By now, I’m sure you’ve heard of the Cash for Clunkers program, that allows you to trade in an older car for a rebate.  Like any program that passes legislation, you’re going to find that there are going to be rules, and regulations.  To avoid confusion with this program, here’s how it works, and how you can take advantage of it.

Needs to be 18 MPG or lower: If you have an older car, you need to look at it’s gas mileage.  If it gets 18 miles per gallon or less, you’re already on the right path to your rebate.

New car can’t be more than $45,000: This one shouldn’t be hard, but the rules state that your new car can’t be more than $45,000.

Trade in must be 1984 or older: Just like the 18 MPG or lower, the car you trade in can’t be a newer one.   Actually, it wouldn’t make sense to trade in that car anyway, since you would most likely lose money.  When trading in your car, the model must be 1984 or older.

Must be active: The car that you’re looking to trade in must have been active.  This means that you should have it insured, to show that you were using it.  This will prevent those from dusting off an old junker, and taking advantage.  If you’re trying to do this, you’re most likely out of luck.

When it comes to trade in your car for another car, you’ll have to keep in mind that you can only use your credit toward a car that will have  a EPA MPG of 22 mpg or better.    If you’re looking to trade it in for a truck, the combined mileage should be at least 18 mpg.

To get more information on this program, be sure to visit the government regulated site at CARS.gov.

When searching for a new vehicle, everyone is looking for something different.  We all have different taste in car companies, styles, what features we need to have, etc.  Although, one thing we can all agree on is it should have a good gas mileage.  With a bad economy, it is only smart to think of different ways to save on our expenses.  We hate to go to the gas station, to then fill up and spend the majority of the check that we just cashed.  You no longer have to worry about this if you’re looking for a fuel efficient vehicle.

There are several different fuel efficient vehicles on the market.  Also, don’t let anyone fool you, you can get an SUV or crossover with a great gas mileage.  So, if you’re interested in either one, be sure to consider one of these great cars listed below.

Top 10 Fuel Efficient SUVs and Crossovers for 2009:

1. Mazda Tribute Hybrid – This SUV has a great gas mileage of 34/31!  That’s a great number for an SUV!
2. Ford Escape Hyrbid – This one also has a gas mileage of 34/31.
3. Mercury Mariner Hybrid - The Mariner has a gas mileage of 34/31 as well.  (Mazda, Ford, and Mercury are all the same car company with a great idea!)
4. Saturn Vue Hybrid – This SUV gets 25/23!
5. Toyota Highlander Hybrid – Toyota is a great company with great cars, this Highlander gets 27/25!
6. Jeep Compass – Jeep is a company we all love, their Compass has a great gas mileage of 23/28.
7. Jeep Patriot – Like the Compass, the Patriot also gets 23/28.
8. Mazda Tribute – Although it’s not a hybrid, it still gets 22/28!
9. Ford Escape – This Escape is also not a hybrid and gets 22/28.
10. Toyota RAV4 – This RAV4 ties with the Tribute and the Escape for a gas mileage of 22/28.

As you can see, there are a few different car companies to choose from, and a few different styles, yet they are all great on gas.  Don’t downgrade to a car just because you think SUVs and crossovers don’t get good gas mileage because they do!  Consider one of these top 10 fuel efficient cars for your next ride!

We all debate at first whether we should buy a car or whether we should lease for a while.  They both have their advantages and disadvantages, yet there is always one that is a better option for our situation.  So, if you’ve come to the solution that leasing would be a better way to go, you may want to follow a few steps to get you on the right path.  If you’ve never leased a vehicle before, it may be time to learn all about it.  To make your process easier, consider these steps for guidance.

How it works – First of all, you want to learn how leasing works.  This means know the rules, and the ins and outs of leasing.  Find out from the salesmen what you can and cannot do to the vehicle you’ll be driving.

Incentives and specials – It is always a good idea to keep an eye our for incentives and specials.  It’s like shopping for a car that is on sale.  We of course want the best deal, and the cheapest monthly payments.  So, do your homework and find which dealership will give you the best deal.

How long? – How long were you thinking about leasing this car?  Usually you have the option to lease for 2, 3, 4 or 5 years.  Most people stick with the 3 year lease, but it all depends on what you want.  The reason people choose 3 years most of the time is because that’s usually when the warranties expire.

How much? – How much are comfortable spending each month?  You may want to just sit down, and figure out all your bills.  See what is the right amount to put for the car each month.  Once you have an amount, you will be able to better decide what you’re looking for.

Which car? – What car are you looking to lease? Do your research and figure in everything you want for your lease.  What features are a must, what company, what gas mileage, and what exact car do you want?

Salesman – We hate getting attacked when we’re at the dealership.  And we really don’t like pushy people.  So, make sure the person that is helping you is someone you want to work with.  Find someone you feel comfortable with, someone that is honest, and someone that is actually trying to help instead of just money.

Comfortable? – You always want to make sure you test drive the vehicle that you’re going to be paying for each month. Make sure you’re comfortable driving it, and it is everything that you’re looking for.

Cost – If you can, always negotiate the price of your monthly payments.  Always try to talk down the price, and be stern with them.  Let them know what you’re willing to pay, and what you’re not.

Read – When you’re getting ready to sign the final papers, make sure you read everything.  You don’t want to be fooled, and end up signing something that could be a pain later on.  So make sure you review, ask questions, and sign only for the things you agree with.

Driving away – Once the car is yours, you need to remember to take good care of it.  Drive carefully with it, and always keep in mind that you need to return it in good shape.

Leasing a car really isn’t that hard.  It just takes some time to get familiar with the new situation if you’ve never leased before.  So, once again, if you’re a first time leaser, definitely consider these tips above to help you out!

So, we’re starting to hear about this thing called “Cash for Clunkers”  what exactly is this, and how do we know if we qualify or not?  It is really a great thing, and is definitely something to look into if you are looking to get a new car to replace your old beater.  So, lets start out with what it is.

What is cash for clunkers? -

This is the new way to get rid of your old car, and to get money to buy a new one.  If you trade in your old car, you will have the opportunity to receive $3,500-$4,500 towards buying a new car.  Although, the only way this will work is if you qualify.  Also, we’re looking to get all of the bad cars off the road.  The ones with awful gas mileage, the big polluters, and the ones that are way out of date.  So, how do you know if you qualify?

Do I qualify for cash for clunkers? -

Okay, so there are a few things to look for.  You need to have an old beat up car that is newer than 1984 (it’s that specific date because we want to make sure we’re not getting rid of the classics.) The goal with this is to get rid of all the junky cars, and to replace them with newer ones.

Next, your vehicle must get less than 18 MPG.  This is important because we want to get rid of these bad gas mileage vehicles that pollute.  This may be unfortunate though if you have a smaller car, because it will probably get 18 MPG already.

Also, for your vehicle to qualify, your car must have been insured for the past year.  This is a qualification because we want to make sure junk yards aren’t getting their vehicles stolen.  This will help make sure the ones that are being driven will be the ones taken off the road.

As you can see, it is pretty easy to qualify.  So, if you’re one of these people driving a clunker car, be sure to consider this great opportunity to get money towards your new vehicle!

Car Maintenance Checklist Series

How often: This should be done each and every month.

Time required: 5-15 minutes depending on make, and model.

Checking on your radiator and coolant is a habit that you should get into each and every month.  It may sound foreign to you now, but be rest assured, that it isn’t that hard to check, I promise.  You’ll want to make sure that your car’s engine is getting all the fluids that it needs to run properly.

How to check your hoses –

Locate your car’s hoses:  You’ll want to pull up your hood, and locate your car’s two radiator hoses.  If you don’t know where to look, look directly at the engine, and spot the hoses coming out.  The top one will take the hot coolant away from the engine, while the one below returns the cool liquid.

Inspect the hoses: Inspect the hose as you would a garden hose or something of that nature.  You’ll want to look for any spots, or leaks that don’t look like they should be there.  If you do spot something like this, you’ll want to get it fixed asap.

Look for the clamp: Look for the clamp where the hose is near.  You’ll want to inspect this clamp, and make sure that the hose is settled in there tightly.  If you can move it around, and rotate it, that’s not a good sign.  You’ll either want to tighten the clamps, or get it fixed by a professional.

Check the firmness: Next, you’ll want to squeeze the hose.  If the hose is firm, that’s great.  If it doesn’t spring back, you may want to look into getting that hose replaced.

Change your coolant: If your coolant does need to be changed, make sure that you wear gloves, and safely dispose of the liquid.  Also be sure to follow these steps with replacing the hoses as well.

This process shouldn’t take you longer than 15 minutes to do.  The newer make and model based cars are a lot easier to check.