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Car Insurance that affordable

Finding an online car insurance company is easy. Doing an Internet search for “auto insurance” or “auto insurance comparisons” in any online search engine will bring you results of companies that offer car insurance and allow you to compare plans and rates within that company and with their competitors. Have your personal information ready; name, DOB, drivers license, and phone number as well as the detailed information of your vehicle; make, model, year, and possibly the VIN number. All of this information can be found on your vehicle’s registration paperwork or its title.

Know Your Limits

How much each month can you afford to spend on car insurance? How much coverage and what kind do you really need? What is the difference between collision and comprehensive coverage? Do you need both? What are your state’s minimum requirements for coverage? All of these things are questions that you will need answers to in order to save yourself the most money and get the best coverage. Depending on your vehicle, driving history, and past insurance claims, your rate will vary from company to company.

If in Doubt…

… call an agent. If you are confused by the information you find online, choose an agent from one of the web sites and give them a call with your questions in hand. If they are a good agent they will patiently answer your questions without high-pressure-selling you. Remember, it doesn’t cost you anything to get a quote, and the insurance agent needs your business more than you need to give it to them if they start to pressure you into coverage.

When you begin your search to find affordable insurance coverage, be patient. There are a lot of choices out there, some good, some not so good. Do your research and find out what your state requires for insurance. Decide how much you can spend on insurance. Decide how much you really need on your vehicle. Begin your comparison research online, and if you have any questions, call an agent. Do not let yourself get talked into coverage you do not need by a pushy insurance salesperson. Keep these things in mind and your patience in check and you will successfully find affordable car insurance.

Making Unique Car Bumpers and Grilles

At a recent contest, I had an unfinished project on display that featured scratchbuilt front and rear bumpers. One of the most-common questions was, “how did you do that?” I went on to explain the process, and one person commented, “Oh, so you just carve away the plastic that doesn’t look like a bumper.” I agreed, but later started thinking that it is exactly what I do. The process is really not all that hard, and I find it’s quite a bit of fun.

For this example, I am making a custom grille for a 1950 Ford. I started with a piece of 3mm styrene quite a bit larger than the actual grille. I wanted the grille to wrap around the front fenders below the headlights, so it was important that the overall measurements of the styrene would be large enough to encompass the entire grille.

Why not give it a try? The more of these you do, the easier the job becomes.

I draw a general outline, then start cutting it out by using a motor tool to dig a groove around the pencil lines.

I continue digging the groove all the way around the pencil lines until I’m able to break the pieces apart.

Now it’s time to clean up the part, and begin carving away what doesn’t look like a grille. You can use any number of methods to do this: cut with a hobby knife; sand with sanding sticks or sandpaper; file with various shapes of files; or use a motor tool. I use a coarse sanding stick to clean up the edges, and to begin shaping the front.

The fit on the body is critical, because the upper portion of the front fender is slightly wider than the bottom. There is also a slight taper from top to bottom, so these areas also have to be tapered for a proper fit. I use round and elliptical files to shape these areas, as well a motor tool to smooth things out.

I usually like to cut a little at a time, and test-fit often. I feel that it’s much easier to remove the material slowly, as opposed to removing too much and then having to rebuild or add filler.
After the general shape is established, I start fine-tuning with a medium-grit sanding stick

Do These First Before You Rent a Car

Choosing a Vehicle
Think carefully about what kind of vehicle you’ll need. If you’re traveling with children or with a lot of gear, you may want a large sedan or SUV. If you’re simply looking to save money on rental rates and gas, you’ll want to reserve the smallest available model.

But size isn’t the only factor. Looking for something environmentally friendly? Check out our Green Travel Resources. Can’t drive a stick shift? Be sure to reserve a car with automatic transmission. (In many countries, a manual transmission is the norm — so read the fine print before booking. Learn more in Renting a Car Abroad.) Also, be sure that the company offers any extras you might need or want, such as a ski rack, car seat or GPS system.

Booking Your Car
How long will you be renting? If it’s for less than a week, you’ll probably do best with a major rental company, such as Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National or Thrifty. For rentals of a week or longer, you may get better rates from local companies, particularly auto dealers. Remember, however, to be wary of local companies if you plan to drive a lot; if you break down or get into an accident, they usually lack the support services of the majors.

Always shop around. Check the major booking engines and aggregator sites (such as Travelocity and Kayak) to get an idea of what rates are available, but you should also visit the car rental companies’ Web sites as well — they’ll often offer exclusive discounts, and you’ll avoid booking fees. Don’t forget to check out our selection of discount car rental deals before making any reservations.

To lower your rate, ask about discounts for any major national organizations, frequent flier programs and credit card programs you may belong to. They’ll frequently offer deals on car rentals. Those offered through AAA can be very good. If you’re employed by a company that frequently rents cars, they may have a negotiated rate. Make sure to check.

Before you book online, do an Internet search for coupon or promotion codes to put into the booking engine of your car rental company’s site. Just type in the name of the company followed by “coupon code” into the search field and you’ll often find special promotion codes that could save you anywhere from 5 to 20 percent off the cost of your rental.

If you’re not already, consider joining your car rental company’s loyalty program when you book. These vary by company, but most of them are free and entitle you to certain privileges when picking up your vehicle; your information will be on file ahead of time, allowing you to simply jump into the car and go rather than standing in a long line or filling out paperwork. You could also be eligible for special discounts or free upgrades.

Understanding Your Rental
If you’re booking online, read the terms and conditions carefully before confirming your reservation. If you’re booking on the phone, ask the agent about restrictions. Be sure you understand the conditions of your reservation. Is there a penalty for no-shows? How long will the car be held if you’re stuck in traffic on the way to the pickup station? Is there a fee for additional drivers and must their names be listed in the contract? Is your 20-year-old daughter old enough to drive the car? (For liability reasons, this is important.)

If pertinent, ask about any restrictions on interstate travel. For your own protection in case of breakdown, be sure the company has offices in all the states on your itinerary.

For one-way rentals, ask about drop-off charges. They can be exorbitant.

Always get a confirmation number. For airport rentals, be sure to give the customer service representative your flight number and scheduled arrival time. This will usually protect your reservation if the flight is delayed.

The True Cost of Car Rentals
Buyer beware: The rate you see advertised in big print may become so inflated with state and local taxes, airport surcharges, additional driver fees, insurance, gasoline bills and drop-off charges that you end up paying more than double what you expected. Learn more about these extra charges in Car Rental Hidden Costs.

Also, the advertised rate may be valid only in off-season Florida or California, when many cars are idle there, but not where you want to rent. Finally, the rate may be only for a car size that you would find unsuitable.

In recent years, the major booking engines have become more transparent about rental car rates, and they now usually show you the total cost of your rental, including estimated taxes and fees, early on in the booking process. Travelocity offers total pricing, which guarantees that the company’s estimated amount will be within one percent of the actual rate.

Like the airlines, the major auto rental companies have adopted “yield management.” That means that their computers can quickly readjust prices according to changes in the supply of cars available, and so the rental rate you are quoted is valid only at that moment. Unless you reserve immediately, the rate is likely to change.

At Pickup Time
If your first drive will be from an airport to a hotel for the night, why not take a shuttle van to the hotel instead? Doing this may save you the price of a day’s rental. Even if you must drive the same day your flight lands, you may not have to get the car at the airport. By picking it up downtown, you can often avoid hefty airport surcharges.

If you have personal auto insurance or charge the rental to a major credit card, you will probably be covered at least for collision damage — so you shouldn’t have to purchase the car rental company’s collision or loss damage waiver (CDW or LDW) insurance. If in doubt, ask your insurance agent or credit card issuer.

Before you drive away from the pickup station, inspect the car carefully for body damage. Be sure the lights and turn signals are working properly, and check the mileage odometer. Report any defects at once.

Familiarize yourself with the workings of the car before you leave the lot. Check which side your gas tank is on, and learn how to use the headlights, windshield wipers and turn signal. It may seem obvious, but you’ll also want to memorize the make, model and color of your car — that way you won’t lose it the first time you park in a busy lot! For more, see Getting to Know Your Rental Car.

Returning Your Car
Be wary of prepaid gasoline plans. Always fill the tank yourself before returning the vehicle so that you’re only paying for the amount of gas you actually used. Try to avoid the gas stations right near the airport where you’re dropping off your car — the prices tend to be highest there. Instead, fill up a few miles away. Even better: Check GasBuddy.com before your trip to find out where the cheapest gas stations are in your area.

It may seem counterintuitive, but returning your car early may actually cost you money. You’ll often pay an early return fee (usually about $15 a day), but even worse, your rate structure will most likely change and you’ll be responsible for the difference. Of course, returning the car late could cost you too — many car rental companies only give you a 30-minute grace period before beginning to rack up the late fees.

Before leaving the vehicle, check to be sure you haven’t left any personal belongings. Don’t forget to check the trunk! The most common lost articles include cell phones, sunglasses and umbrellas.

Be sure that the check-in attendant inspects the car’s body in your presence and that you agree about any damage. Examine your rental agreement carefully for all charges and make sure they credit any deposit to your account while you wait.

7 Steps to Maintain Your Car at Home

1. Start simple.

Start with the easiest repairs first. Don’t dive right into rebuilding your transmission. You’ll gain confidence, learn how to use tools and begin to understand how everything fits together on your car.

Here are some great repairs for novice shade tree mechanics, in order of increasing difficulty:

• Replace the wiper blades
• Change the air filter
• Change a headlight
• Change a battery
• Replace the spark plugs
• Change the oil
• Change belts

If you’re undertaking a repair that’s not on this list and you’re just getting started, at least make sure it’s a repair that doesn’t require you to lie on your back, deep underneath your car.

If you have to jack up your car to get underneath it, under no circumstances should you use the flimsy jack that came with the car. And never, ever get under your car unless it’s supported by approved jack stands. (Unless, of course, you can get your mother-in-law to hold the car up. In which case, we’d like to see photos.)

Finally, when you’re getting started, try to avoid repairs that involve contorting yourself into an uncomfortable position, which can make a repair vastly more difficult.

2. Avoid repairs with dire consequences.

Try to avoid repairs or service work where the consequences of a mishap are great. For example, don’t try to replace your brake master cylinder or fuel line on your first repair. You could end up crashing into a plutonium tanker. Or be self-immolated. Or worse still, you might wreck your engine.

3. Get the tools you need.

Before you start ripping apart your car, go out and get a set of tools, including:

• A complete set of socket wrenches, including swivel sockets with extensions of various lengths and angle accessories.
• A complete set of open-end and box wrenches.
• The usual screwdrivers, pliers — and especially, a good set of vise grips.
• Whatever special tools are necessary for the job you’re contemplating. For example, a special tool is necessary to remove the oil filter, and another for the spark plugs. In both cases, there are different sizes of tools, so take a look first and find out what you’ll need.

No matter what tools you buy, you still won’t have all the tools you’ll need. So our final piece of advice is to start your repair early. That way, the parts store will still be open when you head down there looking for that special, Fiat metric xenon fog lamp wrench.

4. Do a little homework.

Do some homework before you plunge into a repair. It just might save you a migraine later. Buy the manufacturer’s shop manual for your vehicle, and read up on the repair. Check information online, such as the Maintenance Advice in this section or other resources.

Here’s one true story of why it’s important to do your homework:

When we first got involved in car repair, we once contemplated a job and took a quick look at the service manual. It had only six steps. We decided we’d go for it. So we went out and bought the parts. When we looked at the manual more closely, we noticed that the first step said “remove engine.” No kidding.

So read the manual!

5. See one before you do one.

The best way to learn is to work with someone who knows what he or she is doing. If you’re undertaking a repair you’ve never even seen done before, it’s reasonably likely that you’ll screw it up — or, at best, you’ll do it the hard way. Our advice? Operate on the same principle that medical schools use: see one, do one, teach one.

6. Don’t be ashamed to ask for help if you screw up.

It happens. You got your old serpentine belt off, the new one on … and your car runs backward. Don’t be shy about calling your regular mechanic. Our advice is to fess up immediately. Tell him you screwed up your repair and need a question or two answered. If he’s a nice guy, he’ll take pity on you and answer a question or two.

Don’t take advantage of your mechanic, however. Remember that he’s probably extremely busy trying to pay off his new 24-foot cabin cruiser.

A final word of advice. If you really screw up and have to take your car to your mechanic, don’t try to cover it up. Confess. We can tell immediately when a customer has tried to hide a repair gone awry. Everyone makes mistakes, strips bolts and blows parts up. It happens. It may take a few years, but eventually even you’ll laugh about it.

7. Safely dispose of the toxic crud that will come out of your car.

After you’re done with your repair, it’s possible you’ll be left with used coolant, motor oil, brake fluid or other toxic materials. You’ll need to dispose of them safely — and by that, we don’t mean dumping it on your neighbor’s award-winning Malaysian petunias.

If you ask nicely, your mechanic will likely accept your waste for a proper burial.

In many states, retailers are required to accept used motor oil, coolant and other fluids — as long as you have a receipt showing you bought an equal amount of the product at that business.

Limit Your Car Speed for Fuel Efficiency

Associated Press - As other cars zipped by at 70 mph or more, Mike Papin and his wife, Joann, kept rolling along just below the 65 mph limit as they made their way from their winter home in Florida to a summer place in Vermont.

They’ve typically done six or seven miles above the speed limit during the annual migration, but with gasoline prices roaring toward $4 a gallon nationally, Joann suggested they ease off the pedal during the 1,500-mile drive this year.

“I read somewhere that around 62 or 63 was the best speed to drive to make the most of your gas,” she said.

Drivers have known for years that throttling back is a sure way to improve gas mileage, and the Papins are among those who are consciously slowing down to save. Several airlines have adopted the same tactic, adding a few minutes to flights to save millions on fuel.

But most drivers still wink at posted speed limits because they say their time is worth more than the gas they’d save by slowing down.

Kelley Goodman, an upstate New York therapist, says gas prices haven’t yet gone high enough to justify slowing down.

“I know it could save some money and I really should. But I’m always running late,” Goodman said as she pumped $3.80-a-gallon regular unleaded into her Honda Accord.

Researchers say today’s cars are most fuel efficient at speeds between around 30 and 60 mph, and mileage drops sharply at speeds above 65 as engines work harder to overcome wind resistance that rises exponentially. If drivers were forced to slow down — and lower speed limits were enforced — the thirst for fuel could be significantly reduced, which could ease prices.

Recent surveys show that many drivers have changed their habits to cut fuel costs, but the changes tend to be ones that bring immediate gratification — such as using the Internet to find stations with the lowest prices and putting less gas in the tank instead of filling up, said Larry Compeau, executive officer of the Society for Consumer Psychology and an associate marketing professor at Clarkson University.

“If you buy a more fuel-efficient car or find cheaper gasoline, those things are right in front of you,” Compeau said. “Whether you do 65 or 55 is much more nebulous. There’s no way for you to immediately see the impact.”

Based on recent highway traffic volume trends, throttling back to 60 mph from 70 mph would likely reduce gasoline usage between 2 percent and 3 percent, which is about what happened when the 55-mph limit was imposed in the 1970s, said David Greene, a senior researcher at the U.S. Energy Department’s Oak Ridge National Lab.

“We’re talking about a 2-to-3 percent reduction in demand, which would mean a much larger percentage reduction in price, maybe 10 percent,” Greene said.

Tom Kloza of the Oil Price Information Service in Wall, N.J., agreed that a 2-to-3 percent cut in demand likely would reduce prices. But, he notes, in past years price spikes were usually linked to refinery shortages while this surge has been tied more directly to crude oil prices.

“I don’t think there’s a particular downside to conservation, but that doesn’t mean that if we cut back on our gas consumption, that the price of crude oil worldwide is going to drop,” he said.

The idea of slowing down to save fuel isn’t new. President Richard Nixon and Congress imposed a national speed limit of 55 mph in 1974 during the Middle East oil embargo against the U.S. Prices at the pump quadrupled from about a quarter to more than a dollar in places, and long gas lines were a common sight.

States later were allowed to set 65-mph limits on rural interstates.

Cut Gas Costs by Driving Carefully

AP - The driving habits adopted by Champion, director of automobile testing for Consumer Reports, have as much to do with saving money as they do with safety.

“When you’re driving, your foot is connected to your wallet,” said Champion. “The faster you step down, the more money comes out of your wallet.”

With the price of gasoline hitting record levels, consumers would be well-advised to listen to Champion and other experts on ways to save fuel and hold down costs.

The U.S. government has beefed up its consumer site, www.fueleconomy.gov, with tips to help consumers drive more efficiently and keep their cars in good shape. In mid-May, the nonprofit Alliance to Save Energy will launch a national campaign aimed at helping consumers save hundreds of dollars through fuel-efficient driving and proper maintenance.

Kateri Callahan, president of the alliance, said many families are having trouble coping with rising gasoline prices, which have topped $3.60 a gallon in recent days, according to surveys by AAA and the Oil Price Information Service. Diesel prices have hit new records above $4.24 a gallon.

“When it comes to heating and cooling, people pay their utility bills only once a month or so,” Callahan said. “But with gas, you have to buy it every week, so the high prices are very much in your face. And people are exercised about it.”

The alliance’s campaign will offer dozens of tips for consumers to cut gas consumption.

The centerpiece will be a calculator at the Web site www.DriveSmarterChallenge.org that will allow consumers to plug in the type of car they drive and determine how much money six different changes in driving or maintenance activities will save them, Callahan said.

Here, for example, is what a family that drives 12,500 miles per year in a vehicle with a fuel economy of 20.1 miles per gallon could save in the six specific areas:

• Keeping tires properly inflated, which can improve gas mileage by about 3 percent, for a savings of 20 gallons of gas a year, or up to $65.
• Using the manufacturer’s recommended grade of motor oil, for a gain of 1 percent to 2 percent and annual savings of $40.
• Cutting the number of miles traveled by 5 percent through combining trips, walking or taking mass transit, for $100.
• Eliminating jackrabbit starts, speeding and rapid braking at highway speeds for as much as 80 gallons a year, or $260.
• More-sensible driving around town for about 30 gallons, or $100.
• Clearing 100 pounds of junk from the trunk to save 12 gallons, or $40.

People who take all those steps could potentially cut their gas costs by $605 a year.

Callahan said the savings for each activity “can be eye-opening.” She pointed out that “$65 is a week’s worth of gas for some families, and $100 is more than a week’s worth of groceries.”

Consumer Reports’ Champion said that while learning to drive smoothly can save a lot on gas, there are other steps consumers can take to improve fuel efficiency. Just slowing down from 75 miles per hour to 70 mph can significantly improve gas mileage, he said.

“Basically, the faster you drive, the amount of fuel you use increases exponentially,” Champion said. “So 80 uses much more than 75, and 75 uses much more than 70. You want to aim for 55; that’s the sweet spot.”

Champion also suggests consumers opt for lower-grade gasolines.

“Often there’s a sticker (inside a vehicle) that says ’premium gas recommended.’ But if you read the owner’s manual, it will say that’s recommended but the vehicle will run fine on regular fuel,” he said.

It’s worth a try, he added, since it can cut costs by at least 20 cents a gallon or more. And if the engine starts to ping, you can always go back to premium fuel, he said.

Champion also suggests drivers not leave their cars idling for long periods, burning unnecessary gas.

“If you’re going to be waiting more than 30 seconds, turn the engine off,” he said.

That doesn’t apply to waiting at a traffic light, he added, because “if something happens in front of you, or an ambulance comes up behind you, you may have to move quickly, and turning off the engine could be a danger.”

And while Champion advocates shopping around for the best gas price, he doesn’t advise long jaunts.

“Driving around and using $10 worth of gas to save a penny a gallon doesn’t make much sense,” he concluded.

How to Get Best Price Car

1. Do your homework.
Many dealerships prey on the unprepared. Going into a showroom “cold”–without having gathered key facts and preliminary pricing figures–gives the salesperson too much control over the buying process.

Thoroughly research your choices. Read a variety of reviews. Check the reliability, safety, fuel economy, and pricing of any models you’re considering. And don’t wait until the day you plan to buy to test drive the vehicles.

If you have a trade-in, know its approximate worth. That will depend on the vehicle’s age, condition, mileage, and equipment, as well as where you trade it in. You can get an idea of your trade-in’s value at auto-pricing Web sites or with CR’s Used Car Price Reports. Focus on your car’s wholesale, or “trade-in,” price; the retail price is what you’d expect to get if you were selling it yourself.
2. Don’t assume that the sticker price is the purchase price.
To get the lowest price, go in with a starting price that’s based not on the sticker price but on how much the dealer paid for the vehicle. The dealer invoice price is commonly available on Web sites and in pricing guides. But the invoice price isn’t necessarily what the dealer paid. There are often behind-the-scenes bonuses, such as dealer incentives and holdbacks, that give the dealer more profit margin.

You can find sales-incentive information at some auto-pricing Web sites, or in CR’ New Car Price Reports or New Car Buying Kit. These CR services include the CR Wholesale Price, which factors in the dealer invoice, holdback, and any incentives or rebates to give you a close approximation of the dealer’s real cost. A reasonable price to start negotiations is either 4 to 8 percent over what the dealer paid or the CR Wholesale Price, depending on the demand for the model.

You can also check the quotes at auto-buying Web sites such as the ones listed below. The services are free, and you aren’t under any obligation to buy. Keep in mind, however, that you can often get a lower price through effective negotiation at a dealership.
3. Negotiate one thing at one time.
Salespeople like to mix financing, leasing, and trade-in negotiations together, often asking you to negotiate around a monthly payment figure. This tactic gives the dealer more latitude to offer you a favorable figure in one area while inflating figures in another.

Make clear that you want the lowest possible markup over your starting price. Add that you intend to visit other dealerships selling the same vehicle and will buy from the dealer with the best price.

Only after you’ve settled on the price should you discuss financing, leasing, or a trade-in, as necessary. Negotiate each item individually. Remember, you’re in charge and can leave at any time. Heading for the door can sometimes jump-start a slow-moving negotiation or bring a lower offer.
4. Arrange financing in advance.
Compare interest rates at several banks, credit unions, and loan organizations before checking the dealer’s rates. If preapproved for a loan, you can keep financial arrangements out of the negotiations. Automakers may offer attractive financing terms, but make sure you qualify for them. Otherwise, the salesperson may try to sign you up for a higher rate than you could get elsewhere.
5. Don’t pay for extras you don’t need.
Dealers often try to sell you extras such as rustproofing, fabric protection, and paint protectant, or push etching your Vehicle Identification Number on windows to deter thieves.

Don’t accept those unnecessary services and fees. If the items are on the bill of sale, put a line through them. Vehicle bodies are already coated to protect against rust. And CR reliability surveys show that rust is not a major problem with modern cars. You can treat upholstery and apply paint protectant yourself with good off-the-shelf products. You can also do your own VIN etching with a kit that costs about $25.

Toyota Corolla Tunning

The Corolla was built for reliability and the economy and was typically marketed at the mature driver. As a result it is only recently that people have started modifying and tunings the Corolla.

The 1.3 engines, sadly do not offer much scope for tuning and should be avoided if you were looking for a tuning project. The 1.6l engine gets interesting, especially when mated to the six speed gear box. If you have the five speed gearbox you will improve your acceleration and benefit from the lower ratios of a six speed box.

The brakes on the standard car are pretty sharp but this can be improved with the addition of vented disks and sports brake pads. Choose a pad which has a good low temperature friction if you are using the car as a daily runaround.

I would describe the handling on the Corolla as comfortable. It has a tendency to wallow over lumps in the road. One of the first modifications I would recommend (even on the 1.3 models) is to uprate the suspension. Get 34mm lower springs and adjustable dampers and you will have a much better handling car.

The ecu is very hard to remap in the Corolla, so owners looking to change the ignition timing will usually choose a piggyback ecu.This is not really worth doing unless you have fitted fast road cams and other extensive modifications.

Exhaust - get a racing header for the best flow rates and mate this to a good quality induction kit with a cold air feed pipe. There are a number of tailpipes around for the Corolla - we like the sound of the HKS legamax but most aftermarket exhausts will produce a better sound.

Engine swaps are also a good proposition and drivers are looking to the celica for suitable donors. It is quite a large job but with a celica engine and some handling modifications you have a good track day car.

Tips to Snag a Bargain on 4 WD

MSNBC - With the rising price of gasoline pushing up driving costs, some helpful tips on how to save a few bucks on your next car purchase would certainly come in handy right now.

The overall cost of owning and running a passenger vehicle in the United States now averages 54.1 cents per mile, up 1.9 cents per mile from 2007, according to an annual study from AAA released this month.

AAA estimates it will cost $8,121 to own and operate a new passenger car driven 15,000 miles this year, compared with $7,823 last year. While some driving costs — maintenance, full-coverage insurance and depreciation — are slightly lower this year, other costs have risen, especially fuel.

“Higher gasoline prices have more than offset these savings and pushed the overall cost of vehicle ownership and operation higher this year,” said John Nielsen, director of AAA’s Approved Auto Repair network. High gas prices are also changing consumers’ car-buying habits, according to Philip Reed, senior consumer advice editor at automotive research Web site Edmunds.com.

“The economy and gas prices have changed buying trends somewhat, and what’s happening is people are buying smaller, more fuel-efficient cars, and they’re also buying inexpensive and used cars,” he said.

But if you’re in the market for a new car and hoping for a bargain, the most popular vehicle categories are often the worst place to look, he said.

“Whenever you have a lot of activity on one car category it doesn’t favor the buyer,” said Reed, adding that you’re more likely to find a deal from a domestic car manufacturer.

Over the last few years Nissan, Honda and Toyota have positioned themselves well in category of small, fuel-efficient cars, introducing the Versa, Fit and Yaris, respectively, to the U.S. market. General Motors has small cars like the Chevy Cobalt, and Ford’s Focus has seen an increase in sales activity because the automaker has promoted the fuel-saving aspect of the car, said Reed.

“You won’t get much below sticker price for a Fit, but you’re more likely to see incentives or discount prices for the Ford Focus,” he said. “In general, Ford is eager to sell as many units as they can, and that’s the same for all the domestic manufacturers right now because they are in some difficulties compared with Asian automakers.”

Low-interest financing deals are also a way to save money, said Reed, although car consumers tend not to get excited about them because they don’t make the car buyer “feel” as though they’re getting thousands of dollars off a car’s sticker price. In fact, he said, low-interest loans may save a customer more money than a rebate.

Another tactic for finding a cheap — and reliable — vehicle is to look for models that recently have been redesigned and purchase a version from the previous model year, said David Champion, director of automobile testing at Consumer Reports.

Many car models are updated every four or five years, he noted, and the most reliable model is usually the one that comes out just before the redesign.

“For the Honda Pilot SUV, for example, the most reliable car model year right now is probably the 2008 model because the new 2009 version is about to come out,” he said. “Honda is probably doing a really good deal on last year’s model because they are trying to get them all sold.”

Another good way to snag a deal is to buy a car at the end of the month, said Champion.

“After the 25th of the month dealers are likely to be trying to make their month-end bonus, and maybe the bonus is an extra $1,000 if the dealer sells 10 vehicles,” he said. “The dealer might have sold nine, and so if you’re customer number 10 they might sell a car to you at cost so they can make the $1,000 bonus, which is worth more to them anyway.”

It’s also worth shopping for a car at the end of the year to take advantage of year-end deals offered by manufacturers, Champion said. There might be special incentives for models that are in a battle to be the sales leader in their category, he said.

When negotiating with a car dealer it also helps if you know how much the dealer has paid for a car so you can negotiate from the base price rather than from the Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price, or “sticker price.” The price paid by the dealer can be found online at Web sites such as ConsumerReports.org.

“The big thing about buying a new car is homework, homework, homework,” Champion said. “Don’t forget that everything is negotiable.”

It’s also important to be practical, Champion added. If you have a boat and use it once or twice a year, don’t buy a vehicle just to tow it. Instead, rent a pickup when you need to tow, put the wear and tear on that vehicle and settle for a sedan the rest of the year, he said.

“Buy the best appliance for the cheapest amount of money,” said Champion. “That’s especially important now because of the economic climate; the price of gas is high and the amount of disposable income you have is going to be reduced even further if gas costs go higher.”

A used car is a good investment, Champion said. Many cars can go for up to 200,000 miles without any repairs, he said, and so if you find a good used car with 40,000 miles on the clock it could be trouble-free for another 160,000 miles. That could represent a significant saving, he said.

“A good quality used car is probably one of the best deals out there,” he said.

In the current economic climate, you might also consider holding on to the car you already have for a little longer, counsels Edmunds.com’s Reed.

“If you trade in your SUV for a Prius because you want to save on gas prices it’s a mistake, because when you change vehicles there are related fees such as sales tax and DMV fees, and they are costs people don’t tend to think about,” he said.

He notes that Americans spend about $1,200 a year to gas up their cars, on average. So it might not make financial sense to spend $1,800 or more in taxes and fees to dump a gas-guzzler and buy a new Prius.

10 awful vehicles for vacation

“High gas prices won’t deter Americans from traveling,” predicts Sandra Hughes, travel vice president for the American Automobile Association (AAA). “Families will travel closer to home, they will travel for fewer days and will save money by staying in less-expensive hotels and eating in cheaper restaurants. But they will continue to take vacations and plan getaways,” she says.

The AAA forecasts that 84 percent of all travelers will reach their destinations by car this summer, which is an increase of about 1.8 percent over 2006. Based on the association’s projections, more than 115 million Americans will hit the highways during the summer’s three main holidays, Memorial Day, 4th of July and Labor Day.

“Even with today’s high gas prices, driving can be cheaper than flying,” says Megan Edwards, founder and editor of travel Web site RoadTripAmerica.com. Driving also unshackles travelers from the constraints of bus or train timetables and the inconvenience of flight delays and security checkpoints at the airport.

“Unlike planes, cars give you the great freedom of being able to decide exactly where you want to go and at what pace, stopping and starting as the mood strikes, going for a hike or a picnic, or stopping for a roadside barbecue,” says Jamie Jensen, travel expert and author of the book Road Trip USA.

Many of us have spent at least one summer piled with the siblings in the backseat of the family wagon, minivan or SUV, playing car-spotting games and singing “99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall” en route to some distant destination. “The road trip is the quintessential American experience, a national rite of passage,” Jensen says. “Our country grew up with cars, and our towns and cities are completely defined by cars and roads.”

If you’re thinking about exploring the open road this summer, Edwards stresses that proper planning is the key to making a road trip memorable in a good way. “Unfortunately, the most common memory-making events on road trips are those that are unpleasant,” Edwards says. “Nobody ever forgets four flat tires in the middle of the Mojave Desert on a hot August day.”

One common mistake that she says people make is to try and drive too far a distance in too short a time. “Not only is it dangerous, it can turn the best of friends into angry, tired monsters,” Edwards says. “A good itinerary is balanced, so that fatigue doesn’t become an issue.”

Road trip expert Jensen advises to approach travel agendas with creativity and enjoyment in mind, rather than adopt the straight-line approach. “Planning a trip is a great way to indulge your passions, whatever they may be — Civil War battles, music festivals, minor league baseball, trendy hotels or finding the world’s cherriest cherry pie,” he says. “I’ve always been powerfully affected by those little dots on a map that signify a scenic route, and the most scenic roads tend to be the most fun to drive.”

What makes a particular vehicle well suited for an extended excursion depends on where you’re going and what you’re doing. “It’s a matter of budget and style,” says Edwards. “For some, a vintage Edsel is the only car that will do, while for others, whatever’s available at the rental company is perfectly fine.”

Jensen defines the best road-tripping models as those that afford a true “snapshot” moment. “If you’re cruising along some tropical beach, you’ll probably want a cool-looking convertible, but your tales of crossing the Rockies will be that much more impressive if you can illustrate them with a shot of some powerful-looking 4×4,” he says.

For their part, automakers have been optimizing vehicles for road trips virtually since the first Model T rolled off Henry Ford’s assembly line. Some of today’s models push that notion to the extreme.

Take, for example, the redesigned 2008 Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Caravan minivans, which will offer what the automaker calls a “family room on wheels” when they debut this fall. Available highway-friendly amenities will include second-row seats that can swivel to face the rearmost row with a table that folds out between them; a dual DVD system that can play different media at the same time; real-time traffic reporting with the navigation system; iPod-like hard-drive media storage; anti-stain/anti-odor cloth seats; and a built-in 110-volt power inverter. It will also be the first model to offer the new Sirius Backseat TV system that will deliver three channels of satellite-beamed kids’ programming for in-vehicle viewing.

“Today’s car buyers are very savvy shoppers who lead very active lifestyles,” says David Rooney, Chrysler’s marketing and global communications director. “They appreciate useful features that will make their lives easier, save them valuable time and make their experience behind the wheel truly pleasant.”

Other automakers, like Toyota’s youth-oriented Scion division, take a more basic approach to road-trip enjoyment. “We focus on providing our buyers with a lively powertrain, sporty driving dynamics and ample room for four passengers,” says Scion corporate manager Steve Haag, “then we add a great-sounding audio system to keep them entertained along the way.”

Just as there are many destinations that beckon from the open road, there is an equally large assortment of vehicles in which to make the journey. Based on our test drives of virtually every model on the market, we highlight 10 vehicles that ForbesAutos editors think are well suited to specific types of road-trips, from a family vacation to carting the kids off to college and taking that well-earned getaway as empty nesters.

Our list is not comprehensive. Being that ForbesAutos focuses on luxury, high-performance and high-interest vehicles, editors’ selections skew toward those categories. And as Jamie Jensen reminds us, it’s not all about the vehicles: One of the keys to achieving true road trip nirvana is to heed the words of a Yogi — Yogi Berra, that is — who suggests, “When you see a fork in the road, take it.”

Source: © 2007 ForbesAutos.com

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