10 Tips to Buying a Used Car

Most of us will make the choice to buy a vehicle at some point. Whether it is for ourselves as a second vehicle or maybe for our children.  In this article, you will find a list of tips to help you make that decision a little easier.

1. First, you always want to know what you can afford to spend on the vehicle. Set a budget, and stick to it. A general guideline is to budget at the most 25% of your monthly household income on this type of purchase. This figure should include your monthly payment, fuel, insurance and maintenance. Used vehicles will need a little attention from time to time, so it may be wise to set aside a rainy day fund to help cover the cost.
2. Look at the cars that are available, and do your research. With the multitude of makes, models and body styles available today you need to look at the best type of used vehicle for you. Think about fuel economy, storage capacity, seating capacity, interior quality, exterior quality and mechanical quality. Look at the dealership websites to see what they have available. On allusedauto.com, we put hundreds of used cars from dealerships nationwide at your fingertips. You can research not only pricing, but availability, distance from your home and even the dealerships themselves. If you are looking for a vehicle less than 5 years old, consider buying Certified pre owned. Many still may have the remaining manufacturer’s warranties as well as some from the dealership.
3. Check the competitors pricing for the same vehicle. There are several ways to look for used vehicles: the dealership’s website, Independent dealerships, Used Car retailers and the private seller. Note that lower prices are usually found through private sellers while Certified Pre owned are only available through dealerships and will cost a little extra.
4. Once you find the car you want, the next is to research the vehicle itself. Get the Carfax report; this will show you the maintenance record and if the vehicle has sustained any major damage. Most dealerships will offer a free Carfax report for most used vehicles on their lot. You can deal with any recalls on the vehicle that may need to be taken care of.
5. Arrange financing before you go to purchase the vehicle. This way dealerships will try to compete to get you a better interest rate and maybe bring the payments down.  If you chose a private seller, having the money readily available helps to make the purchase smoother.
6. Next, talk to friends and family about the dealerships in your area. Find out if they have had good experience or bad with any of the dealerships.  If the experience was bad, you can see if the dealership did anything to make it better. Once you find the dealership that has the car you want, it is time to go to the lot.
7. Call the seller first to ask questions about the car that may not have been in the advertisement or on the site. With a private party seller, you can see why they are getting rid of the vehicle. They may even give you more information than what you saw online. Wait until you see the vehicle before going into negotiations. Two things that you should inquire about are: the asking price and whether the vehicle has a clean title. Edmunds.com has a questionnaire that may be very helpful. Here is the link to the questionnaire  https://static.ed.edmunds-media.com/unversioned/img/car-buying/used-car-worksheet/used.car.questionairre.pdf.  If you don’t feel comfortable with the seller or the answers to questions, then you may want to look somewhere else.
8. Ready for the test drive. Never take someone else’s word on how the car handles. Get behind the wheel and see for yourself. Does it rattle or pull to the left or right?  Does it accelerate well, do the brakes press all the way down or are they stiff? Do the tires look in good shape or is there a bulge on the sidewall, and is there missing or minimal tread? Do the heat and the AC work? Do the windows stick? Has the oil been changed or is it dark? Oil is transparent and a light golden color typically. These plus many other questions are best answered by your observation of the vehicle. You may even consider having the car inspected at a repair shop you trust.
9. Now it is time to negotiate. Remember in the first tips you have a budget. Stick to that figure. Do not let anyone pressure you into purchasing additional things that you don’t need.  A good thing to consider in purchasing a used car is GAP insurance. This will help if something happens to the vehicle that cannot be repaired.
10. Get the paperwork done. Make sure if you are at a dealership to read the contract thoroughly, and ask any questions that arise. If you are purchasing through a private seller, make sure they have the title and that they sign it over before you give them any money. Also make sure that you have contacted your insurance company prior to purchasing. It is always a good idea to have the acknowledgement from your insurance regarding the vehicle especially if you purchase it over the weekend. This way they know that you are buying a vehicle and they have the information to prepare the insurance for you.

If you're searching Used Cars for Sale in California, end your search at All Used Auto. For more information on their inventory and their rates, please visit us @ allusedauto.com.

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Benefits of Buying a Used Vehicle from Car Dealer

One of the biggest questions people face when purchasing a vehicle is whether to buy new or used. Most people opt to buy a new car because of the convenience and the fact that a new car may be customized. However, purchasing a used car can be more reasonable and economical. Below is a list of six benefits of buying used.

Less Depreciation

New vehicles lose more than half of their value after the few first 3 years of their life. One major benefit of purchasing a used vehicle is that the car has already been hit with the steepest portion of depreciation. You can drive your used car off the lot without it immediately losing a large portion of its value.

Lower Insurance Rates

You are still required by law to have liability auto insurance. However, used cars do not require high amounts of collision and comprehensive coverage because they are not worth as much as new cars. Insurance rates also depend on how likely the vehicle is to be stolen. Be sure to do detailed research on the car’s history to ensure the car was never in an accident or had any major repairs, as these factors will affect your insurance rates.

Lower Registration Fees

Registration fees vary from state to state, but the newer the vehicle, the higher the fee. There are many websites that have Vehicle Registration Fee Calculators so you can get a better estimate of how much your used car’s fees will be. You can also compare new car fees to used car fees, to see the difference in price.

Avoid Useless Extras

When buying a new car, dealers may try to add on unnecessary features. Buying a used car may not come with the latest technology, but you won’t have to worry about being persuaded to buy features you don’t need.

Certified Pre-owned Vehicles

If you are looking for a late, used model that has been through a detailed inspection process, buying a certified pre-owned vehicle may be the route to go. In regard to price, CPOs are more expensive than basic used cars, but still less expensive than a new vehicle. Other benefits of a CPO include an extended warranty and affordable financing rates.

Reliable Cars

Over time vehicles have become more reliable. They are built to last at least 100,000 miles. It can be easy to find a used car that is in like-new condition, if you take the time to research. CPOs, as we mentioned above, are reliable in that they have been through a rigorous inspection process, so you know you are getting a dependable vehicle.

Are you looking for Used Cars for Sale in Alabama then you should visit All Used Auto. For more detail visit AllUsedAuto.com.

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Advantages of Buying Used Cars from Dealer

The companies have a lot of used vehicles in stock, and customers can choose from a wide range of makes and models of vehicles. In this way, people prefer to buy used cars. As we all know that used cars have become very popular throughout the world, because these vehicles are in excellent condition and at a very reasonable price you can easily afford. These japans used cars are like new. Most people have a blind confidence in these cars in Japan for the high quality and durability. Here are some of the benefits that you should consider before buying any used cars for yourself.

High quality, reliability and durability

The best part in used cars is that they are well known for the quality & reliability at suitable prices. These used automobiles are durable and resilient. Most people are not able to change their vehicles every year, want a reliable car, and thus they are reliable because they are equipped with high quality features in advance what you expect. Another important thing is to control cars. Used vehicles inspected rigorously controlling each individual car. So do not worry about the state of the machine, as these used cars are well maintained.

Huge variety and economical cars

Everyone wants to buy a car at a very reasonable price and these used cars are well known, as they are at a very low price. You can afford this vehicle. There are so many brands on sale at Japan auction as Toyota, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Nissan, BMW and many other brands. You can choose any type of vehicles including vans, trucks, small cars, vans, etc. If you make a plan to buy a car, so it's easy for you to find a vehicle with a cheap price and a great range of used cars and you will be happy to select any vehicle of your choice.

Note that even if you shop at a store cars, you still have the flexibility and freedom to choose what suits you. Take control of all negotiations and discussions cart. Remember, you are the person who will have this car for next year, so it is very important that you pursue that you think is best for you and your family to find.

Most demanded cars

Used cars are in a great demand in Chicago & its nearby area. Most of the buyer love to buy used cars from online because nowadays it is very easy to buy a vehicle from any online car dealer sites because they are reliable and it is one of the fastest and easiest ways to buy a certified & good condition car in a goof price. A large number of Used Car Dealers sell cars every month.

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If you're searching for Used & Pre-Owned Cars then end your search at Haggerty Auto Group. For more information on their inventory and their rates, please visit http://www.haggertyautogroup.com.

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Buying New Car is Easy When You Know What to Do

If you are thinking about buying for a car, there is a lot you've got to know. There are a lot of car salesmen out there waiting to do their best to sell you their cars, but they may not be the right care for you. Take a look at these car buying tips to get a better idea of what you must think about. If you are in the market for a used car, a great way to tell if the speedometer is correct is to look at the gas and brake pedals. If someone says the car has 30,000 miles on it, and the brake and gas pedals are worn, it is a good indication the odometer was turned back.

Do not pay for lots of extras when you are buying a car. Sure, it would be nice to have a lot of fun features in your new car, but do you really need them? Every toy or gadget you add jacks up the price of the car considerably. Figure out what you really need, and just stick to that. Before you set foot into a dealership, do some research online? Check nearby dealership's websites and record their listed price on the vehicle you want, as well as any special deals they might be offering.

Don't fold to pressure. The salesman doesn't want you to walk out of his dealership, so he will tell you whatever it takes to get you to sign a contract at that moment. Ignore him. Do what is best for you, and if you need to have some time to think about it, take the time you need. When buying a vehicle from a private seller, make sure a mechanic does an inspection first. If the dealership does not let you to bring your own mechanic, you should go somewhere else. This could mean you have to pay for problems that aren't evident at the time. You probably shouldn't get into this without figuring out who they are first.

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Apple, Google bring smartphone functions to car dashboards

Playing deejay with voice commands will get easier for more Americans this fall as some best-selling cars get updated with software that integrates smartphones into the dashboard.

With the 2016 model year, Apple’s CarPlay and Google’s Android Auto will turn cars as affordable as a base model Chevy Spark into rolling robotic assistants that give directions to nearby restaurants or play the latest hits with commands as simple as “Play Ellie Goulding.”

The Associated Press recently tried out both systems on a 2016 Honda Accord. As with phones, voice-activated car technologies don’t always work as intended, bringing up inaccurate directions or failing to open an app, for example. But overall the two systems are convenient and incredibly intuitive.

Both CarPlay and Android Auto should give drivers more time to keep their eyes on the road compared with the automakers’ own voice systems, which can require multiple steps and looking at on-screen menus. Still, as with any system that requires driver input, there are concerns about distraction.

“Anything that takes your attention away from the task of driving is not something you want to engage in,” said Kathy Lane, a spokeswoman for the National Safety Council, a nonprofit organization created by Congress to promote safety.

Neither system has been tested yet by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, says spokesman Russ Rader. The institute studies both human and mechanical factors in trying to reduce the number of vehicle crashes.

Consumers increasingly want to use their smartphone while driving — without running afoul of the law. For the last few years, drivers of most new cars have been able to speak to their phones and have audio stream through a car’s speakers using the nearly ubiquitous Bluetooth wireless standard. However, doing so can require fiddling with the phone, like holding down the home button first.

Both CarPlay and Android Auto allow voice commands to be turned on with a touch of a steering wheel button. Phones need to be plugged into the USB port, where the phone is kept charging and powering the in-car entertainment. You can access maps, voice mail, phone contacts and music apps using a touch screen embedded in the dashboard — no need to grab your phone.

There are two limitations with the Apple system, whether or not you’re using it on CarPlay. One is that Apple reserves voice commands for its proprietary apps — phone, maps, texts and Apple Music.

The other is that you must be a subscriber to Apple’s $10 a month Apple Music service if you want ask the digital voice assistant Siri such complicated tasks as “play the top song from 2011.” (It’s Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used to Know,” if you were wondering.) However, you can use your voice to play songs you have downloaded and own on your iPhone.

The less restrictive Android Auto will allow you to use apps like Spotify as long as you specifically tell it to “play Aerosmith on Spotify,” or set Spotify as the default music app. A Spotify subscription also costs $10 a month.

The systems themselves can cost users a lot more.

The 2016 Honda Accord EX with manual transmission is the lowest trim on which Honda is offering CarPlay and Android Auto support. At $25,480, the EX is $1,315 pricier than the Sport trim, and includes things like a moon roof, keyless remote and a better touch-screen display. Volkswagen’s entry-level 2016 Jetta 1.4T at $17,680 offers CarPlay and Android Auto as part of a $995 technology upgrade that includes a larger touch screen and rear-view camera.

Some automakers say that such features could motivate buyers to move up the trim level, rather than to more expensive models. “It’s going to provide a good benefit to the Accord shopper,” says Jay Guzowski, manager of product planning for mid-size cars at American Honda.

General Motors stands alone in offering CarPlay and Android Auto as standard equipment on cars as inexpensive as the Spark — the 2015 version retails for upward of $12,170 — and as high-volume as its Chevrolet Cruze and Malibu sedans and Silverado trucks. Chevrolet marketing director Steve Majoros calls the decision “revolutionary,” and one the automaker hopes will improve its market share.

“CarPlay and Android Auto are about to really hit the mainstream,” says Kelley Blue Book senior analyst Karl Brauer. “We’re talking about some 40 to 50 models that’ll have it in probably the next 12 months or less, which is maybe about 20% of the entire car market.”

IHS analyst Colin Bird predicts that automakers in the U.S. and Canada will sell a modest 497,000 cars with CarPlay, Android Auto or both this year. The number should jump to 5 million in 2018 and nearly 10 million in 2020.

As smart and helpful as the CarPlay and Android Auto are, they aren’t perfect.

On a quick demo of a fully-loaded, coffee-colored 2016 Accord Touring, the Android Auto voice assistant helped me play songs from artists like Adele, Sting and Ellie Goulding but would not recognize “U2” as anything other than “YouTube.” It also failed to open the iHeart Radio app despite being told to (a later check showed the app hadn’t been set up to recognize its location, which may have thrown a wrench into things).

CarPlay users won’t be able to use the superior Google Maps through the interface, even if the app is on their phone. In the demo, Apple’s notoriously quirky maps app directed me to drive to Honda’s American headquarters in Torrance through the research and development back way, bypassing the front driveway and visitor parking lot even though it was a more direct route.

There’s still work to be done on making the integration better.

One problem is that when phones must be plugged in — rather than left in a pocket or purse — usage of Internet-connected apps goes way down, says Pandora’s vice president of automotive business development, Geoff Snyder. “When it’s required for use of the system, utilization falls off pretty dramatically.” So for now, certain automaker-made infotainment systems with apps will be more convenient for people who just want to get in their cars and go.

Apple software engineering executive Craig Federighi said in June that the iOS 9 mobile operating system update coming this fall will make CarPlay work without taking out your iPhone. But according to Apple, that may require another hardware update from automakers: support for Wi-Fi.

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Apple, Google bring smartphone functions to car dashboards

Apple, Google bring smartphone functions to car dashboards

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