Car Tips
How To Find A Car’s Dealer Cost
by admin on Mar.17, 2010, under Car Tips, Cars
How To Find A Car’s Dealer Cost
Whenever you approach a car dealer, you can expect to spend time negotiating the final price. This is true for both new and used cars. The problem is that consumers are often confused about where to start negotiating. It’s understandable, especially given that there’s a sticker price, dealer invoice, and other terms that are used loosely in the industry. Each has a specific meaning and knowing them can be essential toward negotiating a better deal. Today, we’ll briefly explore what these terms mean. Then, I’ll show you how to find the dealer cost of a vehicle (the best place to begin negotiating).
Numbers Explained
First, let’s take a moment to clarify what some of the most common prices mean. Most people know what “sticker price” means. If you walk into a dealership and are willing to pay the sticker price for a car, there’s no need to negotiate. You can leave with your new car in minutes. Paying sticker price is obviously a bad idea (which we’ll discuss in a moment).
You’ve probably heard of the “dealer invoice” cost, but you may not fully understand what it means. It’s the dollar figure that car manufacturers print on invoices that are given to dealers for every car they purchase. However, there are often details under the surface of this dollar figure which aren’t disclosed to the public.
For example, automakers commonly give dealerships incentives and other deals to encourage purchase orders. Sometimes, the dealerships will transfer these incentives directly to customers, lowering the price of their vehicles. However, they’ll often keep the incentives and use them to preserve their profit margin during negotiations with prospective buyers. Ultimately, you may be proud of the fact that you’ve aggressively negotiated a price for your new car that is below the “dealer invoice.” In reality, the dealership can still be making thousands of dollars in profit without your realizing it.
Finding The True Dealer Cost
Knowing how much money a dealer truly paid for a vehicle is critical to negotiating the best price. So, how do you uncover this dollar amount? First, the dealer invoice cost is widely available. Some dealerships will actually offer it to you (though, acquiring it from an unbiased source is always preferable). Once you know the dealer invoice, you’ll need to find out what types of incentives, rebates, and cash deals were offered. Then, you’ll subtract those from the dealer invoice to determine the actual dealer cost.
You can ask a salesperson to divulge the information. But, some will be resistant while others may actually mislead you. The easiest way to gain access to the numbers is to use ConsumerReports or a similar resource. Once you’re armed with the dealer cost, you can negotiate a better deal on your new or used car.
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The Keys To A Front Wheel Alignment
by admin on Jan.27, 2010, under Car Maintenance, Car Tips
The Keys To A Front Wheel Alignment
Wheel alignments are one of many maintenance items that drivers overlook or completely ignore. Unlike an engine that overheats or a transmission that suddenly whines, alignment problems are nearly imperceptible when they originally form. Plus, they build gradually over time, making them difficult to identify. Eventually, you discover that your front-end is so poorly aligned that your car can make a right turn on its own when you release the steering wheel.
Fortunately, the problem is simple for a mechanic to resolve. It’s usually a matter of adjusting the caster, camber, and toe. In this article, I’ll explain the respective roles played by each in the proper alignment of your vehicle.
The Role Of Caster
Caster affects the directional movement (and thus, handling) of your car. It is defined as the forward or backward tilt of the steering axis when viewed from the side. If the axis tilts forward, the measurement is positive. If it tilts backward, it is negative.
Caster is influenced by the height of your vehicle. That means lowering or raising your car will affect it. Automakers typically set caster between +2 and +5. If it is not positive enough, the steering response will be highly sensitive. What’s more, uneven caster between the two front wheels will result in pulling toward the side with the lesser amount. It’s worth noting that such problems rarely impact tread wear.
The Role Of Camber
Camber reflects the tilt of your wheels when viewed from the front or the back. If the top of the wheel tilts outward, the camber is said to be positive. If it tilts inward toward the center of your vehicle, it is said to be negative. The measurement is defined by the tilt off each wheel’s vertical axis.
Automakers usually set the camber between 0 and -2. If it is too positive, you’ll notice tread wear on the outside of your tire. If it is too negative, you’ll see tread wear on the inside. Both can cause excess wear and tear on your car’s suspension.
Toe In And Toe Out
Toe reflects how much the front of your wheels are turned inward or outward when viewed from above. If they are turned inward, toe is said to be positive (or, toe-in exists). If they are turned outward, it is negative (i.e. toe-out). The former leads to an understeer while the latter causes an oversteer.
Automakers normally set the toe near zero, which means the tires point forward. Any other setting will usually cause excess tread wear and lower gas mileage.
There are additional factors that influence the alignment of your vehicle’s wheels, such as the track, wheelbase, and ride height. However, these factors are related to the design of your car and are rarely adjusted. If you suspect your car’s caster, camber, or toe is off, have an experienced mechanic perform a complete front-end alignment.
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On Replacing Your Vehicle’s Spark Plugs
by admin on Aug.10, 2009, under Car Maintenance, Car Tips
On Replacing Your Vehicle’s Spark Plugs
You walk out to your car, climb into the driver’s seat, and stick the key into the ignition. You turn the key and are surprised to discover that your engine seems sluggish. Over the ensuing weeks, it becomes even more sluggish. Eventually, it seems as if it doesn’t want to turn over at all. The problem may be your vehicle’s spark plugs (SPs).
They debuted in the early 1900s and have been an essential piece of automotive technology since. In the early days, they only lasted up to 15,000 miles. The reason was due to the lead contained within gasoline at the time. Today, they can last much longer; some are promoted as lasting up to 100,000 miles.
Below, I’ll explain why spark plugs need to be replaced periodically. In some cases, the emissions tests mandated in certain states prompts drivers to replace them (they fail the test otherwise). In other cases, engine and driveability issues are the catalyst.
Misfires
When you put new SPs into your vehicle, your engine will perform at its highest level of efficiency. It won’t last. Each spark plug has an electrode that delivers voltage for your car’s internal combustion process. These electrodes will wear down over time. As they do, voltage is forced to bridge a growing chasm in order to provide the ignition for the air-fuel mixture. Eventually, you’ll experience occasional misfires. They will steadily become more frequent. As a result, the level of emissions in your exhaust will increase, and your power and fuel efficiency will plummet.
Cold Starts
Often, vehicles have difficulty starting during cold weather. This is not due to the spark plugs having become fouled. Instead, it can happen as the result of their being exposed to dirt and fuel flooding. In the case of dirt, removing and cleaning the SPs will often solve a cold starting problem.
Flooding is a bit different. It happens when drivers flood their cars while trying to crank the engine. The released fuel soaks the SPs and prevents the voltage from sparking. This problem occurs mostly with cars that use carburetors, but it can also happen with those that operate on fuel injection systems. The only option is to clean or replace the spark plugs.
Protecting The Catalytic Converter
Catalytic converters are relatively sensitive to heat (and relatively expensive to replace). If an SP goes bad and misfiring occurs, excess fuel can filter into the exhaust and raise the temperature in the cat converter. If the temperature rises high enough, it can cause a partial or full failure in the cat’s substrate. New SPs help prevent excess fuel dumping, which prevents the catalytic converter from overheating and melting down.
If you’re using ordinary spark plugs, plan to have them replaced every 50,000 miles (or sooner). If you’re using a “life-long” model, replace them after 100,000 miles. They’re inexpensive and can help your engine operate at peak performance.