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Autumn has arrived: the air is a little cooler (or should be), the sun sets earlier, the leaves change colors, and the auto manufacturers roll out the next model year's edition of their entire vehicle lineup. If the vehicle is a mainstay in the brand's lineup, then it will have a major overhaul every 3-5 years, and otherwise not change much from one model year to the next. But each manufacturer also likes to introduce 1 or 2 brand new models each year, to much fanfare, while more quietly retiring those models that don't seem to be as popular any more. In either case - the overhauled (their lingo is often "redesigned"), or model or the brand new model, there's some things to keep in mind to make sure you get a great deal - whether you're buying or leasing.
The...
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Last time we quoted the Ancient Greeks here was on the page "Know Your Credit", and we will give a brief update about that, but this week's theme is about the Ancient Greek's classical elements: Earth, Fire, Water, Air, and the Void, and how they have each been kicking North America's behind over the past few weeks, especially this week!
Earth - an extremely strong, and unfortunately deadly, earthquake, with an 8.1 magnitude, struck off the coast of southern Mexico on the evening of September 7th, and toppled hundreds of buildings.
Fire - many of the western states of the U.S. as well as British Columbia, Canada have been dealing with wildfires, that have been substantially worse than predicted based on the cold wet winter that the area had, and it has caused some evacuations, with many more possible if the...
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It seems like every retailer uses holiday weekends as a reason to put their inventory on sale, and advertise these discounts, and the world of auto retailing is no different. The manufacturers and dealerships know that consumers will use the extra time off to take care of one of the biggest purchases most people make, and that the deals and heavy advertising is needed to get folks to choose their brand and their dealership over all the other choices.
The Weekends to Watch
There are six holiday periods in particular that the automotive industry focuses on for its holiday-themed deals, although what you're shopping for may impact how great of a deal you can expect, as well as which holiday it is. Throughout the year the biggest holidays for auto sales are (chronologically, not sales volume):
President's Day Weekend
Memorial Day Weekend
...
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Getting behind the wheel of a new car is always exciting, but understanding the conditions of your lease is important in knowing that your getting a good deal, as well as helping you to drive confidently; knowing that when your lease is up, you won’t be paying unnecessary fees.
The Not-So-Fine Print
In your lease contract, the mileage allowance will be clearly spelled out. If you’re worried about potentially going over, it’s a good idea to assess where you’re at with your mileage. If your 36 month lease allows you to drive 15,000 miles per year, over the course of three years, your lease allows you to drive 45,000 miles. Only you know exactly how many miles you’ve driven each year, the lessor isn’t going to pop in after the first year to make sure you haven’t driven 15,001 miles and make...
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Do you have any idea what the easiest part of leasing is? The answer, to the detriment of the unprepared consumer, is advertising the lease deal! Think about the lease deals you've seen advertised before - on TV, in newspapers or other print, or even on billboards: all of them focus on just three numbers (in this order):
The monthly payment
The number of months
The amount due at signing / down payment amount
The advertisers then breeze through the other legally required details as quickly, or in as small of font, as their lawyers will let them. Comparatively, advertising a vehicle for purchase either needs to focus on the full purchase price, which is tens of thousands of dollars, or try futilely to advertise a single monthly payment for consumers with thousands of unique credit and down payment situations. So...
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You’re at the dealership surrounded by shiny, new vehicles. Your eyes are dazzled by brilliant colors, glittering rims, and your senses are completely overwhelmed with the rush of that new car smell. You’ve done the research and know you want to lease a new car.
You look up and the smiling car salesman is walking toward you. He shakes your hand and asks how he can help you. You mention the car you’ve had your eye on, and together you glide across the showroom floor. Here it is, your dream car, and you’re ready to slip into the driver’s seat and take her for a spin. The dealer takes your driver’s license, grabs the keys, and you make your way to the lot. Your fingers grip the steering wheel; its a perfect fit in your palms. The sun is shining, and...
