VEHICLE TIPS

"Kyle's Corner" Vehicle Tips by Kyle Busch Adapted from "Drive the Best Price..." © 2001 by Kyle Busch Finding More Information: Kyle Busch is the author of Drive the Best for the Price: How to Buy a Used Automobile, Sport-Utility Vehicle, or Minivan and Save Money. He has over 300,000 miles on his 1986 Volkswagen Jetta - a used vehicle that he bought in 1991 for $2,600. For more information about the book call 1 800 839-8640 or visit: www.drivethebestbook.com Kyle Busch and his 1986 Volkswagen Jetta— a used vehicle that has been driven over 300,000 miles kylebusch@adelphia.net
Lowering the Finance Cost on Your Next Vehicle Purchase Before making a purchase, especially a large one, most buyers ponder an equation that goes something like: What is it going to cost me, and will that equal what I am going to get? Consider that equation when buying your next vehicle. Naturally, you want to get the most vehicle for the money you spend. Here are several tips that will help you to lower your transportation cost. First, and foremost, consider eliminating some of the steep depreciation cost incurred during the first few years of vehicle ownership by purchasing a 2- to 3- year-old used vehicle. The price can be further reduced by paying cash. However, if you need to finance your next vehicle purchase, consider doing the following to keep its cost closer to the "as if you were paying cash" figure. - Take the time to carefully identify your current and your future transportation needs, and choose an appropriate vehicle. Transportation represents different things to different people. For some drivers, it represents status in society. Other drivers place greater emphasis on reliably just getting from point A to points B and C. The more closely that you match your driving needs with the vehicle you buy, the more driving pleasure you will experience and the more likely you will want to hold on to the vehicle. When you reduce unnecessary vehicle trades, you save money. If you can't fully identify your transportation needs or the vehicle that can best satisfy them, consult the April issue of Consumer Reports at a public library. The publication groups vehicles into categories, provides frequency-of-repair information for many vehicles, and gives vehicle price information. It is a good idea to identify 2 or 3 vehicles in a particular category that meet your transportation needs. This enables some latitude when shopping for the vehicle. - Identify how much you can afford to spend per month on transportation. A rule of thumb suggests that the cost to rent an apartment per month should not be greater than 25 percent of your monthly net pay. The cost of an auto loan should not exceed 10 to 12 percent of your monthly net pay. In some instances, leasing a vehicle could be a better option than taking out a loan. - The vehicle down payment should be the largest possible, and the amount of money barrowed the lowest possible. In addition, barrowing money for the shortest period of time (i.e., a 24-month loan rather than a 48-month loan) will reduce the overall cost of the loan. - Identify the various loan sources such as banks, savings and loans, credit unions, and national lenders. For example, go online to ask jeeves.com and specify "automobile financing sources." In regard to national financing vs. local financing, it can be useful to determine what the cost of a loan would be from the national sources, but accept a loan from a local source if the loan cost is comparable or nearly comparable between the two. Compare the APR (annual percentage rate) that each of the sources will charge for the loan. The cost of a loan is negotiable. Therefore, be certain to inform each source what the others have to offer. In addition to the loan's APR, remember to also compare the other costs associated with a loan, such as loan insurance and loan processing costs. - Be certain to read and understand any fine print contained in the loan contract. Insist that the loan contract gives you the option of making payments early and that the payments will be applied on the loan principle with no penalty or extra cost if you payoff the loan early. - Do not settle for a vehicle that does not entirely meet your transportation needs because of low dealer or manufacturer incentive financing. Sometimes dealers or manufactures offer extremely low APR financing on vehicles that the dealer is having a hard time selling. That's why it helps to have initially identified the correct vehicle before encountering the sales pitches and other influences of buying a vehicle.	Learning to Drive a Standard Transmission Made Easy Almost anyone can learn to drive a standard transmission when they put their mind to it, right? Not! However, almost anyone can lean to drive a standard transmission if they go about it the right way (or rather the left foot way). The easiest way to learn how to drive a standard transmission is simply by first focusing entirely on the left foot (letting its coordination to become equal to that of the right foot). Sounds simple, but training the good old left foot is really the biggest part of smoothly moving down the road. Getting Started: To get started, have someone who has a vehicle equipped with standard transmission drive you to a large flat vacant parking lot. Be certain to have your friend in the passenger's seat to provide supervisor when you drive. Also, make certain that you are covered by vehicle insurance from your policy or through the policy of the person who is letting you drive his or her vehicle. In the parking lot with the vehicle's engine turned off, apply your right foot to the brake pedal, and practice getting a feel of the clutch pedal by pushing it in and out with your left foot. The Shift Pattern: Next, view the shift pattern shown on the top of the shift knob. 1st gear is usually located by pushing the gearshift lever forward. Then, with the clutch pedal pushed all the way in to the firewall, move the gearshift lever through the gears (i.e., 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and reverse) a few times and then put the gearshift lever into neutral. Neutral is located in the middle of the shift pattern. In simplest terms, picture the shift pattern as a H (reverse and 5th gear are also added in). The crossbar of the H represents neutral. When the transmission is in neutral, you should be able to move the gearshift lever to the left and to the right. If you need help, ask your friend who drove you to the parking lot. So far, so good! Getting the Feel of it: With the transmission in neutral, start the engine and then press the accelerator lightly to get the feel of the accelerator pedal. Next, take your right foot off of the accelerator completely and let the engine just idle. Push the clutch pedal in completely, hold it in, and place the gearshift into 1st gear. Now the moment of truth (just kidding, you will be a pro in no time!) Continue to keep your right foot off of the accelerator, but very slowly let out the clutch (try to become aware of how far you have let the clutch pedal out when the clutch just begins to engage) until the vehicle just begins to creep forward. This is accomplished by moving the clutch pedal in and out just a little bit (about 1/2 inch) to get the vehicle to begin slowly rolling forward. Work on slowly letting the clutch pedal out until you can get the vehicle to move forward at a couple miles per hour in 1st gear without touching the accelerator. If the vehicle stalls, it is no big deal. Just push the clutch pedal in, and restart the engine. Keeping it Smooth: Your goal is to be able to smoothly let the clutch pedal out (with no accelerator) and have the vehicle move ever so slowly forward. The purpose of this step is to allow you to focus solely on training just your left foot for a smooth controlled clutch movement. Concentrated training of the left foot will help you to avoid the old herky, jerky, stall, "Here! You take the keys" routine. A routine can be so frustrating when you are first learning to drive a standard transmission vehicle. Once you are comfortable not using the accelerator and letting the clutch out smoothly, you can practice pressing the accelerator lightly and letting out the clutch. After you are able to drive the vehicle in 1st gear, practice releasing the accelerator, pushing the clutch in all the way, moving the gearshift in to 2nd gear, and letting out the clutch (shift out of 1st gear at about 15 miles per hour and 2nd gear at about 25 miles per hour). Drive in the large vacant parking in 1st and 2nd gear (most slow speed turns are achieved in 2nd gear) until you feel comfortable. Planning Your Route: When you feel comfortable and want to begin driving on public streets, have your friend drive you to low traffic secondary roads and accompany you to provide supervision. The next step would involve your planning to drive routes that will allow you avoid starting and stopping on roads with hills. With a few miles under your tires, and continued use of your left foot, you will soon be able to hold the vehicle on a hill when starting out. In no time at all, you will be driving like a pro and shifting into 5th gear overdrive. Then one of your friends will soon ask: "Can you show me how to drive a standard transmission?" You can then respond, "Well, it all begins with the good old left foot."

Tips to make your vehicle go the distance If you are on a tight budget, or even on an unlimited budget, you know how important it is to make the most of what you have. Getting More Miles Out of Your Car The following are some tips that will help you to get more miles out of your vehicle. 1. First, consider, does your vehicle actually have the ability to run many miles without incurring costly repairs? Find out by visiting a public library to consult the frequency-of-repair information in the April magazine issue of Consumer Reports. If your vehicle has a poor repair history, consider buying a vehicle that has better ratings and fuel efficiency. If you want to extend the life of your vehicle, at the beginning of each month, have the engine oil level checked to make certain that it is at the full-level mark on the dipstick. Buying two quarts of oil that are on sale and keeping it in the trunk, will enable you to avoid getting stuck paying three times what the oil should cost. Be certain to only use the type of oil and other fluids as specified in the vehicle owner's manual. 2. Every three months (more often, however, if specified by your vehicle owner's manual) and prior to leaving for and upon returning from a trip, check (or have a service station attendant check) the tire pressure and the other fluids that include: Transmission fluid Brake fluid Power steering fluid Radiator coolant (check the clear plastic bottle) Windshield washer fluid Why is it important to keep the fluids at their full-level marks? The fluids lubricate moving parts to reduce fiction, heat, and wear. Therefore, they are the single most important factor for extending the life of a vehicle. 3. If you drive 6,000 miles or less per year, have the engine oil and oil filter changed at the beginning of spring and near the end of fall. If you drive 10,000 or more miles per year, have the engine oil and oil filter changed every 3,000 to 3,500 miles or about every four months. An easy way to remember oil changes is to mark a new calendar at the beginning of a year with "oil change" reminders (i.e., May and November or April, July, and October). Service stations usually run specials on oil changes (i.e., $10.99 - $13.99). However, make certain that the station is reputable. Some stations have been known to skip changing the oil or to do part of the job by changing the oil but not the oil filter. To help make certain that the oil filter was in fact replaced, use a black marker to put an X on the new oil filter after an oil change. When the next oil change has been completed, the newly installed filter should not include an X. 4. Prior to winter, have a service station attendant check the antifreeze in the clear plastic coolant bottle with a hydrometer (a device that takes a sample of antifreeze and specifies how cold the temperature can become before the antifreeze freezes). The antifreeze should be able to withstand (i.e., not freeze) temperatures of at least 30 degrees "below the coldest" winter temperature. If the antifreeze is too weak, have additional antifreeze added to the coolant bottle. Purchase the type of antifreeze as specified in the vehicle owner's manual (i.e., usually a type that is suitable for "aluminum and all types of metals" that are used today's engines). It important to avoid frozen antifreeze because it can crack an engine's block which could result in possibly thousands of dollars for the repair. 5. If you drive about 6,000 miles or less per year, have the engine air filter changed once every two years. If you drive over 10,000 miles per year, have the engine air filter changed once a year in the spring. Many discount stores regularly have sales on air filters. 6. In the spring and in the fall give the vehicle a thorough wash, tar removal, and wax. When washing the vehicle i-between the seasonal waxes, use a car wash product that is safe for clear coat and waxed finishes. 7. Basic vehicle maintenance is an ongoing process. The secret to making it "easy" and keeping a vehicle "looking great" involves two components. First, maintaining regular vehicle involvement and second, only doing a little at a time. Each week throughout the year (in addition to the maintenance suggested above) take about 10-15 minutes to focus on a small aspect of the vehicle (i.e., wash the windows-week one, vacuum the carpet-week two, Armor All the dash and the door panels-week three, etc.). After about three months, one of the "small jobs" will need to be repeated. However, the vehicle will never be in rough shape. Doing a "small but thorough" job on one specific aspect of the vehicle each week, requires very little time or energy. Having a vehicle that continually "looks great" makes it worthwhile. The tips provided above are the most basic maintenance requirements that will help your vehicle to run longer. Be certain to reference the vehicle owner's manual for any additional maintenance required on your vehicle. Basic vehicle maintenance involves a minimal investment of time and money, but it will provide major benefits in vehicle performance and lower repair costs. Additionally, your vehicle will be in better condition when it becomes time to sell. Buying a Used Vehicle Kyle Busch is the author of Drive the Best for the Price: How to Buy a Used Automobile, Sport-Utility Vehicle, or Minivan and Save Money. He has over 300,000 miles on his 1986 Volkswagen Jetta - a used vehicle that he bought in 1991 for $2,600. For more information about the book, call:1 800 839-8640 or visit: www.drivethebestbook.com. See article on Questions and Answers for Saving Money on Transportation	Transportation should provide enjoyment, not a financial burden What enables people to be on time for a scheduled appointment, attend a favorite social event or recreational activity, or just drive on a pleasant summer day? What machine do many people getto know as if it were almost a member of the family? What enables drivers to experience greater freedom? Of course, what else but the automobile. Or in today's terms: the automobile, sport-utility vehicle, or minivan. More and more people are realizing that the cost of new transportation can really throw a budget into reverse. In many instances, today's new vehicle prices compare to the cost of a new home just a generation ago. Since dependable transportation is a necessity--do not despair; a two to four-year old used vehicle can be purchased at a savings of 25 to 50 percent as compared to its cost when new. Additionally,the number of well-built, dependable vehicles has increased during the past decade. When well maintained these vehicles can be driven for many miles, and they are now available at substantial savings. The purchase of a dependable, reasonably priced used vehicle is not a matter of chance or luck, but rather, it is a matter of knowledge and understanding. Becoming informed is one of the most important factors in successfully purchasing a dependable used vehicle at the best price. Gathering Information Variety is the spice of life. Certainly, the number of vehicles that are available today can add spice to one's daily travels. Literally hundreds of different vehicles are available, but which one is the best for you? To better determine the vehicle that satisfies your transportation needs, first take the time to carefully identify your current and future driving needs, then become aware of the many available vehicles, and finally, zero in on the vehicles that best meet your needs. A vary dangerous frame of mind to be in is to "fall head over heals" for a particular make or model of vehicle based purely on emotion. Although some emotion is always part of life, it is wise to put excessive emotions aside and focus on day-in and day-out transportation needs. Some questions to consider about transportation needs include: - How many people will be transported in the vehicle? - What type of objects and cargo will be transported in the vehicle (space considerations)? - Will driving be conducted in poor whether conditions or off-road (rear-wheel drive, front-wheel drive, all- wheel drive)? - Will stop-and-go or interstate driving be performed? Thus, is an automatic, a semi-automatic, or a standard transmission preferred? - Is there a preference for a domestic or a foreign vehicle? - In a sport-utility vehicle, is a more rugged full box type frame needed for off-road driving, or will a unit-body type frame be suitable for intended general highway driving? Additionally, what towing capacity should the sport-utility vehicle have? - In a minivan, are sliding doors needed on both sides, the left-side or the right-side of the vehicle for easier entry and exit? - How much will insurance cost to protect the driver and the vehicle (consider obtaining an insurance quote before buying a vehicle)? - What is the approximate amount of money to be spent on a vehicle? If you are not familiar with which vehicles meet your transportation needs, consider visiting a local public library to consult the yearly publication or the April magazine issue of Consumer Reports. This objective information source provides technical specifications for vehicles including the size, weight, engine horsepower, optional equipment, and miles per gallon of fuel. If technical information is desired for a specific used vehicle, review the Consumer Reports issue that matches the vehicle's year (1998 Toyota Avalon--consult the 1998 April issue of Consumer Reports). After determining the type of automobile, sport-utility vehicle, or minivan that satisfies your needs, it is worthwhile to consult Consumer Reports' frequency-of-repair information to identify specific vehicles that will likely have fewer future repairs. Regarding the frequency-of-repair information, if a vehicle of interest is six years old or less, consult the most recent April edition of Consumer Reports. If the vehicle is more than six years old, add five years to the vehicle's year and then consult that year's April issue of Consumer Reports. Web discussion groups are also a good source of "from the street" information for identifying the strengths and weaknesses of specific vehicles. It is a good idea to identify at least two or three used vehicles that meet your transportation needs. Then, instead of being in a position to only consider vehicle A, you will have the flexibility to consider vehicle A, B, or C. This increases your ability to purchase a used vehicle that is in excellent condition at the best price. In addition to becoming informed about particular vehicles, it is worthwhile to learn the approximate prices for vehicles of interest. To obtain a general idea of vehicle prices, consult the current monthly edition of the N.A.D.A. Official Used Car Guide at a public library, bank, or automobile dealership. Vehicle price information can also be obtained by consulting the vehicle classified sections of major newspapers at a public library. This is a convenient way to get a read on future prices, because vehicle price trends usually begin in major cities and then progress to other areas of the country. The bottom line on becoming informed about vehicles and prices is to obtain a used vehicle that is in excellent condition, with a low repair history, and at a substantial savings. Identifying Used Vehicle Sources There are a number of possible used vehicle sources from which to choose. Rather than becoming overwhelmed with all the possible sources, keep in mind that each source is actually competing with the others. Therefore, when shopping for a vehicle, be certain to let each source know that you are also considering the other sources. Some of the sources to consider when buying a used vehicle include: The Internet (Investigate if the source is reputable) Used automobile lots (buyer beware) Rental car companies Company vehicles New automobile dealerships (investigate if the dealer is reputable) Private owners Contacting a used vehicle source by telephone and obtaining specific information can help to reduce unnecessary legwork. The telephone inquiry will enable you to determine if a vehicle is worth your time to investigate. Some questions to ask a private owner or other used vehicle source about a vehicle include: - How many miles has the vehicle been driven (the average is about 10,000 to 12,000 miles per year)? - Is the transmission an automatic, a semi-automatic, or a manual? If the transmission is not what you want, there is no need to ask further questions. - What is the condition of the vehicle's body? Is there any rust? - Has the vehicle been repainted and if so, why? Avoid repainted vehicles. It is better to see the original paint even if a few small stone chips need to be touched-up. - Has the vehicle been involved in any accidents? Avoid vehicles that have been involved in any accidents. - When are the next state inspection and emissions standard test due? The vehicle should have a minimum of at least six months remaining until the next required state inspection and emissions test. - How often were the engine oil and the oil filter changed, and who performed the service? An acceptable answer would be every 3,000 to 3,500 miles or about every three to four months. - Are you the original owner of the vehicle? Original owners tend to take better care of vehicles. - What is the reason that the vehicle is being sold? It is encouraging if the individual is the original owner and if he or she is planning to again buy the same make of vehicle. - Are parts and service readily available for the vehicle? Where can parts and services be obtained? Avoid buying a vehicle if parts and service are not readily available. - Has the vehicle had any recent repairs (new brakes, tires, exhaust, battery) or service and if so, what garage performed the repairs or service? - What price are you asking for the vehicle? The interior and exterior inspections and the vehicle test-drive are used to verify the information obtained during the telephone inquiry.