Tips to buy a Used Car

Author: admin
November 29, 2009

A person who cannot afford to buy a new car can always move ahead and buy a used car. Buying a car no doubts requires a lot of money but that does not mean that only rich can buy it. Always remember the success of buying a used car is to do your research before you buy it. You will have to prepare yourself for all the stress if you are looking for a perfect deal. Make sure that you are with the best used car dealer who will ensure you the best deal. You need to go through the following information before buying a used car.

1) Always decide the budget you can afford to buy the car. Since you are buying the used car always include price of the Car, repairs and maintenance cost of the car, Car insurance and so on.

2) Decide the Car you would like to buy. The best option would be to go for a mid-sized car as these cars are available at great bargains.

3) Used cars may be covered by a manufacturer’s warranty or a separately purchased service contract. However note that they may not be transferable. Always make sure to go through the warranty or service contract before you buy any used cars.

4) You can also take a test drive of the car and check its efficiency and comfort. It would be more preferable if you take a test drive on different types of roads. Have a drive for at least 10 to 15 miles to ensure the smoothness of the car.

5) Find out how old is the car you are going to buy. Try to buy a car which is two or three years older. Buying a two or three years older car would probably be a great deal as this will give you an opportunity to drive the latest model. It would be asking for trouble if you decide to go for a much older car.

6) If you are not 100% satisfied by the car avoid buying it. Don’t just buy a car since it is cheap as this might turn into a big expense in the long term.

7) It would be advisable to get the car inspected by the mechanic you hire. If you neglect it, you will have to pay everything for the maintenance once you buy the car. A mechanic can put the car on the lift and can immediately identify any previous damages, corrosions and so on.
8) If you are buying a 4 to 5 year old car it would be advisable to get the warranty period extended. Else you will have to bear the brunt of heavy losses.

9) Every dealer has a price in mind below which they will not sell you the car. The dealer is ready to reduce the price of the car till this price point and yet manages a decent profit. However if they find a particular buyer inexperienced they take advantage of such buyers and gladly make a very good profit. Hence it is very important to educate yourself thoroughly before going to a car dealer.

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Purchasing Car Insurance Online – Some Things To Know About Online Insurance

The Internet has been a blessing to both the Insurance Industry and consumers who want access to a wide range of providers quickly. The benefits of purchasing your car insurance online are many, here’s a few of them.

For starters, you have an unprecedented ability to compare and contrast between policies online, simply flicking between windows, or in some cases taking advantage of specialty brokers who will send you a comparative cost quote in very short order.

If the sheer convenience weren’t enough, Insurance companies usually offer discounts if you buy your insurance online and save them the hassle of having to deal with you directly. It’s not as if talking to insurance sales people ever made anyone’s day, so you won’t miss the experience, and you’ll save some money.

Insurance companies still offer very good customer service online if you’re stumped, and making a quick call whilst surfing is much easier than waiting several days for them to send you a bunch of paper work that you may or may not understand.

Do make sure however, that your details are processed over a secure server, and that full customer service is available once you have purchased your insurance. Don’t be afraid to ask plenty of questions, and hold out for a provider that offers you a good deal and makes you feel satisfied at the level of assistance you receive.

The Internet is also a good place to check out your intended companies reputation. Others may have had problems, or good things to say about the company. Consumer websites can also offer constructive recommendations to help you on your way, and advise you on ways to keep your premiums down, such as thinking about what sort of car you’re going to buy to stay in a lower bracket, or keeping your record clean.

Buying your car insurance online is a great way to save time and money. As always though, take your time and read those terms and conditions carefully.

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Cheap Auto Insurance – A Practical Solution for Reducing Car Expenses

In todays world auto insurance is a necessity for any one with a car. I believe you will agree with me when saying that having a car is an expense on its own. Not to mention the
Fuel prices these days. So what actually can be done to cut costs from your car payments?

One of the easiest, quickest, safest and cost efficient ways to save money is getting cheap auto insurance rates. Some will say that their insurance payments are relatively low. That may be true but keep in mind that over 35% of auto insurance policy holders are overpaying their insurance and dont even know about it.

The competition among insurance companies these days is huge due to a simple fact; the amount of cars in the world is constantly growing, meaning more insurance is needed. Some people insure 2 or even 3 cars through the same insurance company and arent aware that if they demand an additional discount they will easily get it and even if they dont, no worries, there are lots of other reliable companies that will give them a better rate.

There are plenty of ways of saving hundreds of dollars from your annual premium. The first step is getting a quote. Filling out a quote should be done correctly and the cheapest and fastest way to get free quotes is online. Correct comparison is the key to great rates and its needless to say you should compare quotes from at least 3 different companies (the more the better). There are organizations which provide unbiased services helping you compare 1000 of bids from different auto insurance companies with filling out just one form. These systems can come in handy and save hours of quote comparison.

Ways To Save

The following are a few tested strategies you can apply for saving $300 – $500 from your premium. The more tips you apply the more you can save, believe it or not saving couldnt be easier.

  • Raise your deductibles
  • Reduce coverage on older cars
  • Compare male and female as main drivers
  • If you havent had an accident negotiate a discount
  • Take a defensive driving course and let the insurance company know that you have
  • Install anti theft devices
  • Ask for a discount if you have more than one type of insurance from the same company
  • Check for low mileage discounts

All in all it is important to understand that there are more than enough ways to save money, all you need to do is get started and it doesnt require much effort or time. If you take a close look at what your payments are all about you will see that you could cut costs daily if you just give it a bit of time and correct calculation.

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Why This Lawyer Says You Should Buy Car Insurance From An Independent Broker

I don’t sell car insurance, but as a lawyer practicing in the field of personal injury I frequently see people suffer because they have the wrong insurance coverage. Often, this happens because they purchased directly from an insurance company instead of an independent broker.

Many of my clients who have been seriously hurt in a car accident were struck by someone who had no insurance or only the minimum liability insurance coverage, which is $25,000 in New York and much less in many other states. Unfortunately, many of my clients were sold insurance policies with liability limits of $100,000 or $300,000, but were not sold matching uninsured and underinsured coverage.

Just this week, yet another new client had this problem. My client was a pedestrian crossing the street when she was struck by a car which fled the scene. The driver was caught shortly after leaving the accident, but the owner of the car only has the New York State minimum liability insurance of $25,000 and my client has serious injuries consisting of many broken bones including a fractured arm, leg and skull.

My client owns a car with liability insurance limits of $300,000, but she purchased the insurance from GEICO whose salesperson didn’t sell her underinsured coverage. GEICO does not use independent insurance brokers, but sells insurance directly to consumers through in-house sales agents.

For a small fee, my client could have purchased underinsured coverage of $300,000 which would have allowed her to recover $300,000 for her injuries instead of $25,000. Ironically, she did not need the $300,000 liability coverage to protect her assets. However, since you cannot buy underinsured coverage higher than your liability coverage, I would have advised her to purchase $300,000 liability coverage for the sole purpose of being able to purchase $300,000 underinsured coverage.

I have had many clients in this situation who lost their jobs because of serious injuries and incurred substantial debt. If they had matching underinsured coverage, the additional money available to pay their claim would would be a big help to pay their bills and get their life back together.

Underinsured motorist coverage will pay you money from your own automobile insurance policy if you have been hurt in a car accident by someone who was negligent for causing your injury and who had less liability insurance coverage than you did. Uninsured motorist coverage will pay you when the other car did not have any insurance coverage or the identity of the other car is unknown.

Underinsured and uninsured coverage is inexpensive and usually available in limits that match your liability insurance coverage. It is not available in amounts greater than your liability insurance coverage.

Underinsured and uninsured coverage is so important that a couple of states now require coverage limits matching your liability insurance limits, unless you decline the coverage in writing. Several years ago, I suggested to several New York State senators that they enact a similar law in New York.

I have also seen many clients who were not sold the maximum medical payments insurance, which costs me only $2.01 per month on my car insurance policy. This is particularly important for people who do not have a good health insurance policy. It is also beneficial for passengers who do not have health insurance.

Why should you buy car insurance through an independent insurance broker? The courts have defined the reason. There have been several “malpractice” lawsuits against insurance companies for failure to offer underinsured and uninsured motorists coverage limits matching the liability limits. However, when the insurance company sells directly to consumers, these cases have gone in favor of the insurance companies. The courts found that when a consumer buys insurance directly from an insurance company, rather than an insurance broker, the consumer is only buying insurance and is not paying for advice.

When you buy auto insurance from an independent insurance broker who represents several different insurance companies, you get the advantage of an insurance professional who can evaluate your needs and advise you accordingly. Additionally, only an independent insurance broker can provide you with a choice of insurance companies and premiums, so you get the best coverage at the lowest price.

Whether you buy your car insurance directly from an insurance company or through an independent insurance broker, always make sure that you purchase matching uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage and the maximum medical payment benefits.

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