After Buying a New Car

There are a few things you need to do as soon as possible after buying a car:

1. Insurance

It's against the law to drive a car in the U.S. without the minimum levels of insurance required for each state. Make sure you have purchased the proper insurance before you start driving your new vehicle.

2. Title

An auto title is a legal certificate of ownership. If you have purchased your car through a dealer, they will do this paperwork for you. Licensed dealers are required to transfer the title of the car within a couple of weeks. You will be issued a new title by the DMV. The title will list your name, address, the make, model and year of the car, and the date of sale. If you are buying a used vehicle from another owner, the auto title must be signed over to you by the seller. You then need to take the title to the DMV to register the car in your name.

3. Registration

Once you have bought your car, you will need to find a DMV and apply for registration for your vehicle. Registration requirements change from state to state. Usually, you will need the signed certificate of title for the car, proof of insurance, your driver's license, and an address of residence. You will also need to pay the fee in cash, as DMV's don't accept credit cards.

Can You Afford to Buy a Car?

The most important part of buying a car for most people is the price. How do you know if you can afford to buy a car? How much can you afford to spend?

First, you have to sort out your personal finances. To do this you need to look at your monthly income and your fixed expenses. How much is left over per month after all of your bills and necessities have been deducted? How much of that amount are you willing to spend on a car? The general rule is to not allow payments to exceed 20% of your monthly income.

Other factors that need to be considered when thinking about the price of your new car are insurance costs, gas costs, and maintenance costs. It is important to calculate how much you can afford in total before visiting dealerships. You don't want to fall in love with a car that you can't afford.

Keep in mind that buying a car at the agreed on price does not mean that is the final price. There are still taxes, fees, financing charges, etc. These will affect the total monthly cost.

Another method is to compare the monthly payments of a new car to the monthly payment you paid for the last car you had. This will give you an idea if you are comfortable spending more or less each month.

To estimate your monthly payment, you can also use an online finance calculator. These calculators will take into account the purchase price, down payment, your credit rating, interest rate, length of the loan, the value of your trade-in, etc.

Buying Your Car When the Lease is Up

When your car lease term is up, you may decide you want to buy the car and keep it. Keep in mind that it may or may not be a good deal, depending on the buyout price and your specific circumstances. There could be a number of good reasons for you to buy the car:

• Your really like the car and the buyout price is fair.
• You don't want the hassle of starting a new lease or buying a new car.
• You've exceeded the number of miles allowed and want to avoid penalties.
• There is excess wear and tear on the car, and you want to avoid the fees.
• You know the car's mechanical history and know that it's reliable.

The first thing to do is to find out the buy out price of the vehicle and if it's negotiable, and how far you can negotiate it down. Keep in mind that the leasing company ultimately wants you to buy the car. Check the current blue book value of that vehicle and also take into consideration the current condition of the vehicle and anything that you may owe, such as extra mileage fees.

Don't mention if you are over the allowed mileage limit or that there is excess wear and tear on the car. If they know this, they will realize they have you over a barrel and might be less willing to negotiate on the price.

Allow several weeks to negotiate the final price for the car and assume that the negotiations will probably go right up to the return date for the car. Just make sure you have reached a fair price and that you are aware of any other related fees before you agree to the deal.

Car Buying Tips for Women

Unfortunately, even in this day and age, women still sometimes experience subtle or not so subtle discrimination when buying a car. So, how does a woman purchasing a car on her own defend against this sort of treatment? Start by reading our new car buying tips for women:

• Remember that there are thousands of dealerships out there, if you feel you're being treated unfairly or talked down to, don't waste anymore time with that salesperson, go to another dealership.
• Do some research before you go to the showroom. Go online to research the vehicle you're interested in and to get an idea of what a good price is for that vehicle. Also check to see if there are any incentives available on that car.
• If you are planning to finance the vehicle, get pre-approved by your local bank or credit union before you go to the showroom. There's a good chance you'll get a better interest rate at your personal financial institution.
• When you arrive at the dealership, make it clear to the salesperson that you know exactly what you want and exactly how much you are willing to pay. Don't give them the chance to play any games with you. Make your offer and stand firm.
• If the dealer will not meet your price, go to another dealer. In some cases, you can even get dealers to bid against each other. With a little homework beforehand and a little persistence at the dealership, you'll get a good deal and have a good car buying experience.

Online Price Quote Tips

The internet is one of the best tools available to car shoppers. It provides the ability to easily research everything you want to know about the vehicle you're interested in and get a fast, hassle free online car quote. Here are some important things to keep in mind when getting a quote online:

• Make sure to get more than one quote. Getting multiple quotes will ensure that you receive a more competitive price.
• Sometimes there can be errors. Make sure to use more than one source for both your research and your price quotes.
• Don't forget that there may still be additional charges not shown in the initial quote, such as a destination charge or expected down payment.
• Part of the convenience of getting a quote online is that you don't have to talk to a salesperson right away. Request that your quote be sent by email, so that you don't end up getting unwanted phone calls.
• Before going to a dealership in person to get the deal you found online, make sure to print out a copy of the quote and bring it with you.
• If you're using an online monthly payment calculator to compute lease or loan payments, make sure you understand all of the financial assumptions built into the calculator.

Buying a Nearly New Car

Used car buying doesn't have to mean buying a clunker. A nearly new car, in the less than 3 years old range, can offer much of the comfort, performance and style of a new model, but for a considerably lower price. Since a new car loses a big chunk of its value as soon as it is driven off the lot, buying the vehicle you want nearly new can save you a lot of money.

Most new car warranties are good for at least three years, and for premium cars it can be even longer. There is usually rust and corrosion protection that lasts even longer and roadside assistance coverage as well. That means you can have all of the benefits of a new vehicle while skipping the initial depreciation.

Keep in mind that once a car is around five years old, the value usually drops again. So the best thing to do is to buy a used vehicle that is only 1-2 years old and sell it once it's around 3-4 years old, before it has another big drop in value. You may even be able to sell it for close to what you bought it for. That way you can get a new nearly new car every couple of years, without losing a lot of money from depreciation.

Consider Buying a Rental Car

There are many options to choose from when buying a car. If you want to buy a gently used car that you know is in good shape, consider buying a used rental car. There are a number of advantages to buying a rental car:

1. Rental vehicles are usually very well maintained inside and out. The customers renting the vehicles expect them to be in top condition. There are also legal aspects that influence the maintenance of rental cars. Rental companies can be sued if an improperly serviced vehicle causes an accident.
2. Most car rental companies use a type of software that automatically alerts them when vehicles are due for service. They will usually stop renting those cars until the required maintenance has been performed. You can request a copy of these service records for any car on the lot at a rental company.
3. Most drivers of rental cars take good care of them because they do not want to end up with extra charges. Rental agreements usually contain a clause that the vehicle may only be driven on paved roads and not used for off-roading.
4. Rental vehicles often have low mileage because they are not in constant use and when they are used it's usually for short periods of time. They are usually sold when they are only 1-3 years old.

If you would like to buy a used rental car, just contact the rental companies in your area to see what they have available.

What are Green Dealerships?

In addition to selling green vehicles, some new car dealers are also making their entire dealerships green.

There are at least 16 green dealerships already in the U.S. Toyota is aiming to make 100 of their dealerships green. They have created a design that dealerships can follow to be certified as environmentally friendly. GM also has several dealerships with green aspects. Many more automakers are expected to join the green movement. Dealers are hoping that the 'green' angle will help promote their sales and at the same time save them money and deflect some of the environmental criticism aimed at the automotive industry.

Some things that dealers do to make their dealerships greener include:

• Lubricating car lifts with vegetable oil
• Using a geothermalheating system
• Using a geothermal pump
• Using organic soaps in the car wash
• Cleaning cars with recycled water
• Having a water-soluble paint booth
• Using biodiesel powered machinery
• Cutting energy usage
• Installing skylights for extra light
• Making doors out of pressed corn
• Having the staff wear organic shirts

Some dealers are also going after a LEED designation from the nonprofit U.S. Green Building Council. The LEED designation recognizes buildings that are environmentally friendly. This has to include design, construction and operation.

Selling Your Car on Ebay

The internet has become a great tool for connecting used car buyers and sellers. Ebay has become one of the most popular sites for this purpose. They have made a website specifically for vehicles called Ebay Motors. Ebay Motors makes it easy for buyers to search for a specific type of vehicle. They can search by category, make, model, location or vehicle type.

To sell your car on Ebay, start by setting up a free account and creating your advertisement posting. Ebay does charge advertising fees, but they are very reasonable. You should add as many photographs of the vehicle as possible. Make sure they are good quality photos. Include detailed pictures of the interior, exterior, tire tread and motor.

Because Ebay is an auction site, the ads are bid oriented, although you can post a "buy it now" price or set a reserve price. If there are no appropriate bids, the vehicle is not sold. Do your research and make sure to set an appropriate value on your vehicle from the start, you will have the best chance of selling it if the price is reasonable.

It will also be easier to sell your vehicle if you can validate the claims that you make in your ad. If you're advertising the vehicle to be in excellent condition, have it inspected and certified as proof. A buyer will be more likely to commit if you remove any doubt on the validity of the claims you have made.

Dealers Leaving Customers With Unpaid Loans

As thousands of auto dealership across the country close, thousands of consumers are ending up on the hook for used car loans that the dealers were supposed to have taken care of.

When a car buyer owes money on a used car that they are trading in, the dealer agrees to pay off the outstanding loan. But as dealerships go out of business, some are leaving consumers with the bill. The lender will then go after the previous owner who thought the debt was already paid. They can also repossess the car from the new owner who assumed it came with a clear title. The consumer can end up with two car payments and a damaged credit rating.

The problem may only get worse as the recession continues. In some states, dealers are required to prove they are paying off a vehicle's lien before transferring the title. There are also a few states that have programs that require dealers to post insurance bonds to repay victimized car buyers. Consumers in states that don't have these programs have little recourse. Consumers can try to sue the dealership, but if they have declared bankruptcy, there may be no money to reclaim.

To avoid these problems, new car buyers with trade-ins should first pay off the loan themselves, or deal with high volume dealership that is part of a larger auto group and therefore less likely to fold. Used car buyers should insist on seeing a vehicle's title to make sure that it has no liens.