Quick Cash Auto Blog

Winter is quickly approaching and with this season comes colder temperatures, shorter days, and holiday music. Winter can also mean trouble for your car because of all the harsh conditions associated with wintertime coupled with ill-prepared cars. Prepping a car for winter is simpler than many drivers may think and it will save tons of time and money in the long run.

There are several things that you should do to properly prepare a vehicle to withstand the winter months. Since the autumn season is already upon us, time is limited to get everything done to your car but it can be accomplished! Most of the items that will be suggested in this article can easily be knocked out on a Saturday before lunch.

The items that must be accomplished to have an adequately winterized car can be put into two main categories: things that drivers can do themselves and items that need to be done by an auto care professional.

Some of the easiest things car owners can do quickly and easily by themselves are to prepare an emergency kit and put the kit in the back of the car. Things to include in the kit vary depending on where you live but the key is to include things that you may need if your car were to get stuck or break down. Some items you may want to use to create an emergency kit are a flashlight, blankets, batteries, non perishable food items such as granola bars or nuts, bottles of water, antifreeze, at least a quart of oil, and rock salt used for melting ice.

In addition to making an emergency kit for your car, one of the simplest things to do to prep your car for winter is to check the fluids in your car such as the oil, antifreeze, and brake fluid and add fluid to anything that is getting low. Also, check your battery for corrosion on the battery posts or other surfaces on the battery. If corrosion is present, take your car to a local auto parts store and they will usually check the condition of your battery for free as well as clean off any corrosion that is present.

It is also important to check your wiper blades to make sure they function properly and if you cannot really remember the last time you had them changed, it is best to go ahead and buy new ones. Many auto parts retailers will install these for free as well. In climates that can expect to see temperatures drop below the freezing mark, it is a good idea to add a windshield wiper fluid that has antifreeze properties to help keep ice and snow off your windshield because visibility is imperative.

Some things you may have to have a mechanic do include getting a thorough tune-up that includes installing new spark plugs as well as checking the brakes, tire tread depth, heater, defroster and other notable mechanical features such as the transmission and starter. Any problems should be fixed immediately to avoid a break down later.

The winter season can be a joyous time but if you do not prepare your vehicle for this harsh season, you may end up spending more money on your car than parents with teen daughters will spend on Justin Bieber merchandise this holiday season.

Imagine that you are driving your car on a dark road at night when you glance at your fuel gauge only to see the needle dangerously close to the large, brightly colored “E”. For whatever reason, drivers often forget to fill up at a convenient time and are put into a scenario that leaves them searching for a gas station in order to keep from running out of fuel and being stranded on the side of the road. Thankfully, in most places in America there seems to be convenience stores and fuel stations on every corner, or so it seems at least.

Despite the large number of gas stations in most towns and cities, when your fuel light indicates that you are low on gas or diesel there is often a slightly sick feeling that comes over you. This queasy sensation often occurs because it is absolutely no fun to run out of fuel and be stuck on the side of the road. Now imagine that you have a totally electric car and instead of having your fuel light come on, it is your low battery light that pops up. Now imagine trying to find a place to charge your car before you get stranded. Most likely, you are feeling queasy just thinking about this scenario, but for electric car owners it is a fear often based in reality.

All electric cars can often go anywhere from 75 to 300 miles on one charge, but what happens if you need to drive further than that? Many large cities have charging stations very similar to gas stations and often near a traditional fuel station. However, in smaller towns and cities, finding a place to charge an electric car can be both frightening and challenging.

The United States government is on course to help with this electric range dilemma in the coming years. More specifically, The U.S. Department of Energy has dedicated more than $400 million to help build an electric vehicle infrastructure according to CNN’s Steve Almasy. There are several energy companies planning to build thousands of charging stations in the coming years in order to help with this electric car range issue.

As the industry stands now, many potential buyers are turned off by electric cars because of the fear and anxiety directly related to charging issues. Another problem that may continue to turn buyers away is that fully charging an electric automobile can take up to four hours, time that many drivers cannot spare while traveling.

While electric vehicles have many advantages, the automobile industry and other entities must create solutions to the worries created by the limited travel range that these new cars offer.

As far as four letter bad words go, one of the worst may not be what most people would think; that word is scam. This word strikes fear into the hearts of people across the globe. Scams can cause major financial losses, identity theft, and major stress in consumers’ lives.

Scams can happen in many business, personal, political, and even religious settings. It comes as no surprise then that the business of buying and selling cars is not immune from scams. There are several unique scams associated with the automobile industry that consumers should be aware of before buying or selling a vehicle.

One scam that is very pervasive in the automobile industry and often has sellers playing the role of victim is a certified check scam. In this infamous scam, the potential buyer – who is actually the scam artist, tells the seller that they want to purchase the car but they must send a certified check for more than the selling price and have the seller wire the “buyer” the difference. The scam occurs when the seller wires the scam artist money, but when the seller tries to cash the check, it turns out to be fake. Always contact the bank that issued the check from the buyer before accepting the payment, and never transfer the vehicle over to the buyer until the check has been processed.

While technology such as the internet has made many aspects of life easier and more convenient, including selling a car, the internet also makes it much easier for scam artists to commit crimes. One example of technology being used to scam both buyers and sellers comes in the form of a false online auction. Sellers often ship a vehicle after selling an automobile on the internet but never receive payment. Much in the same fashion, buyers have often been required to make payment on an auction site, yet they never receive the car they paid for. Many times it is difficult to track criminals down that use fake auction websites on the internet because the sites can be set up with little personal information about the creator of the site readily available.

It is important for buyers and sellers to always do research before doing business with other people or companies, especially when the internet is being used as a medium to transfer goods and services. People that have been scammed and want more information about the process of filing a complaint, or just want to research ways to avoid future problems can contact the National Fraud Information Center at www.fraud.org or regional authorities with experience in scams.

Franchise opportunities are abound in the United States, where the American dream is often obtained by franchising an already successful business or product. For many automobile dealers across the United States, an opportunity to continue living the American dream was handed out this week in the form of a Fiat franchise.

Fiat is an Italian automobile company founded in 1899. The name Fiat is actually an acronym that when translated from Italian means Italian Automobile Factory of Turin. Fiat is a successful company throughout the world, with many assembly factories in countries such as Brazil, India, and Poland. Fiats have not been actively sold and marketed by United States dealerships in more than two decades, so the opportunity to have a Fiat franchise is full of promise.

Many existing dealerships submitted proposals to Chrysler asking for permission to sell Fiats several months ago and the Fiat 500, a compact car, will begin hitting showroom floors in early March 2011. Chrysler received thousands of applications from dealership owners hoping to become Fiat distributors, many who are not currently associated with Chrysler or its subsidiaries. Of the more than 2,000 Chrysler dealerships across the United States, only a little more than 600 received formal invitations from Chrysler Corporation to submit franchise proposals.

For the time being, the Fiat 500 will be the only car model produced for sale in the states from the Italian based car company. Early reports state that there will be up to four different cuts or versions of the 500. A convertible, a sport edition, a petite four door, as well as a “High Roof” style. All of the cars will have a luxurious and unique Italian style that Fiat has been known for for many decades.

There are more than 115 markets that Chrysler has chosen to give franchises in. These areas have been thoroughly researched and show great potential to be big sellers in the area of compact cars. Fiat is often compared to the Mini-Cooper, but the 500 will actually be shorter, slimmer, and more streamlined than the Mini.

Anyone looking for smooth driving, gas saving compact car will have another choice on their car buying plate just in time for spring.