Automotive Consumer Reports
If you’ve ever purchased a car, or are in the market for a vehicle, then you know how important research is. Proper information gathering procedures can help you make an informed decision on the car you wish to buy. You want to do everything possible to prevent yourself from spending your hard-earned dollars on a lemon of an automobile. Because of your diligence to knowledge, there are many routes available for you to choose to get the information you need. You can ask people about the car in question, for example. However, most people, when they are looking for a car to buy, use consumer reports to get the information they need.
Consumer reports are valuable sources of automotive purchasing information. A detailed consumer report can give you honest and accurate reviews on such important vehicular information such as gas mileage, braking ability, steering control and traction. Unless you are an automotive expert, or have the capacity to test out a wide range of vehicles that you are interested in buying, the consumer report is your best bet to get the unfiltered and precise information that you need to have.
Another reason why consumer reports are helpful is because they are often written by trusted third party sources. In some cases, consumer reports are actually created by people who have purchased and driven the car in question. This is of prime benefit because it gives you your own personal perspective on the car and its attributes. A customer generated consumer report is written by someone like yourself, so that someone like yourself can easily read, follow and comprehend it. Layman information is of absolute importance when it comes to reading an automotive consumer report.
Some consumer reports are written by automotive or vehicular experts. These are people who understand detailed aspects of the car that you’re interested in. They are able to break down the pros and cons of the car in great length and present the information in an easy to read consumer report.
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Tips For Keeping Up With Automotive Recalls
You hear about automotive recalls all the time in the newspaper, on the Internet, as well as on the nightly news. Amazingly, one in 12 cars traveling the roads today were recalled for one reason or another in 2003. However, even more amazing is the fact that only one third of the owners of the recalled vehicles chose to take their car in for the needed repairs. The car manufacturers are required to send out letters informing owners of these vehicles of the recall, regardless of whether it is a major or minor event. Also, the information regarding the recall is delivered to consumers in so many different mediums it is almost impossible that owners of the affected vehicles do not learn of the problems. However, people seem to think that if they are not experiencing any problems at the moment then the recall affects all of the other vehicles instead of theirs and end up ignoring the recall. This is negligence and simply asking for the problem with the car to crop up. However, if this happens after the recall then it is the owners fault because they were given the information and allowed to fix the problem free of charge yet they simply ignored it. As long as car manufactures report the recall and inform owners of the vehicles as they are required to do by law, it is up to the consumer to take advantage of the recall and have their automobile fixed. If not, then the owner is taking the risk. If you have not heard anything about car recalls or just bought a used vehicle and want to find out if the manufacturer issued any recalls then you should check out www.nhtsa.gov or www.autorecalls.org to see if your car is listed.
Both of these websites have all the information about recalls over the past years so you can search through the year, make, and model of a vehicle to see if yours is listed. It is very likely you will see your car listed on one of these website because more than 31 million cars were recalled in 2004. That is almost unbelievable considering the amount of technology used in developing cars as well as the fact that cars are safer than they have ever been. However, it is true that mistakes are still taking places and consumers are buying vehicles with basic problems like fuses or major problems with gas lines, tires, and seats buckling in crashes. Regardless of whether or not you believe you are driving a safe car you need to check out the websites stated above every few months just to make sure your vehicle has not ended up on the list. If it has, don’t fall into the two thirds of individuals who never respond to the recall. Instead, head to the nearest dealership or authorized mechanic who can make the free repairs to your vehicle. Why so many people don’t have time for free repairs is beyond me, but knowing your vehicle has a problem that could be potentially fatal for you and your family and that a free repair is available should be enough to motivate you to have the repair taken care of.
Another thing to keep in mind is that simple problems with your vehicle that result in a visit to the mechanic may not be a problem you are required to pay for. Millions of Americans each year take their cars to the mechanic for a basic repair, or even a major one, assuming something went wrong and they simply need to fix it. Unfortunately, many of these individuals never check to see if the problem was due to a recall and end up paying for a repair that might be free or discounted by the automobile manufacturer. So, armed with this knowledge the next time your vehicle has even the slightest problem make sure you check and see if the car has been recalled for similar problems and if you can get free repairs or discounted ones at the least. It is certainly worth checking out and could save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
Who Issues Recalls?
In general, the reason so many people don’t respond to recalls is because they simply don’t understand the recall process. The NHTSA , National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration, is responsible for investigating consumer complaints regarding specific vehicles and problems associated with them. After several consumers have reported the same or similar problem to the NHTSA for the same model vehicle an investigation is launched. The point of the NHTSA investigation is to determine whether the consumer caused the problem or malfunction in some way or if the manufacturer of the vehicle is at fault. If the manufacturer is determined to be at fault then the owners of affected models will receive information in the mail regarding the recall of the vehicle with information included on how they can have the problem corrected free of charge. However, the NHTSA is not always the one who issues a recall.
Occasionally, the manufacturer realizes a problem exists in a certain model vehicle and will voluntarily issue a recall. Of course, the NHTSA is informed as well, and the same letter is sent to owners of the vehicle letting them know the problem with the vehicle and how to correct it. Many times, however, a recall does not affect all models of a particular year. For example, if a recall is issued on 2005 Ford Explorers more than likely it will only affect a certain batch of these vehicles and not all of them. However, if you own a vehicle of that make and year then you can take it to the dealership and the service department will run the VIN, or vehicle identification number, to determine if in fact your vehicle is affected by the recall. If so, then you can have the repairs made at no cost. If not, then you can head home knowing your vehicle is safe and sound.
Just keep in mind, however, each year millions of cars are recalled for various reasons and you should always take your car in if you suspect the recall might apply to your vehicle or if you receive a recall letter. Don’t take your safety for granted, especially if the repair for the recalled vehicle is free.
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How To Get The Best Rates On Automobile Insurance In Alabama
As is true in almost every state in the Union, Alabama requires each of its drivers to purchase automobile insurance. Failure to purchase insurance – and then driving on a public roadway – can result in fines and fees and wasted time that, ultimately, is more than if you had simply found and purchased cheap automobile insurance in the first place.
So how do you get the best rates on automobile insurance in Alabama? The answer is surprisingly simple.
Start with your own driving record. If you want the best rates on automobile insurance then you are going to have to drive legally and safely – all the time. If you earn even one speeding ticket or other moving violation then you can’t expect to get the best rates on automobile insurance.
If you are stupid enough and irresponsible enough to drive when drunk or when impaired and you are convicted of a DUI (Driving Under the Influence) or a DWI (Driving While Intoxicated) then it will be years – usually a minimum of 3 years – before you will be offered automobile insurance at anything approaching an affordable rate.
Getting the best rates on automobile insurance begins with your choice of car. In the eyes of your insurance company not all cars are created equal. Some cars cost a lot more to insure than others. If you’re really serious about paying the least amount of money possible for your insurance then begin by asking your agent for a list of the least-expensive cars to insure.
If you can keep your car in a garage at night then you will save money on your insurance.
If you can use public transportation for as many of your “driving” needs as possible, you may be able to save quite a bit on your insurance. If you can keep your average driving down to less than 500 miles a month you could qualify for a Low Mileage Discount on your monthly premium.
If you have recently stopped working and you are no longer driving back and forth to work everyday then you will also save money on your insurance. Let your agent know about any change in your routine driving habits.
Adding simple anti-theft features to your car can save you some serious money. Ask your agent how much you could save if you simply purchase (and regularly use) a simple steering wheel locking device. There is also a relatively simple electronic device that shuts off your fuel pump unless you punch in a secret code or press a hidden button. Such devices are inexpensive and relatively easy-to-install yourself. Talk to your agent and see what your monthly savings could be.
Check around at work as well as with any clubs, groups or associations you might belong to and see if any of them offer a group discount rate on automobile insurance. You’d be surprised at how common this is becoming.
If you are 25 years old or younger stay in school and get good grades. If you can manage to maintain at least a “B” average then you could save 5% each month with your Good Student Discount.
If you are 55 or older ask if you qualify to take a special driver’s refresher course. Not every company offers this discount, but if you qualify and you pass the course it can save you a cool 10% per month on your insurance premiums.
And then there’s your deductible. The bigger your deductible the smaller your monthly automobile insurance premium will be. Of course, you need to exercise caution when increasing your deductible because if you ever have a claim you will have to come up with your deductible in cash. Don’t promise to pay more than you can actually afford.
Now it’s time for you to go online and find 3 different websites that permit you to make quick and easy comparisons of auto insurance prices among different insurance companies. Using everything you have learned from this article carefully enter the exact same information onto the form on at least 3 different comparison websites.
Now simply pick the company that offers the best price for the insurance you want. That’s it. You’re done. You’ve done your homework and you’ve compared prices and now you’ve got the best rates on automobile insurance in Alabama and you’ll be saving money every single month for a long time to come. Congratulations!
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