After monster sales totals for new cars in February and March, April is shaping up as another solid month for the auto industry. End-of-the-month deals and incentives aim to ensure that’s the case.
Now, and for some time to come, anyone looking for a deal on a slightly used car is out of luck.
It has been an especially good month for car sales from two American automakers, Ford and Chrysler. The latter’s sales are up 27%, compared with February 2011.
Besides a home, an automobile is often the most expensive purchase a consumer ever makes—so, for obvious reasons, you don’t want to screw it up. To ensure you wind up with the right car at the best possible price, here’s a list of helpful and informative resources of use to first-time buyers and experienced negotiators [...]
Could it be that America’s fascination with gas-guzzling SUVs, muscle cars, and V8-powered sedans is really on the way out? Today, nearly half of all new cars sold are equipped with 4-cylinder engines.
Today, automakers are more likely to recommend that owners of new cars need to change the oil in their vehicles every 5,000, or even 10,000 miles. So why do some quickie lube service station keep pushing the one-size-fits-all mantra of “three months or 3,000 miles”?
When you’re squirming at the car dealership negotiating table, wouldn’t it be nice to have endless knowledge of the marketplace at your fingertips? With a smartphone and the right apps, you’ve got just that.
Sales incentives from car markers are at their lowest levels in years, and the average buyer can expect to pay more at the dealership for months to come.
Also, is it wrong to take advantage of freebies? And: How much should you be saving for college? (If you’re dropping off your kid at school next week, this is an issue you probably should have addressed earlier.)
For many cars, there’s a sweet spot that occurs after a brand-new car depreciates in value and before major service expenses are likely. During this period—between roughly two and five years of age—cars don’t depreciate all that much. The result is that, with good timing, you can buy a car, drive it for a few [...]
That’s what the average U.S. household spends annually on transportation, the bulk of it in the form of automobiles—purchase price, fuel, insurance, finance charges, repairs and maintenance, but not factoring in depreciation. For a lot of Americans, more than 20% of their take-home income heads right back out of their homes and into their car [...]
