Car Buying Service

Since the passage of the Cash for Clunkers bill (also known as C.A.R.S.), some say the auto industry is once again buzzing with a positive outlook for the future and those at Swapalease.com, the world’s largest auto lease marketplace, are saying that the Cash for Clunkers program will boost the leasing industry and help protect the environment, too.

The government subsidized program is designed to help consumers turn in their older, less efficient vehicles and apply the government credit towards the purchase of a new vehicle with improved gas mileage.

If you’re in the market to lease or buy, you can search through a large selection of fuel efficient vehicles (yes – that includes hybrids!) for sale or lease over at Swapalease.com’s online marketplace.

Richard Joseph, who is President and Co-founder of Swapalease.com, believes the Cash for Clunkers program will have a positive impact on the environment and the economy:

“Swapalease.com strongly supports the Cash for Clunkers program. It is good for leasing and good for the auto industry. We have even added a new section to our web site to assist consumers who have questions about the program, as well as explaining which option is best for their unique situation, whether it be a new lease origination or a lease transfer.”

Swapalease.com is a large automotive lease marketplace, online since 1999.  It has assisted consumers with exiting their car leases early – and with no penalties – using a patented online process. Consumers who would like to get into short-term leases with no money down and low payments can take over the remaining payments on in-process leases. The company says lease transfers are a win-win-win situation for the buyer, the seller and the leasing company, since it saves everyone money and reduces repossessions.

The company is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio.

For more information, call 1-866-SWAPNOW or visit www.swapalease.com.

Tags: Advice, Car Shopping, Cars Loans, General, Leasing

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In lieu of the Chrysler fallout, if you’ve been wondering what it all means for the Dodge Viper, wonder no more.  Chrysler says the production of the Viper SRT10 will continue, and although it was scheduled to cease production in December of this year, the Chrysler Group Conner Avenue Assembly Plant, which has been home to the Dodge Viper production since 1995, will continue to build the sports car and Chrysler says it’s not interested in selling the Viper business assets.  

The Viper, which was introduced as a concept car in 1989 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, was designed and engineered to test public reaction to the concept of a back-to-basics, high-performance, limited production sports car. The reaction by consumers was a positive one, so much so that orders began to come in even before the auto show was over, so Chrysler took an active approach and immediately decided to determine the production feasibility on transforming the crowd-pleaser into a limited production sports car in no more than three years.

Production on the Viper began in May 1992 at the New Mack Assembly Plant and was moved to Conner Avenue in October, 1995. Viper V-10 engine production transferred from Mound Road Engine to Conner Avenue Assembly in May 2001. In 2008, Dodge introduced the all-new, fourth generation Dodge Viper SRT10. With more horsepower, more torque and more factory customization options.

For 2009, the Dodge Viper SRT10 offers an 8.4-liter, 600-horsepower V-10 engine contributing to blistering acceleration – 0 to 60 mph in less than four seconds; 0 to 100-0 mph in the low 12-second range – setting an American sports car benchmark.

So far, more than 25,000 Dodge Vipers have been built.

Tags: Car Shopping, General

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Yesterday my daughter turned 21 (Happy Birthday, Monica!) and one of the ways she’s decided to celebrate this milestone is to buy new tires.  I don’t exactly know how it all transpired, but because she’s taking a trip to St. Louis next week, she decided now would be the perfect time to do it.  Besides, she told me that she’s noticed a lot of tread wear on the side of each tire, which of course, is a good indication that it’s time for replacements.

So, with that, she’s certainly got some tire choices ahead of her and she’s been looking into different manufacturers, prices and availability.

Tire wear depends on several factors, which includes your personal driving style and tire maintenance habits. One way to know if it’s time to replace tires is when tread-wear indicators appear, such as “wear bars” that look like narrow strips of smooth rubber across the tread and will appear when it’s time to replace the tire.

There are other ways to know when it’s time to replace the tires on your ride:

• The indicators at three or more places around the tire are visible.
• Cord or fabric is showing through the tire’s rubber.
• The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep enough to show cord or fabric.
• The tire has a bulge or split.
• The tire has a puncture, cut or other damage that can’t be repaired well because of the size or location of the damage.

Now that you know your car needs new tires, here’s how to buy them:

• Consider where you live.  You’ll want to choose your tires based on worst case driving conditions for your area. All season tires are a good choice if weather conditions consist of light snow in winter, a little rain in the spring and a mildly warm summer.

• Manufacturers design different tires for specific results,  For example, if you live in an area where you have summer and winter, you may want to have two sets of performance tires; one set for the fall/winter seasons and one for the spring/summer seasons. 

• On the other hand, if you live where the weather basically stays the same all year, you can get by with one set.

• Generally, it’s a good idea to replace tires with the same brand, design and size.

• Look for the letter ‘P’ (which means “Passenger Vehicle”) and the tire’s width, height, ‘R’ (for Radial) and the last number – which is the diameter of the wheel the tire fits – all imprinted on the tire itself.

• Choose where you’ll buy your new tires. You can find new tires at car dealerships, service garages, stores like Sears and Farm and Fleet, or even the Internet. 

• Remember that tires need special equipment for installation, so I think it’s handy to buy tires at the same place you’ll have them installed.  They will also dispose of the old tires for you.

• Shop around for the best price.  Tires are available in almost all price ranges, so be sure to get tires that fit into your budget. You can purchase a good set of tires at an affordable price.

• Keep tire wear to a minimum by rotating them as the manufacturer suggests.

Tags: Advice, General, Guides

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The following article is a guest post submitted by Satellite TV Guru. Satellite TV Guru covers the latest Dish Network and DirecTV news and information.

Around a year and a half ago, while browsing YouTube I discovered a little gem of a TV show called Top Gear. Ok maybe it’s just more then a little gem over in the U.K. and Europe, and over the years the show has developed a cult like following in the U.S. If you’ve never heard of Top Gear its basically a car review show, where they tend to.. well, push cars to their limit.

A video can probably explain just how awesome this show is better than I ever could:

Produced by the BBC and directed by Ben Silverman, the show is so entertaining that often I find myself almost falling out of my seat from laughing so hard. The guys on Top Gear have done everything from playing a giant game of soccer with Toyota Aygos, to transforming a Reliant Robin into a space shuttle and literally blasting it thousands of feet into the air.

Needless to say, when I heard that U.S. version of Top Gear was in the works, I was extremely excited. However after that first rumor, I never heard anything else. A few days ago I saw an article about Top Gear somewhere which made me curious as to what every happened with the planned U.S. version, so I thought I would look into the matter. I soon discovered that the U.S. version is a no go after all.

Apparently the BBC did try to export Top Gear to the United States back in 2007, however it looks a deal was never reached and NBC decided to pass. This is really a shame because I always thought that if they could manage to produce an American version of this classic British show, the way they did with a show like “The Office” it would definitely be a hit.

However according to Jeremy Clarkson, who is a host of the BBC version of the show, The NBC focus groups weren’t a fan of the proposed American version. Yes these are the same groups that give two thumbs up for shows like “I’m a Celebrity Get Me out of Here”.

For now it looks like fans of the show are stuck with the British Version on cable or satellite TV, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Who knows what the future holds however, I think its time for Cars For Girls readers to write into NBC and start a Top Gear USA movement!

Tags: General

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The Internet is s great way to research cars before we decide to make a purchase, but it can also be useful in helping to steer us toward reputable car dealerships, too. If you’re using the web to search for a dealership, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

• Inventory
Perhaps you’re interested in a reliable, certified used vehicle and don’t really mind a lot of miles.  Maybe you’re in the market for an environmentally savvy hybrid or you prefer an import instead. On the other hand, maybe you’re interested in a specific make or model or you want to test drive a few different vehicles to determine which is best for you.  If so, you’ll want a dealership that offers a variety of different types of vehicles to choose from, all in one convenient location.

• Financing
Many dealerships provide special-rate or low-credit financing, so be sure to consider just how much of a down payment you can afford or what amount of monthly payments best fit your budget.

• Communication
If you need to do business in a language other than English, you can research the languages spoken at dealerships. Buying a car is a big investment, so understanding everything about the vehicle you are interested in purchasing is very important.

• Services
Different dealerships offer different services, so choose the one that’s right for you.  For example, if you hate waiting, seek out a dealership that offers a courtesy shuttle or loaner car.  If your vehicle needs bodywork, look for a dealer that also has a body shop.

• Amenities
If you bring your children with you while you wait for your car to be serviced, find a dealer that offers a children’s play area. If it’s important to get work completed or catch up on the news, find a dealer that offers Internet access.

Tags: Advice, Car Shopping, General, Guides, Leasing

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