5 Tips on How to Make Your Test Drive Count

Don't you wish you knew if a car would feel like the right one, the moment you get behind the wheel? Unfortunately, when most people buy a car, they don't have a chance to truly get comfortable before they make the sales agreement. They think every vehicle is going to feel alright when they get home and get used to it. But that's not always the case, which is why you need to know how to make your test drive count. You have a limited time to take that test drive, be it minutes, hours, or overnight. Compared to the years you'll own it, that's a short time. Use these tips and you'll know how to make your test drive count, and you'll find yourself in the car that's best for you.

Can I Trade In My Car with Bad Credit?

There's no doubt you need to get a different car. Your engine leaks oil, the transmission shifts sloppy, your power windows only work sometimes, and last week the engine stalled. Even though it restarted, who knows how long until you're left stranded? But you haven't got the best credit in the world and you're worried about getting financing. You wonder, "Can I trade in my car with bad credit?"

How to Buy a Used Car

In the market for a used car but don't know the best way to make your purchase? It's not as easy as you'd think to spend thousands of dollars. Buying a car should be fun though, so you need to make it as stress-free as possible. How do you do that? You learn how to buy a used car the right way. You might wonder, "What could go wrong when I buy a used car?", and there are a bunch of things. You could overpay, get a car that's not reliable, buy a car that needs repairs right away, or get pressured into buying a car you don't really want. And that's just the start! You really do need advice on how to buy a used car. Here are a few tips to get you started on your journey to a pre-owned car purchase.

Which Auto Repairs Aren't Worth Fixing?

You own a car? If you do, then there are going to be auto repairs necessary at some point in your ownership experience. It sucks, and you're usually not prepared to pay for them out of pocket. And you definitely didn't consider the cost of upkeep when you bought your car.Nevertheless, auto repairs will need to happen. Some are small jobs and others are major repairs. Some are safety related while others are just plain old annoying. And because you never know what's going to go wrong, you can't predict is how much your repairs are going to cost.When problems happen, how do you know if they're worth fixing? Here are five auto repairs that aren't worth shelling out the money.

How Long Should You Keep a Car?

There's a contentious question that a car owner is always asking: "When is it time to get rid of my car"? Whether you've bought it new or pre-owned, a car seldom grows in value. In fact, almost all cars begin to depreciate as soon as you've signed the bill of sale. The longer you own it, the more value it loses. So, how long should you keep a car?The answer isn't the same for everyone. There are three main schools of thought for how long should you keep a car, and there isn't one that's right all the time. Let's explore the three different answers for "How long should you keep a car".

How to Avoid Buying a Car that's Been in a Serious Accident

"I had to get the paint touched up because of a scratch." "It was just a minor accident, nothing more." "They deemed it a total loss, but the damage wasn't bad at all." These are excuses you might hear when you're shopping for a used car. It might be true, or it might be a cover-up for a car that's been in a serious accident.That's a mess you don't want to get into. A car that's been in a serious accident almost never ends up the same after repairs. But how can you avoid buying a car that's been in a serious accident? How can you tell the difference between a minor fender bender, a cosmetic repair, and a major collision? Here are a few tips.

Five Expensive Truck Repairs to Avoid

No one said owning a truck was going to be cheap. In the past decade or so, new trucks have lower maintenance costs than they used to. As pickups continue to climb in popularity, there are more used ones available to purchase. But when you buy a used truck, there are potential problems that can exist if you haven't bought from a reputable seller. And these truck repairs - well, they can break the bank.With truck ownership, you can expect truck repairs from time to time. You're using it as a work vehicle or an off-roading machine, and the added stress can wear things out faster. But if you encounter one of these five truck repairs, you might want to reconsider the fix. It's going to be expensive.

What Those Dash Warning Lights Really Mean

You're driving along through Kansas City, maybe even headed to a Royals game. Suddenly, a light pops up on the dashboard...but nothing seems to be working any differently at the moment. It could be a nefarious computer glitch, or maybe a sensor acting up, you tell yourself. But because you don't know that much about cars, it's just a guess. Wouldn't it be great to know what those dash warning lights actually mean?We hear you. There's nothing fun about driving when you're staring at dash warning lights blinking or staying on solid. Here are some explanations for a few of the dash warning lights every driver will see at some point.

What Happens If I Miss a Car Payment?

A study in 2016 by Experian discovered that the average car payment in America is a whopping $503 per month! That's a big chunk of change for most people. And with a vast majority of Americans living paycheck to paycheck, you're only one small problem away from not being able to make ends meet that month.So, you might choose to skip a car payment. But what's the result if you don't make that payment? What happens isn't a complete surprise, but it might have implications beyond what you expect.

What Does an Oil Change Really Do?

You own a car, and you know that an oil change is required at regular intervals. It seems, though, that those oil change intervals are really short. It's usually just a few months and you're draining the oil and changing the filter again. Has the oil really had time to go bad? Is it necessary to change the oil so soon?Don't even think about ignoring your engine oil. Your car's manufacturer has set the interval for a reason, whether it's by time, mileage, or with an oil life monitoring system. Just so you understand why you need an oil change a few times a year, check out these functions your oil performs.