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Be Sure That The Car You Buy Has Only Factory Installed Parts

July 31, 2008

by Karl Heinzel

When looking for a new car, you should avoid cars with non-factory-installed or aftermarket accessories & components. If you see a vehicle on the car lot you like, but it does not have a specific component or accessory you want, the salesperson will probably tell you the dealership can have the component or accessory installed.

Some of the usual third-party items include: sunroofs, backup cameras, navigational systems, indash or under dash stereos, remote starters, alarms, and DVD players. The trick is to stick to factory installed items.

The deal with this is you have to wait for the dealership to either tracked down the car you’re looking for, or order it from the factory. The upside is that if you have problems with any of the accessories on your car, it won’t void the warranty like aftermarket products might.

Aftermarket components are typically installed by third-party facilities & not the manufacturer or the dealer. The selling dealer usually does not extend any warranty covering these components. The manufacturers warranty does not cover them because they aren’t the manufacturers components.

In fact, even the aftermarket installer may not offer any kind of warranty on your spiffy new gear. If you do end up having any trouble, odds are, you may not have many options for warranty coverage.

Very likely, your state’s lemon laws will not apply to your situation. We hear many cases, where things go horribly wrong with buyers of vehicles that have aftermarket components installed.

* The aftermarket remote starter wiring was improperly installed, which drained the battery.

* The ad-on sunroof installed by a third party leaked like a sieve every time it rained.

* A poorly installed aftermarket DVD player, shorted out the car and kept it from starting.

* The third-party GPS component ruined that the entire vehicles, electrical system.

Even though these were serious problems, the state’s lemon laws didn’t apply. As a result, these people either lived with the problems are caused, or had the components removed at their own expense

Components or accessories added to you car might just void the cars warranty and cost you plenty in the long run.

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Don’t Worry About Chevy Camaro Parts

July 31, 2008

by Rex Simpleton

Chevy Camaro is known to be a very popular sports car and, along with Corvette, it was the car that surpassed the twenty first century. Although these cars are rather old, they still make a good option nowadays and manage to impress people with their wonderful performance. Chevy Camaro, with its great engine horsepower, is still a great option for anyone.

If you are looking for Chevy Camaro parts, you will be surprised to find out that they are very easy to find. Even when it comes to older models, Chevy Camaro parts are not that hard to find as long as you check out automotive dealerships or salvage yard.

The parts from the same years may not be always the same as the ones you need so you need to be careful because they might not work on different engines.

Many people modify the engines found on Camaro but most people would like a car that preserves the concept of an efficient engine because nobody chooses a car that hasn’t got good performances.

Only when using the original parts which are especially designed for Chevy Camaro, people will be able to experience the quality and unique feeling that represents this car. The original parts are also easier to install because the car doesn’t have computers and other electric facilities found on new cars.

Mechanics will tell you that in some instances used car parts are just as good as new car parts. It all depends on which parts are actually needed for the Chevy Camaro.

Parts that can be easily used when they are in good condition are: quarter panels, hoods, bumpers, and other similar parts. You can even use fuel pumps, water pumps, and radiators if you consider that they are in good condition.

However, people shouldn’t try to replace air intake systems or manifolds with used parts. It is best to use new parts for such areas and you will surely be able to find new parts for this car although it looks a little bit difficult.

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Auto Loan Secrets - Don’t Get Reaped Off!

July 31, 2008

by Gemma Banks

Very few people use their own funds when they decide to buy a car but how much do you know about auto loans? The good thing about an auto loan is that it is secured on the vehicle you are purchasing and as each payment is made, the amount at risk reduces so there is less at risk if something untoward happens.

Once you have been allocated your budget, the more enjoyable side to the process occurs as you take time to search for a car that you like which is just a case of going online.

The great thing about the Internet is you can browse to your hearts content and look at hundreds of cars without leaving home which has got to be simpler and more cost effective than driving from one car dealership to another.

If you are looking for a particular car but the price is a far too much for you, you can also go for used cars option as you can get auto loans for that as well. Anybody can get the auto loan provided they have a good credit history so never make the mistake of applying for an auto loan without first checking out your credit score.

Having a poor sore does not automatically bar you from having being accepted for an auto loan but you might find that the loan interest rate is set higher as a penalty. If your score is under 550, this is when you may find you are penalized when you apply for your auto loan but above this level there shouldn’t be any problem at all.

Most finance institutions are able to supply an auto loan but the rates will vary as will specific terms so it is best if you shop around for the best rates and don’t forget the internet again.

Find out how much you have to pay now and then find out the overall costs and keep in mind that a low cost may not mean low total costs for you later when you look at the whole picture. Many people choose a low down payment thinking it’s easier to manage but that choice increases the total cost of the auto loan and in the end they may end up paying more than what the car is worth.

Loan insurance can be a good idea and you will often find that interest rates may be slightly lower as the finance company does not have the same risk as someone who has not arranged loan protection insurance.

If you are getting additional rebates in exchange for you financing through the car dealer, then you should take their car financing and after you get the rebate and the finance you can refinance your car online to get a lower rate.

You may find a lot of online lenders however, Capital One Auto Loans and E-Loans do not require any down payments. Online auto loan rates are the standard for dealers to beat so look for the best and get your loans only from the best.

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Water4Gas - Best Among The Gas Savers And HHO Generators’ Manual

July 31, 2008

by Gary Stern

“See your car’s mileage double or tripe-up while your fuel expenses crash down when you use water as your fuel.”

“That sounds too good to be true!” you might be telling yourself.

And I must admit I was thinking of the same thing when I visited at Water4Gas’ site.

And to add to these outrageous-sounding claims, they’re saying than using water for gas is a notch or two ahead of the best gas savers around including hydrogen stored in tanks.

And as if that’s not enough, Water4Gas even claims that the HHO generators you’ll soon be constructing with their downloadable manual should empower your car with hydrogen when it needs it.

Here’s what, if you’ve purchased a lot of downloadable stuffs from the net, I’m sure this sounds like a sly scam to you!

Using plain tap water as fuel and to create hydrogen for your car sounds too good for it to be true.

Wrap your head around it - how would an average Joe deal with stuff that gets even mechanical engineers and physicists pull their hairs off?!

HOWEVER, the potential savings from the oil price that hikes every minute and the vision of seeing my car’s mileage step up to unprecedented heights was simply irresistible for me. I crumbled and drew out my credit card to get HHO generators’ manual by Water4Gas.

And I’m glad I crumbled and bought the said manualEVERYTHING on the website about water as the best of all gas savers around is TRUE.

Here’s a glimpse of what I’m talking about - water (H2O) when broken down in its basic form is identical to the components of Brown’s Gas (HHO), which is 3 times as powerful and as efficient as ordinary gasoline.

The power of Water4Gas as the best among the rest of the gas savers around is based on the facts mentioned above.

Have you got a toolbox with all the basic tools? Good! That’s everything you need (PLUS the HHO generators manual) to experience the savings and

It all boils down to the electrolysis of water (by using your car’s batteries). This process will take care of splitting water’s molecules and forming the famed Brown’s Gas from itthe very substance that will do wonders for your car.

And as for the results?

Here’s just a couple of the benefits me and my car is enjoying -

- I’m now saving $75-100 every month from gasoline expenses.

- My car has clearer emissions (with lesser pollutants)

- And my car’s parts (especially the engine) is running smoother and quieter than ever

As for the savings department, the figures keep increasing every month!

I’d say it’s worth every penny I spent on the Water4Gas manual and worth every minute spent on reading and creating the HHO generators that will serve me well for the months to come.

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The LAW Prohibits Tampering and Inaccurate Odometer Disclosures

July 31, 2008

by Karl O. Heil

Buyers rely heavily on a vehicles mileage in determining a vehicles condition and value. Accurate odometer readings and disclosures, therefore, are essential for maintaining a reliable basis for determining a vehicles condition and value.

For these reasons, state and federal law prohibit not only odometer tampering, but also inaccurate odometer disclosures. Under federal law, a seller is required to provide an odometer disclosure statement certifying that:

(a) the odometers mileage reading is accurate for that car,

(b) the odometer shows the actual number of miles the vehicle has traveled even if it is beyond mechanical limits of the odometer, or

(c) the number on the odometer is incorrect.

Besides rolling back or modifying odometer readings (e.g. using odometer “kill switches”), unscrupulous sellers of motor vehicles also ignore tell-tale signs of possible odometer discrepancies or fraud. For example, there may be inconsistent odometer readings recorded in a vehicle’s title or repair history.

One example would be where the mileage drops during one calendar year. That’s pretty much a give away that something is going on. In other cases, the seller may notice that the odometer has been tampered with by seeing missing screws or scratch marks on the odometer casing.

These are signs that the seller should take seriously and check into the history of the vehicle. If he fails to do this then he’s not certifying that the odometer is showing the correct mileage.

Car buyers who are concerned about the accuracy of odometer readings on a used vehicle can check the services such as Autocheck that gather background information on used vehicles. sometimes even these background reports are not accurate so. Another option is to take your car to a specialty garage where they can check for signs of tampering.

If it turns out that the seller does mess with the odometer or that he doesn’t provide airtight odometer disclosures, use really looking for trouble, because federal law has serious penalties for such violators. Keep in mind though that federal laws regarding odometer tampering does not apply to vehicles that are more than 10 years old.

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Donate a Car To Charity : How To Go About Doing It and Why

July 30, 2008

by Ray Lam

If you have an old car in your garage (or backyard) and you don’t have a clue how to get rid of it, one way is to donate your car to a charity. You might think that your old car won’t matter at all and it’s a piece of junk, but your car can still be useful. You will be helping a lot of people, and at the same time gain something for yourself. Car donation is the best option to get rid of an unused car while giving you the chance to help yourself and others. Your charitable donation might mean a lot, without you even realizing it.

As long as you have a receipt, you will get credit on your taxes for any money you give to charity. Any item you donate to charity can also give you tax credits and you can claim the full amount of any donation. A lot of people give car donations to charity when they have plans to purchase a new car.

If you donate your car, you can claim a tax deduction of up to $500. If the charity sells your vehicle for more than $500, you will be notified with the exact amount of the sale, and can use this amount on your tax return. The market value will depend upon the kind of vehicle you donate. Not all values are equal.

Donating your unused car to a charity is a great way for you to get a deduction on your taxes. Some of the organizations use the cars for their services and personal travel, while the others sell them directly to raise funds. You should also know that some programs aren’t run by charitable institutions, but rather salvage companies that use the name of the charity as a front, and in return they pay the charity a set amount for each of the vehicles donated.

To make sure that you are dealing with a trustworthy charity, you should ask what they are planning to do with your vehicle. If they plan to sell your car, will they use a broker or not? You should also ask if the charity is receiving a large amount of the selling price, so that you know how much of the money will go directly to the cause you are trying to support. Your best choice is a charity that is collecting a percentage of the sales price, rather than the per-car flat fee.

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Extended Warranties Suck In Your Money And Run

July 30, 2008

by Karl W. Heinzel

People purchase extended warranties are lots of consumer products including automobiles. Chances are you’re never got to get your money out of your investment. As a matter of fact, extended warranty is arn’t really even extended warranties at all. A more accurate name for them is a service contract. these contracts are usually sold as an add-on sale at the time of purchase. Through these service contracts, you end up paying a separate warranty company, an upfront fee to cover repairs that may show up in the future.

Most car dealers will do everything they can to sell you a service contract by telling you that they can cover some large repair bills that are covered by the standard warranty. of course the reason they do this is the service contracts are very profitable. In fact, sometimes 50 percent of the money goes straight into profits on the sale. The reason they can get away with this is that the coverage is usually not what you expect.

Most of these these contracts have exclusions like these:

Lack of Maintenance Records? Failure to retain and produce records that the vehicle was maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s routine maintenance schedule. It is generally not enough to just maintain your vehicle. You must also be able to provide proof to the service contract administrator that the vehicle was maintained. No proof equals no coverage.

Consider wear and tear parts. Things like brake pads, shoes, hoses, even shock absorbers are considered items that normally wear out and are usually not covered. Anything they can be considered normal wear and tear is generally not part of the contract.

Breakage of a noncovered part. Damage caused by non-covered parts are not included in your contract coverage even if they do cover items that are under contract. For example hoses are not covered by the contract, so if a hose breaks and causes major engine damage it won’t be covered even if major engine failure IS covered.

“Investigative surgery” like you leave your contract is not going to cover “exploratory surgery” on your car to find out the problem is, unless the problem turns out to be covered. This sometimes means you’re going to pay part of the repair costs upfront before the garage even starts to investigate the problem.

Repair option restrictions. You may have a very difficult time getting your vehicle repaired due to restrictions in the contract as to where you can get the work done. Sometimes the contracts are very specific about who can do the work. On the other hand, some service contracts have gained a reputation of not paying so the service center won’t even honor the contract itself. In that case, they’ll ask you for the money upfront and leave you to try and get reimbursed from the contract company.

With all of the above hurdles, it is hard to imagine receiving any peace of mind if you actually need to use your service contract. Additionally, with the quality of today’s vehicles the odds of needing a major repair during the first six years of your car’s life are slim. The bottom line is to save your money. In most situations you will be farther ahead monetarily and have greater peace of mind by saving your money for a rainy day.

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Affordable Car Insurance For The First Time Buyer

July 30, 2008

by Amy Nutt

You’ve just bought your first new car and now you need to get car insurance for that vehicle. You?re not sure what to do and you want to make sure you get the most affordable rate. You don?t want your lack of knowledge to cause you to have to pay more for your car insurance than what you have to; especially since you need to put very expensive fuel in that car to keep it running.

Fortunately, lack of knowledge doesn’t have to get in your way. There are some basic things you should know about buying car insurance for the first time. They are not difficult and you?ll find that the difference between knowing these things and not knowing these things means more money you can keep in your pocket or use to put fuel in your car. It doesn’t matter how you choose to use that money. What matters is that you?re not unnecessarily paying it on a car insurance premium.

How much you need

Chances are you have financed this car and the lender requires you to have full coverage insurance. This covers everything from bodily injury to collision in case you are in an auto accident with that car. Although the lender requires full coverage, you can have different degrees of coverage based on what you can afford.

For example:

- You can choose to go with a policy that has a $500 deductible. What this means is that this is the amount you have to pay to repair your car in case you are in a collision with someone or some thing. If the bill to fix the car is $3,000. The insurance will pay the remaining $2,500 after you have paid your $500 deductible.

That seems easy enough, doesn’t it? It is pretty simple. However, it is important for you to determine how much you can afford in regards to your deductible. You can actually save money on your premium each month if you can afford a higher deductible in case of an accident. The higher the deductible, the cheaper the premium, but you don?t want to go beyond what you can afford.

How to save

Once you’ve determined how much you need, this is the point in which you can work on saving money. You need to first comparison shop by checking with the different providers to see what types of premiums they have for the amount of coverage you need. You also need to ask them what is covered under the insurance, what the limitations are, when the coverage begins and ends, how much coverage you get, and how you file a claim.

Once you find good prospects, you can then ask them what types of car insurance discounts they offer. If you are a college student, they may offer a discount. They may even offer an additional discount for good grades. You can also do such things as open a life insurance policy with them to get a multi-line discount.

If you’re ever in doubt, contact your state?s department of insurance and ask them tips regarding how you can save on car insurance. They will gladly give you that information. You may even want to talk with the insurance providers regarding a discount if you allow them to automatically deduct your premium from your bank account each month. You have many different areas to compare and many discounts and policy alterations that can work to your advantage. Use them and see how much money you can save. You may actually be surprised how much money you can have in your pocket versus how much could possibly go into your insurance premium.

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New Technolgy Breakthrough: Car Runs On Water

July 30, 2008

by Hillary Clear

Yes, there is such as thing as a water powered auto. Over the years, new solutions have been designed and implemented whereby water is used for energy. In addition to saving a lot of money on the high price of gas, there is also the benefit of helping to cut back on air pollution.

The cost of fuel has never been higher. Obviously, this is placing a tremendous strain on a person’s wallet, which is why they are looking for ways to have water used for energy. With the development of conversion kits, it is possible to create a water powered car.

If you want to run your car on water, it is not a process of simply filling the tank with water. Instead, different programs are available whereby the car can be converted so gasoline is not the primary fuel source. Again, gas is used but water is what increases mileage while improving overall operation.

To switch your car over so it can run on water, you should understand the system. Using what is called electrolysis water is used in a way that works. With this, a small vessel filled with water that is connected to your car battery.

With electrolysis, a water powered car has electricity coming off the battery, which is then used to convert the water into brown gas or oxy hydrogen, also called HHO. From there, the HHO is capable of working with the gas and generating more power, which results in better fuel mileage.

People who choose to go with a water fueled car can enjoy on average 50% to 80% savings on gas. Now, before deciding if this is a solution for you, there are some things to understand. For one thing, hydrogen conversion kits are available on the market today.

With a hydro generator, you can switch your car to run on water. These kits come with full instructions and manual for installation. Typically, kits such as this are found on the internet or through companies that specialize on the water powered vehicle.

Making your own system for a water powered vehicle comes with a lot of advantages. For one thing, the process to buy a converter for hydrogen is expensive. Making one at home will save money from the unit, it will save you thousands of dollars on gas every year, and it works to clean up the environment.

It is important to understand that currently, no system can help a vehicle run on water by itself. The developers of hydrogen converters are not even trying to tell people that they will be replacing fuel completely. Instead, they want to let people know that with a water powered car, they will enjoy savings on gas mileage while using water and gas together.

For instance, one car may get 20% improvement in fuel mileage while another may get 60%. Regardless, anything is better than trying to stretch miles out of $4 per gallon gasoline. The gains from using a water fueled car are tremendous and well worth the consideration for converting.

There are numerous developers of conversion kits, one that has thousands of satisfied customers. Because of the benefits, to run a car on water is becoming more and more popular. With this alternative, you are no longer trapped in the world of high gas costs but you can switch and enjoy savings while also doing your share in a cleaner environment.

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Getting a Ticket in a Rental Car: Are there Additional Fees?

July 29, 2008

by Amy Nutt

When driving a rental car, there is a question that looms in the mind of the renter. One of those questions is, “What happens if I get a ticket?” That is a very good question because the car is not in the renter’s name. The car is in the name of the rental car company. This means things can get a bit complicated, depending on the company that you’re using. Sure, it is simple to say that you just shouldn’t do anything to get a ticket. However, it isn’t always that easy.

Getting the ticket

So let’s say you get a parking ticket. You didn’t mean to. You just simply didn’t see a sign or parked at a parking meter and forgot to pay it. So you go home, write a check, and mail the payment for your ticket to the city. However, you find a couple weeks later that you receive a letter from the rental car company telling you the ticket has not been paid. You know you paid it, so you call the city and they tell you that they received the payment. You then call the rental car company and you find out that they will charge a fee to you for you having to pass their contact information to the city that has issued you the ticket. This is because it is then on their record that one of their cars received a parking ticket. The catch to this is the fact that the officer issuing the ticket has to take down the VIN and license plate numbers on the car, which are registered under the rental car company.

Sometimes, the only way a fee is assessed is if the car rental company pays the fee and then they pass on the cost to the customer. However, in an instance where you pay the ticket and the car rental company contacts you, chances are they have not checked to see if the ticket was paid. These companies receive thousands of tickets per day and do not have the manpower to check if each and every ticket was paid. When the municipality that issued the ticket contacts the rental car company about a citation, they automatically assume that the ticket was not paid. Sometimes you can fax a receipt from the original payment to the car rental company to have your money refunded. However, the car rental company will charge a fee.

If you receive a speeding ticket, then the penalty is against you and not the car you are driving. Your personal driver’s license is involved. The police do check the plates to ensure everything is in check, but it is you who has to pay the penalty and not the car rental company. In fact, the car rental company may not be notified that such a citation occurred in one of their cars. The only way is if something happens you do not pay your fine. If the car rental company has to get involved in that case, then you can expect some kind of additional cost.

Exceptions

There are no exceptions to parking tickets, but the one exception regarding a speeding ticket being against you and not the car is in the case you are caught speeding on camera. If the camera catches you speeding, the authorities use the license plate number to find out where to send the ticket. The rental car company gets the ticket. They may pay it, but will pass the cost and a fee on to you for taking care of it. Yes, it is good to be careful, but it is also good to know how you can be ticketed in a rental car just in case it happens to you.

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