By keeping your gas tank filled you avoid the gas line freezing up in cold weather. At the same time driving on “fumes” will allow pieces of dirt from the bottom of your gas tank to make its way through the fuel lines as the last drops of gas cycle through. This debris can and will clog your fuel filter and can cause damage to the carburetor. Also replacing dirty and or old air filters can you can improve your car’s gas mileage by as much as 10%.

When there is a problem with your cars electrical system dont go into a panic mode just yet this could be from a simple blown fuse. So check to see if any fuses are blown before calling a tow truck . . . as this counts as an auto insurance claim when dealing with some insurance companies.

Keep an eye on how much oil your car uses. If you see a sudden change in your vehichles oil consumption you may need to see a local body shop SOONER than LATER.

By changing your brake fluid every 30,000 miles and you can extend the life of your brakes and rotors.

Be sure to check your tire pressure at least once a month. This will add up at the gas pump. Also spotting a tire that is running low on air may be cheaper than waiting to have a blow out and replacing the whole tire.

The constant stop and go traffic when you are going to the store or even work causes wear and tear on your vehicle, give your car a joy ride and go on a twenty minute ride on the highway every couple weeks if you rarely give your car time to run during the average work week. In most cases, using cruise control on the highway will save gas.

For more money saving tips that have to do with car expenses, lets look at your auto insurance payments. If you have or are able to set aside money for out of pocket expenses in the event of an auto accident, you might want to consider increasing your deductible on your car insurance to $1000. This will lower your monthly car insurance payment, and over time you will have saved over $1000 dollars if you have to ever have to file an auto insurance claim. If you have an old car another option to save on auto insurance would be to drop the collision coverage. Car insurance companies have a variety of “hidden” discounts to help save you money. And if you dont ask, your agent probably wont tell. For some other money saving discounts see if the company offers price reductions for driver training courses, car alarms, air bags, anti-lock brakes, students discounts or even for previously maintaining a good driving record.

Do your homework and be careful when buying a car from an auto auction. Many of these vehicles have been damaged in floods and hurricanes and are finding their way on to the market. Be sure to check carefully for signs of rust. There are even websites that give detailed information on used cars to make sure you are getting whats offered, for a small fee. The dealer can also get a CarFax for you, BUT MAKE SURE they are showing you the CarFax for the vehicle being discussed, which you can verify by checking that the VIN numbers match. And when buying a vehicle from a dealer always ask about their return policy . . . get it in writing and read it carefully.

When it comes to getting your vehicle serviced you should always have a few recommendations on hand for honest mechanics because you never know when something is going to go wrong, and ALWAYS call around to get prices for jobs if you are paying out of pocket for them.

It doesnt cost anything to get a second opinion . . . but you will pay for it later if you dont.

Claim Reports: Everyone knows about Credit Reports, but you must also be aware of Claim Reports; C.L.U.E. or Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange, is a service supplied by ChoicePoint, Inc. They state on their website that, “C.L.U.E. is a claim history information exchange that enables insurance companies to access prior claim information in the underwriting and rating process. C.L.U.E. Personal Property reports contain up to five years of personal property claims matching the search criteria submitted by the inquiring insurance company. Data provided in C.L.U.E. reports includes policy information such as name, date of birth and policy number, and claim information such as date of loss, type of loss and amounts paid.”

Car Auto Insurance Tip: C.L.U.E. reports contain information on claim history by a residential address. Just as Credit Reports do at times, a C.L.U.E. report may have errors. It is prudent to acquire a copy of your C.L.U.E. information so that you are able to check it for errors.

Credit reports: Some auto insurance companies look at Credit Reports to determine future insurance premiums. What they have done is that they have determined that people with better credit scores generally have fewer claims. As a result of which if you have a poor credit rating . . . you may also find yourself paying more for your car insurance.

Car Auto Insurance Tip: Always make it a point to at least make the minimum payment for your bills on time, particularly your insurance bill

Glass Coverage: Almost all auto insurance companies suggest that you get “full” glass coverage for a further premium when you acquire collision coverage for your car. They constantly repeat to you how much it will cost to replace all your windows if broken by a vandal. What they keep from you and it is doubtful that even they would even know, is whether your insurance company will use an earlier glass claim to raise your future premium and whether they will detail your glass claims to C.L.U.E.

There are a few insurance businesses that will report your glass claims to C.L.U.E. and then use these claims to raise your premium, or even worse, completely cancel your car insurance policy altogether, risking a rather substantial premium increase. Allstate will notify a customer that after four claims in less than five years, that they will terminate their auto insurance policy, and then offer to sell them coverage in their Indemnity Company with an appalling premium increase. Even if the claims consisted of just one accident, two windshield breaks, and a car that was stolen and then recovered.

This is an example of a letter that Allstate will send to you if you send a formal letter stating that your glass claims should have been under a separate part of the policy for which you paid additional premium separately.

Allstate: “Although this claim activity does not indicate that you were directly at fault in each loss, the frequency and severity of the above losses was not within our range of acceptability. After careful review, I regret to inform you that we cannot reverse our original decision regarding the above policy. We have however continued to offer coverage in our Indemnity Company.”

Car Auto Insurance Tip: Be sure to confirm with the underwriting department of your insurance company whether they will consider glass claims while evaluating premiums, or if they report glass claims to C.L.U.E. If they do report them to C.L.U.E do not make a glass claim. The two windshields that Allstate provides you with are aftermarket windshields which would cost you less than $300 each. While the financial risk of totaling a car can be considerable, the financial risk of restoring a windshield is somewhat inconsequential. It makes little or no sense to file a glass claim if it will increase your premium at the end. You may even choose to reject this coverage altogether and bank the premium.

Car Auto Insurance for leased vehicles: Certain lease agreements necessitate that the car be returned with an OEM windshield. If you lease a car and change a front, or a back windshield using your “full” glass coverage, MAKE SURE that the insurance party provides you with an OEM windshield straight from the manufacturer. If you chose pay for the windshield yourself, remember to check your lease agreement carefully to see if you must use an OEM windshield from the manufacturer or if you can use an aftermarket windshield as well. Some people with leased cars who have changed a windshield with an aftermarket windshield are taken back, when they return the car to find that the leasing company has charged them $800 for a new OEM windshield, even though the aftermarket windshield is in perfect condition.

Car Rental & Towing Coverage: While it may be a great idea for you to have this coverage, it is not always a good idea to use it. Many people have realized that this coverage is not just accessible when an accident has occurred. For example, many people have used the car rental coverage when their car was in the repair shop or the towing coverage when their car broke down in the middle of the road. As goes with glass coverage, the use of this coverage may be considered the same as filing a claim.

Car Auto Insurance Tip: Be sure to confirm with the underwriting department of your car insurance company to see if they will consider rental or towing claims when assessing premiums or if they report these claims to C.L.U.E. If they do report them to C.L.U.E. then do not use car rental or towing coverage unless you have had an accident, in which case it will become a part of the accident claim. If you are also apprehensive about towing costs when your car breaks down, you can buy one of the ‘roadside assistance’ memberships such as the one available from AAA which grants additional benefits that not provided by your automobile insurance policy.

I hope these helped you, be sure to check back for other articles with more auto tips !

There are many great deals out there but it is only a true buyer’s market for the consumer who knows how to get to the best market deal. So, the first thing you should know if you want to buy a new car at really great discount is to know the many programs and strategies available to a consumer. First is that, there is the Cash for Clunker program which shall allow you to trade in low-mpg cars and trucks for up to $4500 credit for you to buy new vehicle. Now you can check if your old car will qualify for the requirements for this program. Second, even of your car does not qualify or if you do not have an old car for trade, you can use the current incentives and the discount rates to buy yourself a new car.

Third, there is the government sales tax deduction. The government to boost the sales of automobiles now allows consumers to deduct from their federal return their car’s sales tax. This could mean as much as $2,250 deduction on $25,000 car. Not bad for lowering the actual price of your car. However, if your state does not have sales tax deduction, you can still lower the price of your car through other tax related programs, such as the deduction on registry fees. Before buying a car, you might want to check the programs available in your state.

Now there is also the Federal Tax Credits. This is for hybrids and other vehicles that are powered by alternative fuels, such as diesel and natural gas. This was created to encourage people to use these types of vehicles. For you this would mean a chance to buy a car at lower price and is fuel efficient.

Any which way you go about it, this is the perfect time to buy a car. You not only get the highest discounts, you can also enjoy the other deductions.

Actually, as far back as 1975, consumers are protected by the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act of 1975 for warranty of the products they purchased. This includes of course your vehicle, whether it is brand new or used car. Each state of course deals with this law differently, especially for used cars. Generally however, all cars, including used cars even without the specific warranty, are covered by the law. Of course you have to go through all the legal process but

For you to claim that your car should be replaced or be refunded under the lemon law, it should have undergone first many unsuccessful repairs. Now, it depends on your state how many, many is and what kind of repairs you had. For instance, in the state of California, repairs on breaks and other life threatening broken parts are given more weigh in court. Also, you can easily make your claim if your vehicle is under dealer or manufacturer warranty. Even if your car is sold “as is” and without warranty, you should check with your state law since it is possible that it is covered.

Now, in case you suspect that you have purchased a lemon vehicle, the first thing that you should do is to keep all your documents and have them photocopied. This includes all the repairs that you have done on the vehicle and all the parts you have replaced. You should also make a copy of your warranty information. Also, it is best to take note of all the conversations you have had with the dealer and with the mechanic or shop during the repairs. Now, as part of your documentation recordings, you must make a record book of every thing, pertaining to the vehicle that you have done since you have purchased it. Take a note of everything including the ones you do not think are relevant. Lastly, contact your dealership and tell them about the problem. Now if they refuse to refund or replace your vehicle, then contact an attorney. But more likely you will not need an attorney because the lemon law actually forces the seller to pay all the legal fees of the plaintiff.