Archive for November, 2009
Buying New? Instead Choose An Approved Used Model Of Car
With the current economic malaise it is understandable that many people are choosing not to buy brand new cars and instead choosing to buy approved used models. While the new car smell is certainly an appeal the question remains whether it is a worthwhile investment? Add the high cost of new cars to the levels of depreciation and buying new can be considered somewhat foolish. A far more sensible idea is to look at the approved used cars from dealers such as Ford Audi BMW and Renault to name a few. By doing this you will gain a car that is in good working order and good value.
Whenever buying a car it is important to consider as any options as possible. Looking at the entire range of approved used cars at the dealership is advisable. A range is a group of cars that have similar characteristics and features for instance the Audi A6 BMW 5 Series and Citroen C6 could all be deemed saloon cars. When looking at different cars considering how each will benefit your life is also good advice. For example many regard the Audi as having great fuel economy while the Citroen could be described as the safest. These kinds of factors are not always important; in some cases people willchoose the BMW purely out of badge snobbery.
Because of depreciation approved used cars can be considered a better financial option. A recent report showed that levels of depreciation seem to be at an all time high. For instance a car that is bought new is likely to lose as much as thirty five percent of its list price in the first year alone. In the following five years it is estimated that it will lose yet another thirty percent the result being that within six years of buying a car it loses at least half of its value in many cases more. If the prices of premium motors such as BMWs Mercedes and Audis are considered than a car that cost sixty thousand pounds could only worth fifteen within a decade; no matter where you come from this is poor financial sense.
As well as the cost of a car in these times of astronomical fuel prices fuel economy should always be a consideration. The large off road vehicles that have been popular in the past are no longer a viable transport solution unless you plan on rarely using it. Models such as the BMW X5 fall into this category and in today’s climate should be avoided instead cars such as the Audi A3 or Toyota Corolla should be selected and will have a better fuel economy. Additionally for those who are acutely aware of fuel issues hybrid cars can be deemed a worthy option. Cars such as the Prius combine high levels of economy with performance whilst all the while being friendly to the environment.
Naturally before you buy an approved used car it is advisable to take it out for a test drive. This will let you get a feel for the car the way it performs and handles. In addition it should also give an idea of any potential problems although being approved any such issues should be minimal. Remember however not to be sucked into the feel of a car after a test drive remaining logical in your approach is the best course of action to follow.
Hopefully this information has given those looking for cars good advice. The concurrent theme is that brand new cars are rarely worth the investment and can be seen more as a status symbol rather than a transportation solution. For a logical choice the approved used route is the most advisable to follow.
About the writer: Motoring expert Thomas Pretty looks into why an approved used Audi can be deemed a sensible financial outlay.
Buying Cars In Online Auctions
You can get great deals when you buy a car at auction and the online world allows you to bid on auctions all over the world. Sometimes these great deals are suspiciously great deals. How do you avoid getting burned?
Buyer Beware
Though many online auction companies are very honest and reputable many are not and the consequences can be severe. Buyers should never take the dealer’s word for anything. There are a lot of scams run by professionallooking sellers and even legitimate companies can make mistakes.
Always run a history report on the vehicle’s VIN through a service like AutoCheck or Carfax. Not only does this show obvious things like title checks and accident history but it can also draw your attention to things that might not ever occur to you. For example after Hurricane Katrina tens of thousands of cars have been salvaged rebuilt and sold in outofstate auctions.
Get a thirdparty inspection. Use a mechanic you choose not the one the seller might recommend. Don’t believe pictures you don’t have proof those pictures are even of the car you are bidding on. Some online auction sites like eBay offer their own car inspection services.
Get an Extended Warranty But Not from the Seller
Used cars are used cars and no matter how carefully rebuilt are more prone to breakdowns and other problems than new cars.
Extended warranties have a bad reputation and many of them deserve it. Businesses generally make more money on the extended warranties than they do off the products they sell even offering expensive warranties on items with very low incidence of breakdown.
However warranties are still a good investment especially on a used item. Rather than going through the seller purchase a policy through an independent warranty company. Shop carefully and don’t automatically choose the cheapest policy; you get what you pay for. Get the warranty quote before bidding on the car.
Use a Reliable Car Shipping Service
So you won the auction and you now have a car but it’s a thousand miles away. Now what?
Some dealers include car shipping but many won’t. Sure you can fly out and drive the car home. That means the cost of a plane ticket a night or two in a motel fuel expenses plus a lot of wear and tear on the vehicle.
Instead contact a car shipping company and have them do the work. They will pick up the car put it on a truck and drive it right to your door. Even if the seller offers car shipping you can probably save money by arranging the auto transport yourself.
Buying cars online can be a safe experience that saves you money. Use a little common sense and you’ll save yourself headaches as well.
About the writer:nbsp;nbsp;Author is a freelance copywriter. For more information on CarShipping visit http://www.nationalcarshipping.com.
Bmw Launch Test Pilot TV Commercial For New M3
Last August 19 2007 BMW launched its ad campaign for the M3. Its a 50second TV commercial showing BMWs M3 in flight. This TV ad is the only one of its kind created for the new BMW M3 worldwide.
The commercial is entitled Test Pilot and shows a man who seems to be training as a fighter pilot. This TV ad was created by Ireland/Davenport and was shot in Orlando south of Johannesburg.
The hero in the commercial has undergone strenuous examinations with the final test to be conducted on a new BMW M3 with quality BMW door handle. The commercial ends with a payoff line that states: “The new BMW M3. The Spirit of M. Unleashed by technology”
According to Philip Ireland the bright mind behind the advertisement “The BMW M3 is the ultimate performance vehicle but more than just highlighting the pure brawn we needed to emphasize the intelligent design and technology that enables the vehicle to do what it does. We wanted to show the IQ that went into the development of the new BMW M3.”
John Davenport also said “The BMW M3 has a performance heritage which is made possible by the extreme technological superiority and advanced innovation of the vehicle. With this in mind we thought the best way to convey the matchless driving experience of a BMW M3 would be through the intense physical and mental experiences that the driver would undergo to be able to cope with this type of driving experience.”
The TV ad is just a part of the integrated campaign that includes print outdoor radio online and other direct marketing campaigns developed for the promotion of BMWs new M3. Ireland/Davenport has also worked with BMWs digital agency Aqua Online which makes sure that the whole concept and idea is taken to every aspect of the campaign. It was Kevin Fitgerald of Egg Films that directed the commercial.
In making the commercial the crew has met some problems along the way fortunately for them they were not severe so the shooting has gone ahead as schedule. Ireland was quoted by Marketingweb as saying: “During filming of the high speed shots we found that the tracking vehicle at its absolute topspeed was unable to keep up with the BMW M3 in order to film the shots. So in the end a second BMW M3 had to be brought in to become the tracking vehicle!”
Both of the BMWs abovetheline and belowtheline businesses are to be handled by Ireland/Davenport. And to further attract customers there would also be a Star City Cosmonaut online competition wherein one entrant will be given the rare opportunity to visit Star City Russia which is a highly controlled military facility located north of Moscow where cosmonauts are trained at the Gagarin Cosmonauts Training Center since 1960s. In addition the winner will also get the chance to ride in a MIG fighter jet.
About the writer: Evander Klum is a Business Administration graduate who hails from Alabama. He enjoys extreme sports and he is also a car racing fanatic. At present he works as a marketing manager at an advertising agency in Cleveland.
