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Apr/12

Alcohol Related Car Accidents

The alarming figures with regard to the number of deaths caused by car accidents that involve alcohol have prompted state governments and the Federal Government to take critical steps to prevent fatalities. One of these steps is to lower the allowable blood alcohol concentration (BAC) from 100 mg/dl to 80 mg/dl. However, such measures have proven to be inadequate as more recent figures show a dramatic increase in deaths caused by car accidents involving alcohol. More stringent laws have to be enacted to prevent these accidents, which may include imposing stiffer penalties for DUI or driving under the influence cases.

Recent figures show that instead of the expected decrease in the number of alcohol related deaths as a result of imposing a lower BAC, quite the opposite has occurred. In the last ten years, around 250,000 people died in alcohol related car accidents in the United States. Figures show that 16,000 people were killed in the year 2000, due to alcohol related accidents. In 2004, that figured climbed to 25,000. This means that 500 people die every week and 71 people die everyday in alcohol related car accidents.

In addition to these figures, estimates show that the economic and societal cost of alcohol related car accidents are very high. Alcohol impaired drivers cost American taxpayers about 21 to 24 billion dollars a year. Other studies show a much higher figure of $136 billion dollars is spent on alcohol related accidents. This is in addition to the huge insurance costs of alcohol related accidents and the injury, destruction and death that come with them.

State and Federal Governments have lowered the allowable BAC that is aimed at lowering the number of deaths caused by drunk driving. However, recent figures show that there has been a dramatic increase in the number of deaths caused by drunk driving. Given this, there may be a need for more stringent interventions, such as imposing stiffer penalties for DUI cases. This has the potential of effectively preventing more deaths caused by alcohol related car accidents.

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Apr/12

Car Accident Settlements – How to Negotiate More Money With the Auto Insurance Adjuster

by actrontools under Uncategorized

To get more money from your car accident settlements, you need to understand how to negotiate with an auto claims adjuster.

Negotiating with an auto claims adjuster is tough. If you are unprepared, then you can end up losing thousands of dollars in your car accident claims.

To begin you need to know…

Who is the Car Insurance Adjuster?

The auto claims adjuster is the person who will evaluate what your auto accident settlement is actually worth.

The auto insurance adjuster will:

Collect and review the facts of your auto accident.
Check if you are covered under an auto insurance policy.
Investigate who was at fault for the accident.
Negotiate with you about your final settlement.
Write a check for your settlement.

However, the main goal of the car insurance adjuster is to settle your accident claim quickly and cheaply. This is why the insurance company hires them and this is how it rates their performance. An insurance adjuster, who takes too long to close auto accident claims or is unable to get low car insurance settlement, is not going to make their claims supervisor happy.

When you are negotiating your car insurance settlement, the two most important things you should focus on are…

1. Never Rush to Finish Your Auto Insurance Settlements

The auto insurance adjuster will try to pressure you to settle your auto accident claim quickly. This is because the longer an auto settlement takes, the more money an insurance company risks of losing.

You should never settle your car accident claims quickly. Even though you may want a quick accident settlement, to get your money faster and avoid the headache of dealing with the insurance companies, you will only hurt yourself in the long run.

Getting a quick auto insurance settlement will not help you, if you don’t take the time to get accurate car repair estimates. A quick settlement will not help you, if your car accident injuries are not properly diagnosed and treated.

These things will end up costing you a lot more money in the long run. Settling the claims quickly helps the insurance company, not you. So take your time analyzing your accident claims, speaking with doctors, getting multiple car repair estimates, and fully recovering before closing your auto insurance settlements.

2. Never Accept the First Car Accident Settlement Offer

It is a common practice amongst auto claims adjusters, to give you their lowest settlement offer first. Remember, the claims adjuster’s job is to save the insurance company money, not you.

The low settlement offer helps the auto claims adjuster see how desperate you are to settle. If you take the first offer, you will have missed out on a lot more money from your auto accident settlements. This is because the auto claims adjuster always has more money to negotiate with. The auto claims adjuster is given a settlement range to work with. This settlements range, depends on the how experienced the auto insurance adjuster is.

For example, a relatively inexperienced adjuster may be given a range of $5,000 to $10,000. While a more experience adjuster may have $10,000-$25,000 to close a claim with.

You most likely won’t know the car accident settlement range of your adjuster, but you should never accept the first offer.

These are some of the most common negotiating tactics, used by the auto insurance adjuster, to lower your car accident settlements.

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Apr/12

Public Car Auctions and Seized Car Auctions Are Abundant Online

by actrontools under Uncategorized

Purchasing vehicles from the seized car auction has been the trend these days because their prices are considerably affordable, and apart from that they are of high quality. These auctioned cars are held in custody by the different government agencies due to some violations to the existing law. Government offices that handle this matter include the Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Customs Service, Small Business Administration and other agencies. Such cars technically don’t have legal papers to certify ownership.

There are various reasons why such vehicles are seized by the government. Some reasons include tax evasion, discontinuance of paying installments to banks and other private financial organizations, and many others. Looking for a storage space for the repossessed cars sounds really expensive and the car maintenance is costly also. Thus, the government resolved to publicly sell them for some very reasonable rates. This is known to be the public car auctions.

The interesting part about public car auction is that you will get the chance to choose from the different car models. Usually, the available brands for sale may comprise Mitsubishi, Ford, Toyota, Nissan, Honda, and many more car models which are really worth buying. If you are looking for an almost brand-new car with a very cheap price, then buy for an auctioned vehicle. The great deal is that they are discounted from 80 to 90% of the market price.

Nowadays, the great deal is that this bidding of cars can already be done online with the use of modern computerization and the Internet. With online auto auctions, car buyers can save up to 75% off the principal price. The fascinating part about it is that most of the cars were seldom used; which means that they are almost like good as new. This online way of purchasing cars is certainly convenient and straightforward as you no longer have to go out of your home to buy for a car. The challenge is to search for a credible site which offers quotations and price lists of the car that you wanted to have.

It is well-guaranteed that the public car auctions are of tremendous quality which you will not totally regret after purchasing one. They practically have low mileage and have quality parts which will definitely amaze you. What you can do to find the best site for such services is to register to various online car auction sites until you stumble upon the site which basically offers what you exactly need.

Online car auction is a great medium where you can find a high-quality vehicle for a very affordable price. They normally come with big discounted prices, which is really good news for everyone who looks forward to owning a car. A lot of these cars are even have modified sports rims and new engines. Prior to buying one, you should decide first what kind of car you exactly want to have so that your money won’t get wasted. Online car auction is a great venue where you can own some cheap, yet good quality vehicles.

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Apr/12

7 Step Sales Process of High Income Auto and RV Sales Professionals

by actrontools under Uncategorized

High income car and RV salespeople follow a 7 step sales process. They follow the sales process on each and every contact. No exceptions. There is no deviation. No skipping steps. It just doesn’t happen.

Auto Sales an Art AND a Skill

Rembrandt was considered one of the greatest painters in European history. Do you know who Pieter Lastman or Jacob van Swanenburgh were? Rembrandt apprenticed under each of them.

What’s that got to do with car and RV sales people? Nothing. And everything. Everything, that is, if you want to be a top income earner. To be a Rembrandt you need coaching. You need sales training. You need practice to develop your style, your talent, your selling techniques.

The art is the finesse. For prospective buyers, it is bringing to reality what works for them without manipulation, without shady tactics or tricks. Professional selling technique is the ability to listen intently, ask relevant value adding questions, and package it all in a vehicle that meets the prospect’s needs and budget.

7 Step Auto and RV Sales Process – Work It!

Walk into McDonald’s anywhere in the world and you will find the same friendly smiles although the faces may be different, a similar menu although reading it may be difficult, and the same production process. The recipe works. It works for McDonalds. It works for Wendy’s. It works for Tim Hortons. It works for the Colonel along with a whole regiment of other franchises. And the 7 Step Sales Process of top auto and RV sales income earners will work for you.

Will there be exceptions? You bet. Even in the most well oiled system glitches surface from time-to-time. There is occasional franchisee – franchiser incompatibility. There are occasional let downs in traffic expectations compared to market analysis. There are occasional language challenges. Reality is, in all things, there will be occasional surprises.

So what. Move on. Like the franchise system, the following 7 Step Auto and RV Sales Process works. And, yes, there will be exceptions. There will be the cash buyer who insists on a large discount. There will be the prospect whom you just cannot settle down on a vehicle. There will be… There will be… There will be… There will be exceptions, the occasional incompatibility for whatever reason. Move on. The sales model works consistently, with an occasional exception.

The 7 Step Sales Model of high income auto and RV sales people is:

1. Introduction

2. Qualification

3. Selection / Presentation

4. Demonstration

5. Negotiation

6. Application

7. Preparation / Delivery

That’s it. To close more deals, follow these steps each and every opportunity. No exceptions. By the way, career auto and RV sales professionals have an 8th step – Progression, moving the new Customer to a walking, talking referral machine. Wanna be car sales guys and gals just cannot seem to grasp this. Write me for more detail. Remember: Nothing happens until someone sells something. Sales Champions Make It Happen!

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Apr/12

Signs That Your Car Needs A Tune-Up

by actrontools under Uncategorized

Hard Starting: This is the most common form of car trouble. It’s usually due to some unperformed maintenance. If the starter cranks the engine, the electrical system is probably okay. The culprit could be a starting sensor (on fuel injected models) or the choke mechanism (on engines with carburetors). Frequently, starting failure can be traced to an electronic component or a computer controlling the ignition system.

Knocking: The noise generally is heard when the engine is under load, such as when accelerating or climbing a hill. While it often may be caused by a thankful of interior gas, ignition knock frequently is a sign your engine needs attention. It also can be caused by a buildup of carbon inside the engine. Lake-model cars are equipped with a knock sensor which ‘hears’ the sound and makes corrective adjustments. But it cannot compensate for a severe malfunction, a condition that can affect engine performance and even damage the engine.

Stalling: This can be caused by incorrect speed adjustments, a malfunctioning sensor or switch, dirty fuel-system parts, worn spark plugs, or other engine deficiencies. Does it stall when hot? Cold? With air conditioning on? To make diagnosis easier, make note of when it happens and advise your technician.

Power Loss: How long since the fuel filter was changed? A dirty filter is a common cause of power loss. As noted under “poor gas mileage”, there can be many causes of this condition, most of which can be located with a diagnostic procedure.

Poor Gas Mileage: By keeping a regular check of gas mileage (miles driven divided by gallons used); you can tell if your engine is losing efficiency. Increased gas consumption may be accompanied by other symptoms listed in this section. Note that poor gas mileage also may be due to: under inflated tires, engine running too cold, transmission malfunction, dragging brakes, misaligned wheels.

Dieseling: This also is known as “after-run”. The engine keeps chugging and coughing for several seconds after the ignition is shut off. Causes can range from inferior gas to excessive idle speed. Carbon in the combustion chamber also may cause dieseling.

Exhaust Odor: The smell of rotten eggs comes from the catalytic converter, part of your car’s emissions-control system. The odor can be due to an engine problem or it can be a sign that your car’s catalytic converter is malfunctioning.

Rough Running: A malfunction in either the fuel or ignition system can cause an engine to run rough. It also can be due to an internal engine condition, such as a bad valve or piston. Does it occur when idling? When accelerating? At all speeds? Your best bet: have a qualified technician perform diagnostic and tune-up services as needed.

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Mar/12

What Credit Score Do You Need to Buy a Car?

by actrontools under Uncategorized

Buying a new car can be a great experience, but it can also be disappointing when it comes time to do the paperwork. With the right credit score you can either walk into a dealership and drive home with a new car same day, or you can face a lot of difficulty with getting the cash you need to finance your new car.

Unless you are paying cash for your car or borrowing money from a family member, you’ll need an auto loan to purchase your new car. Your best bet is to visit your bank first to find out what kind of loan you qualify for, otherwise you’ll be tempted to get your loan through the dealership. Dealer financing is typically very expensive and will cost you way more money for your car.

Either way, your credit score is the most important variable when it comes to determining if you can get approved for a loan, how much, and at what rate. The higher your credit score, the better the rate you’ll be able to secure. That means you’ll be able to purchase a nicer car or save hundreds of dollars a month. The same exact car you purchase can cost another person several hundred more dollars a month simply because of the difference in credit score.

The average credit score in America is 720, though you realistically need a 760 score or higher to get approved for the best rates. If you fall below the 720 mark, you’ll likely need to take a few extra steps to increase that rating.

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Mar/12

Uninsured Auto Accident – Someone Hit Me and I Have No Insurance!

by actrontools under Uncategorized

An uninsured auto accident can put in a very bad spot, even if you are not the person who caused the accident! If you are in California, the “don’t pay don’t play” law is in effect. If you do not carry liability

insurance, you cannot make a claim against the person that hit you. This includes bodily injury and property damage claims! You will be left at your own devices.

If you are not in California, then let me the first one to tell you: stop driving without insurance, go and get yourself a policy, please! You are increasing everyone’s premiums. However, this does not mean that insurance companies get a free pass. You need to learn how to protect yourself. You made a huge mistake, no question. Nevertheless, you need to learn how to protect yourself so you are not treated unfairly.

Insurance companies do not like people who do not have insurance (neither do judges, juries, lawyers, medical providers, nor the public in general). The insurance carrier will try to deny your claim and blame you for the accident. They will put “fault” on you! If the accident is clear (you were rear ended), then the insurance company will be more reasonable; however, if the persons that hit you denies or implies that they did not caused the accident, but you did. Then the insurance company has a duty (not optional) to believe their own client and send you a denial letter. Insurance companies are bound to believe their clients, so if the other driver does not admit fault, it will be up to you to fight back. Since you do not have insurance, you will have to learn the claim process and negotiate as if you were your own insurance adjuster. You need to be ready to settle your uninsured auto accident.

Remember that not having insurance does not mean you caused the accident. You need to separate the two issues and document your claim showing that you had no responsibility in the accident. The first step is to get a copy of the police report. You can go to the Police Records Office and request one. Some jurisdictions will give you a copy the same day. Some others will take up to two weeks. Once you get the police report, make sure you read it thoroughly. Make sure you ask the police records office for an overlay sheet or visit:http://www.auto-insurance-claim-advice.com/overlay-sheet.html to download one from your state.

You need to be looking at what contributory circumstances were attributed to you and the other driver. If there are no codes, or statements made by the officer citing you at fault, then you can point that out to the insurance company.

Read the police report and try to identify witnesses. You can contact them and see if they will be willing to give a statement. Many witnesses will help you if you were truly not at fault. Also look at the physical damages left on both vehicles. Is it even possible that the accident happened how the insurance company claims it did?

Write a letter to the insurance company and explain your position. How did the accident happen and what is your evidence. Give them a date line. If they do not answer, then proceed to file a small claims court

lawsuit. Most of the time, insurance companies will try to settle before you go to court. If they don’t want to settle, go in front of a judge and explain why you were not at fault. If your case is clear, then the insurance company must pay the judgment.

This is a difficult way to deal with your uninsured auto accident; it would be a lot easier if you had insurance in the first place. If you believe you are being “snowed” by the insurance company, consult with an attorney.

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Mar/12

Top 5 Reasons Why Your Car Overheats

by actrontools under Uncategorized

Are you having trouble with your car overheating? It can be a frustrating problem to deal with and diagnose. This article will go over some of the most common reasons why cars and trucks overheat.

One of the most common reasons for a vehicle overheating is a stuck thermostat. It can stick or freeze in the closed position blocking the flow of coolant to your engine. The easiest way to check if your thermostat is not open is to feel the upper radiator hose. Once the engine warms up it should become warm. If it does not get hot the thermostat is probably not opening.

A second common cause of overheating is a leak in your vehicle’s cooling system. If your vehicle is losing coolant there will not be enough left in the vehicle to keep it cool. This is easy to diagnose as the radiator will be low on fluid and there will probably be a pool of coolant on the floor of your garage. Look for leaks in the most common places like around hoses and around the welds of your radiator. If you can not find the leak you might need to take it to a shop to have the cooling system pressure tested.

The third cause is a faulty water pump. The water pump is a vital part of your cooling system since it is responsible for circulating coolant through your engine. With a faulty water pump your vehicle will not run for more than a few minutes without overheating.

The fourth cause of overheating is a bad cooling fan. There are two types of fans, electric and mechanical. The electric fan should come on automatically once the vehicle reaches operating temperature or when the A/C is turned on. If it doesn’t you should have it replaced. The mechanical fan will run all of the time but has a clutch which makes it turn faster when the engine heats up. With the car turned off the fan should not turn too easily especially when the vehicle is warm. You can also check for signs of leakage from the fan clutch. If you see any problems have it replaced.

The fifth cause of overheating I will talk about is a clogged radiator. Over time the radiator can accumulate deposits of rust and debris. This is especially true if radiator fluid has not been flushed on a regular basis. If you suspect a clogged radiator you should take it to a shop to have it professionally cleaned.

Those are some of the most common cause for vehicle overheating. Vehicle overheating can cause a great deal of damage to your vehicle. If you are experiencing trouble be sure to fix your vehicle or take it to a quality mechanic as soon as possible.

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Mar/12

What Metals and Other Materials Make Up Cars?

by actrontools under Uncategorized

Car materials these days are chosen to reduce weight, save costs and make cars more environmentally friendly. Steel as a car material today is found only in their frames, and as my Saturn dealer advised me, in “the body parts that face the sky”, such as the car’s hood, trunk lid and the roof. The balance of the car’s body is a composite of fiberglass and polycarbon material, which is lightweight and shock-absorbent, too.

Solid steel and cast iron are no longer the car materials preferred for car engines any more. These metals are too valuable and too heavy to use in the engine, which is subject to corrosion, rust and metal friction at high temperatures. Aluminum is now the standard car material for engine blocks in virtually every car made.

Petrochemical engineering is the source of most car materials for the interiors of modern cars. They represent a triumph over nature as they are water-resistant, preventing the growth of mold and mildew. Polyvinyl chlorides, polypropylene ultra-fine fibers and other synthetic materials make up the car’s interior from the dashboard cover to the floor mats. Some manufacturers are using natural fibers such as hemp for lining and cushioning the headliner (where the sun visors are attached). A large part of the car’s interior is now lined with sound-absorbing cushions of polypropylene.

Think the car material in your tires is pure rubber? Think again. The latex in rubber degrades quickly in humid conditions, even after the vulcanization process which makes rubber firmer. Now a composite of synthetic fibers, steel fiber belts for improved traction, and rubber are used to make car tires.

The number one car material for the wheels used to be cast iron. Then steel was used, as it rusted much more slowly. Now the preferred car material for wheels is cast aluminum, which is good at resisting moisture and is much lighter in weight than cast iron or steel.

A recent technological breakthrough in Britain is helping produce car materials to make “shape memory” fasteners that will retain their shape and release from the car body at a certain temperature. This will allow the cars to be disassembled and recycled very effectively. These car materials include polymers, plastics and metal alloys.

For the present, the car materials used in the world’s most expensive sports cars will include natural fibers such as leather for upholstery, and chromium for window and bumper trim. But the trends towards light weight, recyclability and low cost will encourage manufacturers to create new and useful car materials for the inexpensive, fuel-efficient and more earth-friendly cars the rest of us will drive daily in the foreseeable future.

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Mar/12

How Much Does Car Insurance Cost Per Month? For Certain Cars?

by actrontools under Uncategorized

How much does car insurance cost per month? How much does car insurance cost for certain cars? What kind of things will help to lower car insurance rates? These are all important questions and like with all purchases, when buying insurance you want to get the most bang for your buck. So you ask around and talk to friends and neighbors, because that’s what we do when we’re researching prices and service. But when you get quotes from those highly recommended companies, the prices are astronomical. You’ll wonder, “What happened to the great deal my friend got?” The costs for auto insurance can differ dramatically from one person to another so just because your friend may find the policy that is best for them is from Company X does not mean that the same is true for you.

Factors that Impact Your Auto Insurance Rates

Apart from the obvious criteria that help to raise or lower car insurance rates, like a clean driving record and no accidents or claims, there are numerous other things that can affect pricing. Age, gender, the type of car you drive the number of miles you drive per year, if you live in an urban or more rural area and if there are new drivers on the policy are all things for the insurance underwriters to consider. One surprising and relatively new piece of information that goes into computing your rate is your credit score. A correlation exists between lower credit scores and the likelihood of making claims.

Individual Needs Determine Best Policy for You

But still, what if your information is pretty similar to your friend with the great rate and there is still a huge difference? Why? Could be your friend has a bare bones policy, with very high deductibles, or the minimum coverage required by law. Maybe he just wants to be covered for the big stuff. He may also be a member of a preferred group or association, which entitles him to lower rates.

When considering the type of coverage to have on your vehicles, you also need to consider your lifestyle. If you travel and rent cars from time to time, it can be a money saver to have the option in your insurance policy to cover vehicles you rent. A small increase in your yearly premium will save you extra daily charges for rental insurance.

Types of Cars And The Cost of Auto Insurance

You should know that the type of vehicle you drive plays a role in how much your auto insurance costs. A good rule of thumb in determining how expensive auto insurance will be for a certain vehicle is that the more expensive the vehicle the more expensive the auto insurance, the sportier a car the more expensive the auto insurance, and the more attractive to thieves the vehicle is then the more expensive the auto insurance.

Knowing How Much Auto Insurance You Need

Don’t forgo comprehensive coverage on your car to avoid paying high premiums, especially in vehicles that are relatively new. If your vehicle is stolen or catches fire, you will most certainly need another one and fast. Having comprehensive insurance protects you in those cases. Consider realistically the best deductible for comprehensive. If you’re going to replace your car and it’s worth $4000 and your deductible is $2,500, you will not have much left over to put towards the new vehicle. However, if your vehicle has a higher value, a higher deductible may be a better fit.

Policy Perks on Your Auto Insurance

Some auto insurance policies provide perks that are worth paying a little extra for. Roadside assistance for a slightly higher premium is a good choice if it allows you to forego your membership to an auto club with the same service. Emergency medical and travel help is also included in some policies. Make sure you know what is included and what’s being charged extra for. That way you can best make cuts that won’t compromise your coverage or find a better insurance provider who gives you just what you need.

Don’t forget, before comparing numbers on similar policies, make sure you’re really comparing apples with apples. Make sure your policy is tailored to the realistic needs of you and your family.

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