Fewer car financing hurdles for those with bad credit

Consumers who have a credit score that is not as good as they want need not worry – there are still plenty of auto loans to be had. Recent statistics from Experian's Automotive Credit Trends Report showed that new car loans for people with subprime scores increased by about 22.4 percent, Fox News reports.

If you have a deep subprime score the news is even better with a 44.1 percent improvement. The statistics are indicative of a larger trend, the news source reports, with the average credit score of a used car loan recipient dropping by about eight points.

The shifting trend is not surprising however given the amount of people with subprime and deep subprime credit scores. Surveys have shown that about half of consumers have scores that qualify as below prime.

At New Jersey State Auto Auction, your credit history is not an issue and we offer guarantied credit approval regardless of whether you have good, bad or no credit. Additionally, we have all the big banks, credit unions and sub-prime auto lenders to suit your needs.

While New Jersey Auto Auction provides consumers with automatic approval that does not mean that you should not ignore the benefits of good credit. Luckily, getting behind the wheel of a used car and regularly paying off the loans is a great way to boost your credit score if it's below where you want it. Additionally, if you have no credit history to speak of, an auto loan is a great way to start one.

According to Fox News, the average amount financed on a used car is about $17,000 over a five-year term. This could result in a wide spectrum of monthly payments, but analysts say they range from an average of $429 to $359, depending on the interest rates.

Replace your cabin air filter once a year

Few things are more crucial to drivers in the winter than the defroster. Not only does it make scraping ice off your windshield much easier, but it also decreases the chances of it fogging up from the inside. However, there are times when it just doesn't seem to work despite how high you have the air turned up. In this case, the cabin air filter is usually to blame and needs to be replaced so that your defroster can be get back work.

Though it can vary from car to car, most makes and models have air filters that need to be replaced about once a year or every 15,000 miles, Popular Mechanics reports. Though the part can be replaced by some skilled drivers, depending on the type of car there could be two or three involved, which can make the whole process especially complicated.

Luckily, there are many places you can take your used car to get serviced to ensure that it can run smoothly for years to come, including New Jersey State Auto Auction.

Many drivers on the road today are trying to get the most out of their used cars. In fact, Rebecca Lindland, the director of strategic review at IHS Automotive, said in a recent interview with Bloomberg Radio that the average age of cars on the road is 10.7 years and that most cars regularly clock more than 100,000 miles with ease.

The New Jersey State Auto Auction has a Full Auto Service Center located in Jersey City. The company provides discounted auto repair and auto maintenance for their customers. Call Brian at 201-200-1100 for our current Service Specials and ask for our Current Coupons.

How to read your credit report

It isn't hard to get your credit report and federal laws give you the right to get one from each of the major credit reporting companies each year. However, if you are unsure of what exactly you're looking for, it can all be for naught. There are a few important things to look at that can give you a general idea of just how good your credit actually is.

According to consumer financial services company Bankrate, late payments can have one of the biggest impacts on your credit score. You should check to see how many late payments you have made and how long ago they were. For instance, if you were 30 days late but it happened a long time ago, it will affect you much less.

You should also take a second to look at your debt-to-credit ratio. This is often calculated by the total of all your debts on revolving accounts to your credit lines on those accounts. Experts suggest keeping the level around 10 percent for best results.

"In an ideal world, you would want to have (those ratios) under 10 percent," financial expert Evan Hendricks told Bankrate. "But certainly you want to keep them under 40 percent. There's no magic number."

Your credit score can affect a number of things including whether or not you can buy a used car, but at New Jersey State Auto Auction, your credit history will not hurt you. Buyers are guaranteed approval regardless of their credit score, and after all, making your car payments on time is a great way to boost your score. Additionally, New Jersey Auto makes it easy to get financing thanks to its online application process.

What could be causing those noisy brakes?

Most motorists bristle when the car next to them on the road has oppressively squeaky brakes. While you may find it annoying when it's right next to you, the noise can be even more bothersome when it's coming from your own vehicle. Squealing brakes can be indicative of a number of problems, and it would behoove you to get them serviced to ensure your car can stay on the road as long as possible.

The first thing that you should know how to identify is what causes the noise. Most times, the piercing squealing noise is due to worn brake pads. There are several do-it-yourself fixes that can be applied to the situation including thin adhesive strips designed to lessen the noise as well as noise suppression compounds that can reduce vibrations.

While it might be caused by a natural vibration, sometimes the noise can be the result of how you are driving your car or natural overuse. Specifically, worn rotors are often a culprit as well as missing pad insulators or rusty caliper mounts. Most of the time, these issues require a brake job and replacement of some of the parts, and your car will likely need to be taken in for maintenance.

Getting your vehicle serviced regularly is especially important if you have a used car, which are being driven longer and longer. In particular, Rebecca Lindland, the director of strategic review at IHS Automotive recently spoke with Bloomberg Radio and revealed that the average age of a car on the road is 10.7 years, with drivers clocking about 13,400 each year.

The New Jersey State Auto Auction has a Full Auto Service Center located in Jersey City. The company provides discounted auto repair and auto maintenance for their customers. Call Brian at 201-200-1100 for our current Service Specials and ask for our Current Coupons.

Celebrities dominate the week in car news

The week in auto news was slow in terms of any development regarding the latest models or sales figures, but there was plenty of celebrity news to go around. From the passing of Steve Jobs, who had a pretty unique collection of cars, to socialite Kim Kardashian adding a new ride to hers, the rides of the rich and famous were prominently on display.

• The tech world mourned the loss of Apple founder Steve Jobs on Wednesday, who lost his long battle with pancreatic cancer. Many people focused on his innovative contributions to the music and computer industry, but a few pointed out his unique ride, a 2007 Mercedes Benz SL5 AMG, which had the distinction of having a CPU barcode instead of a license plate, the auto blog RushLane.com reports. Nobody's quite sure why he had the faux-plates, and there's no indication that he was ever ticketed for it.

• At the opposite end of the spectrum is Kim Kardashian, who turned heads this week for reasons other than what she's used to. The reality TV star added a tricked out Ferrari 458 Italia to her garage, costing her about $325,000. TMZ.com reports that it's just the latest in her impressive collection, which also includes a rare Rolls Royce Ghost as well as a super-charged $115,000 Range Rover.

• Fans of country legend Willie Nelson may be able to get behind the wheel of one of his famous rides, but it certainly will not come cheap. The "On The Road Again" singer is putting his tour bus up for sale on October 22 and it comes with some pretty impressive bells and whistles. In addition to six bunks and a full bathroom, the bus also features a stunning mural on the back with the Texas flag and a pair of cowboy boots, USA Today reports.
 

Majority of car shoppers research online

Consumers have turned to the internet to revolutionize the way they shop for almost everything, and that includes cars. In fact, more and more shoppers are using website such as New Jersey Auto Auction to research, and even purchase, their cars, the Los Angeles Times reports.

The appeal of online shopping is obvious since it allows consumers to make purchases from the comfort of their own homes, and when it comes to cars, the benefits are even more apparent. Instead of having to go down to the nearest dealership, now buyers can simply log on and get all the information they need. The process is so simple in fact, that J.D. Power and Associates found 80 percent of consumers go online to research when buying a car.

"That whole concept of working out a deal and coming out with a final price is the area of car buying where customers are the most dissatisfied," Jim Gaz, senior director of automotive retail research at J.D. Power, told the Times.

New Jersey Auto Auction offers consumers in the Tri-State area one such resource for both buying and selling cars. In fact, the website can provide you with an instant appraisal on how much trade-in value your car has so that you can get an honest and fair estimate of its worth.

New Jersey Auto also ensures consumers get the highest-quality used cars by providing them with free Carfax reports on the history of the car they're thinking about buying, so they can rest easy they are not driving off in a car that has secret damage. And, as always, the company offers numerous makes and models at affordable prices.

Regular oil changes provide a key to longevity

Knowing how often to get your oil changed may seem basic for used car owners, but itcan often be much more complicated than people realize. In years past, there was a general rule of thumb that you should get it changed every three months or 3,000 miles, but with better motor oil and more complicated cars, those things can change. Regardless of how often you go, New Jersey Auto Auction offers its customers with affordable, reliable service.

Though it can change from car to car, the hosts of NPR's Car Talk recently spoke with MSNBC about what's a good interval, and they say that there is a good way to maintain the health of your used car.

"It may be too soon for many people and too late for a few," they told the website. "But for the vast majority, 5,000-mile oil changes will help your engine last to a ripe, old age."

Getting your used car to reach that old age is something that more and more drivers are hoping to achieve. In fact, according to Rebecca Lindland, the director of strategic review at IHS Automotive, the average age of cars on the road is an impressive 10.6 years, which is indicative of the growing desire of drivers to get the most out of their vehicles, driving an average of 13,400 miles each year.

The New Jersey State Auto Auction has a Full Auto Service Center located in Jersey City. The company provides discounted auto repair and auto maintenance for their customers. Call Brian at 201-200-1100 for our current Service Specials and ask for our Current Coupons.

Valve replacement is a necessary part of keeping used cars on the road

Whether you drive a used Ford or BMW, chances are that it will need to be serviced at some point to ensure that it keeps running smoothly. One of the most common problems that drivers may encounter is a burned valve, which many cars are prone to developing after 80,000 miles or so. This often requires service, but luckily New Jersey Auto Auction provides their customers with quality service and maintenance at an affordable price.

A burned valve occurs when the piece has overheated, which causes it to lose its ability to prevent leaks. There is really no way to completely fix the problem other than replacement. Sometimes this can be an unavoidable cost of car ownership, as valves tend to wear down over time, and according to IHS, with the average miles driven per year standing at about 13,400, they add up quickly.

Some used car drivers may be afraid of getting their vehicle worked on. After all, maybe getting it fixed will not be worth it if you'll just be replacing the car in a few years. However, recent statistics seem to prove that theory wrong, and getting your used car fixed is the best way to boost its staying power.
Rebecca Lindland, the automotive expert for publishing company IHS Inc. recently spoke with Bloomberg Radio and revealed that the average age of a car on the road is an impressive 10.6 years, proving that more drivers are getting their car fixed and serviced to keep them running longer.

The New Jersey State Auto Auction has a Full Auto Service Center located in Jersey City. The company provides discounted auto repair and auto maintenance for their customers. Call Brian at 201-200-1100 for our current Service Specials and ask for our Current Coupons. 

Tips to pay off your credit card debt

Having to pay off a lot of credit card debt may seem impossible, but doing so will open up a lot of avenues to making other purchases including new and used cars. While it is certainly tough, there are a number of ways you can chip away at that mountain of debt before heading to New Jersey Auto Auction.

Among the most effective options available is the so-called "snowball" method, according to financial services company Bankrate. This means that you tackle the debt from smallest to largest in the hopes that paying off each one will inspire you to keep going. The only exception is if you're paying off money owed to the IRS, but usually you should pay off smallest debt first, regardless of interest rates.

You should also resist the urge to move debt around, the company says. Although it may give you a temporary reprieve from paying up, the fix is just that – temporary.

"The danger of moving credit card balances is that it's easy to start thinking you've actually done something to address the problem," industry insider Dave Ramsey told Bankrate.

You will also want to grow an emergency fund, experts say. Surprisingly, around one-third of Americans do not have non-retirement savings, so it can be difficult for them to pay debt or handle other emergencies. Some financial analysts recommend keeping at least one-month's salary tucked away just in case.

Although having debt can have a negative impact on your credit score, at New Jersey Auto Auction, that is not a problem. Regardless of whether you have good, bad or even no credit, you can be approved for auto financing, and there are few better ways to build your credit history than paying car loans on time.

How to avoid some common credit mistakes

Nothing can derail the purchase of a car more than poor credit. Just when it seems like you're ready to get behind the wheel of your new ride, a few things from your past can come back to haunt you. Although New Jersey Auto Auction offers you guaranteed credit approval, you will still want to ensure that your credit is good, and according to Kiplinger.com there are several things you can do to avoid common pitfalls.

Ignoring parking tickets or other similar fines will certainly wreak havoc with your credit. Anything that gets transferred to a collection agency will reflect negatively on you and even if you do eventually pay up, the fact that it had to get that far will follow you for around seven years, the website reports.

You will also want to avoid opening up a number of cards in a short period of time. Experts say that while having several cards for years will not be a problem, if you take on new ones very quickly it will reflect poorly on your credit score. Additionally, you likely will not see any of the added benefits of having more credit cards anyway.

Consumers should resist the temptation to make large charges to store cards. It may seem like a good idea to put big purchases, be they furniture or electronics, on store-specific credit cards. Even though it is attractive to have a long time to pay off the balance, having it sitting there for that long may be detrimental to making purchases in the future.

Luckily, New Jersey Auto Auction has options available to those who may have made a few credit missteps in the past. In fact, buying a car and paying off your loans on time is a great way to built credit history for future purchases.