Monthly Archives: September 2009

How to look underneath the paint to find quality used cars in New Jersey

By
Posted in Auto Industry News, General Auto News

There are still thousands of used cars in New Jersey and other states that could provide the right combination of affordable pricing and features similar to many new cars, but buyers should know what they are getting into, as owners treat their cars differently.

When it comes to used cars, it may require some research to ensure that you don’t have to turn an automotive lemon into lemonade, but as visitors at a Virginia mall recently found out, appearances can be deceiving.

What happened

Used cars in New Jersey and other vicinities can be sold even after the car has been in an accident, and to some car buyers, the difference between a vehicle that has been well-repaired and one with no body damage may not be apparent to the naked eye.

Good Morning America recently decided to test the appraisal skills of prospective car owners by lining up five used cars at a shopping center. Four were completely clean, and one had been repaired after an accident.

The show’s hosts found that only one in five passersby were able to identify the car that had work done on it, with one collision expert spotting the bumper attached differently than standard procedure and other small discrepancies.

It confirms that “consumers don’t have the experience that people like Carfax and mechanics have with used cars,” said Carfax spokesman Larry Gamache, according to the report.

How you can avoid the same issue

Of course, Larry Gamache says that a vehicle history report like the one offered by his firm can offer an initial benefit to buyers of used cars in New Jersey by giving them the vehicle’s history, including numbers of previous owners and any reported service history.

The editors at Edmunds.com agree that a Carfax report or similar style vehicle history can provide information about the odometer reading, salvage title if the car has been in a catastrophic event, and other information to help buyers understand what they are getting themselves into.

They also recommend finding an experienced mechanic to look over the vehicle prior to one’s purchase. This can be particularly important if one does not live near the seller and is trying to take advantage of regional differences in prices, but wants to ensure that the car will operate as advertised.

For the research-oriented

Learning how to identify potential problems in a car can save anywhere from a couple of hundred dollars on the price of an inspection by an experienced mechanic to several thousand dollars if a driver has to write off the cost of used car in New Jersey.

Signs of wear such as dings, paint scratches or rust may point to deeper underlying conditions that could affect the cost of used vehicles, notes Investopedia. If the dealership or auction site allows it, a test drive on a variety of roads can give a driver the sense of how the car will operate when it’s not on smooth pavement.

Reputable dealers will often offer vehicle history information and the chance to inspect used cars in New Jersey and other states before a purchase is finalized. If a consumer feels that they have been taken for a ride however, the local better business bureau may have information about state lemon laws and be able to provide other assistance.

Economist: Fuel efficiency regulations to drive up value of used cars in New York

By
Posted in Auto Industry News

President Obama and other administration officials were happy to announce that new regulations would require that new cars built for the 2012 model year and beyond would need to be more fuel efficient. Their move could actually increase interest in used cars in New York instead.

Economist Eric Morris writes in the New York Times that because it costs money to develop the technology for fuel efficient cars, new car prices will likely rise higher in the coming years and make used cars a more likely proposition for some buyers.

“Depending on the models involved and their mileage, keeping used cars around a bit longer may ultimately have benefits for the environment, given the energy that goes in to building a new car,” he writes on the paper’s website.

Right now, larger used cars in New York and around the country are seeing more interest from buyers, thanks to low gas prices, reports USA Today.

“People are more price conscious than gas [price] conscious,” one dealer told the news provider of the shift in buying to larger cars and SUVs.

Swayze’s ouevre may point buyers to used Cadillac STS-Vs in New Jersey

By
Posted in Cadillac - DO NOT USE, Celebrity Auto News

Patrick Swayze’s recent passing has led some fans to go back over his work, watching favorites like Dirty Dancing, Road House and others. In his last piece of work as an undercover FBI agent, however, Swayze could bring buyers closer to used Cadillac STS-Vs in New Jersey.

In contrast to earlier roles that focused on classic cars from the 1950s and 1960s, the A&E series the Beast debuted in 2009 with Swayze playing the role of a grizzled agent pursued by personal demons and an Internal Affairs team bent on getting him for various infractions that the series never had time to explain before his pancreatic cancer forced him to back out, according to entertainment industry sources.

But Swayze’s character used the sedan to get in and out of rough situations, and his fans may see more than just a ghost of a great actor if they consider used Cadillac STS-Vs in New Jersey.

The 2006 model “steers with a light feel, comports itself neatly on wet pavement and yields confident sensations,” notes Cars.com, even for drivers on better terms with law enforcement than the characters on the A&E show.

Future police interceptors may closely resemble used Pontiac G8s in New York

By
Posted in Auto Industry News, Pontiac - DO NOT USE

In a corporate game of the hokey-pokey that is still ongoing, General Motors President Fritz Henderson is now in, suggesting that a deal could soon be in the works for police cars in the U.S. that look a lot like used Pontiac G8s in New York.

The G8 and the previously discontinued GTO were both platforms sourced from GM’s Australian affiliate Holden, and although Pontiac is no longer in business, some law enforcement agencies might be interested in the Holden Commodore, reports the Sydney Morning Herald.

“We’ve been working on a package for police applications [like the Los Angeles Police Department and Royal Canadian Mounted Police. I just think that’s going to work,” Henderson told the newspaper. “We’re pretty optimistic about it and that product will be sourced in Australia.”

While GM’s head of marketing Bob Lutz had previously issued statements implying that there would be future models that would take the mantle held by used Pontiac G8s in New York as a platform for rear-wheel drive sedans, Henderson has been more cautious.

Star Wars actress could prompt sales of used Lexus GS sedans in New Jersey

By
Posted in Celebrity Auto News, Lexus - DO NOT USE

In the third Star Wars movie, Return of the Jedi, Carrie Fisher starred as a princess from Alderaan who is chained near a villain’s throne. When she’s on the move, however, she drives something that looks less like a starfighter and more like a used Lexus GS sedan in New Jersey.

When the Hollywood paparazzi from TMZ caught up with her, she was heading to her Lexus sedan, though she took the time to answer some questions about her career in the movies. Unfortunately, she didn’t shed too much light on her rationale for buying the Japanese luxury car.

But buyers considering a used Lexus GS sedan in New Jersey don’t have to know an x-ray machine from an X-wing to consider some of the attractive features of the midsize sedan.

The 2006 model of the GS300 is ready to compete against the likes of the BMW 5-series or the Audi A6 in a package that offers responsive steering and a vigorous takeoff, notes a Cars.com review.

“Eye-catching styling includes a four-headlight front end, a sloping rear roof and a tall tail,” the website adds. “This profile helps give the GS a distinctive appearance, which looks more European than Japanese in origin.”

Used Ford Focuses in New Jersey may offer fuel efficiency while waiting for electric version

By
Posted in Auto Industry News, Ford

A set of electrically powered Ford Focus models were shown off at the Frankfurt Auto Show in advance of a demonstration partially sponsored by the British government, but stateside owners can benefit from fuel efficient used Ford Focuses in New Jersey while they wait.

Engineers at Ford of Europe are working with British universities to test 15 of the compact cars in real-life testing over a variety of driving conditions.

“Electrification is a key element in the effective use of Ford’s global resources and talents,” said John Fleming, Ford of Europe chairman and CEO. “The development of this fleet of Focus BEV prototypes is an important step in our goal of delivering more efficient and sustainable mobility solutions.”

While those cars may be the future, gas-sipping used Ford Focuses in New Jersey are available now, including the 2004 model which comes in a variety of configuarations such as sedans and hatchbacks.

“The 2004 Ford Focus is a wonderful small car that’s fun to drive [and] frugal with fuel,” note Edmunds.com editors, adding that it has a “spacious interior” coupled with a “fun-to-drive character.”

Actress’ spotting in luxury SUV could be reason to buy used Mercedes Benz G-classes in New York

By
Posted in Celebrity Auto News, Mercedes-Benz

Renee Zellweger has been spotted on several occasions making her way through Los Angeles in a military-inspired German car, and it could inspire future purchases of used Mercedes Benz G-Classes in New York.

The actress hasn’t explained her reason for appearing in at least three separate versions of the luxury SUV, but it may have something to do with the commanding presence that melds luxury with the protection of a design originally offered to armed forces in Europe.

While it has the luxury automaker’s interior design cues, buyers may also be interested in owning a used Mercedes Benz G-class in New York for its ability to manage offroad issues with aplomb.

“Not only does the G500 look ready to tackle the most demanding terrain, but it also feels ready,” notes a Cars.com review of the 2005 model.

Along with the variety of terrain it can manage, buyers may also be interested in the heated front rear seats and automatic climate controls in the cabin, as well as a premium sound system, notes the website.

Buyers looking to match government mandate may drive sales of used Volkswagens in New York

By
Posted in Auto Industry News, Volkswagen - DO NOT USE

A new federal fuel standard will require the nation’s automobiles to have an average fuel mileage of 35.5 miles per gallon by the 2012 model year, but buyers who consider used Volkswagen Jettas in New York powered by diesel engines may already be ahead of the curve.

The new initiative was announced by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation and will be the first nationwide standard to include the effects of emissions, according to the agencies.

“These proposed standards would help consumers save money at the gas pump, help the environment, and decrease our dependence on oil – all while ensuring that consumers still have a full range of vehicle choices,” said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood during the announcement.

People in the market for a car won’t have to look at either more expensive new cars or hybrids if they want to match the government’s goals, since used Volkswagen Jettas in New York may offer similar fuel efficiency.

The 2006 model had an EPA estimated city fuel mileage of 36 mph, and 41 mpg in highway driving in a “fairly quiet package,” notes a Cars.com review.

Used Toyota Priuses in New Jersey may be cost-effective electric option

By
Posted in Auto Industry News, Toyota

Toyota executives expressed reservations at the Frankfurt Auto Show about the current costs of electrically-assisted cars, but buyers who want an affordable and environmentally friendly vehicle could take a look at less expensive used Toyota Priuses in New Jersey.

The company has been testing new lithium-ion batteries that have reportedly shown promise as replacements for the costly nickel metal hydride batteries currently used in Prius production, but it may be another decade before new models become cost effective for mass market consumption, reports CNET Tech News.

Electric vehicles of today are less costly than in 1990s, but if you compare them with the other vehicles out there they are still too expensive,” Takeshi Uchiyamada, Toyota executive vice president, told the news provider. “Unless there is a very big breakthrough in battery costs I don’t think electric vehicles can take a large market share.”

Thanks to the depreciation common to pre-owned vehicles, however a used Toyota Prius in New Jersey may offer increased fuel economy at a price that may be attractive to more buyers.

New GM marketing plan could turn buyers to used cars in New Jersey

By
Posted in Auto Industry News

Consumers who don’t want to see their tax dollars put towards efforts to keep automakers like General Motors afloat may want to take a look at used cars in New Jersey in light of news concerning the source of funding for a new marketing initiative.

The National Taxpayers Union says that a recent report from a Congressional oversight panel finds that GM is unlikely to be able to pay back a $50 billion investment made by the government with public funds earlier this year. In spite of that news, the organization notes that General Motors is still moving forward with a money back guarantee program.

The fine print hasn’t been finalized yet, but GM vice president of marketing Bob Lutz says that in its basic form, the automaker will accept returns of any car that has been on the road for less than two months or driven less than 4,000 miles.

“According to the State of New York Banking Department, a new car loses up to 20 percent of its value the second it drives off a dealer’s lot,” reports the NTU in a statement on the program. “Should taxpayers be footing this bill for GM’s Zipcar-like incentive program?”