Buying a Car? Check Out These Resources
The resources below are just some of the professional resources for car shopping and research. If you’re going to spend thousands of dollars on a car, though, you need to find all the information you can on both the car you’re interested in as well as the competitors. Don’t go into the dealership unprepared, or else you may make a rash, uninformed decision.
Edmunds.com, purportedly “where smart car buyers start,” has a giant database of cars, including reviews, pricing, and specs. The site provides information on new and used cars, as well as advice on how to shop for and how to finance cars. Best of all, it can offer your searches tailored to your location!
Consumer Reports is pretty much the gold standard when it comes to rating consumer goods. Its website has a solid section on cars. Unfortunately, the most helpful offering – expert ratings – is available to subscribers only. But this site is still worth a look; there are many informative articles freely available.
Which automakers provide free car maintenance?
Cars are not cheap (duh), but some automakers make the ownership experience less painful for the first few years. Automakers like BMW and Land Rover provide free car maintenance for up to 4 years, and that could be the deciding factor for a number of shoppers choosing from the luxury brands on the market.
Car Brands Offering Free Maintenance
BMW
BMW calls its maintenance plan “BMW Ultimate Service” which goes for the first 4 years of ownership, or the first 50,000 miles. Here is some info about the plan (from the BMW website):
- BMW Maintenance Program: One of the most comprehensive maintenance programs in its class covering all factory-recommended maintenance, oil service and fluid service, as well as items that need replacement due to normal wear and tear – such as brake pads, brake rotors and wiper blade inserts.
- Four years of the BMW Assist™ Safety Plan: Many 2007 and later models include a four-year, unlimited mileage subscription to the BMW Assist™ Safety Plan including TeleService, an exclusive BMW benefit which allows your vehicle to contact your BMW center directly when it needs service or maintenance.
Finding a Compact Car in Today’s Market
Even though today is a buyer’s market for cars, not all models are easily found, and when they are, they’re not easily discounted. While you can get 5-figures knocked off the price of a Hummer H2, and maybe even a Hummer H3 (it’s sitting on the lot over 200 days average), you can’t expect the same for the other end of the auto spectrum.
Getting a Discount on a Compact Car
While I must admit that your results will vary depending on your location and market, generally all small cars, such as the Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris, Mazda3 and even domestics like the Chevy Aveo and the Korean Hyundai Accent are selling for MSRP. At best, but still possible, you can negotiate down close to dealer invoice on these vehicles, but again it really depends on your market.
For example, if you’re looking for a Mazda3 sedan or hatchback, you’ll have more luck in an area like mine where there are 4-5 nearby Mazda dealerships than in Nowhere, Pennsylvania where the closest dealer is 30 miles away. I can pit the salesman against each other because they know I can more easily travel to the competitor.
Buying a BMW? Buy now or spend more in 2009
First gas prices skyrocket and average Americans need to pinch pennies and forgo driving to save money. Now, even the rich (and wannabe-rich) are hurting. BMW has announced price increases across the board for the 2009 model year. So if you’re looking at getting a shiny new Bimmer with that fat bank loan, you might want to pick up a 2008 model and save anywhere from 1%-3%, depending on the model.
And what makes this worse is that most BMWs, except for the 3 series, remain the exact same in 2009 as they were in 2008. That means you’re simply paying more for the same car just because it has a ’9′ in the model year instead of an ’8′.
2009 BMW Base Prices:
Base MSRP pricing does not include $825 destination:
1 Series
2009 128i Convertible $33,800
2009 135i Convertible $39,900
2009 128i Coupe $29,200
2009 135i Coupe $35,600
HFC Auto Review: 2009 Hyundai Genesis Sedan
Screw BMW. Screw Mercedes. Screw Lexus and Audi. To us mere mortals, we perceive drivers with a shiny new Mercedes E class, or BMW 5-series as either flush with cash, or more likely, carrying long leases with heavy down payments just to barely afford that luxury. While you drive around in your flashy car with your cigar ablaze, I’m stuck in my crummy Honda. Not that I’m bitter or jealous or anything.
But not any longer. Now there’s a new luxury player in town. Are you ready for this? Get ready cause you won’t believe it. It’s the 2009 Hyundai Genesis sedan! And it’s even rear-wheel drive!
Stop laughing. I know it’s a Hyundai. But this isn’t like when Volkswagen tried to shove a $60,000-110,000 über-sedan (the Phaeton) into the market, expecting people who buy those kinds of cars to want to mingle with the ones buying $15,000 Jettas. Why is it different? Well first, the Genesis starts at just $32,250. Want a V-8 engine? Tack on another $5k. That’s still half the price of the Phaeton (VW had to bump up the price into the $80ks to make up for currency exchange and other costs).
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