Ford has announced that it has seen growth in it’s market share in the US. The US manufacturer is the only major manufacturer who has not filed for bankruptcy in the US, they announced that they have sold 155,954 vehicles in the last month. The current figures show a 24% decrease in sales from the same month last year, however, the figures show a 20% rise in sales from last month.

The increase in sales that Ford have seen could be down to the other car manufacturers such as Chrysler and General Motors who have both recently files for bankruptcy.

GM released their current sales figures the day after they filed for bankruptcy. They said that they have sold 191,875 vehicles in May which is a 30% decrease from the same month last year, but an 11% rise on last months sales. The worst performance in sales come from Hummer, Saab, Saturn and Pontiac, all of which GM are planning on selling on.

As for Chrysler, they filed for bankruptcy on April 30th and announced that they saw 79,010 sales from May which is a 47% decrease in US sales from the same month in 2008. They explained that a large number of their monthly sales came from 789 dealers that have cut Chrysler prices because they plan to stop selling their cars next week.

Ford is currently in the process of changing their production strategy to try and take advantage of the bankruptcy situation. They plan on increasing their production by an extra 10,000 vehicles in the current quarter, plus an extra 42,000 vehicles in the next quarter.

All car manufacturers are seeing a decrease in sales due to the current credit crunch, but the drop in sales is not just down to public sales. Corporate sales have also been on the decrease, companies that offer Ford leasing aswell as a number of other makes such as Peugeot leasing are buying less cars because they are being hit by the credit crunch. A big problem is down to the public, when they plan to buy a car, they rarely consider the leasing options, which generally work out cheaper than buying your own car.

Technorati Tags: car leasing, chrysler, Ford, ford leasing, general motors, GM

There is nothing quite as exciting as owning an antique car. And, if the antique car is also equipped with a working antique car radio you will certainly experience a most unique thrill. There are chances that things can break down and this can also happen to your antique car radio. Repair as well as restoration of an antique car radio often requires replacing defective parts with genuine antique car radio parts.

Hard To Find An Antique Car Radio Parts

In today’s world, it is hard to find genuine antique car radio parts– mainly because such parts are generally not being manufactured since there is no real demand for the parts other than from a select few owners of antique car radios. yet, many companies are expert at repairing as well as restoring antique car radios and they are also familiar with the fact that where it is possible to buy genuine antique car radio parts.

In fact, the modern car radio repair shop will be able to do a good job of repairing and restoring the antique car radio as long as they have ready access to antique car radio parts. Once they are able to find the required antique car radio parts they can then use modern technology and combine it with the craftsmanship of days gone by and fix any kind of defect in your antique car radio.

From tubes to power vibrators to buffer capacitors to any other kind of antique car radio parts the better antique car radio repair and restoration shops will be able to use these parts to fix almost any kind of problem. In case, the antique car radio requires restoration such repair and restoration shops will be able to do a complete makeover of the chassis and cabinet as too to the dial - even if it involves having to replace parts such as the knobs.

You should also ask for a warranty on the repair or restoration work done by the repair shop and often you can get ninety days warranty on the parts and service while it is also possible to get an entire year’s warranty on the tubes.

If you own an antique car or a classic car then you will need to worry about getting antique classic car insurance. Unfortunately, these kinds of cars attract a separate kind of insurance policy as compared with standard insurance policies. The good news is that this kind of insurance is not all that hard to find because quite a few insurance companies have special policies for these kinds of cars.

Technorati Tags: Antique Car Insurance, Antique Car Radio Parts

by Louis Cruz

What is Really The Best Day of The Month To Buy A Car? There are many opinions about this. But many expert car dealers will almost always give you the same answer. They will clearly tell you that the best day to buy a car is the last day of the month! Continue reading and find out why.

www.autodealershiptopsecrets.com

Actually most dealers will swear up and down about this but the truth of the matter is that car manufacturers have a specific target or amount of sales that the car dealer must meet on a monthly basis. Car dealers receive bonuses when they meet their monthly target sales. And many times these car dealers will depend on these bonuses to level their balance sheets. If possible a car dealership will try to pass this targeted goal by 60-80 cars. Of course, we are talking about the “big guy” car dealership.

So why does this makes it The Best Day of the Month To Buy A Car? Well many times at the end of the month a car dealership may not have reached this targeted goal. They may still need to sell 15-20 cars. And opposite to the small car dealer down the street he can afford to let go of $1500 to $2000 dollars or more from each car and still make a profit. So it is at this last moment when they may be desperate to reach their goal. And to do this they will be willing to reduce the price a few thousand dollars.

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If losing $1,000 to sell you a car is standing in the way of them receiving tens of thousands of dollars in bonuses, it’s not exactly a hard sell for them.

Contrary to popular belief, the small car dealer is not usually able to reduce the price of car because they usually sell less during the month and they will usually try to compensate for their lower sales by pumping up the price on each individual car.

Of course, the car dealer is not likely to show his weak side, you might need to bring it up so and be a little persistent in requesting a better offer. If you’re not afraid to face the big guy, then you might as well save a few thousand dollars in the car you want! So Take advantage of The Best Day Of The Month to Buy A Car!

Written By Louis Cruz

www.autodealershiptopsecrets.com

Technorati Tags: Buy a car, The Best Day OF The Month To Buy A Car, When To Buy A Car

The fashion industry has taught us to get on our tiptoes at every celebrity’s twist and turn on the red carpet and casual shopping trips. Trying to choose a dress for your hen night? Check out what Julia Roberts or Charlize Theron wore lately. Thinking of buying a new pair of jeans? Surf the web to see what Gisele Bundchen and Sienna Miller have been sporting. Dying for that unique image? You need to look no further than Kate Moss, or, if you want some variety, spy on Pixie Geldof or Agyness Deyn.

We turn to celebrities not just for their dresses, but also for their make-up, cosmetics, and jewellery they wear or promote. Fashion, beauty and accessory industries have long recognised and harnessed the power of actors and actresses, singers and politicians to enhance the designer lines and strengthen the brand. The automotive industry has been lagging slightly behind for an obvious reason. It may be possible to find a high-street replica of an haute couture dress, but a budget replica of a multi-million dollar Bugatti? Not in this world.

Still, this should not stop us from looking at what car makes and models have been the most sought after in the celebrity world.

Ferrari and Mercedes Benz are clearly the top celebrity cars. Everyone’s favourite sport car versus a long-established giant – which would you choose? In the ideal world, you could have both, of course, and you would drive them as and when appropriate. Kelly Osbourne and Lindsay Lohan, Megan Fox and Eva Pigford show their support of the Mercedes Benz brand. Beyonce Knowles is feeling comfortable in the halo of her SLR McLaren model (that is while the hubby is driving a Maybach; for your information, a luxurious and spacious Maybach 62 S Laundalet costs no less than $1.38 million). Britney Spears also wears Mercedes colours when she drives her convertible, and the singer Wyclef Jean (who never really knew that Shakira could dance) is a proud owner of a custom-made Mercedes Benz car.

Among the most famous Ferrari lovers are the actor Ben Stiller; the fashion models Fabio Lanzoni (who recently added a Ferrari car crash to his heartthrob’s fame) and Kim Kardashian; and the rapper Ryan Shecklet. The late actor Steve McQueen (of the original Thomas Crown’s Affair fame) was also an avid Ferrari fan, possessing a 250 GT Berlinetta Lusso model.

The third favourite celebrity car appears to be the Audi. In spite of the recent advertising knock-down from BMW, the make is popular among a string of celebrities, including the New York mayor Michael Bloomberg, Jude Law, Gisele Bundchen, and Jessica Biel.

Other celebrity-friendly car makes include Lexus (Sienna Miller drives Lexus GS), Range Rover (Kate Moss’s baby), and Dodge (favoured by none other but the California governor). Bentley Continental GT is driven by the Osbournes and Paris Hilton (who plans to spend a handsome sum of money encrusting the pink car’s dashboard with diamonds).

Finally, there is a dream of the dreams: a Lamborghini. At one time a yellow Lamborghini was the penultimate vision for a funky driver. Mike Tyson owns a Lamborghini model; and a NBA player Willie Green runs a Lamborghini Diablo. In one country, however, the ordinary folks have joined the celebrities’ ranks when Lamborghini Gallardo models were presented to the Italian Polizia. Although, on second thoughts, the police are very special folks who absolutely deserve high speed, ultra-stylish cars to crawl the Italian terrain.

Related topics include car loans, welcome car loans and car finance UK

Technorati Tags: Cars, celebrity, Motoring

Providing finance for people who has bad credit history is somewhat a risk. But in USA today there are companies who are willing to take up this risk and help you with some financial assistance by giving away a loan.

One of the routes of achieving a financial loan for an auto vehicle is by an online loaner. Usually the credit history of the individual will be considered by the company. With a bad credit loaner however this should not be a problem since they won’t consider your credit history.

Some of these loaners will also help you find a car dealer who would agree to give you a second chance in buying a car for a loan. When getting the loan, it is necessary that you have an idea about the down payment amount and the balance payments that have to be made. All these can be done through an online down payment calculator. Ask your auto finance company about this calculator and calculate what your total payment will be, including the interest rate.

The process of achieving a bad credit loan is simple. Firstly you just need to apply online. The finance company will then find you the best dealer to buy you the car you need. Once they find the best market you will be informed. It is then up to you to decide whether to proceed forward or not.  A win- win situation is created between you and the car dealer, where both the parties will be benefited.
You can be happy about the trusted service provided by the california auto insurance loan provider by finding you a way of buying a car even with the financial crisis you are in.

Auto insurance providers could easily be found in the internet. Most of the companies will have their internet website and also an online service for convenience of their customers. You can also get the help of an auto insurance finder website which will help you to find an auto insurance company.

Thanks to the lending institutions that provide bad credit car finance loans, you don’t have to worry about your financial difficulties when purchasing the car you’ve always wanted. It is up to you to do the necessary research on each company and select the best deal that will suit your budget.

Technorati Tags: auto insurance, auto insurance quote, auto insurance quotes, car insurance, car insurance quotes, free online insurance quote, insurance

When you are thinking about getting a new car, whether it is fresh out of the dealers showroom or just newer than the car that you currently own, you’ll find that there are a few car buying negotiating tips that you need to keep in mind.  We joke a lot about the problems that people run into on car lots, and if you want to make sure that you get a fair price for the car that you are looking at, there are a few things that you need to keep in mind.

First, do your research.  No matter what you are buying or where you are buying it from, take some time to look up the value of the car as it is, by the year and pristine from the dealer.  There are lots of sources online that can help you.  Do not go into negotiations without knowing what you should expect to pay.  If the car is used, make sure that you get the Vehicle Identification Number, which is usually located at the far bottom left or right of the windshield.  This can tell you a lot about the history of the car itself.

Second, be aware of the fact that the car salesman is going to try to manipulate you.  Most car salesmen do work on a commission basis, and because of that, they want you to put in as much money as possible.  For instance, they may tell you that the car is only going to be this price that day, or that there are other people interested in it.  They may also tell you that the window price is the lowest that they can go, and that is invariably a falsehood.  Perhaps top among the car buying negotiating tips should be the fact that you do not want to work with a car salesman who insults you or your intelligence!

When you are looking for car buying negotiating tips that are really going to help you, you’ll find that you should get prepared as soon as you walk on the lot.  Take a long look through the lot and note which cars appeal to you.  Bring a writing utensil and some paper with you and write down all the information from the pricing sticker.  This includes such statistics as the basic cost of the car, what each option is going to run you, and anything like a delivery charge.

It is unfortunate, but some of the most important car buying negotiation tips have to do with how to deal with unethical salesmen.  For instance, one truly nasty trick is that they will offer you financing that you do not qualify for.  You sign the papers, thinking that you are going to get the financing with a lower rate, and then you get a call saying that the financing “didn’t go through” and you are stuck with higher costs.  Always get your financing signed, sealed and delivered before you finalize anything.

There are lots of great car buying negotiating tips, so make sure that you know what you are getting into; it can make the difference between getting a great car at a fair price and getting a car that saddles you with payments you don’t want to make! Two excellent resources to find out more are located at http://www.squidoo.com/carbuyingnegotiatingtips or at http://www.mycarbuyingguide.com

Technorati Tags: car buying negotiation tips, dealing with car sales people, get the upper hand on the car dealer

The name sounds very suspicious: police car auctions. {Some think they are selling cars that belonged to the police, cars that have POLICE written all over. People tend to think these auctions are selling only used police cars, because of the name. When people hear this term, they immediately imagine a big parking place with lots of police cars that are for sale.} Some people think that these cars in truck auctions were taken from crime scenes or other terrifying events. While any of the horrible, yet plausible statement above can be true in about 3% of cases, cars that belong to the remaining 97% have a totally different story behind them.

It’s true that police cars that are still working and look good, but for some reason have been parked around for a while and never used are sometimes auctioned. But these cars won’t be given away with police colors, stickers and inscription. These cars will get a new paint and will be stripped of all stickers and other police inscriptions. These cars usually belonged to retired officers or are currently replaced by other newer models, so there’s no point in stocking them forever. Because the cars costs are considered residual, they will sell for nay price. This is how the low prices are explained. Buyers that go to these auctions know this, and never overbid on a vehicle, trying to keep prices as low as possible. If you want to go and try your chances, you will have to pay cash, no bank transfer accepted, and calculate any offered car’s price at about 50% off its normal price. Keeping the prices in line will benefit the entire acution.

It’s true that even car that used to belong to criminals that had no family to take over the taxes are auctioned sometimes. Sometimes, you will find an occasional car that was impounded or seized for any reasons that will also get auctioned. {Sometimes, even cars that were not entirely paid for are sold by the police. Cars that are new but not entirely paid for can be also sold. New cars that weren’t successfully paid can also be sold in these auctions.} {These cars are usually as good as new, and their prices will be a little bit higher that those of the firstly mentioned cars. These new cars will have prices that are a bit higher. Because they are practically as good as new, they will register bigger selling prices.} Still, the estimated value of one new car will not be reached.

In conclusion, if you decide to stop by a brick and mortar car auctions, you will end up with valuable assets for low prices. Police car auction can constitute a good business starting point for anyone who has the earning to invest a little in the beginning.

Technorati Tags: car auction, car auction sites, cheap car auctions

There are so many automobile enthusiasts who love to collect antique carsand there are also many people that wish to restore antique cars under their possession that the need to shop for antique car parts is quite high. This indicates that there are a whole lot of auto fanatic out there who are willing to but antique car parts with which to keep their antique cars working efficiently. If you need a smoothly functioning antique car then you can ill afford to ignore the need for having adequate antique car parts available that will help take care of any performance problems.

Huge Demand For Antique Car Parts

This is why the demand for antique car parts is great and probably the highest of all in the entire automotive space. With increased popularity of restoring antique cars creating a big demand for antique car parts it is not hard to understand that it has created a mini-industry in itself in regard to stocking as well as learning to replace antique car parts.

A majority of antique car parts are comprises of those parts that are taken out of old antique cars and typically these parts include the brass door handles as well as dashboards (wood paneled) and also front trims as too fascias. The best place to begin searching for antique car parts is to check out different auto stores as well as dealers that specialize in distributing auto parts.

A specialty antique car parts shop will of course offer you a better chance of finding the right parts for use and which include items such as wheels, grills, hoods and other instrumentation that is pertinent to the automobile’s dashboard. Door handles and various parts from the engine are often much in demand and this is why you would do well to check for them at the specialty shops.

Some people of course cannot be bothered with going down to a brick-and-mortar auto parts shop and for them the Internet is the best resource for finding antique carparts. There are number of websites which deals with these items where you can find your desired items at a reasonable price. You can take a look on any online antique car parts store and browse through hundreds of different products to find the exact item that will fit your needs.

It is also possible to check out the Internet where you will find numerous antique car parts for sale advertisements. With a little bit of effort and research you should be able to find what you are looking for and if you can also thrash out a good deal, repair or restore your antique car and get it on the road once more.

Technorati Tags: Antique Car Parts, Huge Demand For Antique Car Parts

Lots of people browse the internet, find a apparently problem less car and bid on it in government car auctions even it has just a few minutes left, never giving the bid a second thought and  never considering the fact that they do have to buy it after all. Online auctions do not differ much from real life auction and every bid should be made only if the buyer wants to buy that car. All auction sites require you to join their members list before placing bids, so that you will digitally sign the custom buyer agreement. This agreement, even if it’s a simple mouse click for you, clearly specifies all terms and conditions of the website and its auctions, and also informs you of the legal implications in case you don’t go ahead with a purchase. This means that it’s a good idea to actually read these agreements before signing them, even if you are doing this only virtually.

Important things to evaluate in online auctions:

- The fact that details are given virtually, as in pictures or movies with the car. Of course, it’s not just the pictures, you also get a description, an address or phone number or a name. If you happen to live in the car’s vicinity, then you can go and see it in person. But when we are talking about cars that are in a totally different country or state, things get complicated. And the sad things is that the far away cars are usually the ones that sell for less. The problem can be attenuated by calling the owner and discussing over phone all details related to the car and its problems.

- People placing bids without paying attention are also a problem. Don’t try to lie now, everyone has done it and so did you. People always think that another interested buyer will place a higher bid. This is a childish belief, because every bid should be done with self-awareness, because it can be the winning one.

- Some cars have incomplete descriptions, left like this by mistake or because they are trying to hide something. If a car is lacking details and is also very cheap or when you are the first bidder, it should be regarded as a potential risk. The good news is that you can track the car with the help of specialized services that will tell you everything there is to know, for a fee.

- Extra bids that are fake bids. It’s true, you are not mad, there is someone out there that bids exactly when you are prepared to give up, making you increase the bid a little more. It’s best not to continue bidding in these case because the odd bids are placed by the buyers themselves or their friends, simply trying to make you place a bigger bid.

- Where the car is form. It’s quite a problem if you are American and want to buy a car from Japan in clean title cars, because the distance is enormous and shipping can get very costy.

Technorati Tags: car auction, car auction sites, cheap car auctions

In the UK, we’re used to having to drive with extra caution if there’s a blind curve in the road or even pulling out at a junction. These often get labelled by the Police as “accident black spots”, places where a high frequency of car accidents happen and for good reason too. 

There are many injuries, even deaths caused by drivers not being careful in these areas and in a lot of these cases the whole situation could have been avoided by someone driving slightly slower or paying a little bit more attention to the road.

There are roads in the world though, that are so treacherous that even the most skilled and experienced motorist could have trouble traversing safely.  These roads are invariably in extremely poor condition and a large percentage are etched high up a mountain with a steep drop to the valley below.

One such road is the Guoliang Tunnel in the Taihang Mountains, China.  Its name translates to “The road that does not tolerate mistakes”, the road is carved into the cliff face where the road goes into the rock in small tunnels with worryingly exposed tight corners and 30 “windows” along the way, and it’s definitely one of the roads you dread seeing someone approaching from the opposite direction!

Also in Bolivia is the North Yungas road, affectionately known as “The Road of Death”, where the road traces around the Bolivian Andes for the nightmarish 70 km drive from La Paz to Coroico.  The road is frequently coated in fog and mist from the tropical rainforests below, which is probably best as it obscures the 3,600 m drop where many lorries, cars and buses lie.  A fatal accident occurs every couple of weeks cementing its position as the world’s most dangerous road.

Closer to solid ground the Russian Siberian road to Yakutsk is a government-certified road and the only road to Yakutsk which will often slow down or even halt many truck drivers’ journeys.  The rain in the region turns the clay road into a muddy bog that rivals any wet weekend at a music festival!  Photos show lorries overturned, half eaten by the mud and tractors buried besides the cars they were tasked with rescuing.

For the vast majority of us we will thankfully never have to experience the fear of driving along these roads but those that do have to be aware at all times, control their speed and keep their wits about them.  The same can be said for driving everyday in this country, changes in weather whether it’s hot or cold can change crucial factors like braking distances or visibility so make sure you drive safely.

Related topics include car loan, yes car finance and used car finance

Technorati Tags: Driving, Motoring, roads