Archive for October, 2009
Tips To Help Avoid Extra Costs At The End Of Your Lease
250 dollars to dispose of your vehicle 1000 dollars for extra miles you put on the clock and 200 dollars to replace the light bulb and the worn tires lease agents constantly nickelanddime consumers when their lease runs out. Here is a rundown of what can trigger those fees and some steps to take in self defense.
Disposition fee: leasing companies charge you if you choose not to buy the vehicle at the end of your lease. This fee is set as compensation for the expenses of selling. Otherwise disposing of the vehicle. It typically includes administrative charges; the dealers cost to prepare the car for resale and any other penalties.
Make sure this fee is stated clearly in the contract and is agreeable by you before signing on the dotted line. At leaseend you are left in no position to negotiate as the dealer can apply your refundable security deposit towards this fee.
Excess mileage charges: Almost all leasing companies will charge a premium for each mile over the agreed upon mileage stated in your contract. This penalty can be as high as 25 cents per mile and can add up quickly.
To avoid the risk of running thousands of dollars in excess mileage penalties at the end of your lease always check the per mile charges in your contract and be realistic about your mileage before you sign any contract.
If you think the limit is unrealistic given your commutation needs then negotiate with the dealer to get a higher mileage or contract for additional miles.
Excess tearandwear charges: Another potential cost at the end of the lease is any incidental damage done to the car during the lease. This is deemed any excessive damage done to the normal tear and wear of the vehicle. Notice the use of the terms deemed excessive and normal.
There is no standard formula to define what is excessive and normal and it is up to the leasing company to assess or deem the damage and determine what they are going to charge. This leaves you at the mercy of unscrupulous leasing agents who set stringent tear and wear standards. Make sure you read the description of these standards understand them and agree to them.
If your leased vehicle is damaged prior to the end of the lease you may find it cheaper to repair the damage yourself than pay the excessive charges
of the leasing agent. In the event of a dispute over the charges at the end of your lease get an independent third party to do a professional appraisal detailing the amount required to repair any damaged parts or the amount by which tearandwear reduces the value of the vehicle.
About the writer:nbsp;nbsp;For more information about buying and leasing used cars visit Bell Road Toyota to stay informed.www.tundrasolutions.com/dealers/dealer.php/id/30
Time To Change Your Mercedes Headlights
Mercedes headlights come in a variety of colors shapes and designs. Headlights can be a great modification to your car as a step forward towards its longterm protection. The aftermarket car parts industry takes pride in producing the worlds finest headlight kits and individual parts for almost all Mercedes Benz models. Some people merely change the headlights for the sake of improving their vehicles appearance while others feel the need when one of the bulbs of their factory installed headlights burns out. These lights have many benefits and they are also considered more secure on the road. Keep reading on to find out if you need some new and stylish headlights for your beloved car.
Xenon headlights are preferred over ordinary halogen headlights as they produce more light and last for a long time. Bixenon headlight kits with clear corners and high quality glass lens are becoming increasingly popular because of their durability and excellent design. These lights are also called HID conversion kits or High Intensity Discharge lights. Bixenon headlights are perfect for Mercedes and other cars as they have the ability to produce both low and high beams. These lights are specifically designed for each Mercedes Benz model and are therefore very easy to install.
Many reliable manufacturers of these headlights are ISO certified to provide the best quality stuff to their customers. The aftermarket Mercedes headlights are not very expensive at all considering them a truly beneficial and costeffective upgrade in the long run. You can also buy individual parts such as bulbs or ballast units to upgrade your headlights. However it is highly recommended to replace the entire headlight assembly in order to get the maximum out of these high intensity lights. They are designed to be waterproof as well as shock proof so that you wont have to worry about their regular maintenance.
Online shopping sites now give us an opportunity to browse through hundreds of products in the category of Mercedes headlights to find the one best suited to our requirements and budget. AMG style headlights for all Mercedes models are also available out there in black or chrome. These lights look very attractive and a lot of people like to install them to enhance their vehicles faade. Crystal projector headlights are another great option available to upgrade your car. These headlights come with chrome housing and are totally affordable. All these modern lights for Mercedes are optimized for best performance and long life.
The latest models that come equipped with HID headlights can also be upgraded with the help of specially designed xenon headlights. These lights come in exciting colors like crystal white golden yellow aqua blue and purple. Headlight kits for Mercedes Benz from German manufacturers come with a warranty period of 6 months which shows their true worth. You can specify the model and year of your car to find the most suitable headlights available out there. It is advisable to get 6000K color temperature for the xenon bulbs which produce much more brightness than ordinary lights and they also conform to the traffic rules and regulations.
Whether you are looking for high quality headlights or simply a modification option for your car Mercedes headlights will provide you with a number of advantages. You can choose a headlight kit according to your budget and other requirements. There are smoked and LED tail lights also available for all Mercedes Benz models which can be installed to make your car more beautiful and stylish. Headlights come in a number of different colors including orange white and blue. To get excellent quality and longlasting headlights for your Mercedes only buy from a reputable manufacturer.
About the writer: Mercedes headlights
The Lotus Esprit A Buying Guide For A Modern Classic
The first Lotus Esprit burst into life in 1976 and with its stunning wedge shaped looks it really stood out from the humdrum Rovers and Fords that were on the road at the time. Colin Chapman was so proud of his new sports car that he arranged to have it parked outside Pinewood studios in the hope that it would be used in the latest James Bond film. The plan worked and Roger Moore drove a white Lotus Esprit that could convert into a submarine in the Spy Who Loved Me.
The early Esprit cars came with a four cylinder 160 bhp engine however through turbo charging and various other engine modifications the final four cylinder sport models were able to produce 300bhp. However what the Lotus Esprit really needed was a super car engine to match its looks and that finally arrived in the shape of a V8 engine back in 1996.
The V8 Lotus Esprits are highly regarded and are normally well looked after by enthusiastic owners who have normally ensured that no expense has been spared on servicing. Buying a good used V8 Esprit should cost no more than a brand new saloon however whilst the exterior has been constantly modernised once you climb in you are soon reminded of the cars original 1970′s roots.
The interior is hardly the last word in driver ergonomics even getting in and out can prove to be a chore and once inside any driver over six foot is going to feel cramped. The transmission tunnel sits very close to the driver and anyone with larger than average feet may want to make sure that they can feel the pedals correctly as space in the footwell is extremely tight.
Once you have settled into the Esprit you will soon find yourself surrounded by switches buttons and stalks from old Vauxhalls Peugeot and Citroens. Whilst there is little you can do to modernise the interior you can replace the standard halogen headlight bulbs with the latest modern xenon bulbs so you can see the road more clearly when pushing on late at night.
There is however no doubting the performance and handling and once you have fired up the V8 heard the twin Garret turbos spooling up behind and despatched 060 in just over 4 seconds you are bound to be instantly smitten. When it comes to the cornering the V8 has precise and direct steering which is full of feedback whilst the grip and body control just seem to urge you to driver harder.
Unfortunately despite its fabulous looks the Lotus Esprit has always been dogged by reliability worries leading to the infamous statement that Lotus stood for Lots of Trouble Usually Serious. Never forget that although the Lotus Esprit now costs hot hatch money it still is a super car and will sometimes demand super sized bills to match.
There is no doubting the beguiling looks and performance of the Lotus Esprit however before you make the purchase make sure you buy one with full service history that has been well cared for and put aside a decent sized annual budget for repairs and servicing. Once that is done you can become the newest member of the supercar set.
About the writer: Jo Alexander is an online freelance journalist and keen windsurfer. Jo lives by the sea in Essex.
