Monthly Archives: January 2010

What to do when you are running low on fuel

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Posted in General Auto News

We have all been there. The fuel light is on, you are a few miles away from a gas station and worried that you might not make it. Owners of used cars in New Jersey may be interested in a few helpful tips of how to conserve gas while driving.

First, turn the air conditioner off or use it sparingly. Running your air conditioner will cause your vehicle to consume more fuel and could make the difference on a short trip to the gas station.

Secondly, roll the windows up. Driving with your windows down can increase the drag on the vehicle and will hurt your mileage.

If you must do one or the other, put the windows down when driving slowly, such as around town or in traffic, and use the air conditioner when traveling on the highway, according to Edmunds.com.

Finally, drive the speed limit. Unnecessary acceleration will burn up additional fuel and could cost you a long walk to the gas pump.

For general fuel efficiency, experts highly recommend that you keep your car well maintained. Proper maintenance can make a huge difference in a car’s fuel economy, the news source reports.

Hybrid cars may not save much oil, recent analysis concludes

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Posted in General Auto News

Owners of hybrid cars in New Jersey may be interested in a new analysis of battery-operated vehicles and their projected impact on oil consumption over the next two decades.

According to J. Marshall Adkins and Pavel Molchanov, analysts for the financial services firm Raymond James, hybrid cars had a market share of approximately 3 percent last year.

The two analysts found that, even under the highest-growth assumptions, where hybrids own a third of the market share in 2020, oil savings would be relatively insignificant.

Under those conditions, the U.S. would save roughly 200,000 barrels of oil a day, less than 1 percent of the nation’s oil demand, according to the Oil and Gas Journal.

“No matter how ‘cool’ and popular the concept might be, from the oil market’s standpoint, hybrids will be irrelevant as far as the eye can see,” the analyst stated, quoted by the New York Times.

The report went on to say that, according to the analyst’s calculations, “the internal combustion engine isn’t going anywhere.”

Saab attracts another potential buyer, GM wants to see the financing

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Posted in Saab - DO NOT USE

Used Saab models in New Jersey may begin attracting attention if General Motors is successful in selling the Swedish company to one of its suitors.

Although recent headlines have indicated that Spyker Cars was the only company to make a serious bid for the automaker, it seems that Formula One racing boss Bernie Ecclestone is making a late charge to purchase Saab.

Ecclestone and the company Genii Capital announced on Thursday that they plan on putting together a bid to purchase Saab because of the information and communications technologies that are associated with the car maker, according to AutoWeek.com.

GM CEO Ed Whitacre has said that several companies have showed interest in Saab, but not one company has been able to line up financing.

“You know it’s real easy – just show up with the money and you can have it,” he said. “But no one’s showed up with the money.”

It is still unclear if General Motors will sell the company or will simply close its doors. GM has already extended a January 1 deadline for making the decision.

Loans for used cars becoming easier to obtain for customers with bad credit

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Posted in Auto Loans & Financing News

If you have below-average credit or even no credit at all and are looking to get a loan for a used car in New Jersey, the news may be better than you think.

When you apply for a loan, the first thing a lender will look at is your credit score. Although each bank has a different categorization system, if your score is below 620 you may be classified as a subprime borrower.

With new options known as “bad credit car loans,” purchasing a used car can be painless and will actually give you an opportunity to improve your credit score with each payment.

Car loans can be much easier to obtain than personal loans, according to CarJunky.com. Should you default on the loan, the lender can simply reclaim the vehicle.

For subprime borrowers, a down payment or a trade-in may be necessary. The more you can pay up front, the better chance you have of obtaining a loan.

Although interest rates may be higher for subprime borrowers, many lenders will allow you to re-finance a loan after a one to two-year period. For each payment you make, your credit score will improve.

Danica Patrick set to qualify for upcoming NASCAR race

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Posted in Celebrity Auto News, Chevrolet

Owners of used Chevrolet models in New Jersey may soon get an opportunity to see Danica Patrick in NASCAR following J.R. Motorsports’ recent announcement that the Indycar racing star will attempt to qualify for a Nationwide Series race at the Auto Club Speedway on February 20.

Patrick will drive the number 7 Chevrolet in a limited NASCAR schedule in 2010 while being a full participant in the Indy Car Series. She plans on racing in approximately 13 Nationwide events in the coming season.

“It’s such a great opportunity for me, especially coming into this NASCAR arena,” said Patrick. “I think we’re going to be really competitive and run well.”

It is still unclear if Patrick will run in the Nationwide Series opening race at Daytona International Speedway on February 13.

Meanwhile, other NASCAR drivers look forward to Patrick bringing a new collection of race fans to the track.

“I think we all know it’s gonna be great for our sport as far as recognition and awareness and bringing some popularity over, and bringing some of her fans,” said fellow driver Greg Biffle. “It’ll be our first female driver in a while, so that will be good for us.”

Terry Glenn arrested on charge of auto theft, attorney calls charge a ‘crock’

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Posted in Celebrity Auto News

Used Chevrolet models in New Jersey may begin to attract attention following a dispute involving a rental car agency and former National Football League star Terry Glenn.

On Tuesday, the former Dallas Cowboy receiver was arrested on a charge of auto theft, although his attorney said that police overacted to a simple business transaction, according to the Dallas News.

Glenn’s attorney, Luis Vera, said on Wednesday that his client had rented a Chevy Suburban from National Car Rental several weeks ago and was on his way to return it when he was pulled over and arrested because the SUV had been reported stolen.

“It is the biggest crock of garbage,” Vera said. “This is not the first person I’ve had to represent who the rental car companies have done this to.”

Glenn’s attorney said that the rental company had his client’s credit card and could have charged it at any time.

The 35-year-old footballer was booked into Irving jail on Tuesday evening and was released early Wednesday morning.

Interest in used Chevy models in New Jersey may begin to increase following another legal battle involving Terry Glenn.

Volkswagen unveils last edition of new Beetle

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Posted in Volkswagen - DO NOT USE

Used Volkswagen Beetles in New Jersey are sure to become collector’s items after last month’s LA Auto Show where the final edition of the vehicle was unveiled.

Volkswagen said goodbye to the current generation Beetle with the production of 1,500 models with “final edition” badges and individually numbered plates, according to Inside Line.

The new Beetle was introduced in 1998 and has attracted a strong audience over the last decade.

In 2006, Volkswagen made several improvements to the line including new front and rear bumpers and a totally redesigned console, according to Edmunds.com.

Under the hood, the ’06 Beetle has a 150-horsepower, 2.5-liter, five cylinder engine that was adopted from the Jetta. It can be purchased with either a five-speed manual transmission or a six-speed automatic.

The 2006 model is also available as a TCI hatchback, which comes with a 1.9-liter, four-cylinder diesel-fueled engine that gets approximately 40 miles per gallon.

Used Volkswagen models in New Jersey may become more popular following the recent news that the Beetle has been discontinued.

Are oil additives unnecessary, even harmful to an engine?

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Posted in General Auto News

Owners of used cars in New Jersey may be interested to know that engine oil additives, which are sold to millions of customers a year, may not be all that helpful and, in some cases, may actually hurt the engine’s performance.

Oil additives are synthetic or petroleum based products that are touted to improve the base oil while enhancing fuel economy.

Although there are customer testimonials that swear by the product, some experts remain skeptical.

“Oil additives are designed to fortify and bolster the engine,” said Tom Torbjornsen, car maintenance editor at AOL Autos. “But if you’re following normal maintenance procedures, you don’t need it.”

“In the testimonials you’ll find on websites selling this stuff, people say they can drive without oil because of some magic elixir,” he continued. “But a real-world tester always fails.”

NASA’s Lewis Research Center tested oil additives in the early 1990’s and found that “in the types of bearing surface contact we have looked at, we have seen no benefit,” according to Motorcycle Consumer News.

“In some cases we have seen detrimental effect,” researchers added. “The solids in the oil tend to accumulate at inlets and act as a dam, which simply blocks the oil from entering. Instead of helping, it is actually depriving parts of lubricant.”

Some oil additive and cleanser manufacturers have actually been successfully sued by the Federal Trade Commission for making false claims about the success of their product.

Is it worth the risk? Owners of used cars in New Jersey should check their car’s manual, but if normal vehicle maintenance procedures are followed, engine additives might not be needed.

Can one receive a speeding ticket for ‘sounding’ too fast?

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Posted in General Auto News, Lincoln

Owners of used Lincoln models in New Jersey may be interested in a two-year long court case involving a 2006 Navigator.

On October 7, 2007, Daniel Freitag was issued a speeding ticket by Ohio patrolmen Ken Roth. The officer had measured the suspect’s speed on his radar gun at between 42 and 45 miles per hour in a 35 zone, but that piece of evidence was thrown out on appeal due to the fact that the state did not identify the specific model of detection equipment that was used, according to TheNewspaper.com.

Still, the case was not dismissed because Roth claimed that he could hear the Navigator driving too fast, even though the incident occurred on a traffic-filled road over 150 yards away from his patrol car, AOL.com reports.

“As it approached I could hear the vehicle on the roadway which based on my training and experience, it is consistent with a vehicle that was in excess of the posted speed limit,” the officer testified.

With Roth’s testimony being the only piece of admissible evidence remaining, the court found Freitag guilty for a second time. Amazed, he appealed for a third trial.

This time, nearly two years after the incident occurred, the appeals court judge sided with Freitag, calling the previous two trials a “miscarriage of justice.”

“The weight of the evidence does not support the conclusion that Freitag was exceeding the posted speed limit, specifically because Patrolman Roth’s testimony that he audibly…determined that Freitag was speeding is not credible,” said Judge Donna Carr.

“It is simply incredible in the absence of reliable scientific, technical or other specialized information, to believe that one could hear an unidentified vehicle ‘speeding’ without being able to determine the actual speed of the vehicle,” she added.

Used Lincoln owners in New Jersey may be able to rest a little easier knowing the fact one cannot get arrested for ‘sounding’ too fast.

Are men better at parking than women?

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Posted in General Auto News

People who drive used Audi models in New Jersey may be interested in a new study that suggests that male drivers are better at parking than female drivers.

During the tests, in which 65 men and women were asked to park an Audi A6 in several different situations, psychologists found that women on average took 20 seconds longer and parked less accurately than men.

Lead researcher Claudia Wolf from Ruhr University in Germany said that the study confirmed previous findings that men have better spatial awareness and more coordination then women, according to the Telegraph.

“These prejudices exist and as a scientist I decided the find out if they are true or based on myth,” she said on Sunday, quoted by the Daily Mail.

“I don’t think that feminism or the cause of women is in any way set back by these findings,” Wolf added. “It only proves what previous studies about the spatial differences between men and women have shown.”

Wolf, a biopsychology student from the university, said that she took on the study because of all the chauvinistic comments that she had heard about women drivers.

Used Audi models in New Jersey may attract additional attention after this revealing study.