Help! I Need A Tune Up

by Kimberly Ann
www.AutoSaver.com

It’s a New Year and I’m always intrigued by what people’s New Year Resolutions are.  The most over used resolution is ‘I’m going to get in shape and take better care of myself’. Or, ‘I’m giving up chocolate’ or even worse, ‘I’m giving up wine’! Why?? Why do we make resolutions we have no intentions of keeping?  Some seem flat out impossible.  A woman on the radio said she was going to cook a different meal every day for a year! Now there’s a resolution that requires some work!  She mentioned she had the same resolution last year and made it into April...not bad.  

Anyways, I’ve decided that NO, I’m not going to take better care of myself because I try to do that anyways. However, this year my resolution is to take better care of my CAR!  My poor, abused, neglected Audi needs some TLC!  I am embarrassed to say, being in the car industry, that I totally procrastinate when it comes to taking care of my own car.  I easily go a few thousand miles over my routine oil changes, I’m probably 9 months behind on the required ‘Service’, my tire pressure light is on at all times and my coolant level light is now on! My kids told me I need a new car…I guess all the warning lights are freaking them out!

So, I decided to make myself feel REALLY bad and look up a few things that could hurt our cars (and our wallet) if overlooked: 

BRAKES:  Yes, if they feel funny, are making an odd sound (finger nails on chalkboard) this is something you need to look into pretty quickly.  It’s much more costly if you ignore the warning signals your brakes show in the early stages, i.e. Needing Pads vs. Pads and Rotors.  This coming from experience.

TUNE UPS and OIL CHANGES: Suggestion – reading your owner’s manual could save you time and $$.  You may think you need an oil change every three thousand miles, but you may only need one every 5,000 miles, or even 15,000 miles.  You may not need an air filter or your valves adjusted, this could all be a part of your scheduled, big maintenances (60,000 miles, 100,000 miles)… which are detailed in your owner's manual. (note to self)

TIRES:- It is true that tires not properly inflated cost you more gas.  Checking your tire pressure periodically, OR in my case when your tire pressure light comes on, can help your car ride better and get you a few more miles out of the gas tank.

So, it's confirmed…My car deserves a better owner!  But I'm getting my owner's manual out now!  

Here's to a great 2014!

www.AutoSaver.com


references:
http://editorial.autos.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=463862

Red McCombs Toyota Announces Partnership With AutoSaver.com

AutoSaver.com, the value-based car shopping site that provides pricing reassurance products to auto dealers, has added Red McCombs Toyota to its already impressive dealer network. AutoSaver.com will provide independent pricing analysis backed by Black BookÒ data on the Red McCombs Toyota website. Anyone who has ever bought a used car would surely agree that sales negotiations are the most stressful part of the buying process, and when negotiations stall it is usually because buyers and sellers do not agree on price. By partnering with AutoSaver.com, Red McCombs Toyota will be able to establish trust in their prices, thus improving bottom line profits and used car turn.   

What sets AutoSaver.com apart from other vehicle appraisal products, is their patent-pending Value MeterÒ where prices are displayed on an easy to use (and aesthetically pleasing) diamond shaped meter. Buyers can quickly determine if the vehicle they are considering is priced at or below its present market value. The best deals on the McCombs website will display a clickable “Below Market” icon that allow potential buyers to view a complete pricing analysis of the vehicle. “We’re really excited to use AutoSaver’s pricing analysis on our website to increase our overall website lead conversions,” states Jasmine Watts at McCombs Enterprises. “We know we price our vehicles fairly, and now AutoSaver is going to let the customer know that too,” she adds.

Located in West San Antonio, Red McCombs Toyota carries approximately 200 pre-owned vehicles in inventory with nearly 60% of them priced below local market prices. “Our relationship with McCombs enables us to try new and innovative ideas at the dealership level, ultimately improving our products and how they positively affect the dealership”, states Derek White, Founder and CEO of AutoSaver.com.

About Red McCombs Auto Group

Based in San Antonio, Texas, Red McCombs Automotive Group is one of the largest new and used vehicle dealers in Texas, operating a dozen dealerships in the San Antonio market. New car brands include Ford, GMC, Pontiac, Scion, Toyota and Hyundai. The private company is owned by Red McCombs, better known outside of Texas for his past ownership of professional sports franchises, including the San Antonio Spurs and Denver Nuggets, of the National Basketball Association, as well as the National Football League's Minnesota Vikings. McCombs is also the cofounder of radio station operator Clear Channel Communications, Inc.

About AutoSaver.com

AutoSaver.com, the flagship brand of E-Drive Autos, LLC is an online automotive marketplace and Internet technology company that provides pricing and appraisal tools to auto dealerships. Founded in 2011 by serial entrepreneur and Realtytrac.com founder, Derek White, AutoSaver.com has been featured on Boston.com, Miami Herald, Reuters, Wall Street Journal, Automotive Digest, DrivingSales.net, Automotive News, and Used Car News. The company is based in St. Augustine, FL.

VIN Scan Technology At Your Fingertips

by Kimberly Ann

If you have ever wanted to have an edge in the car buying process, or at least a solid standing ground, we have a great solution for you…and it doesn’t cost a penny.   Here at AutoSaver.com, we have developed and released our new App that allows you, as a consumer to scan any VIN from your iPhone then plug in the mileage, along with dealer asking price.  The App will then calculate and show you how that vehicle’s price compares to current average market prices…all on an easy to read diamond meter.  Great information to have at the start of your negotiations. 

Ok, let’s walk through a scenario together…

You’re driving by a car lot and you see a ‘like new’ Ford E150 Cargo Van that you could really use for work.  So, you pull in the lot, get out of your car and immediately open the AutoSaver App you recently downloaded.

  

From the dashboard, you press ‘Scan a Vin’ and proceed to capture the VIN with your iPhone camera.  The van’s VIN then comes up on your screen, as seen below:

Now, you simply add the dealer’s current asking price, along with the van’s milage, to view where this van’s current asking price is in relation to average market prices.

As you can see, this particular van’s price of $25,000 is currently $1,066 below average market.  Now, as the salesman walks up, you know where you stand.  So you negotiate some more, buy the van, and your pocketbook lives happily ever after.

Every VIN you scan is added to your watch list, so you have the capability to review what you have previously scanned.  If you are unable to scan the VIN, you have the option to enter it manually.  

This App is a definite must have if you’re looking for a smoother auto buying process.  It takes the ‘fair price’ guess work out of the equation…saving you time and ultimately MONEY.

Where do we get our data?  Good question.  All of our data is backed by Black Book…The Gold Standard within the auto industry.

Where can you download the AutoSaver App? To download our free App, simply click here:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/autosaver/id687453909?mt=8

Is the AutoSaver App available for the Android Phones? The AutoSaver App will be available for Android users in the near future…don’t worry we haven’t forgotten about you.

So check out some cool technology and take our App for a test drive today.

Car Shopping At A Glance

by Kimberly Ann

We all know, there are so many factors involved when purchasing a vehicle.  We have to decide what type of car we would like, do we want new or used, what’s our price point?  Once you have that figured out, there are numerous means by which to purchase a vehicle these days.  A study by JD Power & Associates shows that over 80% of consumers use the internet to help them in their vehicle shopping experience.   And this is fabulous!  However, with many on-line automotive marketplaces, you need to reference several websites in order to complete your research.  You may begin your vehicle search on one website, but then have to reference another for market data, comparable prices and then vehicle history reports.  Wouldn’t it be nice to simply reference ONE website?  To be able to see a vehicle you like, not have to switch back and forth between sites, and just KNOW the vehicle is a good enough deal to take the time and go test drive it?

AutoSaver.com is a new and innovative automotive platform that does just that.  They have developed what is known as the Value Range Meter (aka vrMeter) and it’s about to take the market by storm.  With this technology, and data backed by Black Book, a consumer can easily search, view and know for certain if the vehicle they are interested in is a good deal.  Not only if it’s a good deal, but their vrMeter shows you how far below average market that particular vehicle is priced.  And all of this can be recognized with a simple glance…It really doesn’t get any easier. 

As you can see, the deeper ‘in the green’ your vehicle is, the greater the value.  After all, we love to save money and the more we save the better.  

Although many sites have several search features and a means by which to filter your search, AutoSaver.com allows you to also filter by Value Range Price Results.  Basically, if you want to view the best deals, slide the guide to determine your savings.

AutoSaver.com’s CEO, Derek White, stated that their main objective when creating the vrMeter, was simply to make car shopping 'by price' much easier.  After taking one glance at the vrMeter you'll be convinced they have done just that. 

References:

https://pictures.dealer.com/jdpower/f03848600a0d02b7004dd01481592777.pdf

www.AutoSaver.com

A Salute To America's 'Big Three'

AutoSaver.com by Kimberly Ann

In honor of our Independence Day this week, we thought we’d salute the top three United States Auto Manufacturers.  These companies have been known as ‘The Big Three’ or ‘The Detroit Three’ and have been amongst the largest auto manufacturers in the world.  So, here’s to Ford, General Motors and The Chrysler Group.

According to AutoGuide.com, in the first quarter of 2013, Ford has moved a total of 580,917 vehicles thus making it the top seller worldwide, over Toyota who came in at number two.  Quoted on their corporate site as saying, “Ford Posts First Quarter Pre-Tax Profit of $2.1 Billion, Driven by Highest North America Profit in more than a decade; Net Income of $1.6Billion +’ …now that’s impressive.  Founded in 1903 by Henry Ford, The Ford Motor Company introduced methods for large-scale manufacturing of cars as well as large-scale management of an industrial workforce…the moving assembly lines. With top sellers starting with the Model T, Ford has not only manufactured millions of vehicles, they employ an estimated 160,000 people worldwide.  Ford has three of the top ten best sellers of all time:

1. The Ford F Series Pick up at 35 million units sold
2. The Ford Escort at 20 million units sold
3. The Model T at 16.5 million units sold

The General  Motors’ powerhouse incorporates Buick, Cadillac, GMC and Chevrolet.  Founded in 1908 by William “Billy” Durant and holding only the Buick Motor Company, General Motors soon acquired more than 20 companies including Oldsmobile, Cadillac and Oakland (currently known as Pontiac).  Although they have only one vehicle on the top ten list, the Impala, this vehicle has been around for over five decades with the Corvette having celebrated  it’s 60^th birthday on June 30.  We MUST also mention the Cadillac, which was the first production vehicle to introduce the electric starter, ignition and lighting.  Employing an estimated 213,000 people worldwide, General Motors’ sales are on the rise as well.  Reporting their highest number of vehicles sold in the month of May at 252,894.  This is their highest volume since September 2008.

The Chrysler Corporation was founded by Walter Chrysler in 1925 from what once was the Maxwell Motor Company. The company expanded in 1928 acquiring the Fargo truck company and the Dodge Brothers Company, as well as establishing the Plymouth and DeSoto automobile brands in the same year. In 1987, Chrysler acquired American Motors Corporation, which brought the profitable Jeep brand to their sales fleet.  Chrysler holds the Dodge, Jeep and Ram brands under their umbrella.  Selling 2.2 million vehicles in 2012, the Chrysler Group, LLC employs 65,000 people.  Today, European automaker Fiat, is the majority shareholder of the Chrysler Corporation but will always be considered an American company.

Without these Automakers, we'd have hundreds of thousands of additional unemployed individuals.  They have made a huge contribution to our country and society.  Thank You Ford, GM and Chrysler, you've made a difference and make our country proud.

AutoSaver.com 

References:

http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2013/04/ford-toyota-top-automakers-in-march-2013-sales.html

http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2012/02/top-10-best-selling-cars-of-all-time.html/9

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Three_(automobile_manufacturers)

http://media.gm.com/content/product/public/us/en/gm_facts/news.detail.html/content/Pages/news/microsites/gm_facts/business_results.html#market

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Motor_Company

http://media.gm.com/content/media/us/en/gm/news.filter.html/GM/EN/News/companyinformation.html

http://www.cadillac.com/experience/history-heritage.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler

http://www.chryslergroupllc.com/company/AboutUs/Pages/AboutUs.aspx

http://media.chrysler.com/newsrelease.do;jsessionid=67291608C3EC25C13E2E41D0A0938304?&id=866&mid=1

The Cost Of Speeding In America

AutoSaver.com by Kimberly Ann

The speed limit really isn’t the speed limit anymore, or at least that's how it appears when we're out on the road.  If the speed limit sign reads 65, it seems like everybody’s moving at at least 75 miles per hour.  What’s the catch phrase?  “Eight you’re great…Nine you’re mine”.  Bottom line is the majority of us speed.  I’m not stating we are all Excessive Speeders, but in today's society, everybody  is always in a hurry to get somewhere.  Let’s take a look at what it ultimately costs us when we choose to speed.

It's obvious, if you are caught speeding, you can pretty much count on being issued a ticket.  The ticket brings with it fines and penalties, such as points on your license.  Depending on how fast you were speeding, will determine the number of points you will get on your license, as well as the cost of the ticket.  If you receive numerous points on your license, in a short period of time, it could result in the suspension of your license.  A good point of reference is the DMW website: http://www.dmv.org/traffic-tickets.php .  In Florida, for instance, a speeding ticket can result in 3 to 6 points on your license, however the code for each state varies.  I recently read an article where a 21 year old was issued a ticket for driving at a speed of 131 MPH in a 65 MPH zone.  This resulted in over $3,500 fines and court costs...not to mention the points on his license.  

Now, once you take the hit and get the points on your license and pay your ticket, the next cost of speeding could be a rise in your automobile insurance.  Depending on your age and driving history, a speeding ticket can most certainly cause your insurance to rise.  For example, if you are a new driver who is ticketed for speeding in excess, your cost of insurance could rise as much as 25% for the next couple of years.  On the flip side, if you are a 40 year old, with a clean record, your insurance may not be affected at all.  The cost of your automobile insurance is determined by what the insurance company considers your risk level to be.

The most tragic cost of speeding could be an automobile accident.  Perhaps not just an accident, but a fatal crash...whether it's your life or the life of an innocent.  According to ThePoliceChiefMagazine.org, the number of traffic-related deaths is increasing.  It's expected that the number of traffic-related deaths will reach and exceed the high numbers of years past. It is stated that speed is a contributing factor in 31% of all fatal crashes.  This is nearly 14,000 lives per year in the United States alone...an astounding number. 

While behind the wheel, we have control over how we chose to drive.  Speeding is most definitely a choice we make as a driver.  It's bad enough we have to be on the same roads as angry, thoughtless drivers, so why not do our best and control what we can.  Take the cost of a speeding ticket out of the equation, is it worth risking your life and the lives of innocent people sharing the road with you?  We can help simply playing by the rules.

www.AutoSaver.com

References

http://www.dmv.org/traffic-tickets.php

http://wrmj.com/?p=4936

http://www.policechiefmagazine.org/magazine/index.cfm?

fuseaction=display_arch&article_id=1001&issue_id=92006

http://www.carsdirect.com/car-insurance/how-much-does-a-speeding-ticket-affect-insurance-rates

Five Fabulous FUN Summer Rides

www.AutoSaver.com by Kimberly Ann

Can there be anything more fun than a convertible to drive around, enjoying your Spring and Summer months? Being able to drive with the top down and the sun on your face is pure freedom. This week we’d like to feature five FUN summer vehicles to enjoy the beautiful warm weather in.  

Audi TT 2 Door Roadster

Looking for a cute, sporty ride without giving up the get up and go?  Hop behind the wheel of The Audi TT Roadster.  I don’t see an overabundance of these on the road and had to include it in my top five.  The TT Roadster offers fabulous gas milage, getting 22/29 miles per gallon city/highway, and this featured vehicle can be purchased for under $24,000.  So grab those sunglasses, fill your tank and enjoy some sunsets in style.

http://www.autosaver.com/product/details/8904973/

Jeep Wrangler Sport

This Jeep epitomizes easy beach living, off-roading and loads of fun.  Now being offered in a wide arrange of spunky colors, the Jeep is sure to snag you some glances.  I found this ‘Gecko Pearl’ Jeep Wrangler 4 Wheel Drive for only $23,850.  AutoSaver's Value Meter shows us this is almost $2,300 below average market prices.   Feel free to take the doors off, take the top down, grab your flip flops and get rolling!

http://www.autosaver.com/product/details/9001619/

Porsche Boxster

This two seat, luxury roadster is a popular joyride.  The Porsche Boxster packs some punch with it’s 265 horses yet getting 30 highway miles per gallon.  If you love the high performance vehicles, this one sits at the top of it’s class up against the BMW Z4, Mercedes-Benz SLK and Audi TT.  Being the least expensive way to get into a Porsche, this featured Boxster is ready for a new owner, priced perfect at $38,950.

http://www.autosaver.com/product/details/8908689/

VW Beetle Convertible

Definitely not a performance vehicle, but cute as a button, the VW Beetle definitely offers up some nostalgia.  The VW Beetle will get you where you need to go with an average of 20/29 miles per gallon city/highway.  And let’s not forget the affordable price tags…this particular vehicle is under $14,000. Whatcha waiting for…get cruising!

http://www.autosaver.com/product/details/8959567/

Stallion Trike

Yes, I know I know.  Technically, this isn’t a car, but there is something very intriguing (FUN) about this vehicle.   From behind, it looks like a small convertible… but it’s a Trike.  Equipped with all the features of a car (including it’s Ford 2.3 4-cylinder engine), the only thing it’s missing is a top!  Who knows, maybe that’s next for The Stallion.  Some serious bikers may consider this a sissy ride, but if you’re looking for comfort and safety, perhaps this is for you.  You definitely can’t argue with 35/45 miles per gallon city/highway…one tank gets you the most fun in the sun out of my Top 5.

Not sure about you, but now all I want to do is get outside!  I picked the five vehicles above strictly based on the 'Fun Factor' and I know there are many more great summer rides out there.  If you have a favorite please share!

www.AutoSaver.com