out less (45%) are the next-most-popular money-saving strategies. Many are seeking lower-priced gas stations , and a large percentage of consumers are eating out less to save on gas.

Doing more things at home is popular as 51% of consumers pursued this strategy. Interestingly, the percentage of consumers using more coupons in April (36%) was 12.5% higher than in June 2008 (32%).

A Great Time to think about Trading in your Current Vehicle

According to the The Wall Street Journal, Prices for Used Cars hit a record high in April and are poised to go even higher as production cutbacks during the recession and the Japanese Earthquake has made used vehicles a hot commodity. Because there is such a high demand, dealers really need to acquire Used Vehicles any way possible. Turan Foley has decided to reach out to their customers
and offer them Top Dollar for their vehicles in order to replenish their Used Vehicle inventory. This means that you would receive more than you usually would for your trade in, should you decide to trade, which then lowers your down payment and your monthly payments on a New Vehicle purchase. Call today to find out how much money has been earmarked for a trade like yours.

Hot Rod Show Last Saturday

We had an awesome turnout…check out these pictures:

Distracted Drivers

I think we can all admit to being distracted by things while we drive, but the most common distraction for some is their cell phone. I am guilty of texting or playing with my phone while I drive. I have even had several close calls while doing it. We all think that nothing bad will ever happen to us, but texting while driving has proven to be extremely dangerous.  A study by “federal regulators linked texting, cell phone use and other forms of distracted driving to 5,500 deaths in 2009 — the latest year for which data is available — and to at least a half million injuries.” So what can we do to encourage people from doing it? Should the government take more control?

In California, it is illegal to drive with a cell phone in your hands. If caught, you will only be fined $50 for your first offense. After court and administrative costs, it usually runs a driver between $100 and $150. The law also forbids anyone under the age of 18 to use any sort of cell communication in the car at all. It makes me wonder if this hands-free law is truly effective at deterring people from using their cell phones while driving.  Many other states have also enacted laws about texting or talking on cell phones in cars. Check out this link for a complete list of the states that are included and what their laws are: http://www.ghsa.org/html/stateinfo/laws/cellphone_laws.html

Many people are advocates of hands-free driving, like Oprah, who has been a big proponent for the message. The automotive industry has implemented certain technology into cars that is supposed to make certain things for drivers easier to do without being distracted. For example, voice activated controls and steering wheel controls and of course, Bluetooth technology. Critics argue that some of these technologies don’t help drivers be less distracted at all but rather they tend to make them lazier and focus less.

Do you think texting while driving is dangerous? Do you still text while you drive even though you know it is unsafe? Who should be responsible for our safety in our cars? It will be interesting to see if laws pertaining to texting while driving will change or if more states will jump on the band wagon and enforce laws pertaining to the issue. So stay safe in your car and don’t be distracted!

Check out these interesting articles about distracted drivers:

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/AheadoftheCurve/california-drivers-ignore-hands-free-cell-phone-law/story?id=8974821&page=2

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42338592/ns/business-autos/

http://www.distraction.gov/stats-and-facts/

 

Survival Guide: 10 Items to Always Keep in your Car

Have you ever been driving in the middle of nowhere and wondered what would I do if my tire blew out right now or if my car ran out of gas? Sure we all know that many people today are members of AAA and they rely on them in situations like this. But what if the worse happens and you are in the middle of nowhere with no cell service and you are totally out of luck. For all you precautionary people, these 10 items are great tools to have in your car at all times just in case the worst happens.

1. First Aid Kit: A first aid kit may come in handy some day when you are out and about traveling. I’m sure we have all had times when we scratch or cut ourselves and wish we had a band-aid or ointment to treat it immediately. Situations may even be more severe than just a scratch. If you have ever watched the show “I Survived” on the Biography channel, there are multiple life and death situations where these people could use items in a first aid kit to help them survive possibly. Just think of all the ‘what if’ situations and how a first aid kit could save you.

2. Jumper Cables: On average, according to auto-facts.org, a car battery will last about three to five years. Many people experience dead car batteries sooner though because they accidently leave on lights or electronics in their car. In case of a dead car battery situation, it is always smart to have jumper cables in your car to get a jump. Also, if you tend to drive in remote areas with no one around, or if you don’t like to ask for help it may be smart to invest in your own battery jump box.

3. Flashlight: A flashlight is a small item that can be useful in so many ways. If it is dark out it can help you see while you change a tire or find things in your car. Another more dramatic situation may be that it could help you start a fire if you have to camp out for the night. On an episode of ‘Survivor Man’, he demonstrates different ways to start a fire and common tools that can used, a flashlight was one of them.

4. Poncho: This may seem silly, but a poncho is an excellent item to have in your car. When bad weather arises, a poncho can be your means of keeping dry while you change your tire or walk to get gas.

5. Blanket: It may be cold when you get stranded, and worst case scenario is that you are spending the night in your car. Keep a blanket in your car so you have something to keep you warm overnight.

6. Small Tool Box: A small simple tool box may come in handy some day. Simply a flat head screwdriver, a Philips head screwdriver, a wrench, and pliers is all you may need. There are so many situations that may need these tools to come to the rescue.

7. Fix-A-Flat: Fix-A-Flat is a tire inflator and sealant. It is a simple and fast solution for slow leaking tires or flat tires, if you don’t have a spare.

8. Duct Tape:  Duct tape can be used in some many ways and is a durable material that will help hold something together someday. Let’s say your muffler is loose about to fall off; duct tape it for the time being. If you think I’m crazy for recommending duct tape, check out this site for 252 ways to use duct tape. http://www.thezac.com/ducttape/

9. 12-Foot Tow Rope: Have you ever been stuck in a ditch or had your car completely die? A tow rope may come in handy if you have someone around to tow you. If you need to go a long distance a tow truck will probably be a better choice. A tow rope may come in handy some day, and you might not even use it for towing, you may need it for something else.

10. Bottled Water and Food: It is always smart to have some bottled water and food in your car, like little energy bars. You may become stranded somewhere and not know when you will be rescued. In order to survive you definitely need water first, then food in order to make it.

Don’t be caught in a situation without the right items or tools. Keep these 10 items in your trunk because you never know when they may come in handy or help save your life one day!!

 

Fuel Economy

Lately, there has been a lot of talk in the auto industry about more fuel-efficient cars. Auto makers have been working to make their own versions of hybrid or electric cars models for years to compete with other companies and find alternatives to reduce fuel dependency. Automobile makers have predicted and known that gas prices would rise at some point and knew they had to have options to offer consumers.

While there has been so much buzz lately in the news about fuel-efficient cars, the sales don’t seem to match up to the hype. Hybrid car sales actually fell by about .5 percent from 2009 to 2010, while the sales of light trucks — pickups, SUVs, crossovers and minivans — rose to 51 percent from 48 percent. Currently average gas prices are above $3.56 a gallon and it seems that most people aren’t interested in trading in their larger cars. The reason may be that people expect and are prepared to see prices rise even higher before they actually think about switching to alternative vehicles. The Detroit Free Press is reporting, in the first two months of 2011, Chevrolet sold 602 Volts while Nissan sold 154 Leafs. Correspondingly, Cadillac sold 2,793 Escalades and Lincoln sold 1,193 Navigators. Americans are known for loving larger cars, so will this trend change if prices soar to even higher prices?

Here are some good sites and articles to check out:
http://www.hybridcars.com/
http://www.freep.com/article/20110328/NEWS06/103280344/0/NEWS/Sales-fuel-efficient-autos-stall-despite-high-gas-prices?odyssey=nav|head

Should U.S. auto makers be required to boost fuel efficiency to 65 mpg by 2025?
Check out what others are saying at the Wall Street Journal discussion board.
http://online.wsj.com/community/groups/all-things-autos-/topics/should-us-automakers-required-boost?commentid=2272552

Check out this article about the best fuel-efficient cars for your buck from yahoo auto news.
http://autos.yahoo.com/articles/autos_content_landing_pages/1771/the-best-green-cars-for-the-buck/

Nine tips to improve your Fuel Economy

Whether you drive a two-seat hybrid or a three-ton SUV, chances are you can squeeze a bit more distance out of each gallon of fuel — and at today’s gas prices, an improvement of just one or two miles per gallon (MPG) can really add up. These fuel saving tips have served me well over the years, and they can help you improve your car’s fuel economy and take some of the sting out of high fuel prices. Most of these tips will give you a very slight increase in MPG — but use several together and the gas mileage improvements will really add up.

1. Slow down

One of the best ways to save gas is to simply reduce your speed. As speed increases, fuel economy decreases exponentially. If you one of the “ten-over on the freeway” set, try driving the speed limit for a few days. You’ll save a lot of fuel and your journey won’t take much longer. (Just be sure you keep to the right, so you won’t impede the less-enlightened.)

2. Check your tire pressure

Under-inflated tires are one of the most commonly ignored causes of crummy MPG. Tires lose air due to time (about 1 psi per month) and temperature (1 psi for every 10 degree drop); under-inflated tires have more rolling resistance, which means you need to burn more gas to keep your car moving. Buy a reliable tire gauge and check your tires at least once a month. Be sure to check them when they are cold, since driving the car warms up the tires along with the air inside them, which increases pressure and gives a falsely high reading. Use the inflation pressures shown in the owner’s manual or on the data plate in the driver’s door jamb.

3. Check your air filter

A dirty air filter restricts the flow of air into the engine, which harms performance and economy. Air filters are easy to check and change; remove the filter and hold it up to the sun. If you can’t see light coming through it, you need a new one. Consider a K&N or similar “permanent” filter which is cleaned rather than changed; they are much less restrictive than throw-away paper filters, plus they’re better for the environment.

4. Accelerate with care

Jack-rabbit starts are an obvious fuel-waster — but that doesn’t mean you should crawl away from every light. If you drive an automatic, accelerate moderately so the transmission can shift up into the higher gears. Stick-shifters should shift early to keep the revs down, but don’t lug the engine — downshift if you need to accelerate. Keep an eye well down the road for potential slowdowns. If you accelerate to speed then have to brake right away, that’s wasted fuel.

5. Hang with the trucks

Ever notice how, in bad traffic jams, cars seem to constantly speed up and slow down, while trucks tend to roll along at the same leisurely pace? A constant speed keeps shifting to a minimum — important to those who have to wrangle with those ten-speed truck transmissions — but it also aids economy, as it takes much more fuel to get a vehicle moving than it does tokeep it moving. Rolling with the big rigs saves fuel (and aggravation).

6. Get back to nature

Consider shutting off the air conditioner, opening the windows and enjoying the breeze. It may be a tad warmer, but at lower speeds you’ll save fuel. That said, at higher speeds the A/C may be more efficient than the wind resistance from open windows and sunroof. If I’m going someplace where arriving sweaty and smelly could be a problem, I bring an extra shirt and leave early so I’ll have time for a quick change.

7. Back off the bling

New wheels and tires may look cool, and they can certainly improve handling. But if they are wider than the stock tires, chances are they’ll create more rolling resistance and decrease fuel economy. If you upgrade your wheels and tires, keep the old ones. I have fancy sport rims and aggressive tires on my own car, but I keep the stock wheels with a good narrower-tread performance tire in the garage. For long road trips, the stock wheels give a smoother ride and better economy.

8. Clean out your car

If you’re the type who takes a leisurely attitude towards car cleanliness — and I definitely fall into that category — periodically go through your car and see what can be tossed out or brought into the house. It doesn’t take much to acquire an extra 40 or 50 lbs. of stuff, and the more weight your car has to lug around, the more fuel it burns.

9. Downsize

If you’re shopping for a new car, it’s time to re-evaluate how much car you really need. Smaller cars are inherently more fuel-efficient, and today’s small cars are roomier than ever — one of my favorite subcompacts has so much interior room that the EPA classifies it as a mid-size. Worried about crash protection? The automakers are designing their small cars to survive crashes with bigger vehicles, and safety features like side-curtain airbags and electronic stability control are becoming commonplace in smaller cars.

Originally posted by Aaron Gold on About.com