If you are going to be car shopping in December, you need to understand how factory rebates and incentives work. I’ve been in the auto business or an auto journalist for the vast majority of my life. I study vehicle incentives every single month when they change, and even after all these years, I get confused.
Given that, it is no wonder people get cross-eyed when it comes to incentives. The dealers themselves have trouble keeping up. Dealers have no idea from month-to-month what the incentives will be, and it is common for them to change numerous times during any given month.
There are certain things you need to know. All factory incentives are designed to help the dealers sell cars. It is not that the automakers are just being nice, they want the dealers to re-order inventory, which is how auto manufacturers make their money. Read More
The results of Cars.com's 2020 3-Row SUV Challenge are in, and the 2020 Hyundai Palisade raced to the head of the pack, winning top honors. The Challenge put seven of the most popular mid-size three-row SUVs through a series of tests to determine which model was best in class.
"Today's large family vehicle of choice is the three-row SUV. Most families who seek a minivan alternative are increasingly moving toward purchasing them because they offer generous seating, spacious Read More
Ho hum, how many times has this been tried? People like to do some research online, but still want to visit a dealership to experience a vehicle they are interested in. Still, Cadillac is trying once again to do it differently.
Part personal shopper and part interactive digital showroom, Cadillac Live launched Monday in the United States, in an effort to expand the reach of Cadillac’s luxury-shopping experience to mobile devices and desktops across the country.
December is the time to snag a bargain and it’s been that way for years. It is easy to get caught up in the hype and incentives and not end up getting a good deal. This year, people seem incredibly surprised at the deals dealers are offering up right now, mainly due to big customer incentives.
As a reminder, you can take all or part of the rebates in CASH if you need readily available cash for Christmas bills etc.
Timing Is CriticalI often talk on the air about why timing is important Read More
This week marks the official launch of Awesome Joe Auctions, the new online auction house for the modern enthusiast that offers a collection of modified, motorsport, classic, exotic, and other commodity autos for collectors, racers, and hobbyists.
Developed by Andy Lally ALIVE and Carlisle Auctions, the consignment arm of Carlisle Events (one of the largest event organizations in the United States), Awesome Joe Auctions launched on Cyber Monday. It was Read More
The 2020 Honda Passport is now arriving at CarProUSA Certified dealerships just in time for the holiday season. Dubbed by Honda as a sophisticated and capable off-roader with class-leading cargo and passenger space, the Passport slots above the compact CR-V and seats five adults. The base two-wheel drive model starts from $33,085 including destination charges.
The midsized SUV is available in four trims: Sport, EX-L, Touring and Elite. All come with equipped with Read More
While shopping on Black Friday can be a stressful, tiring, and downright frightening thing to do, consumers will find some great deals on one of the biggest purchases they'll ever make: a new vehicle.
The good news is you don’t have to wait for the exact day to shop, the big Black Friday incentives are in full play right now.
I recall from my days in the retail auto industry, we geared up for Black Friday and the weekend after, also. In the car business, when a lot of people are off Read More
Four organizations – AAA, Consumer Reports, J.D. Power and the National Safety Council – are joining forces want to make driver assist technology terms less confusing for drivers. They’ve adopt standardized naming for advanced driver assistance technology in an effort to reduce confusion. To help educate consumers on the benefits, limitations and proper use of these technologies, the four organizations are calling on all safety organizations, automakers and journalists covering the Read More
This past Saturday, we had several calls from people who identified themselves as Senior citizens wanting advice on new vehicles. Many were considering going from a sedan to a crossover. By the time you get to be a Senior citizen, you have probably bought a good number of cars. The truth is, even if you don’t admit it, you are wondering if this will be your last car, and frankly, that makes you think a little harder and a little longer. When I was the owner of a car dealership, I sold a lot Read More
You have heard me say many times that the vehicles with the best residuals have the lowest payments when leasing. Residual values are also a great predicter of future resale value.
ALG, which been forecasting future vehicle values for as long as I can remember, this week announced the winners of ALG’s 2020 Residual Value Awards (RVA), ranking Honda and Land Rover as the top Mainstream Brand and Premium Brand, respectively.
Dirt, logs, inclines and a little bit of mud thanks to Mother Nature are the perfect recipe for a little off-road competition -- as was the case at this year’s Texas Truck Rodeo, an event held by the Texas Auto Writers Association. Over the course of a day and a half, automotive journalists drove more than 50+ trucks and SUVs, all vying to be named a vehicle of Texas in their category. You can read more about the 12 finalists for the main three categories: Truck, Read More
If you listen to the Car Pro Show, without fail when I get a caller looking at used vehicles, the last thing I say is “make sure it has a clean history report.”
The same advice goes to you: If you are in the market for a used vehicle, you want as much information as possible to learn about a vehicle’s past life. Has it been in a wreck? Has it been in a flood? Is the odometer accurate? Is the title clean? These are all questions every buyer should want to know if considering a pre-owned vehicle.
You’ve seen the ads for that cute little car fox that is the mascot for the most popular vehicle history report in America, CarFax. So, the question is, how accurate is the report? The truth is, it is a mixed bag. Information on a vehicle history report is only as good as the information received. Read More
Have questions about your car? Well, forget finding them the old fashioned way, in an owner’s manual tucked away in your glovebox. These days you’ll need to go online. In the digital age, automakers are posting them on their websites and some, like Hyundai’s, even include augmented reality features. Many brands are also now allowing you to reference them through the vehicle’s infotainment system.
The move to digital manuals is due in part to cutting weight, since paper adds up. In fact, if Read More
We baby boomers often find ourselves wanting that very first true sports car. The kids are gone, we are financially secure, so why not indulge in that special car we always wanted, but wasn’t practical. The bug bit me over five years ago when I saw the new 2014 Corvette for the first time and got my second one two years later. My trusty sidekick on the Car Pro radio show has his second in a row Jaguar F-Type.
To make your selection, a few basics need to be determined. Read More
Although last week’s Barry was only a hurricane for a short period of time, it brought a ton of rain and flooding in a lot of states. The large amounts of rain caused flash flooding, destruction, and countless numbers of flooded cars. From previous floods and hurricanes, we know that these cars will resurface all over the country in the months and years ahead. Read More
If you’re reading this article, you’re likely in the market for a new set of wheels and are considering a used car. If you don’t need the latest technology, are flexible with your wish list, and do the right due diligence during the shopping process, you can often get a great value for thousands of dollars less than you would buying new. And financially, you’ll avoid new car depreciation.
So is a used car for you? Let’s consider some of the benefits and downsides. Read More
I have talked on the air a lot about the dangers of leaving children in hot cars, but I have never broached the subject of child safety seats.
As I researched the subject, I learned that not only are there a wide variety of child seats available, but many child seats are not properly installed. It is also important to understand that as your child grows, he or she will require larger and different kinds of child seats.
3 Basic Types Of Child Seats 1.) Rear-facing seats
So you’re ready to buy a new or used car, but you need an auto loan. Should you finance with the dealer or through a third party? How does the application process work? What happens if you can’t get pre approved? In this article, we will answer these questions and help prepare you for the auto loan process.
Dealers or Third Party Lender?Typically, you can get a better rate financing through dealerships. They have vested interest in getting your business and moving vehicles off their lots. Read More
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated following its original post date.
I update this story every year in hopes that it may get into the hands of parents who leave small children or pets in the car and prevent another child or pet from suffering a horrible, slow, agonizing death.
Car Heat Stroke StatisticsAbsorb the numbers below. Each case ended with the death of a child and the planning of a funeral: Child vehicular heatstroke deaths for 2017: 42Child vehicular heatstroke deaths Read More
[Editor’s note: This article has been updated since its original post in August 2015.]
We had a caller last Saturday on the Car Pro Show who was unhappy with the fuel economy of his truck. This is one of two common problems I hear all the time: 1). My pickup gets horrible fuel economy, or 2). My pickup doesn’t do a good job towing my trailer.
When I get these questions, I always ask which rear axle ratio the caller has, and I would guess 90% of the time, the caller doesn’t know. People Read More
