A great and fun summer activity for the family is a road trip. Even though road trips are fun, frustration and stress often accompany families while out on the road. Make certain that you keep the following tips in mind to help make your family’s road trip a good one:

The best possible thing you can do to get ready for a road trip is to get the family car in the best shape possible. Give the car a proper tune-up so that you don’t have to worry about the car breaking down while you are out on the road. Make sure that you have an auto warranty for your car so that the maintenance and repairs that need to be performed on your car will not drain your wallet.

In addition, make sure that you plan ahead for the trip so that your family is prepared and knows exactly where you are going and what you are doing. This can alleviate stress and help make the trip go smoothly. Also, invest in a GPS that will help you get to your planned destinations with ease.

Though you can plan for road trips, you cannot always predict when you will run into problems such as road construction or traffic. These things are almost inevitable so make sure that you relax and do not stress out so that you and your family can have a good time on your road trip.

When consumers consider purchasing an auto warranty, they will usually look most closely at the price. Consumers always want to get the best deal possible when purchasing auto warranties. Price is definitely something important to consider, however, it is also important to know there are other factors that need to be considered when selecting the auto warranty that will be the final purchase.

When doing research about auto warranties and what will work best for you, it is important to be certain that you are purchasing ones that are of a high quality. Keep a couple things in mind while conducting your research:

1. Consider the price of the auto warranty to make sure that it is affordable for you. However, price should not be the deciding factor for your final purchase.

2. Do in depth research about the company that you are looking to make the purchase from. Always ask yourself the same questions: Is the company visible online? Is the company established? Is the company reputable? Also, make sure that the company is accredited with high ratings with the Better Business Bureau.

When purchasing extended coverage for your vehicle is important to understand what the coverage does and does not cover. One of the main items that some “shady” companies will exclude from coverage is breakdowns of covered parts that have failed due to wear & tear. A wear & tear failure is a breakdown of the part has not completely failed but is no longer working the way the manufacturer intended to. This means that if a covered part has not completely failed, but is beginning to fail but has not stopped working completely or broken into pieces they would exclude it from their coverage.

It is important to know the difference between wear & tear items and scheduled maintenance items. Scheduled maintenance items are not covered by any extended automobile warranty. Examples of scheduled maintenance items are oil changes, tune-ups, tires, wiper blades, batteries, etc.

All “reputable” auto warranty companies will include breakdowns of covered parts that have failed for any reason including wear & tear. All Auto Advantage auto warranty programs include breakdowns due to wear & tear.

Many motorists are starting to make the switch to hybrid cars for various reasons. The main two reasons are a sharp increase in gas prices and a desire to protect the environment. There are a lot of things that you should know about hybrid cars before you choose whether, or not they are right for you.

1. Hybrid cars help to protect the environment. This is because they run on less gas and can help to reduce the amount of smog in the air by as much as 90%.

2. There are many beneficial features in hybrid cars. They have good gas mileage and can get anywhere between 50 and 60 miles per gallon of gas. In addition, they do not need to get plugged in like an electric car because they will recharge as you drive. Also, they have a lower depreciation value and can be resold much easier. Lastly, if you drive a hybrid car, you may be able to get a tax rebate from the government.

3. A hybrid car will produce less noise. When you bring it to a full stop, it shuts down. This is helpful because you save gas. This is even more beneficial for drivers who are constantly driving in stop-and-go traffic.

4. Hybrid cars tend to be a bit more expensive. Though this is the case, the money is not wasted. Between the amount of money you save on gas and the amount of money you save on maintaining a hybrid car, it amounts to the total that you spend buying the car.

If you choose to switch to a hybrid car, it is wise to protect this investment with an auto warranty. An auto warranty will help lower the costs of maintenance and repair bills.

Motorists will usually purchase an aftermarket auto warranty or an extended auto warranty for their cars when their factory warranty ends. When you purchase an aftermarket auto warranty, your warranty provider covers the costs of the bills for repair and replacement of certain parts of your car. There are some things to keep in mind when you are planning to buy an aftermarket auto warranty.

Keep in mind that an aftermarket auto warranty usually does not cover repair costs for issues that are caused by wear and tear. An aftermarket bumper-to-bumper warranty will cover the cost for most of the parts of your car. However, this usually excludes car parts such as the brakes, tires, etc. It is important to realize that there are companies out there that will provide warranties that cover wear and tear parts in addition to all of the other car parts. It is smart to purchase a warranty that covers wear and tear parts, even if the cost to do so is higher than a normal mechanical warranty. This is because almost 80% of your car repair expenses are due to wear and tear issues. You can save money with an auto warranty that covers wear and tear parts, especially if your car is older.

An auto warranty is a wise investment to make when buying a new car. New car warranties provide four kinds of coverage:

1. One kind of coverage that you can receive is basic, bumper-to-bumper warranty coverage. This kind of warranty provides coverage for all of the parts of the car from the front bumper to the back bumper.

2. Another kind of coverage that you can receive is a powertrain warranty. This covers the parts of the car that make it run. This includes parts like the drive axels, the engine, the driveshaft, and the transmission.

3. In addition, your auto warranty can cover corrosion and rust. This handles rust-through problems.

4. Lastly, you can get roadside assistance with your warranty. You may receive this service if you have a basic warranty that is active. It provides professional help when you are stranded on the side of the road due to a vehicular breakdown. It offers services such as flat tire assistance, lockout assistance, refueling assistance and towing.

To further familiarize yourself with the exact coverage provided for you by your auto warranty, read through the warranty booklet and owner’s manual. If you still don’t believe that you have all of the coverage that you need it is good to purchase an extended auto warranty for your car as well.

Any vehicle owner can feel at ease when bringing their car to the shop if they are covered by an auto warranty. Auto warranties cover repair and maintenance costs for your vehicles. Here are three things to be sure you know about an auto warranty:

1. Know where the auto warranty is coming from. Is it coming from a manufacturer or an aftermarket company? It is important to be aware of who is handling your policy.

2. Thoroughly read through the warranty so that you are aware of how long it will last and what coverage you are getting from it.

3. Be aware of and be sure to perform any and all required maintenance on your vehicle because warranties only remain valid if you get specific work done to your vehicle. Also, keep a record of all maintenance and repairs performed on your vehicle in the event that you ever need to handle a claim.

Auto warranties provide peace of mind when bringing your vehicle to your mechanic for repairs and maintenance. If you want to get the most out of your auto warranty, it is important to know all of its details.

Usually motorists buy an aftermarket auto warranty or an extended auto warranty for their cars when their factory warranty is terminated. When you buy an aftermarket auto warranty, your car warranty provider will cover the cost or replacement and repair on certain parts of your car. There are things to keep in mind when you consider buying and aftermarket or extended auto warranty:

An aftermarket auto warranty generally does not cover the cost of replacement or repair of wear and tear parts. An aftermarket bumper to bumper warranty covers almost all parts of your car, but will generally exclude parts such as brakes and tires the break down as a result of wear and tear. However, there are companies out there that will cover wear and tear parts in addition to the other parts. It is smart to buy a warranty that covers wear and tear, even if it is a bit more expensive to do so because 80% of the problems that arise in your car are a result of wear and tear. An auto warranty that covers wear and tear problems will save you a lot of money in the long run, particularly if your car is an older one.

There are many ways to shop for used car. You can go from dealer to dealer and used car lot to used car lot, you can go on many of the used car sites online, or even an auction site online. Regardless of how you go about finding a vehicle it is important you understand what to look out for to make sure the you are not purchasing somebody else’s discarded problems. Here are some tips that might help you to find a high-quality vehicle that hopefully will serve you for many years to come…

1. Take your time when evaluating a vehicle. Take several walks around the exterior of the vehicle noting any imperfections you may find. Open the doors, trunk, and hood and look for anything that does not look like it was original or just doesn’t look right. Don’t be afraid to ask the seller questions and evaluate the answers you received. Do the same with the interior, take your time and sit in the vehicle and make sure you try all of the equipment and accessories to make sure they are operating properly. Shift the vehicle into drive, neutral, and reverse and make sure it seems to shift quickly and smoothly. If not, expensive repairs may be imminent.

2. Ask for a vehicle history report such as Carfax or AutoCheck. Make sure the vehicle has no major negative events in its history and that there are no odometer discrepancies.

3. Start the engine and open up the hood. Your eyes, ears, and nose are your best friends here. You want to look for any visible oil leaks. You want to listen for any unusual sounds. And you want to make sure that there are no unusual smells, for instance something smelling like it’s burning. Check the transmission fluid by pulling out the dipstick and checking the level and giving it a quick smell. If the vehicle was just started the transmission fluid level should be near the cold marker. You want to make sure it does not smell burnt as this could identify a current or pending problem. When the engine is turned off again pull out the oil dipstick and again, make sure it looks like it is not dirty and does not smell burnt. The color of the oil should be similar to dark amber.

4. Now it’s time for a test drive. Before you start moving check the steering system. Open the windows and turned the steering wheel hard all the way to one side, and then the other. You want to make sure there is no resistance and that there are no loud squealing sounds which could signify a problem with costly parts of the steering system. You will also want to jiggle the wheel back and forth a bit from the center position and make sure that it doesn’t have any play. Going from one side to the other. It should feel firm when turning from one side to the other. Once you are confident the vehicle is safe to drive make sure you drive it with the windows open and closed. Make sure you don’t hear any noises that seem uncommon. If you do find any potential issues and you are not sure what they are make sure to have a qualified mechanic look the car over before you complete the purchase. While driving, make sure to pay attention to the brakes. Do they feel like they are working properly and stopping the car efficiently? If not, they may need to be addressed and that could help you as any other problems found, in negotiating a better purchase price.

5. Last, but certainly not least. Asked to have the vehicle inspected by a mechanic or shop of your choice. If there is any resistance to having the vehicle inspected run, don’t walk away from the vehicle as is a telltale sign there are going to be issues found.

Once you have found the right vehicle and have made a purchase it is a sound financial decision and great idea to purchase a quality used car warranty. An auto warranty can protect you from the inevitable major or minor repairs that you will face down the road. There are few reputable companies that will allow you to purchase coverage directly, excluding the dealer and their profit, at wholesale pricing. A great place to start is Auto Advantage Inc.

 A warranty is a guarantee made by a seller to a consumer for a product being sold. When the warranty is for a vehicle, it is a contract that provides coverage for replacement and repair costs for certain parts of the vehicle for a specific amount of time.

New car warranties provide many benefits for a consumer. When a consumer buys a car from a manufacturer, a guarantee is given that if there are issues with the car, like defects or mechanical failures, the cost of replacement and repair of those parts will be covered by the auto warranty. There are two kinds of new car warranties. The first is the bumper-to-bumper warranty, which provides coverage for all parts of the car from the front bumper to the back bumper. The second kind of coverage is power train coverage, which covers all of the parts that make it run.