After you get recommendations for honest mechanics, call around to check out the prices for certain jobs. Itís always smart to get a second opinion.

How about some preventative medicine? Keep your gas tank filled. This will help you avoid the gas line freezing up in cold weather. Also, driving on ìfumesî allows little pieces of dirt at the bottom of your gas tank to run through the fuel lines with the last drops of gas. This debris clogs up the fuel filter and can cause carburettor damage as well.

Sometimes a problem with your carís electrical system results from a simple blown fuse. Check to see if you have any blown fuses before investing in a tow truck! Keep track of how much oil your car uses. A sudden change in oil consumption means you need to see a technician. Save your brakes by having your brake fluid changed every 30,000 miles. Check your tire pressure once a month. This simple maintenance check can add up savings at the gas pump!

Stop and go traffic causes excess wear and tear on your vehicle. Go ahead and give your car a nice twenty minute ride at 55 mph on the highway every couple weeks if you ìmajorî in short trips.

There are other ways to save money on car expenses. Letís look at the insurance payments.

If youíve budgeted for possible out-of-pocket expenses in case of a car accident, you might want to consider increasing your insurance deductible to $500. This will lower the cost of your insurance.

Talk to your insurance agent. If your car is as old as the hills, you might want to drop collision coverage to save money.

Car insurance companies offer a variety of discounts. Ask your agent if the company offers reductions for driver training courses, anti-lock brakes, car alarms, air bags, mature drivers, good students or maintaining a good driving record.

Before you purchase from a dealer, ask about the dealer's return policy, get it in writing and read it carefully. Dealers are not required by law to give used car buyers a three-day right to cancel.

Each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.10 per gallon for gas.

In most cases, using cruise control on the highway will save gas.

Replacing a clogged air filter can improve your car's gas mileage by as much as 10 percent. This isnít going to cost you an arm or leg either.

Do your homework when buying a car from an auction. Many vehicles that have been damaged by floods and hurricanes are going on the market. These wonít last long ñ leaving you with a flood of bills. Be a little concerned if the carpet looks too new, and check carefully for signs of rust.

If you use your car for business, keep track of miles travelled so that you can use this for a tax deduction. Get more info at irs.gov.

When you consider all the ways you can save money on your current vehicle, you might be persuaded to put away the extra each month for a new car down the road!

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What is your perception of seized and reposesed cars? For far too many people seized and reposesed cars hold a certain stigma and they tend to think that these are all vehicles thatís been battered and bruised. Nothing could be further from the truth. Most of these vehicles are in top condition and are in fact the very same vehicles that second hand dealerships are selling.

Seized and reposesed cars are primarily cars that government agencies and private financial institutions lay claim on. The government agencies will usually lay claim on a vehicle if it was used in criminal activity or even if itís a recovered stolen vehicle thatís not reclaimed by the original owner. The financial institutions in turn lay claim on vehicles where the owner fails to make his monthly payments. These vehicles, as you can imagine, are usually still in top condition and sometimes they are virtually brand new.

As good a deal as these seized and reposesed cars are, there are some pitfalls that you need to watch out for. Here are three invaluable tips that will help you in finding and purchasing a quality reposessed car:

- Do Your Homework

Firstly you need to do your homework about the cars you are interested in. Make sure you know exactly how much you can get it for both new and second hand. Secondly, do your homework about the company you are buying the reposesed car from. If itís at an auction make sure you check out their credentials and that they are actually selling reposesed cars. Many companies who claim to sell seized and reposesed cars are only making these claims to get you through their front door or into their website.

- Finding them is half the job done

Finding decent seized and reposesed cars is probably the biggest challenge. There are some good websites that keep and maintain a database of all the seized vehicles that are for sale throughout the USA. Only a handful of these web services are actually connected to the various agencies and auction houses. Be careful of websites that only act as a middleman ñ make sure the give you direct access to their database that will enable you to search for specific vehicles and their locations. Finding the best deals is all about the quality of the website you are searching on and their database. Some dealerships claim to sell bargain reposesed cars, but itís usually just an incentive for you to buy. Go instead to the source. Go and buy where the dealerships buy. This is where you will find the real deals.

- Be auction sassy

When you do find your dream vehicle at that unbelievable price, you still need to be vigilant ñ especially at auctions. If you are not very good with cars and engines, then ask someone who is to accompany you. Check the vehicle thoroughly before bidding starts. Auctioned vehicles are sold ëas-isí. If a third party grades or examines the vehicles, make sure they are reliable, especially at online auctions. And when you bidÖdonít get caught up in the bidding. Fix your price and donít bid above that!

If you just canít afford that car that you really want, then seized and reposesed cars might just be what you are looking for. This is by no means an inferior source. Dealers and wholesaler have been buying their stock from these seized and repossessed auctions for a long time. With the internet these databases are available to the general public and you no longer need any special ëcontactsí to get access to this great resource. Providing that you are vigilant and you do your due diligence you canít really go wrong.

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