Automotive Guruz

When you’re shopping around for a used car or truck, it can be tough to tell whether or not the asking price is really worth it. After all, every driver is different, and while some people take really good care of their cars, others are really hard on them, causing needless wear and tear on the engine and transmission.

So how do you determine whether or not the asking price for a used car is a good deal? Well, first, consider the stats. Check resale guides for the manufacturer, make, model, mileage and options that the car has. Although the listed resale price will assume that the car has been cared for, it will at least give you a good starting point.

And when you’re referencing the resale guides, understand the difference between the trade-in value and the resale value of a car. The trade in value is what you could get if you were trading the car in toward the purchase of another — i.e. what the dealer will offer you to trade in such a car against another her car. The retail value is what you’re going to pay as a used car shopper; it’s what the car is worth on the open market.

Second, use the internet. You see, many used cars dealerships are partnered with online auto listings sites. This means that you can browse for used cars for sale in yoru area by price, make, model, etc. This lets you find vehicles you’re interested in, and then compare the inventory and prices across several used car dealerships. Through this comparison, you can then adjust the ballpark number that you got from the resale guides.

Finally, find out what work has been done on the car. While some work will bring the car’s value down, other work will bring the car’s value up. For example, if the used car has been restored after an accident, then the car should be worth less because it’s suffered structural damage. Conversely, if it’s just recently had its transmission replaced, then it should be worth more because one of the major systems is considerably newer than the car, giving it an extended lease on its life.

All this being said, you should also have a mechanic that you trust take a look under the hood before you agree to a price. A trained professional will be able to spot things that most of us will miss or won’t even think to look for. After all, if you’re going to have to change any parts after buying a used car, you should factor that in to the price you’re willing to pay for it in the first place.

With the rise of the internet, an increasing amount of car dealerships across North America are realizing the importance of increasing their online presence and awareness in the search engines. As a result, more and more dealerships are really investing into their websites in order to be the resource for people looking to buy both new and used cars.

Traditionally, people used to search through Autotraders and the classified sections of the local newspaper. But the internet and the rise of Google and the other search engines has changed the automotive industry permanently. People now want to search for used cars and car deals online before they even bother going into a dealership, they can find so much information online that they may never even need to step foot into a dealership other then to come and pick up their car.

A great example of a dealership that shifted it’s strategy to tackle the online market is DriveTime.  They are differentiating themselves as well by branding themselves as the “Go to Guys for Cars and Credit” so kind of like the one-stop shop for people with not the greatest credit to search for cars in the United States. The really cool part is that they have over 70 Drive Time locations in over 10 states, so there is a seriously wide selection and availability of cars to choose from. Considering a few years ago you would just browse through an Autotrader or two and visit a couple of dealerships and maybe used car shops, these new dealer websites offer a massive increase in the amount of cars you can browse through.

All these changes really benefit the consumer, as they can quickly search for the best deals for the specific car model of their choice. Alternatively, if they aren’t sure what kind of model or car they want, there is a myriad of search options on the car dealer’s websites so you can search my car brand, the year of production, by budget range and more. The options are really advanced and provide great value to the consumer.

As the trend in marketing continues to shift away from paper products, tv and radio towards online marketing, the automotive industry will continue to offer great searchability functions for consumers as they continue to expand their website services in an effort to boost their online presence and awareness.

One of the most critical things to know if you are planning to get rid of your old car is to find the best value that you can get for it. If you know the used car trade in value for your car, then irrespective of whether or not you really trade it today, you shall be able to distinguish between acceptable prices beneficial for you from impractical pricing that is going to get you a naught. It would also give you a better picture of the retail value of the car.

How do you find the trade in value for your car? You need to consider the following factors.

The statistics and the make of the car would play a critical role. Note down the year of manufacture, make, model, mileage and equipment fittings that you have. If there are optional equipments that you did not fit in your car, it is worth noting those down as a separate item. Add the basic features that you car is equipped with to your notes.

Understand the difference between the trade in value and the retail value of a car. The trade in value is what you can exchange your car with another car that you may want to own. The dealer will offer you the trade in value for your car against another car that the dealer is ready to sell. The retail value of the car is what someone can sell the car for. The car will be sold against as much money as its retail value either by you or by the car dealer.

Use the Internet - it is an unmatched resource for information if you use it properly. There are a number of quality websites that will let you calculate the exact value of your car. Kelly Blue Book is one great online tool that would let you find the price of your car. You need to enter some basic data points about your car, and the tool will give you an estimated value of the car with a optimistic guess of the car’s current condition. Please be warned that this price being optimistic, your dealer would almost always quote a lesser value.

Understand that while you mention the condition of your car in your online tools, it would almost be unrealistic to call it excellent unless you are confident that the dealer can put it up for sale without touching it for any kind of fixing. Usually you would mention that your car is in a good or a poor condition.

Now that you know the value of your used car, you can decide whether you want to get rid of it or keep it for some more time to come.

With the current economic instability in the financial markets, many people are now looking for ways to trim their budgets. One way consumers are cutting costs is purchasing used cars. One company that has seen an increase in used car sales is Honda.

The Honda Accord and Honda Civic are one of the most popular used car choices. The 2005 models were a specifically popular choice.

Other popular used Honda models along with an example model year include:

Honda Accord Coupe
1997 - 2008
2008:  MSRP$21,860 - $30,510, Fuel Economy 17 - 31 mpg

Honda Civic Hybrid
2003 - 2009
2008:  MSRP$22,600 - $24,350 Fuel Economy 40 - 45 mpg

Honda Civic Sedan
1997 - 2009
2008:  MSRP$15,010 - $22,460 Fuel Economy 25 - 36 mpg

Honda Civic Si Sedan
2007 - 2009
2008:  MSRP$21,310 - $23,260 Fuel Economy 21 - 29 mpg

Honda Insight
2000 - 2010
2006: MSRP$19,330 - $21,530 Fuel Economy 40 - 43 mpg

Honda Civic Coupe
1997 - 2008
2008: MSRP$14,810 - $22, 460, Fuel Economy 25 - 36 mpg

Honda Civic Si
2002 - 2006
2006: MSRP$20,290 - $22,240, Fuel Economy 22 - 31 mpg

Honda Civic Si Coupe
2007 - 2009
2008: MSRP$21,110 - $23,060, Fuel Economy 21 - 29 mpg

Honda Ridgeline
2006 - 2009
2008:  MSRP$28,000 - $35,090 Fuel Economy 15 - 20 mpg

Honda Odyssey
1997 - 2008
2008:  MSRP$25,860 - $40,610 Fuel Economy 16 - 25 mpg

Honda Accord Wagon
1997: MSRP$19,090 - $22,530 Fuel Economy 23 - 29 mpg

Honda Prelude
1997 - 2001
2001: MSRP$23,600 - $26,100, Fuel Economy 22 - 27mpg

Honda Del Sol
1997: MSRP$15,080 - $19,600, Fuel Economy 26 - 39 mpg

Honda Civic Hatchback
1997 - 2000
2000:  MSRP$10,750 - $12,200, Fuel Economy 32 - 37 mpg

Honda Fit
2007 - 2009
2008:  MSRP$13,950 - $16,070, Fuel Economy 27 - 35 mpg

Honda CR-V
1997 - 2009
2008:  MSRP$20,700 - $28,400 Fuel Economy 20 - 27 mpg

Honda Element
2003 - 2009
2008:  MSRP$18,980 - $23,575 Fuel Economy 18 - 25 mpg

Honda Passport
1997 - 2002
2002:  MSRP$23,300 - $30,900 Fuel Economy 16 - 21 mpg

Honda Pilot
2003 - 2009
2008:  MSRP$27,595 - $35,645 Fuel Economy 16 - 23 mpg

Honda Accord Hybrid
2005 - 2007
2007:  MSRP$31,090 - $33,090 Fuel Economy 28 - 35 mpg

Honda Accord Sedan
1997 - 2009
2008:  MSRP$20,360 - $30,260 Fuel Economy 19 - 31 mpg

Honda Civic GX
2008 - 2009
2008:  MSRP$24,590 Fuel Economy 24 - 36 mpg

Honda Civic GX NGV
2005 - 2007
2007:  MSRP$24,590 Fuel Economy 28 - 39 mpg

Honda S2000
2000 - 2009
2008:  MSRP$34,300 - $37,300 Fuel Economy 18 - 25 mpg

Dow Jones recently reported “that used car prices fell 8 percent in 2008.” This may be a great time to get yourself a quality used Honda. Make sure that you check the Kelley Blue Book to get an estimate of the price range for used Hondas. They can usually range anywhere from $11,000 to $15,000 depending on the age, condition, and detailing.

I really had my eyes opened this past week when I finally decided to get rid of my old Junk car (a 2000 VW Rabbit). I was just going to drive it down to a local shredding facility and hoped they would give me enough money to cover the taxi ride back home. Luckily I mentioned my plan to my mom and I was shocked that she knew so much about this, apparently she helped her best friend junk a car a few months before and both her and her friend are really into saving the environment.

She explained that it was very important to dispose of old cars in an eco-friendly way as to not add pollution to the earth. I found a couple of local green disposal companies and talked to them on the phone and soon realized they took the business of green car disposal quite seriously. It is funny because I ended up going on a 45 minute tour of the facility when I took my car there and it was a lot of fun and they even told me I could come back with my two sons and press the button to start the crusher next weekend.

Just goes to show you that you are never too old to learn something new and helping save the planet can take on many different looks in today’s society.