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Pre-Owned Vehicle vs. New Vehicles…And the Winner Is?
By Philip Jarnagin of Jarnagin's Hill Country Auto Sales

One of the first things to be considered when purchasing a vehicle is whether to buy new or pre-owned. In the past, most people believed buying new was better than buying pre-owned. But, with the improvements in automotive technology, the sky rocketing prices of new vehicles and the evolution of the internet, buying a pre-owned vehicle is now becoming the popular choice for most buyers. There are several positive aspects of buying pre-owned vehicles and we will discuss those aspects in this article.

Depreciation

The second that you drive a new car off of the lot it depreciates anywhere from 20%-40% immediately, depending on the make and model of the vehicle. As an example, a 2006 Chrysler Sebring that was $20,475 new is worth $12,750 today. That is depreciation of almost 40% in one year! Yikes! This is an extreme example and some cars, such as Honda Accords, only depreciate about 20% in the first year and hold their value better in the subsequent years. But, the bottom line is that you lose thousands of dollars in the first year of car ownership.

Warranty

Many persons believe that they should buy new to get the full factory warranty offered on the vehicle, but you can still get the remaining factory warranty on a one or two year old vehicle and take advantage of saving money by letting someone else take the depreciation hit. Also, most reputable dealers offer solid extended warranty programs up to 100,000 miles of coverage from established warranty companies. In fact, some dealers even offer short term powertrain warranties included in their vehicle price.

Vehicle Life and Technology

For years it has been thought by most of the buying public that a car was only good for 100,000 miles unless it was a diesel engine vehicle. This was true in the 1980’s and early 1990’s, but as technology has improved, so has the longevity of vehicles. A properly maintained vehicle should be able to get anywhere from 150,000-200,000 miles on the original engine. Therefore, it becomes clear that buying a pre-owned vehicle with miles between 60,000-100,000 miles is not as scary to do as it once was. Also, the internet makes pre-owned vehicle shopping easier than ever. You can immediately look up any year, make, and model and sort by options, colors, mileage and many other options. This makes it easy to find the pre-owned car, truck, or SUV that you are looking for.

I believe it is clear that pre-owned vehicles are the way to go for any budget minded individual. Pre-Owned Wins!!

Finding the right “Dentist” for your Car
By Steve Takamatsu of Lawson Tire and Automotive

If your car wouldn't start today would that put you in a bind? Chances are it would make you crabby, but moreover it would make you late for some appointment. So there you are with the kids and your to-do list, wondering why you didn't do anything when your car started making that funny noise (which instead you addressed by turning up the radio).

Taking your car in for repairs usually gives you the same feeling as when your dentist says “uh-oh” while looking into your mouth. You just want to know how much it's going to hurt and how much it's going to cost. You have to trust that some expert knows what they are doing, they aren't making up the ailment, and you won't be out of commission too long. For all these reasons people avoid the dentist and the auto repair shop – they only go when they can't stand the pain anymore or their car breaks down. But this can put you in an inconvenient and potentially costly jam. So be proactive and determine where you want your vehicle(s) serviced before they break down.

Ask friends, family and associates about their experience with the repair facilities in your area. Shops that have earned their trust have earned it for a reason.
Find out if the facility employs ASE certified automotive technicians. ASE tests and certifies automotive professionals in all technical areas of repair and service.

Find out how long the facility has been in business. A repair shop that has provided honest, quality service at a fair price through the years is more likely to have some tenure than a sub par facility.

Observe the cleanliness and organization of the garage, lobby and bathrooms. Although this may seem like a superficial test, it goes a long way to show how organized the operation is.

Once you've chosen your repair shop, it's a good idea to take your car there for regular maintenance checks and even oil changes. Your shop will be that much more familiar with your car when something does need fixing. You wouldn't have your teeth cleaned at one dentist and have your cavities filled at another, would you?

I admit it. I used to drive a few miles out of my way to save a few cents a gallon. But now that gas is nearly $3.00 a gallon, those pennies don't seem to matter as much. Nonetheless, before you go hunting for cheap gas deals, consider these sure-fire ways to stop these common problems that can reduce your gas mileage by as much as 25%:

Check your tire pressure monthly. Under-inflated tires especially can rob you of as much as 10% of your fuel economy, cause serious safety issues, and lead to excess wear on tires, meaning they will need to be replaced much quicker than normal.

Have your alignment checked every six months, or more frequently if you've been driving on rough terrain or have hit any potholes or curbs lately. Just like incorrectly inflated tires, bad alignment will affect fuel economy as well as cause abnormal wear on your tires.

Every two years, take your car to your trusted repair facility to see if your engine needs tuning up. A badly running engine is inefficient and bad for the environment as well. You may not need a tune-up every two years, but it certainly is worth having it checked out to make sure.

Change your air filter every 12,000 miles. DO NOT HAVE THE DUST/DIRT BLOWN OUT. The high pressure air from typical air blowers will actually create larger holes in the filter, which allow more dirt into your engine, creating a worse situation than before! Air filters are cheap, so don't be penny-wise and pound-foolish.

Have your fuel injectors cleaned annually or every 12,000 miles. Your fuel injectors get clogged up from dirt in the fuel, which creates energy robbing deposit buildups in the injectors and combustion chamber. A complete injector cleaning will keep your engine running smoothly and only runs about $120.

You might not think a 25% reduction in fuel economy would be substantial, but if you put a pencil to it, based on $3.00 gas, driving 15,000 miles a year in a vehicle that's supposed to get 20 mpg, it represents a difference of $750 ! And if your car normally gets 16 mpg, the difference is $925 ! Every year. For every car you have . Think about that the next time you're out hunting for the cheapest gas in your neighborhood.

My Summer Vacation
By Steve Takamatsu of Lawson Tire and Automotive

During the summer of 1977, my family went on a three-week camping trip to the Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. It was an idyllic trip except for two things: we all got the stomach flu and our car broke down in Wyoming. One of my most vivid memories of the whole three weeks was not seeing Old Faithful, but waiting at the car repair place while revisiting my breakfast – multi-color Trix cereal - yuck. And, my dad was freaking out because he felt sure we were going to get the "tourist" rate on the repair. But, I digress. The point is, summer vacation is just around the corner, so don't let a visit to a far-off car repair facility be the highlight of your trip. There's nothing worse than car problems bringing your family plans to a grinding halt in the searing heat.

Whether you are planning to tour the Rocky Mountains, trek over to Disneyworld or just drive to five different summer camps in town, take your car in for a good check-up before the heat takes hold. Go to your trusted auto repair facility and ask for a summer check-up. They should perform a multi-point inspection at no charge, focusing on wear and heat sensitive items such as:

• Your engine's cooling system
• All belts and hoses
• Tires (for wear and alignment)
• Suspension and brakes
• Air conditioning
• All the fluids in the car
• And determine if your engine needs a tune-up

Of course, these are items that should be checked regularly throughout the year, but even more so now if your vacation is dependent on the reliability of your car. Finally, as all these items can greatly affect your gas mileage, in these times of soaring gas prices, why give away even more money than you have to at the pump?

So, here's to a memorable (and trouble-free) summer vacation!

I always like watching the Michelin TV ad showing a baby in a tire - with the tagline “Because there's so much riding on your tires. It's so true “our most precious cargo, our children“ as well as ourselves, deserve to be transported in a safe environment. As we enter the rainy season (if we really ever have one!) perhaps no other part of your car will impact safe driving as much as your tires. Furthermore, as gasoline prices start creeping up again, it makes financial sense to keep an eye on your tires as well. Here are some tips to make sure the rubber meets the road for you:

Make sure your tires are properly inflated. Over-inflated tires ride roughly and suffer premature wear at the center of the tread. Under-inflated tires decrease fuel economy as much as 10%, suffer premature wear on the edges, and can overheat and fail at highway speeds. Either way, you will end up replacing your tires earlier than normal. Tires typically lose one pound of pressure per month, so check your tire pressure about once a month when they are cold, following the recommendations in your owner's manual.

Have your tread depth and wear patterns checked periodically. Your repair shop can quickly determine from the wear patterns whether your tires have been properly inflated, and can replace them before the tread depth reaches a crucial level. You don't want to mess around here “ low tread depth can severely affect your car's ability to handle, especially in inclement weather, and greatly increases the chance of a blowout.

Have your alignment checked every six months, and possibly more often if you drive on rough terrain. Wheels out-of-alignment result in premature tire wear, handling issues, and loss of fuel economy. In the end, you will spend a lot less money keeping your expensive tires in good shape instead of replacing them.

When you do have to replace tires, remember that you don’t have to buy the exact same tires that came on your car. There are plenty of lower priced brands and models that will more than adequately meet your driving needs (unless your name is Mario Andretti!). Consult with your local tire and auto repair facility.