Getting The Most For Your Car Dollar

Peter Smith decided he was finally going to play it smart. The next time he bought a car, he told himself, he was going to buy the cheapest car he could find. That way he could trim his transportation costs to the bare minimum.

But a funny thing happened to Peter. He did buy the cheapest car he could stand to own, but four years later, when he decided he wanted a new vehicle, his old “cheap” car didn’t turn out to be such a bargain after all. Why? Well, there might have been a variety of contributing factors like Read more . . .

Depreciation Can Be Dilemma

Don’t let anybody kid you–buying a new car is not a “good investment.” A good investment is something that should appreciate in value or in some other way earn you money. Well, one thing is sure, the new car you buy today is not going to gain in value over the course of time, so you are much better off looking at a new vehicle as an expense. And good business sense suggests that you should do everything you can to minimize your auto expense. But, of course, most people don’t even come close to doing that. They have been brainwashed to believe that a brand-new car is an important symbol of their status and success and, further, that they need to acquire one of these totems every two or three years or so. That’s great for car manufacturers, not so great for your personal financial well-being. Read more . . .

What’s Your Car’s Re-sale Value?

A black Volks Wagen

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A key factor in overall transportation cost is the re-sale value of your vehicle. But while many consumers research the prices of new vehicles to the nth degree, they often don’t even take a stab at finding out how that used vehicle’s value over time. But now a new online tool will make obtaining that information easier. The J.D. Power Consumer Center, a Web site that provides voice-of-the-customer ratings on a number of products and services, has introduced a new feature on its automotive site called PIN Retained Value. Read more . . .

Payment Driven Car Lease

Not all vehicles are created equal, and that goes double when it comes to re-sale value, a key component in determining automotive lease rates. Because of this phenomenon, monthly lease payments for some expensive vehicles can actually be less than those for lower-priced vehicles.   But tracking down these “deals” was a hit-and-miss proposition until now.   Recently, Automobile Consumer Services (ACS), a leader in online, direct-to-consumer auto leasing, has added a new service to its popular leasing services. Read more . . .