November, 2008


29
Nov 08

Getting To Know Your Hybrid SUV

It seems that when we say hybrid SUVs we actually make a mistake, as it sounds like an oxymoron. Why is that? SUVs are luxury vehicles and whoever buys one probably has enough money to maintain and fuel it.Even so, with the fuel prices staying so high, we should not be amazed at people’s desire to have more economic vehicles, even though the vehicles under discussion are SUVs. Besides, there is this tendency and increase-awareness goal all over the world to remind of the importance of our energetic resources which we are constantly wasted. Therefore, we should all be concerned about having hybrid vehicles which are more fuel-efficient.

So with these in mind, people started making some adjusting to powerful vehicles and turn them into hybrid SUVs. When you decide to buy hybrid SUVs, keep in mind the fact that not all of them are advantageous when it comes to the costs, which means that you have to do some research before choosing among the various hybrid SUVs. To assist you with the choice, analysts at automotive-cost tracking Web site IntelliChoice.com ran a study for CNNMoney.com, in which they analyzed and compared projected 5-year ownership costs for specific vehicles that were similar in price and maintenance costs to SUVs. The elements followed in this study were fuel, maintenance, finance costs and depreciation. Analysts intended to find out whether specific costs measured up to their expectations. There was also a comparison between regular and hybrid SUVS. According to their findings, hybrid SUVs beat the broad expectations by about $4,000.

Among the hybrid SUVs promoted on the market at present, there are a number of vehicles like Acura RD-X, BMW X5 Hybrid, Chevrolet Tahoe/GMC Yukon, Chevrolet Equinox, Dodge Durango, Ford Escape, Lexus RZ 400h, Saturn VUE, to mention just a few of them. So, as you can see almost all the big automobile companies have become interested in doing something about the environment and finance and have already come up with a number of hybrid SUVs on the market.

How much fuel do you save with hybrid SUVs? No one can give clear cut figures as the calculations are quite extensive and the amount differs from vehicle to vehicle, as well as from driver to driver. In a nutshell hybrid SUVs, and hybrid vehicles in general, though heavier, seem to bear their bigger weight better than conventional vehicles, and this is apparent if we consider the issue of fuel efficiency and costs. Consequently, choosing from hybrid SUVs types is a true pleasure; take a driving test and see for yourself. Hybrid SUVs are definitely worth paying for.


29
Nov 08

Used Cars Are Better Than New

Are used cars or new cars better? New cars begin depreciating the second you sign the papers. Now that question is an easy one. Since a car is a depreciating asset, meaning in general cars lose value with time, the best money decision is to purchase the car when it will tend to lose less value. That of course combines with the concern over the state when a car needs less maintenance. The slightly used car is about the best for both concerns. The value has already dropped from new car state. Someone else got robbed by that decrease. The car is still in good condition, often still under warranty, so that it won’t have need for constant and costly repairs like an older model car needs.

Late model used cars are available from a variety of sources. Car lots have a lot of traded in cars. Those vehicles are looking for new owners. Companies like Carmax specialize in used automobiles, while eBay has an entire subsection dedicated to car auctions, mostly for used vehicles. There are car auctions in every city. These include police auctions of impounded vehicles as well as dealer auctions that might involve, for example, cars purchased from car rental companies.

Kelly Blue Book is a valuable resource to determine the relative fair price of a used car. Categories include make, model, year and condition from poor to excellent. It also breaks down the prices between dealer sales and private sales. Dealers have overhead private sellers don’t have so that is important.

Have you thought about the financing for the used car? Think about saving up the pennies and making a cash purchase. No matter how low the monthly payments or interest rate, paying cash is better. It’s nice to own a top of the line auto. Remember, however, that even simpler models get from point a to point b. That not only helps your bottom line, but your blood pressure. People who own the luxury cars worry more about them. Many used car owners take pride in their cars, but don’t worry over a ding or two.

Sure cars are a status symbol, but wealth isn’t based on what you spend. It’s based on what you save and on net worth. There are people living hand to mouth even though they earn a lot of money. Good used cars help the budget.