How to Find the Perfect Car for You
By Art Corvelay , eHow Contributor
Purchasing a car can be a big decision for many people because it often involves a large monetary investment. Although the absolute perfect car may not exist, there are some steps you can take to find the perfect car for you. This article will walk you through some car-buying tips that will help you find the right car for your needs.
1
Determine how your car will fit your lifestyle. The most important thing is to think about how you will use your car, and not what kind of car you wish to have. Many of us wish to drive fast sports cars, but these may not be the best fit for our lifestyles. If you have three children and need a car that will accommodate you and your children, you may want to choose a mini-van or SUV. However, if you will be the only one using your car, you may want to think about a compact car.
2
Determine your price range. This step is essential, as it will narrow your search dramatically. Think about how much you would like to spend and make sure you set a price cap. That is, set a ceiling for the highest you would be willing to pay and do not plan to exceed this ceiling.
3
Think about your values and how they might be impacted by the car you purchase. If you value environmentally-friendly cars, you may want to search for a hybrid vehicle. Further, if buying an American-made car is important to you, you can easily narrow your search by looking for only American-made cars.
4
Begin searching for your perfect car. Once you have thought about your lifestyle needs and what you value in a car, you can start searching for your perfect car. The easiest way to do this is to start on the internet. You can utilize websites like cars.com that allow you to search for cars that fit your requirements. You can get a feel for the general market and pricing of cars you may be interested in.
5
Visit the actual car manufacturer's website if you have narrowed your search and chosen a manufacturer. For example, if you are interested in a Toyota, visit the Toyota website. You can visit the website to check out various colors and options that are offered for each make and model. Often times, there may be deals via the web that may not be announced at the actual dealership.
6
Contact a local dealer Once you have browsed a website like cars.com or manufacturer's websites, you can contact and visit local dealers to find out what cars they may have in stock.
7
Consider superficial options like color and interior at the dealership. These may differ from the options you viewed online depending on the stock of cars a dealership has. Do not let these options be deal-breakers if you have found an ideal car.
8
Make an offer. It is true that you can bargain with car dealers, depending on the dealership, of course. Think about your price cap and make a reasonable offer on the car you want to purchase. The most important thing is to not get too attached to a car. If the car price exceeds your ceiling, do not be afraid to walk away.
.
9
Check with your Insurance Agent before the purchase to see what you are adding to your monthly expenses. Insurance price varies with type, year age of the car, safety record, cost to fix etc.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Teendriving.com
I want to introduce all of our fellow bloggers to a web site called teendrivers.com is particularly user friendly to our teen drivers.
It includes such information on how to parallel park, tips on how to drive in bad weather, out in the country, around school and in cities. It gives tips on how to purchase insurance, buying a used car and many other advice sections for the young driver.
It is very well done and young drivers can become subscribers by logging on to the web site.
There is also a parents center for parents to get good sound advice.
All of this comes down to continuing to keep dialog going with our young drivers to keep them safe on the road. Let's try and reduce the tragic fatalities experienced by our young drivers.
It includes such information on how to parallel park, tips on how to drive in bad weather, out in the country, around school and in cities. It gives tips on how to purchase insurance, buying a used car and many other advice sections for the young driver.
It is very well done and young drivers can become subscribers by logging on to the web site.
There is also a parents center for parents to get good sound advice.
All of this comes down to continuing to keep dialog going with our young drivers to keep them safe on the road. Let's try and reduce the tragic fatalities experienced by our young drivers.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
More facts on Teen drivers fatalities
CHICAGO — Car crashes are the leading cause of death for tweens and teens, and a new study outlines some of the most dangerous circumstances: riding unbuckled with new teen drivers on high-speed roads.
These were the three biggest risk factors contributing to car crash deaths for passengers aged 8 to 17, the study found.
While young drivers have higher chances of dying, the six-year study focused on nearly 10,000 children passengers who were killed in car crashes. More than half — 54 percent — were riding with a teen driver. Drivers younger than 16 were the most dangerous.
Also, more than three-quarters of the fatal crashes occurred on roads with speed limits higher than 45 mph, and nearly two-thirds of the young passengers were not wearing seat belts, the researchers found.
Other dangerous circumstances for young passengers included drivers who’d been drinking alcohol, male teen drivers, and driving on weekends.
The message for parents is simple and sobering: Don’t let your teen ride with a teen driver who has less than a year’s experience driving. Insist on seat belts. And practice ways teens can resist peer pressure to ride with other teens, said Dr. Flaura Koplin Winston of The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, the study’s lead author.
“Knowing the risks can help parents and teens make smart decisions about which rides are safe, and which ones are off limits,” said Winston, the founder of the hospital’s Center for Injury Research and Prevention.
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The researchers examined national data on serious car crashes including those resulting in death between 2000 and 2005. During that time, 2.5 million children aged 8 to 17 were involved in crashes and 9,807 died.
Risk of death is double if driver is a teen
The risk of death for kids riding with drivers aged 16 to 19 was at least double that of those riding with drivers aged 25 and older. There were about two deaths per 1,000 crashes for young passengers with 25-plus drivers, versus more than four deaths in the younger group.
The study, conducted with State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co., appears in the March edition of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. State Farm funded the research.
Recent federal data indicate that the percentage of U.S. 16-year-olds with driver’s licenses has fallen since 1998 (from roughly 44 percent to about 30 percent), during a time when restrictions on teen driving generally increased.
But no states have all the restrictions recommended by State Farm, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Philadelphia hospital.
For example, they say the minimum age for a learner’s permits should be 16. But nine states grant them to 14-year-olds and at least 30 others give them to 15-year-olds. Also, the groups say drivers younger than 18 should not be allowed to have more than one teen passenger without adult supervision, but only 34 states have that restriction, according to data provided by the hospital and State Farm.
Rosie Jermakian, a Bethesda, Md., 16-year-old, said the study results hit home, particularly because of a recent spate of teen car crashes in the Washington, D.C. area, including one that involved a friend. Rosie’s stepmother does research at the Philadelphia hospital but was not involved in the study.
“Teen drivers don’t always think,” said Rosie, who has a learner’s permit and hopes to get her license soon. “Sometimes they think they’re just in this little bubble where they can’t get hurt and they don’t really think of the consequences.”
Winston, the study author, said that means teen passengers and their parents have to take precautions, and the Jermakian family does.
“I’ve told her flat out, in regard to some of her friends who I don’t believe have been well taught in these areas, that she is not to get in a car with them driving,” said Joel Jermakian, Rosie’s father.
Her parents also have told her to call them for a ride if she ever faces a potentially dangerous driving situation.
Jermakian said the study “reminds us that in raising teens, constant dialogue about all these kinds of things is important.”
These were the three biggest risk factors contributing to car crash deaths for passengers aged 8 to 17, the study found.
While young drivers have higher chances of dying, the six-year study focused on nearly 10,000 children passengers who were killed in car crashes. More than half — 54 percent — were riding with a teen driver. Drivers younger than 16 were the most dangerous.
Also, more than three-quarters of the fatal crashes occurred on roads with speed limits higher than 45 mph, and nearly two-thirds of the young passengers were not wearing seat belts, the researchers found.
Other dangerous circumstances for young passengers included drivers who’d been drinking alcohol, male teen drivers, and driving on weekends.
The message for parents is simple and sobering: Don’t let your teen ride with a teen driver who has less than a year’s experience driving. Insist on seat belts. And practice ways teens can resist peer pressure to ride with other teens, said Dr. Flaura Koplin Winston of The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, the study’s lead author.
“Knowing the risks can help parents and teens make smart decisions about which rides are safe, and which ones are off limits,” said Winston, the founder of the hospital’s Center for Injury Research and Prevention.
advertisement | ad info Advertisement | ad infoAdvertisement | ad info.
The researchers examined national data on serious car crashes including those resulting in death between 2000 and 2005. During that time, 2.5 million children aged 8 to 17 were involved in crashes and 9,807 died.
Risk of death is double if driver is a teen
The risk of death for kids riding with drivers aged 16 to 19 was at least double that of those riding with drivers aged 25 and older. There were about two deaths per 1,000 crashes for young passengers with 25-plus drivers, versus more than four deaths in the younger group.
The study, conducted with State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co., appears in the March edition of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. State Farm funded the research.
Recent federal data indicate that the percentage of U.S. 16-year-olds with driver’s licenses has fallen since 1998 (from roughly 44 percent to about 30 percent), during a time when restrictions on teen driving generally increased.
But no states have all the restrictions recommended by State Farm, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Philadelphia hospital.
For example, they say the minimum age for a learner’s permits should be 16. But nine states grant them to 14-year-olds and at least 30 others give them to 15-year-olds. Also, the groups say drivers younger than 18 should not be allowed to have more than one teen passenger without adult supervision, but only 34 states have that restriction, according to data provided by the hospital and State Farm.
Rosie Jermakian, a Bethesda, Md., 16-year-old, said the study results hit home, particularly because of a recent spate of teen car crashes in the Washington, D.C. area, including one that involved a friend. Rosie’s stepmother does research at the Philadelphia hospital but was not involved in the study.
“Teen drivers don’t always think,” said Rosie, who has a learner’s permit and hopes to get her license soon. “Sometimes they think they’re just in this little bubble where they can’t get hurt and they don’t really think of the consequences.”
Winston, the study author, said that means teen passengers and their parents have to take precautions, and the Jermakian family does.
“I’ve told her flat out, in regard to some of her friends who I don’t believe have been well taught in these areas, that she is not to get in a car with them driving,” said Joel Jermakian, Rosie’s father.
Her parents also have told her to call them for a ride if she ever faces a potentially dangerous driving situation.
Jermakian said the study “reminds us that in raising teens, constant dialogue about all these kinds of things is important.”
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