drivemecrazy

As a part of the desire of Magna Donnelly to promote a safer travel, it has joined forces with U-Blox (Swiss technology provider) and Paragon (German electronics supplier) to develop a new device. It is called the MirrorPilot—a navigation system that has a map displayed in the rear view mirror.

Mounted on the windshield, this rearview self-dimming mirror has a GPS receiver, antenna, speaker, and 2.2-inch screen. By this great move of placing the nav system in the mirror, there’s no more point in worrying about hard installations and limited views of the road.

The MirrorPilot has a special feature of zooming in at intersections and giving the driver a clear route during bumper jams. It also has a remote control so it could easily be used by busy drivers.

It is not anymore unknown to many that the situation of our environment nowadays had become so alarming. Of course, vehicles are one of the many things that are blamed when this happens. To answer this, auto manufacturers had come up with innovations in their vehicles to make it safe for the environment. An example of this is the spread of hybrid vehicles.

However, though the potential of hybrid vehicles have been greatly recognized, there are still many things that put a hindrance on the plans of this vehicle conquering the road. One of these things is the potential risks to blind people.

Included in the designs of hybrid vehicles is their capacity to be driven at a quieter phase, especially at slower speeds. This fact makes it risky for blind people who are crossing the streets because they purely rely on the sounds of vehicles to know if it’s safe to cross. This situation had created an unexpected tension between hybrid auto makers, environmentalist, and blind people.

With this situation, the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) calls for auto manufacturers to make their hybrids have at least some sound. They want to make hybrid vehicles to sound like all other conventional vehicles. As much as auto makers, auto engineers, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and the Federal Highway Administration want to respond on that call, they admit that they have no immediate high-tech solution for that as of now.  

As of the meantime, owners of hybrid vehicles are challenged especially when they come near crosswalks. They could rely first on what they call “low-tech solutions.” These include driving slowly when nearing crosswalks, paying close attention to pedestrian traffic, and playing loud music whenever approaching crosswalks.

With all these things, let us all do hope that everything will just be fine for all concerned people and groups. Of course, it would benefit all of us and the environment as well when hybrid vehicles conquer our streets. However, let’s still care about those people that could be greatly affected too.

Road accidents should not be blamed only to carelessness, driving under the influence, defective auto parts, and the usual things often blamed for accidents. Did you know that a study says that there could be one root for speeding, dozing, road rage, and meeting mishaps? Yes, there is. It is the wrong smell inside the vehicle. At first, this sounds so funny yet it pays to follow what I’m saying here.

The RAC Foundation stated in their study that the right smell inside a vehicle could aid the driver distinguish dangers earlier, to keep focused on the road ahead, and to be patient enough to forgive other drivers’ errors. It has been found out that the smell is such a powerful sense that could result to a lack of concentration or an overreaction even to the small irritations on the road. These things could then result to trouble.

Researchers found out that the following scents should be avoided:

• Chamomile, jasmine, and lavender. Perhaps if you want to sleep, you can get these. Known as relaxing odors, these scents are dangerous for drivers to smell for they could make them too much relaxed in front of the steering wheel. A too relaxed driver is not good as this feeling could lull him to sleep. You should also be aware that air fresheners with flowery scents contain the same effects.

• The smell from fast food wrappers, fresh bread, and even pastry. These odors could result to drivers’ irritability, the want to speed up, and a greater possibility of being involved in a road rage. This is supported by the fact that these odors could make drivers feel hungry, thus making them want to be in a hurry to fill their appetites.

• The scent of fresh cut grass, pine woods, or roadside flowers. Indeed, these scents could be relaxing, but these could also make the drives be in a nostalgic stage that could make them daydream while driving.

With these, you should not anymore allow your vehicle interior have odors like those mentioned. Though these smells are not sickly, there’s a proper time and place to satiate your feelings about these smells, but not in your vehicle, please. Care about every road user’s safety.

Could you easily guess who is behind a vehicle’s windshield by just its exterior appeal? Perhaps you could, especially when you know the preference of the two opposing genders. I will be dealing more today about the preference of the males for I had already discussed in one of my previous posts the choice of women. There you could find what women want for a vehicle. So, now, I think it is just a fair act to talk about men’s preference too. With this, permit me to start.

When we talk about men, they tend to like to own more a vehicle that others can’t have. This is the reason why you could find men driving rare cars. They would more enjoy being seen in a vehicle that is so unique. Also, they would prefer to own those attention-grabbing sports cars, sedans, and sport utility vehicles.

Take for example the Dodge Viper. It has 88.97 percent male drivers because it is a rare find. Imagine, only 435 of them are sold in the entire United States. More than this, the powerful and predatory look of this vehicle makes it loved by men. The Viper has in it a flashy look and a brawly engine sound that has the capability to show off the power of a man. That is commonly what men want to show off. With this, most vehicles manufactured have masculine styling cues like big wheels.

With this kind of preference of men, the vehicle is the equivalent match of jewelry for women. If the women would want to show off their social status, they would get the most expensive necklace or whatsoever. Because men don’t care so much about jewelry, the vehicle becomes their means of showing off what they have. With that, men tend to purchase accessories that will upgrade either the appearance or performance of their vehicle.

Included in the most common vehicles that are driven by men aside from the above-mentioned Dodge Viper are the Bugatti Veyron, Maybach 57, Maybach 58, and the Rolls-Royce Phantom.

The fact that road mishaps are happening frequently makes auto manufacturers worry about the safety features that their vehicles are offering. This is the reason why most auto makers continue to develop safety features so as to reduce the number of fatal crashes. Today, they have come up with crash-avoidance technologies that they claim to have the capability to improve the chances of avoiding collisions. Some include technologies that have the capacity to give an audible or visual warning to command the driver to do corrective measures. There are even those which have the capability to automatically apply the brakes or guide back into the proper lane a drifting car.

However, even the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) is getting a hard time to tell whether such is effective or not because its use is not widespread yet. Still, the IIHS just analyzed five crash-avoidance technologies: forward collision warning, emergency brake assist, lane departure warning, blind spot detection, and adaptive headlights.

Of these features, the IIHS sees the forward collision warning and the lane departure warning as the most promising features. The forward collision warning feature gives the driver a warning whenever it detects that the vehicle is about to hit an object directly in front of it. On the other hand, the lane departure warning tells the driver if they are drifting out of the lane.

Based on the information gathered by the IIHS from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System and General Estimates System, the IIHS identified the types of crashes that all these features have been designed to prevent. In period of four years, which is from 2002 to 2006, there is a possibility that the 20 million frontal collisions could be reduced in half with the aid of the forward collision warning. Though it could not totally erase incidents of frontal collisions, a 50 percent reduction is a good deal. On the other hand, the lane departure warning could prevent up to 100,000 crashes and 2,500 fatalities per year.

The IIHS also announced that of the five safety features they have been analyzing, it is the blind spot detection that shows the least potential. This safety feature alerts the drivers of their blind spots. This conclusion is not because that its capabilities are ineffective but because there are not much fatal crashes that involve vehicles in blind spots.

It is a fact that men are mostly the residents of the roads. Compared to women, we really outnumber them when we talk about the roads. However, though a bit intriguing, they say women are much more knowledgeable than us when it comes to knowledge about basic car care. So when a woman seeks for advice from a man about car care, she’s probably not in good hands.

Though the national survey, which was sponsored by Jiffy Lube, it was found out that 69 percent of men and 64 percent of women agree that men know more about car care. Their responses speak otherwise.

When respondents were asked where the proper tire-inflation information of the vehicle is located, 67 percent of men and 45 percent of women said that it is in the sidewalls of the tires. However, Mark Ferner, the technical expert of Jiffy Lube, said that it was wrong. He stated that this information could be either seen in the vehicle’s door jamb or in the owner’s manual. In that question alone, 22 percent of women while only 16 percent of men have the right knowledge with regards to that information.

Moreover, 67 percent of men and 46 percent of women were wrong when they say that the act of simply switching from conventional engine oil to a synthetic one extends the oil-change interval. As to this question, it is obvious that more women know the fact about oil-change interval than men.

This entry may not contain the complete findings however, as early as this, I think this really makes sense. Just click here for the complete findings.

This is the Volvo 3cc concept car. As you see, this is a rocket-shaped three-seater car that has the capacity to accommodate any range of power systems--be it traditional gasoline or alternative fuels like ethanol or hybrid, or electric. It has 3,000 lithium-ion batteries which are similar to those that are used in laptop computers. These can give up to 105 horsepower.

If teens are problems on the road, senior drivers could also be! As old age comes in, driving could be a very dangerous activity. In this time and age, everything’s not going to be the same compared to a few years earlier. Be it physical, mental, or emotional hindrances, it is suggested that seniors should take extra care while driving.

As you would notice, the insurance for seniors are relatively higher compared to generations below their age. This is because insurance companies know that elderly drivers tend to injure themselves more than others during road accidents. So if you care much about safety, here are some tips to improve a senior’s driving skills.

First, limit your driving. If you feel like you are old already for a drive, especially when you are over 65, initiate to limit your own driving as you realize the changes in your capabilities. Limiting your driving includes avoiding crowded streets. Instead of traversing streets like that, taking alternate routes is far better. Though it would result to a longer trip, at least it would be a safer one. Also, as much as possible, you should engage in close-to-home locations only.

In line with this, a study that was published in the American Journal of Public Health mentioned that more than 600,000 drivers who are aged 70 years old or older give up driving each year. If you are a senior, evaluate your driving capabilities. You are the one who would greatly know if you need to give driving up or if you just need to limit your driving. Your choice will always count as these actions lessen the occurrence of accidents.

Another is to attend driving improvement classes. It would be great if seniors are open to the fact that they are not their same young selves anymore. With that, they would be willing to attend self-help classes. In fact, when seniors obtain a certificate from this kind of classes, insurance companies give them discounts on their premiums upon presenting the certificate. That makes sense.

These two would be all for now. Watch out for more other tips. I know you care about your safety. So keep safe.

Nowadays, owning a vehicle has become a determinant of status. People tend to get the vehicles that will greatly speak in behalf of their numerous savings. Of course, who would not be proud driving the most sophisticated car? Who would not be glad driving a vehicle that almost everyone wishes to own?

With this nature of people, manufacturers are adjusting the style and performance of their vehicles. Vehicles are becoming more and more sophisticated than before. Each year, a dozen new vehicles are on the spot. Wondering about the best ones this year? Let’s take a look at the vehicles that are considered to be the most outrageous ones.

Colors really seem to speak for themselves. Amazingly, they could even speak for people. Take for example the color of car paint. Of course, in a way, they speak for the personality of the owner not unless the owner has no other option when upon buying. But more often than not, the colors of cars greatly tell to the curious eyes of people who their owners really are.

However, nowadays, car buyers tend to follow the trend of what’s hot and what’s not in picking their cars’ colors. They are so much affected by the demands of the present world that they ignore their real choices. Let’s start digging into the “in” things of car paint colors.

So you drive one of classic black, white, or silver cars? Records say that 50 percent of all the vehicles made in the United States come in these three classic colors. In these three shades, silver is the most popular. The sales of silver cars have stabilized but are seen to be declining. This is because the color of silver nowadays had become darker and people are given the feeling that what they are driving is so common.

How about an orange one in your garage? This color is the “in” thing today. This is because orange makes a vehicle appear sporty, active, and stylish. Orange has the capacity to scream to everyone the feeling of goodness, says Teresa Spafford, the lead color and materials designer of Mazda. Colors that could be lined up with orange are copper, bronze, terra cotta, and yellow gold.

Perfectly sitting inside blue and green ones? Blue is said to be both a classic like silver and a sporty one like orange for it has this calming effect.  However, green ones are losing popularity but they are soon going to be seen invading the streets with the growth of environmentally-friendly vehicles. Still, blue and green have influenced many emerging car paint hues in the auto market today.

Upon knowing these things, personally, I don’t go buying what’s hot as of the moment. The trend will always change. I buy my preferred color on a vehicle. Why? You could not taste the fruit of pleasing the eyes of so many people if your eyes aren’t even pleased in the first place.

If you read my previous posts about the DOs of driving so you could minimize the risks of meeting an accident, I tell you that doing those things is not enough still. There are things that you might be doing when driving that could bring you into trouble. With that, I compiled here the DON’Ts in driving for you to use to avoid meeting road mishaps.

• Don’t eat or drink while driving. It is always necessary that when you drive, you use both hands. How could you comply with that if one hand is holding a burger, for example? If you badly need food in your stomach, then stick to easy-to-eat foods like snack bars and bottled water.

• Don’t smoke. When you hold a stick of cigar, your movement will surely be limited making it hard for you to operate your vehicle. What more if you accidentally drop it? Imagine what trouble could happen!

• Don’t keep loose objects in your car. Just don’t make the interior of your vehicle messy. Loose objects could roll or slide under the brake pedal. That would surely be trouble. Also, if you have a messy interior, chances are, you would keep an eye over these things so they won’t bother anything inside your vehicle. However, that would make you divert your attention from the road. It would also mean trouble.

• Don’t tailgate. The safest distance from a vehicle is at least one car length. The more distance you can spare, the better. If someone is tailgating you, don’t risk your life by slamming the brakes just to teach that person a lesson. Give him a signal to move a little farther from you.

These would be all for now. There’s still more of the things you should NOT be doing while driving. So better watch out for my next post. I’m sure you’ll want to know more of it. Enjoy and be safe on the road.

It is not anymore new to you that the scariest thing about driving or even riding a vehicle is the fact that meeting an accident is always a possibility. Perhaps, with this, the thought of not getting in contact with a vehicle had crossed your mind already. However, you cannot do that because you had grown so dependent on a vehicle. You have no other choice but to minimize, as much as possible, the risks of meeting a road mishap.

Though you would say that it is hard to get away from an accident, there are ways of minimizing at least the possibility of meeting it. Some things could really help.

First, check your vehicle regularly. You know, it doesn’t mean that when your car engine starts just fine today, nothing is wrong. Don’t assume that it is always at its best condition. Assume otherwise. It would greatly help if you ensure that all of the components of your vehicle are at the top of their shape. Many road mishaps are connected to a failing auto part.

Second, as much as the opportunity permits you, keep your vehicle a little isolated from the rest. It is always safe that you have a space where you can do your necessary moves and turns should the need arise.

Third, scan far ahead of you. Don’t limit your vision to the car just in front of you. When you scan farther ahead, you will be given much time to react about certain circumstances that could be happening ahead of you.

Fourth, communicate. You know this. Put your lights and flares on to alert other drivers about your move.

Here are only the first four of nine things to do to help you minimize the risk of meeting an accident. There are more to come and they are guaranteed to be of equal importance with the four mentioned here. Please refer to my future posts for the continuation of these important reminders for drivers like you. Be safe on the road always.

It is a fact that drowsy drivers are usually involved in road accidents. In fact, the National Sleep Foundation had stated that nearly half of all fatal crashes are attributed to fatigue or drowsy driving. To support that, even the Department of Transportation also estimates that about four percent of traffic fatalities in the U.S. are linked to fatigue.

Accident data had established the profile of drowsy drivers as young people (more often are males), those who have changing work hours, drivers who insist on driving through the night, those who drive long distances between breaks, and those who take medication (or even alcohol). Added to the list are drivers who drive frequently and those who drive alone.

However, the curse of drowsy driving does not only concern the driver but it extends even to innocent passengers and even to other people on the road. With that, passengers should be always on the lookout for drivers who sooner or later would fall into a catastrophic sleep in front of the steering wheel. So if you are a passenger, better watch out for these signs:

• Weaving. Have you been noticing that the driver has been, most of the time, making steering corrections? Get that alarm ringing! He could be distracted enough by his fatigue or drowsiness from driving. 
• Erratic or confused behavior. When you notice that the driver had grown so quiet, it is a sign. Also, the same applies when the driver engages in conversations just to stay awake. A more obvious sign is if what he or she is saying doesn’t make any sense at all. 
• Restlessness. Fidgeting. This is a sign that the driver is fighting so much his or her urge to sleep. He or she keeps on moving around--restless as you call it. 
• Tailgating unusually close to other vehicles. More often than not, it’s not only tailgating but any driving style that’s unusually deviated from the normal practice of the driver. 
• The jerking neck. Also called microsleep, this is when the driver really falls asleep for a moment. This is for sure the sign you would not want to see. At least, the other signs involve the driver’s urge to fight it but in this case, it’s different and it’s more dangerous. 
• Other physical signs of fatigue. Signs such as frequent yawning, shallow breathing, and less frequent eye blinking speak of fatigue and drowsiness. 

If you have been observing that the driver right beside or in front of you have these characteristics, then better advise him or her to stop and rest. It would be the safest move of a concerned passenger like you. Let’s all travel safely!

No matter how old or new your car is, it should be expected that it will undergo repairs in its entire lifespan. It is the inevitable part of owning a vehicle. You have to spend some money to keep it in tiptop condition. However, you might get a headache when you know that the vehicle you possess is one of the most expensive models to be repaired. Here take a look at this.

The first on the list are the luxury vehicles Audi A8 and Mercedes-Benz G Class. Both have an estimated $1,640 of five-year repair costs. Joining these two vehicles in the top five are Jaguar XK at $1,629, Land Rover Range Rover at $1,600, and Mercedes-Benz CL Class at $1,540.

Please do note that these estimated costs of repair of the above-mentioned vehicles do not include yet maintenance costs. Meaning, when you own a model included in the list, it would cost you a lot to maintain its good condition through time. However, it does not mean that when you pay too much for repair, these vehicles are of low quality already. The reality here is that what is really expensive in these vehicles is the cost of labor and replacement parts. It is even said that it would require $100 or more per hour of labor for these vehicles compared to $70 per hour for normal vehicles. The cost of labor is explained by the fact that these vehicles have more complicated systems, therefore requiring a technician to take a special class just to master repairing those. Also, the complicated systems make the vehicle be repaired longer than usual, thus eating most of your dollars.

With this fact, if you are in a tight budget, I advise you to choose a vehicle that is not that expensive to repair. In that case, you would maintain the good condition of your vehicle all year round without spending that much.

Traveling is exciting! It could be one’s greatest experience ever. However, traveling, especially those long drives, could result to boredom. Whether you are a driver or a passenger, there are times that you could not help but feel bored. So here are some tips for you to survive the boredom you may encounter when you are off for a long drive.

• Enjoy a good sleep the night before your intended travel. I assure you that you could not survive the road as a sleepy driver!

• Have someone accompany you in your travel. Having someone to talk to or laugh with when you are starting to feel bored could be a great help.

• Perform a mind trick. Instead of thinking that you are 1500 miles away from your destination, think that you are 130 miles away from the next city. In that case, you would have a sense of accomplishment everytime you approach another city or landmark.

• Have a break often. Stop for a while and attend to your needs like going to the restroom or taking a meal or even stretching your arms and legs out. Those actions will surely awaken you.

• Hear your choice of music. Listening to your sort of music could make your soul alive once more, thus helping you forget how many miles left for you to drive.

• Start a conversation with your companion. For sure, you would not notice the time anymore. But be careful also that you don’t attend too much to the conversation that you lose concentration of the road ahead of you. Remember, safety first before anything else.

So what more could I say? Just enjoy your drive, fellow.

I am not in any way against the invention of vehicles. In fact, I think I just can’t live without one. The thought of not riding one in a day did not really come into my mind. Just recently. Perhaps, I could still depend less on vehicles, but for what reasons? Nothing, I just grew too dependent on it that I think I need to learn living without one. Being too dependent on a vehicle is not that good too, I realized.

In connection to that, I stumbled upon ways on how to depend less on your vehicle. I found this worthy of sharing. So let’s all take a look at these.

First, use the services near your residence as much as possible. Check out grocery stores, drug stores, restaurants, clinic, and the like. If establishments like these are near enough your residence, then you could go there by walking. If you do it, you not only saved fuel but also saved money and exercised.

In case you are still about to purchase a house, make sure you consider the proximity of the house to the area where you would be going to most of the time. Take for example your work place. When you own a house near your work place, you would begin noticing that a vehicle is not that important in the first place.

Also, it does not mean that when you own a car, you need not be familiarized with the local public transportation. That’s a real problem to car owners. In times that their car is not available, they feel so crippled to the point that they can no more proceed to their destination. They (or should I say we?) should note that it is possible to go anywhere else without riding in that precious car of yours (or ours)!

If you have time, try walking to places where the distance is possible enough for you to walk. As what is said, everywhere is a walking distance if you have time. Count the days you have lived without using your vehicle. With that, you would know that you are depending lesser on its services.

I hope we can make this! Good luck!

When you are looking for a used car to purchase, what are your criteria? Of course, you should have some. The same applies when you are planning to sell your car. Make sure that you make your car meet your own criteria when you are purchasing a vehicle. It is because buyers most often agree at one set of criteria. With that, you can easily look for interested buyers or make the most dollars out of your old car.

Here are some things that you could consider so that you could have a greater chance of selling your car.

·         Make it presentable. Though it is always said that the exterior of a vehicle does not count so much, still many people would have an impression that the car is well-maintained and properly cared by the previous owner. However, it does not just end in the exterior; make sure that the car’s interior and engine are clean.

·         Fix obvious damage. At least fix damaged headlights, lenses, and the like. Of course, you would not want to give the buyer a reason not to buy your car. So as much as possible, have the damage repaired. More than that, the cost of damage could lessen the actual selling price of your vehicle.

·         Paintless dent repair and airbrush touch-up. Doing these would make the car look better, thus make it more appealing to the buyer. Note that you should ask the assistance of auto professionals in performing these things.

·         Windshield and tires. If there is a crack in the windshield, have it replaced depending on the location and size of the crack. This is because experts say that buyers will easily draw back in buying a car that has a six-inch crack near the driver’s line of sight. On the other hand, the tires should have some tread life still. They must be the proper size.

·         Remember the service records. Make sure you have the record well-organized for your car’s buyer. This is because a service record will give an impression to buyers that the car is properly cared and maintained.

·         Other considerations. Be honest on how you sell your car. Tell the prospective buyer about the real condition of the car and any problem he might be encountering along the way.

So these are all. Hope you sell your car with the most of it.

Here are the third and fourth myths about E85:

Third, it is said that using ethanol as a fuel will eliminate global warming. At first, I thought it would be a yes but it is otherwise. Using ethanol as a fuel would not make the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions to reach almost zero. Reducing CO2 emissions is just the other face of the coin. However, it should be noted that crops where ethanol is gathered from take in CO2 during their growth. When they are harvested, the number of plants that would help reduce CO2 in the atmosphere is lessened. Plus the CO2 they once took in is put back to the atmosphere when it is burned by the engine. Aside from that, people tend to forget that modern farming had led to the use of diesel-powered equipment that emits greenhouse gases. Also, the process of distilling ethanol uses electricity generated from coal, which is a contributor of greenhouse emissions too.

Lastly, it is said that ethanol is cheaper than gasoline. If we really talk about the price, then the answer is yes. However, when we try to look at the larger picture, we will realize that it is not after all. It is said that ethanol, no matter how much you pay for it than regular gasoline, contains lesser energy. Meaning, your vehicle with a gallon of E85 would not run as far as with a gallon of gasoline. Plus, the fuel economy will decrease by 20 to 30 percent.

So that would be all. But before I go, I would just make myself clear. The purpose of this post is not to discourage people to use E85 nor hate it. I just want to give information. Besides, people deserve the right to know both faces of the coin, especially if what is at stake is the condition of the environment, their vehicles, and financial capabilities. Just what is observed in journalism, a journalist should feed the public both sides of the story. It is up to the people where their judgment would lie.

Here we go again. I’ll be talking once again about the present situation of our environment. I can’t get off it. It’s indeed alarming. Now, what about it? Well, it’s another technology that could possibly save millions of lives in this generation, as well as in the next. You already heard of hybrid vehicles? Those are the vehicles that are now powered with different environment-friendly substances. This technology is somewhat similar to this. But still, it is something different.

It’s the Turbosteamer. If you are familiar with Francis and Freelan Stanley’s steamer, then you could well follow me. The same technology that powered their steamer is now being innovated to power steam engine cars. It makes use of the engine’s wasted exhaust gases to give power to the automobile.

In this system, a heat exchanger is located between the engine and the catalyst, which turns water into steam. This steam is then transported to a small steam engine. Another smaller steam engine produces more mechanical energy. When these two engines’ production is combined, a total of 14 horsepower and 15 pounds-feet of torque are generated. With that, fuel economy is improved by 15 percent in overall driving.

Historically, this technology is already being used by BMW with the intention of increasing fuel efficiency of its vehicles. The company is now eyeing to make the Turbosteamer ready for production in some of its vehicles within a decade’s time.

Well, I can only hope this would greatly help. I still wish for more technologies with great intentions like this to be developed in this growing auto world.

I understand that when people are about to purchase a car, they get too excited. However, that excitement should be controlled so as to lead you to the right car you are looking for. This is because, more often than not, buyers commit these mistakes when about to buy a new car:

1. Falling in love with a model.  Forget your emotions. Your emotions could just lead you into choosing the car that is not really suitable for you. Don’t close your options to the vehicle model you want. This would just limit your judgment of other vehicles. If you really want a particular model, your tendency is to ignore other models and embrace all the features it has no matter how good or bad it is.
2. Skipping the test drive. Don’t ever dare do this. You know that the vehicle you will be purchasing is to service you and not simply for decorative purposes. Sure, these vehicles appear as brilliant as they may seem in the glossy brochures of the dealers but you may never be sure that it performs as brilliantly as it appears. Doing a test drive is your only chance to test the vehicle you chose. This would be better than repenting forever why you bought such a ride.
3. Buying unnecessary extras. Don’t be fooled by dealers who sell you other features just to earn extra profit. They are just a waste of money, I tell you. You can refer to my previous post (Getting Away From Irritating Dealers) to view detailed information about this.
4. Negotiating down from the sticker price. Don’t look at the sticker price when you negotiate a deal with the dealer. A $500 discount is not that promising. Know its true cost and work on negotiating it up but lower than the sticker price.
5. Focusing only on the monthly payment when negotiating. Know the real cost of the vehicle you are buying. Though perhaps you would pay just a small amount monthly, you might end up paying for other fees aside from the vehicle’s price and, worse, more than the sticker price! So make sure that you agree on the price of the vehicle first before negotiating the monthly payments for other fees.
6. Buying the “deal” instead of the vehicle. Don’t just buy the vehicle just because you are getting a lot of discounts. Don’t take that bait. Make sure that you want what you’ll be purchasing because in the end you will be the one who will be using it.
7. Waiting until you’re in a dealership to think about financing. Be always prepared. Before you go to a dealer, make sure that you are armed with the knowledge about financing terms. If you are not, you will be more likely to be manipulated by the dealer.
8. Underestimating the value of modern safety features. Don’t just rely on the information the salesperson has to give you about the safety features of a vehicle. Research for the best safety features that will suit your needs and look for vehicles that are equipped with them.
9. Not researching the value of your current car. If you have an old one, know its value so that you can know where you will be getting a good deal on it—trading it or selling it—before buying a new one.
10. Not having a used car checked by an independent mechanic. When you buy a second-hand car, it is not only important that you spend less because in the end you could just find out that you wasted every dollar you spent on that. Have a professional mechanic to check it. Don’t be blinded by the exterior composition of the vehicle; be concerned of its overall condition.

So as much as possible, please avoid being in these situations. There would be no one else who would suffer when buying the wrong one but you. Therefore, make the right decisions. Have a good deal!