Tips For Buying a Car

Buying a new car is an exciting experience, though it can be complicated. There`s a lot of choice out there, and it can be intimidating. You want to make sure you`re getting the best deal, and that you end up with the car that`s right for you.

Here are a few ideas and thoughts that might help.

General Trends
Today, fuel efficiency is a major concern. Manufacturers have taken the high gas prices to heart, and are producing models that promise better mileage. Indeed, gas-electric hybrid cars are in high demand, and some auto insurance companies are offering enticing discounts for hybrid cars.

Before You Buy
Think about your needs. Got a big family? Check out the safest vehicles best suited for your clan. Do a lot of driving? You`ll probably want a car that`s comfortable to drive, balanced with reliability and good gas mileage. Think about what you`ll be using your vehicle for, and shop accordingly.

Do some research before you even leave the house. Check the internet for information on safety and reliability on various models. You might have your heart set on a particular manufacturer, but don`t let that distract you from the facts and figures that determine how good their cars really are (or aren`t).

Check your current car`s Blue Book value before you go shopping - you may be surprised to find out that dealers consider your car to be worth much less when it comes to trading it in. Be aware of its true value, and you could save money.

More and more vehicles are coming with technology packages that include GPS systems, satellite radios and more. These can be very tempting, but quite expensive. Many of these features will require monthly fees, so keep that in mind. However, having systems integrated into your vehicle right from the factory is certainly easier than adding them later.

What can you really afford to pay each month for your car? Always have your budget in mind, and consider that your monthly expenses for your car should include gas, maintenance and insurance. Stretching your bank account an extra fifty dollars a month for a nicer model may cost you even more if the gas mileage is worse, while a more reliable car could end up saving you money.

When You`re Shopping
Not only is comparison shopping a great way to find the best auto insurance rates, it could save you thousands of dollars when looking for a car. Compare car prices at different dealerships, or online at various sites (including the manufacturers` own website), and you might be very surprised at the difference.

Consider arranging financing for your car before you visit the dealership. Talk to your bank, or credit union. You might be able to get a better interest rate from a different source, or at least have more control over your repayment schedule. In order to do this, you`ll need to have a very good idea of the car you want and how much it will cost. Bear in mind to include money for any optimal packages you wish to include in the vehicle.

Know what you want - be aware that some sales people will try to steer you to the cars they want to sell. If you end up with a better deal, or different car, and that's alright for you, then good. But don't be strong-armed into a vehicle you don't want. For instance, if you want to buy a SUV, don't be talked into buying a truck.

When taking a car out for a test drive, some dealers might ask to get a photocopy of your license before you go. You may want to consider not doing this. Instead, request that one of their staff accompany you on the test drive, and hang on to your license. Some dealers might take the opportunity to run a credit report on you while you are gone using the information on your license which could this negatively impact your credit score.

If you don't like how you're being treated, or if you have any doubts at all about the salesperson or dealership, just leave. You'll quickly find the dealer that's right for you, and soon after, you'll be driving the car that's right for you, too.

Auto Insurance: The Protection You Need

On average, a motor vehicle crash occurs every 5 seconds, a person is injured in an accident every 11 seconds, and a fatal injury occurs every 12 minutes. Those are scary thoughts as you head out the door to school, work or to the store and convincing evidence of why auto insurance coverage is so necessary.

However, you can rest a little easier knowing that the crash fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled is the lowest it has been since record keeping began 30 years ago, registering at 1.46, and remained below 1.50 for the second consecutive year in a row. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) 2004 Early Edition Report, the number of police-reported motor vehicle crashes occurring on the highways dropped to under 6.2 million from more than 6.3 million in 2003, and persons injured in these crashes continues to steadily decline as well.

This reduction is due in part to the national campaigns aimed at increasing safety belt use and reducing impaired driving. Currently the seat belt law is mandated in all 50 states, which greatly helped reduce the number of persons killed in auto accidents in 2004. The countrywide campaign for drinking under the influence has also greatly helped reduce alcohol-related fatalities for the second consecutive year in a row.

Time plays a big part.
Even with all these new preventive measures, accidents are still happening. This is why the focus has turned to on which days and at what time accidents are occurring. According to the NHTSA, Saturday and Sundays nights between Midnight and 3 a.m. are the deadliest 3-hours on the road, with a total of 2,451 fatal crashes in 2004, seventy-six percent of these accidents involved alcohol.

So you now know what time of day to try and avoid, but do you know that time of year? The Early Edition Report indicates that August topped the charts with the most fatal crashes in one month and December had the most overall automobile accidents, totaling 601,000- something to keep in mind during your vacation and holiday travels!

Your car can affect your car accident.
The vehicle you drive can also play a large role in your car accident. Passenger cars and light trucks accounted for nearly 95 percent of the 11 million vehicles involved in motor vehicle crashes in 2004. Large trucks only accounted for 15 percent of the vehicle accidents. In addition, we saw an increase in vehicles rolling over during an accident. Of the vehicles that rolled over, utility vehicles presented the highest rate at 36.2 percent in fatal crashes, 9.6 percent in injury crashes and 2.4 in property-damage-only-crashes. Regardless of the crash severity, the majority of these accidents occurred during daylight, in normal weather conditions, while the vehicle was going straight.

Protect yourself with auto insurance.
Accidents do happen, but you can follow some simple safety measures while driving. These include wearing your seat belt at all times, obeying the speed limit, being cautious of your surroundings and having auto insurance. By having auto insurance, you are able to protect yourself, your family, passengers and other drivers from incurring additional heartache and financial burden.

If you are in the market for auto insurance or would like to make sure you are receiving the best package for the price, logon to the Insurance.com's auto quote comparison tool . There, you'll be able to compare car insurance rates from up to 12 insurance providers, helping you evaluate various auto insurance premiums while helping you find the best package for your overall needs.

The DUI Scarlet Letter and the impact it has on your auto insurance policy.

Is Florida going pink? If Senator Mike Fasano, of New Port Richey, Florida gets his way many Florida residents just might be. Late last year, Senator Fasano filed a bill that would require DUI offenders to drive with bright pink licenses plates bearing the letters DUI. "Maybe it will embarrass people and keep them from drinking and driving," Fasano said. "Maybe they`ll think twice." The proposed bill also has a provision that allows police officers to pull over and check on the driver at any time, without probable cause. If passed, Florida will join Ohio, Iowa and Minnesota, all with similar laws in place.

Currently, Ohio has one of the strictest DUI laws in the country. Ohio DUI offenders are issued yellow plates with crimson numbers. These plates are issued at a judge`s discretion to people with more than one DUI conviction and restricted driving privileges. Many feel this punishment is a reflection of the Nathaniel Hawthorne`s 1850 novel "The Scarlet Letter," which is about a woman ordered to wear the letter "A" as punishment for adultery. In Iowa, DUI offenders` plates contain the letter "Z", Minnesota`s plates bear a unique series of numbers and in Oregon, drunk drivers are required to display a sticker on their licenses plates.

And how well does this law really work? Only a few studies on effectiveness have been conducted to date but one Oregon study showed that offenders in Oregon who had their vehicle plates tagged had lower rates of DUI offenses, moving violations, and repeat DWS offenses than similarly eligible offenders whose vehicle plates were not tagged.

Drunk driving and auto insurance
States are not the only ones cracking down on drunk driving - auto insurance companies are too!

Even though states forbid insurance companies to deny coverage to policyholders because of race, religion, residence, age or occupation, they can cancel your policy for reasons such as:

• Having your driver`s license suspended
• Having too many traffic violations
• Being convicted of a felony, criminal negligence or drunk driving - DUI

Insurance companies generally deal with convicted DUI customers by issuing higher rates or through cancellation or non-renewal of policy.

If your insurance company chooses to raises your rates, you will more than likely be labeled as a high-risk driver. In this case, you`ll likely have to file proof of insurance for three, or sometimes five, years with your state`s department of motor vehicles. In addition, to remove your license suspension, your insurance company will be required to provide the DMV with an SR-22 form, which notifies the state of your proof of insurance. An SR-22 also means your insurance company is required to notify the DMV if it cancels your insurance for any reason.

Most states require convicted drunk drivers to get an SR-22 from their insurance agency, so in most instances you can`t avoid your insurance company finding out. This notice can also trigger your insurance company to cancel your policy mid-term or terminate your policy at the end of the term. However, your insurance company is required to send you a letter stating why you`ve been canceled. Then it is up to you to try and find another insurer while having a cancellation on your claim history.

In other instances, some insurance companies don`t offer SR-22 policies, so you may find that your policy is not renewed, or even canceled.

Also keep in mind that your insurance company has up to three years to cancel your policy or raise your rates because of a DUI.