Wow! What a couple of weeks of weather for the Northeast. It looks like we’re in for some milder, spring time temps for the near future, though. The first things that comes to mind here at Big Bucks Auto is spring car care and preparing your vehicle for the warmer weather.

Towards the end of 2009, we told you about winter car care tips to keep your vehicle (and you) safe during cold weather driving.  The following spring car prep tips serve the same purpose – to keep your car in great shape for safe driving or in case you are looking to sell your car.

Spring Car Care Preparation Tips From BigBucksAuto

Some of the steps you can take towards prepping your car for spring are designed to repair your vehicle from months of harsh winter driving. Others are car care steps that should be taken every few months anyway. The coming of spring, though, is the motivation to get them all out of the way at once.

• Undercarriage Road salt – Road salt can damage your vehicle’s undercarriage by eating away or corroding the metal. A thorough cleaning at a car wash should do the trick.
• Check the tires – It’s crucial to check your tires after weather changes because tire pressure changes about 1 pound per square inch for every 10 degrees Fahrenheit change in temperature.
• Wiper blades – Windshield wipers take a beating during the winter weather – wiping away dirt, debris and salt and gravel spray. Make sure the blades are making full contact with the windshield and have not dried out.
• Rotate tires – This should be done roughly every 5,000-10,000 miles and it can extend the life of your tires significantly by reducing wear.
• Change oil and filter – Some car makers suggest changing to a heavier oil to help your vehicle’s engine perform more efficiently during warmer weather.
• Change air filter – Your car’s air filter prevents dust and other debris from getting into the engine’s running parts, meaning less efficient use of gas and weaker engine performance.
• Flush and fill cooling system. This is cheap insurance against engine failure. Experts recommend flushing every 2 years for most vehicles.
• Check radiator and gas caps – Tight fitting caps on the radiator and gas tank are important. Radiator caps can corrode and deteriorate, so it’s a good idea to replace yours as often as you flush the cooling system.
• Check battery and plugs – Make sure battery posts and connections are clean. Spark plugs fire as many as 3 million times every 1,000 miles.
• Clean the interior – It’s easy to use your car or truck as a storage area for all kinds of things (including useless junk and garbage), especially in the cold months when you don’t feel like cleaning your car in the freezing cold. Take the time to de-clutter your car. It’s worth it.

So Long Cold Mornings And Hello Warm Driving Weather

Enjoy the warm weather (and hope we haven’t jinxed ourselves into another massive snowstorm) and make sure your vehicle is ready with these easy, simple spring car care preparation tips. If you have plans to sell your used car, getting a free car appraisal from Big Bucks Auto is a great first step.

I try to remind our readers and customers as often as I can that Kelley Blue Book values can be very misleading. The recent Toyota recall and its effect on Toyota resale values is a prime example of how KBB doesn’t have its finger on the pulse of the market.

Akio Toyoda, the chief executive of Toyota

At Big Bucks Auto, we determine the value of your car or vehicle based on real-time assessments – not a static figure in a book. Some estimates have the resale values of Toyota vehicles declining by 4% to 5% on top of existing depreciation rates.

Where publications like KBB lag, our staff at Big Bucks Auto stays on top of market developments big and small that can alter the resale value of your vehicle.

The Scope Of This Toyota Recall Is Huge

To put this in perspective, the Toyota recall is massive – affecting more than 8 million vehicles – and problems with the gas pedal and as many as three dozen deaths have been attributed to this problem.

Toyota resale values have tanked, as a result

You can expect that 4% to 5% drop in value to continue for Toyota. Even if all the recalled vehicles are fixed or otherwise mitigated, the massive public relations disaster this has turned into will affect the Toyota brand – and resale values – for years.

Essentially, if you own a Toyota, its value is dropping almost daily. The brand’s severely damaged reputation is likely to drag those values down further.

Check out your options and learn a little more about Big Bucks Auto and how you can sell your used car.

There are many great reasons to have an iPhone, as the plentiful iPhone app reviews seem to indicate.  What’s particularly important to realize about owning one, however, is that you do gain access to a large library of applications that are, believe it or not, free.  Moreover, plenty of free applications are extremely useful, and could only serve to enhance your day to day business instead of distract you from it (no slight is intended toward games, of course—we all need the occasional distraction).  The free and useful bit of genius experienced here recently is the Auto Loan Calculator by Antasti Apps; and, needless to say, it is highly recommended for you New Yorkers who need a bit of financial guidance.  Who would refuse some of that in this day and age?

Our Brief iPhone App Review

Let’s face it:  learning how to use this auto loan calculator is not exactly the most difficult task.  But that is precisely why it is so fantastic.  All it takes to get it working (after downloading, which requires an Apple account and such) is the filling of three fields:  Loan Amount, Interest Rate, and Loan Term (how many years you want to pay back the loan in).  After doing that, you will get a recommended monthly payment, which can easily be incorporated into your budget (assuming the amount the app returns is affordable).  In a few screen presses, you can make your finances a much less daunting task, and this is why the auto loan calculator is just so nifty.

You can also extend this app’s range by incorporating just about any other loan you can envisage, provided you know its corresponding interest rate.  So that means if you’re, say, a college student who is wondering about how to pay back student loans, you can put together a reliable schedule of monthly payments by just inputting three numbers.  When you download this app, you are indeed getting more than a simple auto loan calculator.  Of course, if the numbers you see are more than you can handle, you can give yourself a financial boost and sell your car to Big Bucks Auto.

Kelley Blue Book announced its best car resale value winners recently with some interesting results. Although at Big Bucks Auto, we’ve been highly critical of why Kelley Blue Book can be misleading in the past, this list is worth considering.  If anything, we can revisit this list later in the year and see how well KBB’s list performed.

Used Vehicle Resale Values for 2010

Toyota came out on top as the best used car resale value brand, with Lexus taking honors as best resale value luxury brand. Check out the rest of the highlights from the KBB list.

• 2010 BEST RESALE VALUE: BRAND – Toyota
• 2010 BEST RESALE VALUE: LUXURY BRAND – Lexus
• 2010 BEST RESALE VALUE: BY VEHICLE CATEGORY
  • MID-SIZE PICKUP: Toyota Tacoma
  • HIGH-PERFORMANCE CAR: Chevrolet Camaro SS
  • FULL-SIZE PICKUP: Ford F-Series Super Duty
  • HYBRID/ALT. FUEL CAR: Toyota Prius
    

    Toyota Prius - the best hybrid/alternative fuel car resale value for 2010.

  • COMPACT UTILITY VEHICLE: Honda CR-V
  • COMPACT CAR: MINI Cooper Clubman
  • MID-SIZE UTILITY VEHICLE: Toyota Highlander
  • MID-SIZE CAR: Honda Accord
  • FULL-SIZE UTILITY VEHICLE: Honda Pilot
  • FULL-SIZE CAR: Ford Taurus
  • LUXURY UTILITY VEHICLE: Lexus RX 350
  • NEAR-LUXURY CAR: Lexus IS
  • HYBRID/ALT. FUEL UTILITY VEHICLE: BMW X5 Turbo Diesel
  • LUXURY CAR: Audi A5
  • VAN: Toyota Sienna
  • SPORTS CAR: Nissan 370Z
  • 2010 BEST RESALE VALUE: TOP 10 MODELS
    • Audi A5
    • MINI Cooper
    • BMW M3
    • MINI Cooper Clubman
    • Chevrolet Camaro SS
    • Toyota Prius
    • Chevrolet Corvette
    • Toyota RAV4
    • Honda CR-V
    • Toyota Tacoma

Resale Values Are Calculated For A Reason – To Help You Sell Your Car

This list of 2010 used car resale values is designed with one group of people in mind – those thinking about selling their car. In NYC, Big Bucks Auto is one of the largest used car buyers that provides free car appraisals that go above and beyond KBB values. Kelley Blue Book values are certainly not the final say on 2010 used vehicle resale values. Check out BigBucksAuto.com before you sell your car to make sure you are getting the best deal with the least amount of hassle.

When you are stuck in traffic, staring up at that red light that seems like it will never change – don’t blame William Phelps Eno. He was just trying to help.

The history of traffic laws in the U.S. originate primarily with Eno – also called the “Father of Traffic Safety” – and as a New York City native, his drive to create safer travel was inspired by massive traffic jams witnessed in his hometown.  In 1900, he wrote “Reform in Our Street Traffic Urgently Needed” and he became the de facto expert on traffic.

William Phelps Eno...the man with the (traffic) plan, but no car.

Three years later, Eno created New York City’s and the nation’s first traffic code. Interestingly enough, all of this progress and leaps in traffic safety came from a man who never even drove a car…true story.

The History Of Traffic Laws Equals Billions In Fines More Than 100 Years Later

NYS traffic laws and traffic laws governing huge metropolitan areas like New York City have certainly changed since William Phelps Eno first penned the original traffic laws. These days, some say that anywhere between 25 and 50 million traffic tickets are issued each year (not including parking tickets). At approximately $150 a pop, that means anywhere from $3.75 to $7.5 billion is collected each year across the nation.

It’s safe to say that traffic laws are significantly more complicated today that during the dawn of the 20^th Century. Some vehicle owners in large cities (like NYC) rack up thousands in traffic and parking tickets.  For those of you in New York City, perhaps selling your used car could save you the cash and the hassle of forking over hefty fines.

After all, the “Father of Traffic Safety” never even had a car, much less a traffic ticket.

People use car storage for many reasons:  The car, truck or motorcycle might be in disrepair, but you still want to hang onto it; your vehicle is uninsured; or you just want to keep your car protected from harsh winter weather. Whatever your motivation for putting your car into a state of hibernation, there are a few car storage tips that anyone, vehicle veteran or not, can follow with a bit of effort and time.

Car storage tips can make storing your vehicle much easier.

 Hey, if you want your vehicle back on the road with little to no hassle, performing your car storage effectively is a major step in the right direction.

A Handful Of Helpful Car Storage Tips

A lot can happen with poor car storage – including everything from rust and corrosion to gum and varnish in areas that are critical to your vehicle’s performance (like engine oil and the fuel system, for example). 

How Do You Prevent This Type Of Damage From Happening To Your Vehicle? 

Well, getting the car away from the elements is a great start.  If you have a garage that is cool, dark, and dry, then definitely take full advantage of it for your car storage.  If you do not have one, your options remain open. You can either rent a garage (not a bad approach for us New Yorkers) or get yourself a nice car bag or cover.  The latter option(s) should involve a multi-layered fabric that is nice and thick. You don’t want to take any chances.

How About Before The Actual ‘Car Storage’? 

Vehicle storage is an excellent option if done right.

That is, what does one do prior to locking away (or covering up) the vehicle itself?  Let’s start with the fuel situation.  If the gas tank is left empty for the car’s hiatus, condensation in the tank may cause rust; if fuel is present, gradual degradation of the fuel may lead to gum and varnish.  How does one win?  The key is to dispense fuel stabilizer into the tank and give the car a short run to circulate the stabilizer (10-12 miles ought to do).  Should gas fumes be an issue, a half tank is just fine, though a full tank is preferred for proper vehicle storage.

Car Storage Tips Odds & Ends

There is, of course, more to vehicle storage, and this more includes changing the oil and the filter; circulating the oil with a 3-4 mile drive; replacing the spark plugs; cleaning the top of the battery with baking soda and water; loosening the drive belts (unless there is a drive belt tensioner already installed); sealing off the engine openings with cotton; and making sure all the vehicle’s fluids are full.  In essence, there is a lot to vehicle storage.

Looking For A More Permanent Car Storage Solution?

If you’re up to the challenge of perfecting your car storage tips and techniques, feel free to use this article as a jump off point.  But if you think your car is going to be sitting in storage for a while and you find that you are more than able to get along without it, perhaps you ought to sell your car to Big Bucks Auto.  Not only will you get fast cash for your car, you will also no longer have to worry about following these car storage tips.

You know the current cost of living in New York is out of control when a new development in Brooklyn Heights is selling parking spaces for more than a quarter-million dollars.

In fact, the Center for an Urban Future – a New York City think-tank – released a study recently showing how tough it is for middle-class folks to remain in NYC given the exorbitant average monthly living costs.

The numbers are truly staggering and, according to this report, New York City’s middle class is being forced to greener, cheaper pastures. I discussed a few cost cutting strategies in my last post and found that selling your used car in NYC can significantly lighten your cost of living in New York City – maybe enough to keep city-living affordable.

Average Monthly Living Costs In Other Cities Are No Match For NYC

The Center for an Urban Future’s “Reviving the Middle Class Dream in NYC” report is chock-full of jaw-dropping stats and figures. Perhaps the most striking thing is the difference between the cost of living in New York City compared to other metro areas.

The Daily News had a great list of examples comparing metro areas against living costs in NYC:

• A New Yorker would have to make $123,322 a year to have the same standard of living as someone making $50,000 in Houston.
• In Manhattan, a $60,000 salary is equivalent to someone making $26,092 in Atlanta.
• Everyone knows it’s expensive to live in Manhattan, but the report tagged Queens the fifth most expensive urban area in the country.
• The average monthly rent in New York is $2,801, 53% higher than San Francisco, the second most expensive city in the country.

The report also closely compares the difference in average monthly living costs between Manhattan and Houston. The results are just as troublesome for the NYC middle class. Someone moving from Houston to Manhattan would pay:

• 68 percent more for groceries;
• 447 percent more for housing;
• 54 percent more for utilities;
• 22 percent more for transportation; and
• 38 percent more for health care

Report also indicates that those who sell their used car in NYC would mean huge savings

The Center for an Urban Future also took a look at auto insurance rates in NYC. They solicited quotes for a 37 year-old married male driving a 2006 Toyota Corolla with no accidents in the previous 5 years and a spotless bill payment history. Here’s what they found:

An individual with the set of characteristics noted above would pay $880 a year on New Dorp, Staten Island; $1,040 in Co-op City, the Bronx; $1,140 in Maspeth, Queens; $1,250 in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn; and $1,310 in Inwood, Manhattan. In contrast, the rates would be $450 in Atlanta; $610 in Washington, DC, $640 in Chicago, $840 in Houston and $920 in Philadelphia; the Bensonhurst resident would pay between 36 percent (Philadelphia) and 178 percent (Atlanta) more for the same policy.

The bottom line is that you spend far more in NYC as a vehicle owner than you would elsewhere. Selling your used car in NYC makes sense as a middle-class resident. As this report demonstrates, the current cost of living in New York is much too high and eliminating not only insurance costs, but car payments, maintenance and repair bills, and gasoline costs would save you a bundle.

Sell Your Used Car In NYC And Cut Your Average Monthly Living Costs

The numbers tell the whole story. It’s expensive to live in New York City and the current cost of living in New York shows no sign of slowing. But this is our city and a great place to call home. Yes, the cost of living in New York City is high, but with Big Bucks Auto you can sell your car in NYC with no hassle and at a fair price.

Fortunately, cutting expenses at home is a relatively easy task if you take the right approach. You’d be surprised at just how easy it is to reduce your expenses with little effect on your quality of life. As far as cost cutting strategies go, this is good news to those of us in metro areas because one of the easiest ways to dramatically cuts costs in New York City is to sell your used car.

How to Reduce Living Costs 101

Cutting costs is a practice that is indeed easy to learn but can be difficult to master.  There are several straightforward actions that can produce considerable results. However, maintaining these practices over a significant period of time is where the hard part of cost cutting strategies comes into play. Generally, cutting costs at home turns out to be a blend of small steps – turning off lights not in use – and giant leaps – for New York City folks, selling your used car.

Here are some basic cost cutting strategies everyone can handle:

• Mind The Utilities –You know the drill: Do full loads of dishes and laundry (line dry when practical); keep appliances and electronics off (or in a low-power state) when unused; make efficient use of heat and water; make sure your home or apartment is as energy-efficient as possible.  If you start slow and pay close attention to any change in your utility bills, this approach can become second-nature.
• Watch The Grocery/Food Bill – Planning meals and creating detailed, wallet-friendly grocery lists are a fairly manageable part of cost cutting strategies.  Resisting the temptation to dine out often with family, friends, or coworkers is crucial in keeping food costs minimal. This doesn’t mean you have to avoid dining out altogether, but cutting back when you are able can and does work miracles for your wallet.
• Be Aware Of The Big Picture – People’s expenses vary in a number of ways. Take an hour or two when you’re feeling inspired and identify the key money-wasters on your list of expenses.  If you find any you know you could live without—and, most importantly, still live happily—then it’s time to cut ‘em and start thinking about other things you can do with the money you save.

Go Big With Your Cost Cutting Strategies and Sell Your Used Cars In New York City

With high gas prices and insurance costs, as well as your easy access to mass transit as a New York City resident, selling your used car should be on your list of cost cutting strategies.  Selling your car can be a huge leap, but figuring out how to reduce expenses couldn’t be easier.

Cutting costs at home means the money you save as a result is more than enough to take care of the mass transit expenses, and is more than ready to be spent on other ventures or saved. 

Check out exactly how you can sell your used car in New York City with Big Bucks Auto.

No one enjoys a car accident – from fender benders to major damage. The headaches are many, including haggling with insurance companies; repairing your vehicle or buying a new one; and the hassle of making all of that happen without your car.

So why deal with an increased likelihood of an auto accident during the winter by keeping a vehicle you may, after all, not need? Consider selling your car in New York City to avoid those winter hassles.

Winter Driving Is More Than Just Hazardous Roads

The obstacles on the road during the holiday season—in addition to the ones that include heavy traffic and frantic shoppers—do indeed take their toll throughout the months.   It is no surprise that insurance companies are at their busiest during this time of the year; as a matter of fact, claim adjusters will be taking care of, on average, over five accidents each day throughout the winter months.  You, of course, do not want to be one of the auto accidents they are handling, nor do you want to be one of many people in line at an extremely busy rental car company.

Winter driving is another reason to sell your car.

Another thing to consider, especially for those of us who have lived through some tough Northeast winters (especially in New York), is the size of your car. The push is certainly on to drive smaller, more fuel efficient cars. But those smaller, lighter cars don’t perform as well on roads battered by winter weather. Kudos to those who bought smaller cars in an effort to lessen their carbon footprint, but maybe you should sell your car in New York altogether to avoid scary winter driving.

No Need To Risk A Winter Accident

Winter accidents are every bit as unpleasant as they are likely.  Considering that both AAA and FEMA do not condone driving in the winter months, it’s probably a good idea to reconsider your options when it comes to transportation. 

You can view the winter months as an opportunity to take advantage of alternative means to get from A to B—means that do not require you to weather (no pun intended) dangerous roads and cranky insurance personnel.   Again, auto accidents are already bad enough regardless of when they happen, and you should not have to deal with the added frustration of a winter occurrence.

There is a healthy section on this blog describing the specifics of transportation alternatives.  All the advice given here is just as valid for avoiding winter car accidents as it is for saving both money and the environment.  Heed it wisely.

Sell Your Car In New York City, Evade The Winter

With the blizzards, and possible car accidents, just around the corner, it is time to think about how your vehicle is going to handle them (or get around them). 

Should you have a vehicle which is capable of handling the change in conditions, be sure to have a look at our blog post on using winter car care to protect your vehicle’s resale value. 

However, if you’re thinking that the risk is just not worth it, we are more than happy to have a look and see how much you can get to sell your car in NYC.

Depending on where you live, your car takes a beating each winter. There’s no avoiding it – snowy conditions; salt and sand-treated roads; icy fender benders, and more. For all of the trouble that winter can be for drivers, there are a few winter car care tips that make cold weather car care worth the time.

The best part is that just a few preventative steps can help preserve the resale value of your car.

Oh, and in addition to taking care of your car in the winter, you should also never – ever – drive like this: 

Preventative car care in the winter is crucial, but pretty simple

Most of the things you should do to keep your car clean, safe and healthy during the winter are obvious to even the lesser attentive car owners. You just have to make sure these cold weather car care tips don’t slip through the cracks. You’ll be glad you took the time for proper winter car care when it comes time to sell your car.

The best way to look at winter car care is a general check-up of your car – inside and out. Here’s a basic list of winter car care tips:

• Tune Up – A no-brainer – tune-ups should be part of your regular maintenance, anyway. For better performance and gas mileage – as well as a smoother winter ride – a comprehensive tune-up is the right move.
• Check car battery – Car batteries and winter weather do not get along well. Try to check your battery in the late summer or early fall to see if it needs attention or replacement. That way, you’re not stuck in your driveway or parking spot at 8:30 a.m. on a frigid winter morning trying to get your hands to stop shaking enough to clamp jumper cables onto your battery. A healthy, functional battery will help insure your car starts in the morning and you can avoid taxing other systems in your vehicle (like the starter).
• Check, monitor antifreeze – The name pretty much says it all – antifreeze. It keeps your engine cool while running and won’t freeze in the delivery lines or radiator in the extreme cold weather. Check levels in the coolant reservoir while the engine is cold, so the antifreeze isn’t still circulating through the engine.
• Oil Filter; Belts and Hoses – This might normally fall under tune-up, but it’s incredibly important to make sure your oil is high quality and clean; your filters are clean; and make sure your belts and hoses aren’t cracked or otherwise compromised. All of these aspects of your vehicle are more stressed in winter given the extreme temperatures.
• Tires; Wipers and Windshield – If you drive in the winter, especially in the Northeast, you will inevitably have to drive on snow, ice, sleet, or a mixture of all three. Tire tread, as well as tire pressure, are important to keep traction in those dangerous conditions.  Also, make sure your wipers are in good condition and act to create optimum visibility in bad weather.
• Paint – The exterior and undercarriage of your car takes a severe beating over the winter months, thanks to salt, sand and other mixtures that are used to clear or de-ice the roads. These elements end up all over your car and encrusting the undercarriage of your vehicle. A heavy coat of wax at the beginning of the season should offer some protection and getting to the car wash as needed will keep the salt and sand from slowly eating away at your exterior paint, as well as the body of the car itself.

All of these cold weather car care tips mean more cash for your car

It’s a simple maxim – the better you care for your car, the more you are likely to get for it when you sell it. A winter of rough travel in an unprepared vehicle can cause lasting damage. Even if you have no plans to sell your car in the near future, it’s best to heed these few winter car care tips in the event that you could sell your car someday.

If that day is soon, take a look at how we buy used cars at Big Bucks Auto and other factors that affect car resale  values.