Posts Tagged ‘lemon vehicle’
Gas Savings… Real or Fake?
$3.80 – $3.90 – $4.00 – $4.10 … When will it stop? With the rising cost of gas consumers have been bombarded with advertisements for various gas saving products and free gas promotions. So are any of them real?
Gas Saving Products
Products ranging from fuel additives to hardware that you mount on your car claim to save you hundreds at the gas pump. Do any of them work? Of the hundreds of “gas saving” devices and additives reviewed by the EPA over the years, none have been found to actually work. Furthermore, Consumer Reports recently tested several new products, and none lived up to their claim.
So what can you do? Save your money! Properly maintaining your car and improving your driving style are still the best ways to increase your gas mileage. In fact, traveling at 65 mph instead of 75 mph, braking easier, and accelerating at a slower pace can save you up to 37% in gas!
Buy a Car Get Free Gas
Are the “free gas for a year” new car promotions real, or are they a scam? Well, yes and no. Here’s the scoop: When buying a new car under this and similar promotions, make sure you read the fine print. Often these deals are good, but the promotion only cover gas up to a certain amount. The amount covered is often calculated by factoring the amount of gas required to drive the car 12,000 miles and the vehicles EPA mileage estimate.
The bad end of the deal involves other discounts and rebates you may be passing up. By going with the free gas, you may be substituting 0% financing, saving you thousands and thousands, or attractive factory rebates in exchange. To truly understand which offer is the better deal, sit down with your salesman and get all the fine print. Then calculate out your exact savings for each deal.
Car Warranties – Know the Difference!
The warranty battle is on! Many manufacturers are engaged in a battle for the best warranty. But here are some things to keep in mind when investigating the difference between new car warranties.
It’s good to know the difference between a new car warranty and an extended auto warranty. A typical new car warranty has two parts: the “bumper to bumper” warranty, which covers everything except the “wear” items such as brakes and tires; and the powertrain warranty that covers all the parts that make the car move, such as the engine and transmission.
An extended auto warranty can be purchased to prolong the coverage of the bumper-to-bumper warranty. Most people are familiar with the extended warranty that is sold at dealerships. There are also “third-party” warranties which can save consumers money but are generally less convenient to use. Many third-party warranties require out-of-pocket payment for repairs before reimbursement. Weigh all these factors carefully before you make your choice.
