Long time away from the blogging scene. With the holidays and hunting season in full swing, it's been a busy December and January. Alas, my hunting seasons are mostly over and the corners of my mind are again filled with all things auto retail. And with that, another disturbing online scam is surfacing as told to me by good friend David Ruggles of the Ruggles Report. In short, DO NOT trust the

We all know competition breeds lower prices but how can you use the internet to get the most out of your next new car purchase?First you need to be aware of what is out there. Cars.com, AutoTrader, KBB, Edmunds, Manufacturer sites, Dealer sites - it can all be a little overwhelming.When it comes to getting a great deal, kick out the Manufacturer sites. They provide a great starting point but do

It amazes me how so-called educated and informed writers still cannot see the forest for the trees. I read yet another article in today's Dallas Morning News talking about how "many auto finance companies stopped offering (leasing)." While this is true, you can still lease almost every new vehicle on the market and most pre-owneds three years old or less. That's right. You can lease pre-owned

In the current economic climate, there is a lot of speculation about the logic of buying a new car. After all, the economy is considered to be so unstable it is doubtful whether there are any good deals out there. It’s also questionable whether anyone but the seriously wealthy can afford to sign off on a major purchase at this time.The interesting truth, however, is that we are not being entirely

When planning your next car purchase, take some extra time to evaluate the trade-in process. This is the Achilles’ Heel for many buyers as they neglect to take into account everything involved in the trade.One key is staying focused. Do not be dazzled by your new car, or your dream of getting that new car. Think about your trade-in and do not let its significance disappear as you negotiate with

When you’re looking for your next new car, consider your lease versus buy options.Leasing is often thought of in negative terms but for many, it is far from it!Do you frequently trade in your car every three or four years? Are you interested in driving more car for less money? Do you neglect to service your car as it gets older, or worse, find yourself cash-strapped and not able to afford the

The advantages of getting your next auto loan online are pretty impressive. First of all, it can save you a lot of time. You can research your purchase and the interest rates for car loans online, which takes a lot less time than traveling from car dealer to car dealer to get the same information.Another advantage is you can generally get the lowest auto loan rates from online lenders. Many

Deals and incentives are available for many car buyers. Although there are many problems when you’re trying to buy your first car as a recent college graduate (i.e. you’ve only just got a job and you’ve got tons of student loans), it can be difficult to find a good deal unless you know where to look.Fortunately, there are tons of special incentives for recent college graduates. Most automakers

Paying for Your New Car: The Do’s and Don’ts of Auto FinancingIt’s a sad truth but auto loans can go wrong. When it happens, it’s often the result of a problem during contract preparation in the finance and insurance (F|||amp;I) office. Car buyers need to know what typically goes wrong with auto financing and how these problems can be avoided.Many consumers have a lot of information about the cars