Electric cars have huge potential to change the auto industry, particularly with rising gas prices, but a new design out of California targets the niche of busy urban drivers.
The Zap Xebra all-electric car is a 40-mph, three-wheeled automobile designed for people who do a lot of in-town driving. Unlike hybrids, the Zap car needs no gas at all – just plug into any conventional outlet.
Zap sees a market with multicar families that are looking for the fuel-savings benefits electrics offer for urban commuting and errands. Many view it as a great second car for in-town driving, but according to Zap it soon becomes the first car for the entire family.
“Many people buy electric cars because they want to use them when they don’t need their gas cars,” said Alex Campbell, spokesman for Zap. “What they quickly realize is that most of their daily trips are perfect for electric cars and realistically it becomes the first car.”
Studies show that most driving trips are within 20 miles of home – distances well within the city limit for the Xebra, which can travel up to 40 miles per charge, Campbell said.
When consumers have a choice between driving an electric car and a gas car, they are likely to choose the electric car, Campbell said.
He says Zap’s Xebra project is the offspring of more than three decades of thought and evolution in electric transportation. The car was created as a breed by itself because the use and purpose of electric vehicles is different than gas cars.
At about 3 cents per mile – compared to 12 cents or more for gas – there is no comparison for cost-conscious consumers. With rising gas prices, people will be much more open to this unique new cost-effective design, he said.
New car research is much easier today then in the past. The use of the Internet has changed the way people buy cars. Not only with researching the cars, but in finding the availability of dealers vehicles and taking virtual tours of the vehicles. There are few items to keep in mind when getting ready to purchase a new car. These items will help your research go smoother.
Pick up a copy of consumer reports the car edition
Consumer reports rates cars every month, but that is going to take too long to read about three or four at a time. You need the addition that covers all the vehicles in one edition. This way you can have everything in one issue to get started. Start by looking through cars that you are interested in. Make sure you read through consumer reports ranking methods. One of the most important factors of their ranking system is their reliability report. If the car is a new model there will be no reliability information. Consider the source here and make a few assumptions. For example, if its a Honda or Volvo then you can assume that the reliability will be good. These vehicles always score high in this category. If its a dodge or Chrysler, then make a note. Those vehicles tend to report lower Reliabilities
Look at some details with a grain of salt
Here is what I mean by that. Gas mileage and performance are loosely based. If you live in florid and have the air conditioning on all the time, then your mileage is going to be less than what is advertised. A good practice is to at least subtract a mile per gallon from the reported statistic. This gives you a better idea of a realistic economy rating. If you drive mostly in the city this is very helpful since city mileage is always less than highway mileage.
Mark down prices and details
Compare the vehicles you are interested in and keep each on a separate piece of paper. By having them on a separate piece of paper you can make notes as you go along. Next go to the manufactures page and look up the model directly. Most sites now are highly interactive. You can take tours and see the car from every angle. This is good to do and will help you save some time from going to the dealer and doing this yourself. Keep in mind that the prices that you see on these sites should never be the price you are going to pay. If you were ignorant and walked into the dealer, this is where they would start. You need to know what the dealer pays (dealers invoice) then you can know where to start to negotiate. On each piece of paper right all this information down so you have it organized. Look at the prices of the options you are interested in and write those down as well. You should have a good idea what options cost . The reason is that you will go to the dealer and see a lot of cars in the lot. It can be overwhelming if you are not prepared. By knowing the model and options, you can work faster and accomplish your goal at the same time.
Now go to the dealer
After you have all your information, the real reason is to go and drive the vehicles. You need to make sure you like the way the car or truck rides and if it feels like a good fit for you. The process of decision is behind you at this point and you were able to make all your decisions at home where there is no pressure to buy anything. Ask the dealer what incentives are available from the manufacture. Make sure that you understand that the manufacturer gives you incentives but they also give the dealers incentives. That is their secret, they are going to get some sort of incentive to sell the cars and that you should keep in your back pocket. Some savy salesman may try to make you think he is not going to make anything on a deal if you low ball them. Carry your research paperwork with you and dont be shy about having it. They will know that you did your homework and it helps at the bartering table.
At last take your paperwork and start to talk money. Be firm yet respectful and do not be afraid to walk away. For some reason there is a lot of back and forth in the negotiation process. Salesman have to steal away to ask their managers if they can sell for a certain price. When they come back and say that this is there last price, dont be afraid to say its unacceptable. The business is highly competitive, they will try to sell you a car. If not, go to another dealer and start over. If you do your homework you will be much better off.
New Car Purchase Answer You Have Been Looking For
Did you ever wonder why new vehicles have window stickers? Granted it was a great way to let your neighbors know you just bought a new car!!
Heres the real reason behind the sticker. In 1958, Senator Michael Monroney proposed a bill that would take the mystery out of new car prices. This bill required that every car manufacturer attach a label to the window that would show the suggested retail price (MSRP), transportation method, freight charges and accessory prices.
Prior to this, price tags did not tell the full story. Very often there was a large discrepancy between the showroom price and the actual price.
Now a customer could walk into a new car showroom and shop with confidence. The price of an accessory was no longer a secret. In fact, all hidden charges were now readily available to the customer. Car dealers were no longer able to inflate prices in order to show a higher trade in value. As a result, sales increased as consumer confidence increased.
Thats the way life is if you apply this principal to anything you are selling. Give the customer more than they expect and they will respond in a positive way. Even if they dont buy from you they will spread your gospel of truth to their friends and neighbors.
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The price for a specific new car will vary across state and international boundaries. The prices vary because of different local taxes and because of different manufacturer price structures in different markets.
Model specifications also vary from country to country. A GLS model in one country will come with different levels of equipment in different countries.
Customers in some markets may be willing to pay higher prices, mainly where the market is less competitive. The car manufacturers make more profit in these markets. Customers who live in high car price areas can and should consider purchasing in nearby, cheaper markets.
There may be import taxes to pay when customers import their vehicle as a personal import, but the overall price is still going to be lower.
New car prices also vary according to time of year. If a state or country has date specific car registrations, then there will be a massive upsurge in demand in whatever months the registration changes. An upsurge in demand means that dealers are less likely to give discounts.
Do your research before you go near a showroom. Have emailed quotes for specific models to show the sales staff in the showroom that you eventually do visit. You can use these to try to obtain an even lower price.
Dealers are given monthly sales targets. There are some months when dealers struggle to reach these targets and are normally much more willing to give discounts. They arrange for a finance company to buy the cars that they must sell to hit their targets and then sell these as “Demonstrators” or “Pre-registered” at a price thousands below the list price.
When you sell the car it will be classed as having had two owners and the price will be slightly lower than a one-owner vehicle, but hardly thousands less. These months are normally November and December, as well as the month immediately before any registration change.
What I want you to understand by the time you get done reading this is that new car prices are the pocketbooks worst nightmare. There is nothing so damaging to a budget than trying to afford a new car on a salary that shouldnt be burdened with that luxury.
The problem with new car prices is that they are a figment of the car dealers imagination. How much are people willing to pay in order to use and own this vehicle? The best way to show people how unreal these prices are is to show them what happens to the value of the new vehicle once it is driven off the lot. Thats right it plummets! Not because the car changed at all but just because it is no longer technically speaking in the language of the auto world a new car.
So how do you get the reliability of a new car (which really is another huge misconception) without having to hurt yourself financially. Well there are several ways that I want to suggest you get around the evils of new car prices without having to sacrifice your ride.
First dont buy new cars! Obvious as this may seem people who cant afford to throw money away do every couple of years by purchasing a new car. I am lumping in those that lease too as they are not getting anything but miles out of the car as far as ownership is concerned. The only people that have the right to a new car are those that can and gladly do take the hit of driving the car off the lot in order to drive a new car. Often people enjoy things like the warranties that come with a new car and the low interest rates that are being offered, etc. But the fact remains that you can do it another and much better way.
So buying used is the only alternative right? Right! And it is a good one at that. You see depending on your price range you can often pick up cars that were literally driven off the lot only months earlier but for the drastically lowered price. The sad thing is that the people that are selling them are no longer able to afford them one, because it is more car than they should have, and two, because they had to pay new car prices. Go on the internet and there are literally hundreds of new-used cars for sale that will give you every bit of the dependability and performance of a new car for greatly reduced prices.
Two more pearls of wisdom. First, used cars are often MORE dependable than there new car counterparts. They have stood the test of time and are still motoring fine. Number two it is always cheaper to maintain a car than to by a new one and therefore you shouldnt sell a car just because you have to put in a new transmission. Think of repairs, even big ones like this, as typical maintenance and you will be a much happier car owner.
A passion for latest gadgetry and new cars is inbuilt in a lot of people, and buying a luxurious car is a dream comes true for the most. However, new car buying strategy requires some amount of planning and research. Before buying a car it is important to check out its reviews from a reliable source, which may be done online too. In fact a convenient way to purchase a car, other than doing it directly from the brand dealers and showrooms, is to buy it online. Here you can take a look at the invoice and also compare prices in a fast and easy manner.
Starting out to buy car online, should be preceded by lots of research not only on the best car to suit your needs, but also on its price. It is also necessary to take a look at the incentives that are offered with most cars, which may give one an added reason to buy a particular model. Dealers are often willing to sell their cars at a price lower than the sticker price, so rope in all the research on rebates and incentives at this point. The next step in the new car buying strategy is extremely important as it involves deciding on the make, the model, trim level, options and colour. This may include giving the car a detailed check and also taking a test drive. It is worthwhile to note that the more flexible one can get on these basics, a wider range and variety opens itself. In case one finds the car of their dreams it would be a wise step to take multiple quotations from a number of dealers.
Negotiating for the lowest price possible becomes the next stage in ones new car buying strategy. Many online salespersons are willing to discuss the price of cars online, which helps save a lot of time and energy. If one feels good about the price decided on, its time to take a look at the big picture. Many buyers focus on the cost of the car and ignore the related expenses. Besides the cost, one will have to pay sales tax and other various fees, which vary from place to place, and the easiest way to do this is to ask the salesperson to send an invoice before one goes to the dealership. The new car buying strategy remains incomplete without insuring the car, so insurance may from ones final stride in this direction. On carwholesaleprices.com one can get new car prices and reviews before set out for buying a new car.
Are you looking for a new auto? The decision to purchase a new auto is not one to be taken lightly. There are a number of factors to consider, many of which have nothing to do with the color, trim patterns, and other superficial aspects of the auto. Those who ultimately choose to purchase a new rather than a used generally do so for a few key reasons.
For many people, a used auto is seen as just an invitation to potential problems. Certainly there are new auto these are few and far between, and the chances of having issues with a new auto are significantly decreased. For those of us who are not mechanics, even the smallest engine related issue can mean an expensive trip to the mechanic.
Once you make the decision to go with a new auto, the next step is going to the new automobile dealer. When it comes to new automobile dealer which carry your preferred make and model than you have more than one choice, if your are living a big city. Even in a small city now its not an great thing you can find new automobile dealer easily difference is in big cities to get more options.
You can simply go to online site, fill out the information regarding the new automobile of your choice, and you can shop around at local dealers. Many online sites generate a comprehensive list of all of the dealers that carry your preferred make and model, and then you can have the dealer who has the best price contact you within 24 hours. Finding online your new auto has never been easier!
Anna Josephs is a freelance journalist having experience of many years writing articles and news releases on various topics such as pet health, automobile and social issues. She also has great interest in poetry and paintings, hence she likes to write on these subjects as well. Currently writing for this website Automobile Dealer. For more details please contact at annajosephs@gmail.com
When you are looking for a car you are looking for the best deal possible that can save you tons of money. Well, there are definitely a lot of deals out there and you can save up to thousands of pounds. The basic trick is knowing where to look so that you can get exactly what you want. Everyone wants to own a car that they can be proud of because it has aesthetic value and resale possibilities. However, you need to make sure that your car is safe for you and your family just in case you ever need a little bit of extra protection during a car accident or any other situation. The most important thing to you may be that the car is affordable and fits nicely into your budget. Clearly, this is a lot to ask and it can be very difficult to find a car that holds up all of these standards. However, if you are dedicated and kind of have the inside scoop then you will know how to go about finding the car of your dreams for a low price.
Did you know that there are car auctions going on all the time and you just have to find them? There are a lot of ways that you can get great deals at these local car auctions. Every year, there are bunches of cars that fall into the control of the government in various ways such as surplus and seizure laws, tax laws, or the IRS. The cars that are taken by surplus and seizure mean that there was an excess of cars after importing all the goods for the year. This means that the supply was higher than the demand and no one wanted to buy those extra cars. If that happens then those cars fall into the hands of the government who then have to store them. Those cars can cost a lot of money to store so the government would rather sell them to you for a very low price instead of wasting money storing cars that are just going to sit there forever. These cars can be found at auctions.
Well, you don’t know where to find local car auctions? Well then you should start looking on the internet for sites that tell you where to go in every city in the country to find all makes and models of cars at really low prices. These kinds of auctions are listed in certain directories online that you can search through to find an auction near you with the perfect car that you would love to have and not regret buying because it is so cheap. The government is not going to hold these cars forever so you should get in there and take your chance to make a great investment on a safe, reliable, and beautiful car that you can get for an extremely low price just because the government imported too many and now they need to get them off of their hands.
Whether you’re driving to work, to the store or hitting the road with your family, new types of smart in-car navigation systems can help make your next trip go a little smoother.
Smart navigation systems now help consumers get from point A to point B while also serving as hubs for favorite wired and wireless technologies. The 2006 International Consumer Electronics Show spotlighted a number of these new types of navigational systems-many of which included seamless integration of the hottest mobile technologies.
For instance, Pioneer’s newest intelligent in-car navigation system, the AVIC-Z1, lets people connect portable music devices, satellite radio and Bluetooth-enabled cell phones while simultaneously providing detailed navigation information.
Here’s a closer look:
Communicate
Bluetooth technology is growing in popularity because it offers the convenience of hands-free operation in the car. Pioneer’s new navigation system lets users sync their Bluetooth mobile phones and carry out cellular conversation through the speakers in the car. When calls are made or received, the music stops and the call can be answered or made through the touch-screen display.
One of the fastest multifeature Bluetooth mobile phones on the market is the Samsung t809. The fashionable, ultra-slim device features EDGE High-Speed Technology, as well as a host of multimedia capabilities. The phone packs an MP3 player with dual speakers, a video media player and a 1.3-megapixel camera and camcorder into a 3.3-ounce device. This phone (along with other Bluetooth-enabled cell phones) is highly compatible with Pioneer’s in-car navigation system.
Entertain
With more than 42 million sold, the Apple iPod continues to be one of the hottest items for ‘06. While car adapters make it possible for owners to listen to the device in their vehicles, they don’t always offer a high level of user control or audio quality. Pioneer’s navigation system can be combined with Pioneer’s iPod adapter to let users control an iPod through the seven-inch touch screen. The screen displays the same information as the device does, including artist name, song title and album. It also offers higher-quality sound.
Pioneer’s AVIC-Z1 also offers a complete entertainment experience in the form of CD and DVD playback with additional plug-in attachments for XM™ and Sirius™ Satellite Radio.
Learn
Unlike many of its competitors, Pioneer’s new navigation system offers dynamic route guidance and considers speed limits and street signs for the most efficient route to a destination.
An optional navigation traffic tuner provides up-to-the-minute traffic information and reroutes to avoid traffic incidents through XM’s NavTraffic service, with subscription required. The system also “learns” frequently traveled routes and can understand conversational commands through advanced voice recognition. That means getting to a destination can be as simple as saying “go to.…”
Enjoy The Ride
Analysts say these new types of all-in-one navigation systems may help change the way many people drive. The technology can help motorists stay on the right path to their destination, stay in touch with loved ones, and stay entertained on the road.
New types of in-car navigational systems now serve as hubs for favorite technologies, such as cell phones and MP3 players.
Make Sure You Dont Have To Venture To Far To Get Your New Car,
When looking to buy a used car then you might know of one or two local dealers in your area but then you are narrowing down your choices greatly, especially if you have your heart set on a certain make and model of used car. However there will be many more used cars out there in your local area that you have no idea about and this is where the internet can come in greatly by offering you the chance to use a local used car search with a specialist website in used cars.
A search such as this can just be targeted to your local area or area within so many miles and you can choose to search for your used car from dealers or private sellers which of course give you a much wider option as these are the cars that you dont know exist. Buying your used car after conducting your search by way a local used car search with a private dealer can sometimes work out cheaper than buying from a used car dealer but you have to know a little about the make and model.
Even if you prefer to stick with a used car dealer then a local used car search could dig up dealers that you didnt even know were out there and so again opens up the choice for you if you prefer not to venture too far away from home. Finding a used car locally of course as many advantages and will save you time when you go to look the car over and of course as its not too far away you dont have to decide there and then but can go back for a second look after giving it some thought, which you wouldnt be able to do if the car was hundreds of miles away.
