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When you want a car for yourself, your family, or maybe just your significant other, you may want to go down the route of a car that is going to be fuel efficient.  Why get something bulky such as a SUV or van when it’s only going to be a handful of people, if not just yourself driving around.

If you’re doing some research for the best sedans on the market as of 2010, I did some research online to see what other people are talking about.  You’re going to find that each car on the list is different, as well as will suit different wants and needs.

#1 Toyota Camry: This car has been the best selling car for quite some time now and when I took a look at it a while ago, I could see why.  The price tag is amazing, you’re going to get great gas mileage, and you just can’t beat the reliability.  I personally own a Toyota and out of all the brands I have purchased in the past, this car has lasted the longest without giving me any problems.

#2 Ford Fusion: Ford has a great line of sedans and my personal favorite, as well as many others online is the Ford Fusion.  It gets up to 34 MPG on the highway, it has a great, simple design, and it’s also going to have all the features that you want in a small, compact 4 door car.

#3 Honda Accord: When people think of a four door car made by Honda, many think of the Civic.   What most people don’t realize is that the Accord gets some of the best safety test ratings, driver ratings, as well as best features in the Honda line.  The Accord gets around 30 MPG and is sure to turn some heads if you decide on this purchase.

#4 Hyundai Sonata: If you watched the Super Bowl back in 2010, you probably saw 20 commercials for this car.  This brand campaign did turn a lot of people over to the car and upon doing some research, I could see why.  The price tag is great, it gets up to 32 MPG on the highway, and has a very unique, sleek style.

#5 Honda Civic: Like the Accord, the Civic is a close runner up in the Honda line.  The price tag is going to be a little cheaper and while you don’t get as much room, it’s great for a family starting out.  It gets great gas mileage and the newer designs are very different compared to the past.

Obviously, you want to look more into a car than just the looks.  Compare the gas mileage, the reliability, as well as awards that they have won.  There are a lot of sedans out there and if you’re not loyal to one company, let’s hope that this list is a great place to start!

Credit: Flickr

When you’re ready to purchase your new car, or even a used one for that matter, you may find yourself purchasing it from a dealership in your area.  What a lot of people do when they make that purchase is trade in their current car, take that value, and apply it to their future purchase.

So, when you’re looking to find the value of your car, how exactly can you do it?  I wanted to give you 5 pointers that you can follow to ensure yourself that you don’t get ripped off by the dealer.

• #1 Check the KBB - The KBB, aka Kelley Blue Book is a great place to start.  This is where 99% of the dealers out there will check the value of your car.  Now, granted, they will have to receive a profit off of your car, but your quote should come relatively close to these numbers.
• #2 Check online ads - Another great way to see what your car is going for is by checking out online ads such as Craigslist and eBay.  If your car is an older model that is rare, you may find that going this route isn’t going to help you out at all.
• #3 Check the local paper - You may find that the online sources don’t really give you the information that you need.  Yes, people still advertise in the paper and what you’re going to find out is that you can get car values in the paper as well.  Note down a few cars that sound like yours and compare notes.

Trading your car in may not be worth it

If you read just about any study online, you’re going to find that trading your car isn’t really worth it.  Trust me, it isn’t that hard to sell your own car and what you’re going to find out is that if you do it yourself, you’re going to get the most out of your selling.  The more money you get, the more you can apply toward your purchase.

If you do decide to trade in your car, don’t expect no more than the KBB value.  In fact, you will see numbers that will probably be around 20% of that.  Consider selling your car yourself, but if you don’t want to, try the 3 tips above to see what your car is truly worth.

The Black Book value book is a very well known book that is used by many automotive, as well as financial industries.  If you’re looking to get your hands on a value for free, you may find that it’s going to be very hard to do so, as they will charge for this type of information, unlike the Kelley Blue Book.

What good is the Black Book?

This is good for families, professionals, or the avid car user.  You’re going to find that you can get more than a car value.  Of course, you’re going to have to pay for it.

What am I going to get?

When you subscribe to the services, you’re going to get information such as daily updates that will tell you all about your car, the market, and more.  If you don’t want the daily updates, you can get monthly updates.

You can also get to see insider information on what banks will lend to you when you want to get a loan.  Like a home, a bank doesn’t want to lend out money to you if the car isn’t worth it.  They do this because if you can’t pay off your loan, they will simply repo it,  sell it themselves, and get their money back.

The last thing that you will find cool is that some dealers in your area will show their inventory online.  It’s a great way to see what the car value is worth and if you’re getting a great deal, or not.  This is a must see for those that love to car shop.

In today’s technological era, they are definitely up to date with their website.  They have a Blackberry application, as well as a very cool iPhone application as well.

I did find a way to get a free Black Book quote, but you’re going to have to put in some information.  I don’t know how long this link is going to last, but you can start the value process right here.

Over this summer, I came out to my car and found that there was some sap on it.  At first I thought I wasn’t going to be able to remove it, but after a while, I was able to do some research and find a few ways to completely remove it without ruining the paint.

Let’s face it that this can happen to you if you park your car outside.  Since there are trees everywhere, all it’s going to take is for your car to sit overnight, have some sap drip onto it, and it’s stuck there.

In order to remove the sap off your car, here are some steps you can take in order to remove it.

Trick #1 – Purchase a product

There are many products out there on the market that can help you remove items such as tar, bugs, and more.  I’ve listed a handful of them below here that you can check out:

• Stoner 91156
• Pine Resin Remover by Luster Glaze
• Tarminator Tar
• Carrand – Spotter bug and Tar Remover

Trick #2 – Try isoprophyl alcohol

You can generally purchase something like this in your health and beauty department at any store.  What you will want to do is just mix this with a little dish washing soap and gently rub the sap away.  You may have to do this more than once.

Trick #3 – WD-40 works as well

We all have WD-40 laying around the house, right?  If you do, spray some on the sappy areas and let it sit for a few hours.  You will want to find a nice, soft cloth, and come back to it later.  Rub it off and it should come right off.

Trick #4 – Mix baking soda and water

Get a bucket of water and mix it with baking soda.  You should get a pasty looking liquid.  After you get this, you will want to get a cloth, damp it a little bit, and apply it to the car spot with the sap on it.  Rub gently until it comes off.

These tricks may not work for you, but from reading online, it appears to have worked for most people.  Either consider the items I listed, or try some household cleaners.  By doing so, let’s hope that you can get rid of the sap 100%

There’s a first time for everything, right?  Whether you’re getting your license for the first time, or maybe you’re purchasing a home.  Everything is going to be foreign to you and while you can study until your eyes fall out, you won’t know what to do until you experience it first hand.

Since cars are going to set you back a few extra thousand dollars, you’re going to find that many of us can’t dish out the cash in full.  With that being said, you’re probably going to need a loan.

How can I get a loan when it’s my first time getting a car?

I wanted to give you a few pointers that you can use when you’re looking to get a loan for the first time.  You may find that it’s going to be a lot easier than you think.

Work with the dealer. The dealership is going to want you to purchase that car and they are going to do anything that they can to get it out the door.  Ask them what they can do for you.

Look at your budget. You may find that you’re spending too much for a car in the first place.  If you’re going to college and working a $9/hr job, you shouldn’t be purchasing a $35,000 car.  That doesn’t add up.  Sure, you live once, but the nice things are for later down the road when you can afford them.

Talk with your bank. If you have a good credit score, it doesn’t matter if it’s your first car of 10th car, they bank will not care.  If your credit score is a little above 700, you can count on getting a decent loan.

Talk with friends and family. If you’re trustworthy, I don’t see why your family wouldn’t mind lending you money.  As long as you’re not asking for thousands, they should be fine with it.  If you want to assure them that you’re going to pay them back, be sure to get a contract drawn up.

Try loan services online. There are some great resources online that allow you to input your information and once you do, you will be able to get loans from banks that are willing to approve you.  Try sites like Automotive.com that can find a loan that best fits you.

It’s really not that hard to find a loan.  By applying some of these tips, you should be able to find something that best suits you for your next financing venture.