This page is designed to help direct you to informational websites about your automobile. Questions about buying and selling new and used vehicles, insurance, car loans, payments, value of your automobile and auto repairs will be covered.

It will even provide helpful tips to allow you to save money at the pump and conserve gas in your car during these tough economic times. Let’s get started!

Automotive News

• Chrylser
• Hyundai Veloster
• Chevrolet Sonic
• Lexus

Get the value of your vehicle Buying/Selling

• Finding the value of a vehicle before you buy a new or used car is smart. Do some research and inform yourself. If you want to sell your vehicle, find out how much it is worth and then determine which sales avenue will work out in your favor. Here are some easy to use directories that will help you with your research.
• Kelley Blue Book has an excellent and easy to use directory. It also helps you to compare prices, calculate your monthly payments, and find affordable rates, car loans, insurance and more.
• Autotrader.com is another great website that is helpful.
• Car price secrets helps you compare dealership prices on new and used vehicles.
• If you are not sure whether to buy or lease a vehicle, check out the article “Pros & Cons of Leasing vs. Buying a Vehicle.” It provides great tips that I’m sure you will find useful.

Know your vehicle (Auto Repairs)

• If something doesn’t seem quite right about your vehicle, maybe it is making a strange noise, or the engine stalls, whatever it is, make sure you take care of the problem right away. You never want to drive a car that is unsafe. The most important issue is your safety on the road. Here are some helpful websites to answer your questions about fixing your car.
• 2 Car Pros is a great website that has everything you could possibly need to know about your vehicle. It gives you free auto repair advice by certified ASE Technicians. Get your questions about fixing your car answered by professionals. You can also check out the Car maintenance and service schedule page that gives you a break down of what your car needs at the 4,000 miles mark, 10,000 miles mark, etc.
• Yahoo Auto page also gives you answers to your questions about auto repairs and maintenance for your vehicle.
• Autobodyweb.com is a fast and easy way to help you find a body shop in your area.

Important tips to know about your Automobile:

• Change the oil in your car every 3,000 miles or three to six months regardless of what type of driving you do.
• Have your car's wheel alignment checked every 30,000 miles (48,000 km). Also have it checked after buying new tires and when you replace a rack-and-pinion steering unit or other steering parts.
• Rotate your tires every 6,000 to 7,500 miles (9,700 to 12,000 km)
• Change the oil filter at least at every other oil change—every change is even better because the old filter contains nearly a quart of dirty oil that will remain with the new, clean oil.
• Change your transmission fluid filter after the first 5,000 miles (8,000 km) of driving and every 25,000 miles (40,000 km) or two years thereafter.

Get the Most Out of the Pump

During tough economic times, Americans try to find ways to cut back and save money. Now more than ever before, fuel prices are sky high! Everyone is trying to save a buck or two anyway they can. Here are some helpful tips to help you save and get the most out of your dollar.

1. Fill up your vehicle in the morning when the temperature is still cool.

   All service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground; and the colder the ground, the denser the gasoline. When it gets warmer gasoline expands, so if you’re filling up in the afternoon or in the evening, what should be a gallon is not exactly a gallon.

2. Don’t fill up if a tanker truck is filling the station’s tank at the same time.

   If a tanker truck is filling the station’s tank at the time you want to buy gas, do not fill up! Most likely dirt and sludge in the tank is being stirred up when gas is being delivered, and you might be transferring that dirt from the bottom of their tank into your car’s tank.

3. Fill up when your gas tank is half-full or half-empty.

   The more gas you have in your tank the less air there is and gasoline evaporates rapidly, especially when it’s warm. (Gasoline storage tanks have an internal floating ‘roof’ membrane to act as a barrier between the gas and the atmosphere, thereby minimizing evaporation.)

4. Pump gas at the slowest setting.

   If you look at the trigger when you are pumping gas you’ll see that it has three delivery settings: slow, medium and high. When you’re filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to the high setting. You should be pumping at the slow setting, thereby minimizing vapors created while you are pumping. Hoses at the pump are corrugated; the corrugations act as a return path for vapor recovery from gas that already has been metered. If you are pumping at the high setting, the agitated gasoline contains more vapor, which is being sucked back into the underground tank so you’re getting less gas for your money.

How to conserve gas in your car

1. Walk, ride your bike, or take public transportation

2. Maintain your car

   A poorly maintained car can reduce your MPG (miles per gallon) by 15 percent or more! Make sure to get regular check-ups and to relieve any unnecessary stress on your car’s engine.

3. Get rid of the junk in your trunk

   Two-hundred pounds of junk will reduce your mileage by one mile per gallon. Don’t store unnecessary stuff in your trunk, only what is need for the trip.

4. Avoid long warm-ups

   Running your car for 30-60 seconds is more than enough time to let your car warm-up, even on the coldest days. Believe it or not, the engine will warm up quicker when you drive. If you are warming up your car for more than a minute, the oil companies thank you!

5. Use cruise control

   If you are traveling long distances or driving on the highway, utilize your cruise control. Cruise control will conserve 5 to 10 percent of gas.

6. Fuel up while it is cool

   During hotter periods of the day, gas will be less dense and will be more likely to evaporate as you pump. Always gas up early in the morning or late in the evening.

7. Don’t Idle

   When you are sitting in traffic, turn off your engine. Idling wastes about a quart of gas every 15 minutes.

8. Keep a steady pace

   Avoid rapid acceleration and sudden stops. Both will put stress on your vehicle’s engine leading to wasted gas. Instead, driving at a steady pace will reduce the energy needed to run your car’s engine.

9. Inspect your gas cap

   If your vehicle’s gas cap does not fit snug, you might be losing fuel! Gasoline is obviously a gas, and will find the slightest of openings to escape.

10. Use your car’s Air Conditioner wisely

    A common misconception is that if you run the AC you will lose fuel. In fact it will conserve gas when used appropriately. If you are on a long road trip or driving on the highway, running your AC will actually conserve more gas because of wind resistance. If you are traveling at a high speed with your windows down, the incoming wind resistance will act as unnecessary weight and cause your vehicle to consume more fuel.