Cheap auto insurance or maybe better said affordable auto insurance is what most people is looking for.

It doesn’t matter what kind of economy we have cheap auto insurance is what most people want. That’s why there is so much advertising and competition among auto insurance companies. If you can save some money with cheap auto insurance then at the end of the day you have more money in your pocket. That was real wisdom there. In all seriousness most people really need to look for ways to save money because every penny counts. Depending on the type of vehicle you have, whether it’s a new car, used car or a lease car will the a factor on the amount of insurance and the cost of the policy. Another thing is the insurance company may want to do pre-inspection to document previous damage so they won’t be responsible for the damage that was already there if there is a claim filed.

There are many auto insurance companies advertising cheap auto insurance so you have to do a lot of comparison shopping comparing each companies pluses and minuses which is no easy task. There needs to be some understanding what the different auto insurance coverages are and what they offer in case you need to use them. You don’t want to wait until there is an accident to find out your auto insurance coverage isn’t gonna cover your losses. That’s where comparing auto insurance companies comes in and a thoroughly in depth comparison can really save you a lot of money. You really need to weigh if a cheap auto insurance policy will be enough coverage.

 Cheap Auto Insurance criteria

There are two major stipulations but not the only ones in order to get cheap auto insurance:

• Good driving record – no accidents or moving violations would get you a cheap auto insurance policy.
• Good credit – If you have a high credit score that will be good in your favor to get a cheap auto insurance.
• Combined between having a good driving record and having a good credit score will ensure you with the best possible rate.

Take a look at the different coverages that auto insurance companies offer:

• Liability
• Collision
• Glass
• Car rental
• Gap
• Road service
• Medical
• Uninsured motorist

 Cheap Auto Insurance breakdown

There are more coverages but I just wanted to briefly cover some of the more common coverages.

Take a look at what the details of the different coverages that auto insurance companies offer.

• Liability: When your at fault and your auto insurance company pays for damages you caused whether accidental or negligent to the other vehicle and personal injury
• Collision: Your auto insurance company pays for your losses too in the event the accident is your fault and usually comes with a deductible, $500 is the average…the higher the deductible the cheaper auto insurance
• Glass coverage: If a rock hits your windshield if you have this coverage your auto insurance company will pay for the installation of a new windshield
• Car rental: This is the allowance of a rental car while your car is being repaired.
• Gap insurance: In the event your car is totaled in a collision, the auto insurance company will pay the difference between the book value and what is owed on the vehicle.
• Road service: This is similar to AAA road service but you have to pay up front in most cases and then your auto insurance company will reimburse you.
• Medical: Covers the medical bills if there is serious injury
• Uninsured motorist: Covers your car if the person who damaged your car doesn’t have insurance.

This is a brief overview of what an auto insurance policy covers and just brings to light some points of the different coverages that consists of an auto insurance policy. Cheap auto insurance policies are out there but you have to look for them and you have to meet the criteria.

An ongoing problem is to restore body side molding and bumpers is if they are textured they will look worn over time.

The molded color fades and in some cases they get scratched or gouged. You can paint them to make them look better or you can use a heat gun like in the video below to bring them back to an original look. The problem in some cases with the body side molding and bumpers are gouges and deep scratches which can be an issue. If the body side molding and bumpers have this issue and are damaged then this may not work for you. You will have to decide if the body side molding and bumpers are beyond this type of repair.
If the body side molding and bumper covers are heavy textured then trying to repair them with a filler won’t turn out too good. If they are very light textured then you’ll have a better chance filling them in with a filler before painting. If you have to do this by filling then you will have no choice but to paint the body side molding and bumper covers with the proper paint.

As your Car, Truck or SUV gets older the body side molding and bumper covers that come on a lot of the vehicles today starts to show it’s age. Most of the time people just leave them and they get worse over time, until they look so ugly they make the vehicle look older than it really is. Other times it’s not until someone makes a comment about how ugly they are that puts an emphasis on them. Or it’s when you decide to sell your Car Truck or SUV and you realize it could bring the value down and cost you money or even a sale, then you get motivated to make them look better. Another problem is car wax that’s not wiped off good which turns them to look streaked and worn usually with a white haze and sometimes chalky looking. If this happens then you have to use a strong brush with detergent to get the car wax out. In some cases you have to use a solvent to get the car wax out before using the heat gun to bring them back.

Restore Body Side Molding and Bumpers

Plastic car molding or better known as body side molding has the ability to be restored by applying heat to them. If you do this it should be done in a well ventilated area because it gives off an odor. The other alternative would be to paint them which involves a lot of prep work and takes time.

Sometimes if you can’t get the desired look by using the heat gun, then the only other alternative is to paint them. Usually stress points in the body side molding and bumpers will be difficult to get out but using the heat gun should make them less noticeable.

Car wax should not touch any of the body side molding unless the body side molding and car bumper covers are painted to match the vehicle. In this case car wax is okay to use because the body side molding finish and car bumper covers are painted with a urethane clear coat finish and are as smooth as the rest of the vehicles finish. It’s when the  body side molding and bumper cover is molded plastic and the color is molded into the plastic itself is when you have to keep the car wax off of the body side molding completely. There is no need to use wax because there are other car detailing products that are design for this like Armor All or similar vinyl protection.

Tips to restore Body Side Molding and Bumpers

If you get too close and you get car wax on the body side molding and bumpers then make sure you wash it off with a detergent and a brush right away so the car wax doesn’t have a chance to dry. If this does happen it will be harder to clean or to get the desired finish. There are countless car detailing products on the market that are geared toward restoring these car trim moldings. Some of these car detailing products work and some don’t. When choosing car detailing products, do a search online first to see the feedback is good so you don’t waste your time or money on just any car detailing products.

Car detailing products are designed to make it easier to clean and maintain body side molding and bumper covers that are textured. Make sure to clean the body side moldings and bumper covers good  before you try this with the heat gun. The body side moldings and bumper covers should be dry before doing this also.

Take a look at the video below to see the procedure and see it done in real time. In this video this is a rear door body side molding on a Jeep Cherokee Sport. The video is about 4 minutes long. Remember to restore body side molding and bumpers so your vehicle always looks good.

It doesn’t matter if your leasing a new car, truck or suv, the same principle applies to all three.

See my other articles on buying a used car and on buying a new car. Leasing a new car is similar to buying except after 3 years you have to give the car back! It’s kind of like renting a car long term. When you rent a car, you have full use of it but it’s limited to your rental agreement. At the end of the lease you have to give the vehicle back too. In essence Leasing a new car is a long term rental with the option to buy at the end of the 3 years.

Depending on your situation, Leasing a new car can be a good alternative to both buying a new car or buying a used car. If you plan on always having a car payment, then leasing a new car every 3 years could be a good option. You don’t lose on a trade in because when your lease is up, your out, give the car back. If you bought the car then after 3 years you would have to trade your car in. When leasing there are no worries of losing money on your trade in.

When leasing a new car

There are other  things to keep in mind like you can’t bring that vehicle back with any kind of damage. It needs to be very well taken care of because, if it has damage, then you’ll be hit depreciation charges that could run very high. The mileage usually can’t exceed10k miles a year on most leases with an additional charge for every mile over the 10k. You really need to know how many miles you average a year in order to determine if it’s gonna work for you.

Leasing a new car usually you can pay for the overage at the beginning of the lease before you use them because you get a discount if you pay up front on the excessive mileage. Say at the end of the lease you go over the mileage by 2k per year times 3 years is 6k miles and it’s say 0.27 cents per mile. This equals $1,620 over the 3 year period but if you purchase the excessive miles beforehand then they would give you a discount of say 0.17 cents per mile = $1,020 which would be a $600 savings over the 3 years.

This only works if you know how many miles you average per year and you can pin the miles close so you don’t run into any surprises at the end of the lease. Another point is the total vehicle price. The total price doesn’t have such a huge impact on a lease because it’s only based on 3 years and makes getting in that vehicle a little easier with a lower monthly cost.

When leasing a new car I don’t want to forget a key component to all this; you have to have “A tier” credit to get the best rates. At the time of this writing, a FICO credit score of 750 or above will give you the best rates. The dealership will pull all 3 credit bureau reports and scores then take your highest score to qualify you.

Leasing a new car conclusion

It is nice when Leasing a new car that your driving a brand new car every 3 years with no stress of repair bills or having to worry how much money it will be costing you over and above the initial purchase. The money for those periodic maintenance repairs that come after 40k miles or so can be some what expensive. When you put it all together leasing a new car has it’s good points and it’s bad points but overall with the cost of buying a new car, it could be a good alternative to a new car purchase.

Lets take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of buying a used car.

You have to figure in the possibility that a used cars, pre-owned cars or previously owned cars will breakdown and the repairs could be costly. Then you have to rely on a service repair shop fixing your car and hoping the repair isn’t going to cost too much. Buying a new car or leasing a new car isn’t for everyone. Buying a used car is the other option and has it’s advantages especially when it comes to price.

Buying a used car pointers

Buying a used car can be more affordable but usually out of warranty most of the time. An extended warranty on a used car can be expensive but I highly recommend getting one. Used car warranty’s are okay but they usually don’t match what you get with a new car warranty. Sometimes a used car warranty may have a small deductible, which means you’ll have to pay a portion of the repair bill.

You should consider the possibility of a used car breaking down and the repairs could be costly. This is why you should keep an extended warranty in mind to help cover most of the cost if the car breaks down. Also a used car will be more affordable to insure too.

Also carry a AAA membership in case you need to get towed to a repair shop. If you don’t have an extended warranty then you will have to rely on a service repair shop  or dealership servicing your car,truck or suv and hoping the repair isn’t going to go over your budget because it’s coming out of your pocket. Not to mention having to get rides to work or having to rent a car while yours is being repaired if the shop don’t have a free loaner.

Car inspection – When shopping for a used car make sure you examine it thoroughly. You or someone you know who has experience to identify potential problems with a vehicle should inspect it for issues. Another alternative is to take it to a trusted repair shop or auto mechanic to have them check it out and give you an estimate on what repairs, if any may have to be addressed. They may be able to spot other problems like frame damage which could be unsafe. Then you can negotiate a price with the seller or dealer if your still interested in buying.

Buying a used car checklist

Here is a short vehicle inspection checklist of things to look for when inspecting a vehicle. Open the hood and check the oil to see if it’s full and look at the color of the oil. If it’s black then the oil hasn’t been changed in a while which could be an indication of the maintenance or lack thereof that was done. Check

the level of transmission fluid to see if it’s full and for color. The color should be cherry red in color. The transmission fluid is a little tricky because the vehicle should be driven a bit so it’s warm and then put in park and check the fluid while the car is idling. This procedure will give you an accurate reading on the dip stick.

Check tire wear and overall condition to determine if your comfortable with the purchase of the vehicle. There is a lot more to this but because this is an article and not a manual, it’s better to leave it there. I’m not trying to discourage anyone from buying a used car but just pointing out the simple things to look for when buying a used car.

Let me just say there are many good and reliable used cars, trucks and suv’s out there that will give you fewer problems than others so do a Google search and see what others are saying about the vehicle your interested in. I hope this helped so you know I will be adding more information like a used car checklist,questions to ask when buying a used car & what to look for when buying a used car so keep coming back to see more on buying a used car.

I would like to give buying a new car tips and ideas or maybe more of a quick guide should you consider buying a new Car.

This article applies to most any vehicle on the market. See my article on leasing a new car to compare whether leasing a new car or buying a new car is the right move for you. This isn’t a comprehensive article but sort of an overview touching on some points that maybe you haven’t considered when buying a new car . With that said, lets take a look at  buying a new car. Let me start off by saying that buying a new car is usually the second biggest investment someone will make next to buying a home.

The odds are pretty good that a new home purchase won’t actually be a “new” as in brand new never lived in home but a used or pre-owned one that is new to you. So with that being said, I guess buying a new car is the biggest “new” investment that most of us will make in our lifetime

Okay so what are the advantages and disadvantages of buying a new car?
buying a new car is fun and can be exciting because it will be yours, that’s pretty cool. It’s got that new car smell and the vehicle is flawless. Inside and out that new vehicle makes you feel like a million bucks when you drive anywhere. You are just making up excuses to go driving.

When buying a new car everything is new and perfect, the steering is responsive and the braking can even be fun to see how quick you can stop. You just can’t wipe that smile off your face…yes it’s that good. Well I just wanted to get that part out there because those are the touchy, feel good parts of the buying a new car… buying experience. Now lets get to the more serious reasons that make this a practical and hopefully good investment.

When your buying a new car whether it’s leasing or buying, it’s under warranty and for at least the next three (3) years all you have to worry about is making the monthly payment No surprises as far as service is concerned apart from regular maintenance. No worrying about auto mechanic cost for repairs. If you plan on keeping the vehicle more than the warranty period then you should seriously consider an extended warranty and check my site as I will be giving extended warranty tips.

I have worked in the auto industry for a long time and understand what is involved with buying a new Car, Truck or SUV  purchase. The nice part of buying a new car; you don’t have to worry about it’s history or anything else along those lines. It’s a lot less time consuming than buying a used car. It’s so much easier to buy new if you can afford to. On the other hand it’s a big purchase.

Buying a new car & financing

The biggest drawback to buying a new car are the  Prices & rates and the total cost of car loans especially if you don’t have a trade-in which equal discounts. This is usually when people get “sticker shock”  when buying a new car. buying a new car can be expensive, just search for buying a new car guide or go to some local car dealers and look at the dealer invoice price.

The dealer invoice prices is where you’ll see the breakdown of the new car quote along with dealer cost which is what it cost the auto dealers. buying a new car the auto insurance cost is higher because of the replacement value in the event that it gets totaled in a collision or stolen and then the insurance company has to replace the vehicle.

The depreciation of a new vehicle takes it’s biggest hit when you drive it off the lot which could be as high as $4,000 and then usually drops by roughly $1,500-$2,000 or so each year after that. Of course those numbers are not 100% as I just through them out there instead of using percentages. While percentages are more accurate sometimes it’s better to see actual numbers to put it in more perspective. I was thinking $30,000 as a mid-range number.

Just some quick math with buying a new car, nothing written in stone but  looking at a $30,000 vehicle with under a 100 miles mwould be worth around $26,000 once driven off the lot. Then a couple thousand each year makes that $30,000 vehicle worth roughly $17,000-$18,000 or so after 5 years with the right miles. Again I’m just using quick math because of time and space reasons. There is a lot more that goes into the equation but I think you get the idea.

Anything over the average mileage per year is going to have a negative impact on the depreciation. This is vehicle dependent as far as depreciation because the residual value of some vehicles are a lot better than others. At the time I wrote this article Honda, Lexus, BMW, Mercedes Benz are good examples of vehicles that hold better residual values. This is just to give you a quick hypothetical example of how the car market works. There is more that goes into the equation than this like options the vehicle has… etc.

In closing I want to briefly recap the the good and bad points of buying a new car:

The Good:

• 3 or year warranty – no auto repair cost
• Piece of mind that you won’t get stranded
• You know the history of the vehicle
• It’s got that new car smell

The Bad:

• Depreciation in the first year is huge
• Insurance is usually higher
• Keeping it free of dents, dings & scratches
• Keeping it clean & looking new

As with every major purchase that we make, there is research that needs to be done in order to make the right informed decision and not leaving anything to impulse. I hope I have helped with my point of view on buying a new car.

Thanks for visiting Car Paint Colors, take a look around. There are articles and videos that are geared toward Car Paint Colors and other automotive related information.

You can check out my YouTube channel carpaintcolors for videos I have personally made & posted teaching different methods and techniques  on how do to various DIY auto repair.

I will  be posting DIY paint touch up videos and overall auto body repair instructions so keep Car Paint Colors bookmarked and keep checking back for updated information.