Rides : Things your automaker isn't telling you

You've done your research. You've test driven the vehicles you're considering. You think you're a well-informed consumer, right?
Well, there are things automakers aren't telling you. But it's not necessarily a case of deception. It's just the quickly changing auto industry.
Here then, are 10 things your automaker isn't telling you.
"If your tire pressure is low, you have a 25 percent chance of guessing which one."
The federal government requires that all automakers equip new cars with tire-pressure monitors. There are two types. One uses a sensor at each wheel to measure the precise pressure. It's more expensive than the other one, which signals the driver if one wheel is turning at a slower speed than the others. This version, which is more common, doesn't tell you which tire is low. In most cases, the low-tire pressure light can only be reset by the dealer.
"We did away with the spare tire."
Don't look now, but your next car may not have a spare tire. Some cars, such as the Chevrolet Cruze Eco, replace the spare tire with a tire-inflator kit. Ditching the spare tire and jack saves 26 pounds, and helps improve fuel economy. Other cars, such as the Mazda MX-5 Miata, don't have room for an on-board spare.
"Our new option is the same as our competitors."
The global recession has thinned the number of automotive suppliers. This means that some options, such as voice activation, transmissions or a night-vision camera, are supplied to every automaker by the same suppliers.
"Smoking will cost you extra."
All cars and many trucks were once fitted with ashtrays and lighters. Space once used for ashtrays is taken up by a cupholder or mobile phone slot. If you want one, it's usually optional, if it's offered at all.
"You'll need that optional rear-view camera."
The current trend in design has seen vehicles with small windows and high trunk lids. This makes it difficult to see out of the back window while backing up. Rear-view cameras, which come on when the car is in reverse, are becoming a mandatory option for those concerned with safety.
"You can't fix your car anymore."
According to an engineer at General Motors, the average new car or truck has 23 CPUs in it. Some hybrids have more lines of computer code than it took to launch the first rocket to the moon. Aside from an oil and filter change, most maintenance can no longer be handled by shade-tree mechanics.
"The $500 option you want will cost you $2,000."
Most options are no longer available individually; you must buy them in an option package. This is convenient for automakers; it lessens their costs. But it raises yours if you want an option that's available only in a package with features you don't want.
"We can't afford to build a compact pickup."
If you wonder why foreign automakers don't offer more compact pickups in the United States, there's a simple reason for that: They can't do it profitably. Detroit automakers offer full-size pickups that start at $21,000 to $22,000 before rebates, which can go as high as $4,000. That puts a full-size pickup at the same price as an imported compact pickup.
"We love it when you buy crossover SUVs."
While crossover SUVs such as the Toyota Highlander or Honda Pilot look like trucks, they are based on platforms used for midsize cars, such as the Toyota Camry or Honda Accord. But automakers can charge significantly more for a crossover, even though the cost of manufacturing isn't significantly higher than that of a sedate family sedan.
"Your perception of us is out of date."
Most car buyers only enter the market every five to seven years, so it's likely that their perception of automakers dates back that far, or farther. While many buyers perceive American cars to be not as well-built as foreign ones, many domestic manufacturers offer models built or designed overseas. The Ford Focus was designed in Germany; the Buick Regal is built there. Meanwhile, the reliability of some domestic models is superior to that of their foreign competition, according to Consumer Reports and J.D. Power and Associates, among others.

Rides : Porsche recalls 1,702 units of 911 (2010-11) – Says wheels can loosen

It seems that the automakers are not satisfied with their make and now after realizing the problem that could be fatal and that time had already slipped on to public, automakers are calling back the vehicles they produced.

Besides Mazda who had recalled 494,500 units of Mazda3, even Porsche has made an attempt to recall for clearing up the defects. A perfect car for all that has ruled for long has been recalled by Porsche.
It is Porsche 911 with 1,702 units that have been recalled home since Porsche believes that their wheels can loosen. The car is equipped with racestyle center-locking wheel-retention system that helps lowering down the weight as well as wheel flex of the car.
The variants that are included in the recall of 1,702 units are 911 GT2 RS, the GT3 and GT3 RS, the 911 Turbo and Turbo S. These cars are recalled since the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration had come to a conclusion that the wheels of these cars could loosen.
The NHTSA while stating the summary of the problem had announced that over time, the center-locking hubs can wear prematurely. They also added that as the hubs wear, the wheels could loosen, mounting the risk of a crash.
Following that, Porsche had also confirmed and proclaimed that there is a small possibility, but is only most likely with the racecars. An example has also been set in August 2010, when the center wheel hubs of the three 911 Carrera GT3s failed during the semi-professional racing conditions. However, Porsche had also announced that no such cases have been reported during public road use.
Those who own Porsche 911 with center-locking wheel retention system can contact the company at 1-800-767-7243 for more information.

Rides : Best ways to save gas

We all know and feel how gas prices affects our pockets. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, is a primary actor in determining the price of crude oil as its members produce about 58 percent of the world’s supply, according to their website.

And the bad news is that yesterday (June 8), oil prices climbed again above $100 per barrel Wednesday after OPEC unexpectedly announced that it will keep production levels where they are.
So what we can do – how can we save some gas. Yes there are plenty of ways to save money on gas. Here are the best solutions.
Use a GPS or map your route
Use a GPS navigator or an online mapping service, such as Bing, Google, or Yahoo, to find the most effi¬cient route. You can save allot of miles if use the best way! Also – sometimes highways are more efficient to use even if you have to travel a couple of miles more. The idea is that the engine remains at a constant speed and will burn less fuel.
Get your car road-ready
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, fixing a car that is out of tune or has failed an emissions test can improve gas mileage by 4 percent. Replacing a faulty oxygen sensor can boost fuel economy by as much as 40 percent.
Tires can help save gas
Don’t overlook your tires when it comes to saving fuel. Under-inflated tires, for instance, require more energy to roll along, which eats up more gasoline. They also cause a tire to wear more quickly. Use a tire gauge at least once a month to keep them inflated at the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended pressure.
Compare gas prices
Yes gas prices can fluctuate allot from one state to another. GasBuddy.com can be your best friend here.
Driving style can save allot
Rapid acceleration and quick stops can reduce fuel economy. Avoid rapid acceleration and hard braking. Drive at the posted speed limit. Increasing your highway cruising speed from 100 kph (62 mph) to 120 kph (75 mph) can increase fuel consumption by about 20 percent.
Don’t be a drag. Don’t add to your car’s aerodynamic drag by carrying things on top of the roof if you don’t have to. When we installed a large car-top carrier on our Camry, gas mileage dropped by a notable 6 mpg when we drove at 65 mph.
Skip the gas-saving gadgets
After testing several devices that were claimed to improve fuel efficiency, consumer reports find one that provides a significant dif¬ference in gas mileage or acceleration.Moreover,the EPA’s website lists scores of such devices that the agency tested, with similar results.
And finally - The most effective way to cut your gasoline use is to buy a more fuel-efficient car.

Rides : The Top 20 Dumbest Car Accessories

As much as car manufacturers want to think of their creations as perfect little mechanical angels, not every car buyer is satisfied with them in their stock forms. How else would you explain why the aftermarket tuning biz is still pretty healthy, even in this economy?

However, not every driver looking to personalize his or her ride wants to dump thousands of dollars on improving things like looks, acceleration, handling or any other major categories. Lots of people are perfectly content with smaller accessories and trinkets, and there are millions of them out there serving a litany of purposes. Unfortunately, with such a large crop of motoring bolt-ons and tschotskes on the market, there are bound to be a few stinkers. We’ve assembled 20 add-on atrocities after the jump for your viewing…uh…amusement?

Truck Nuts

It’s often said that drivers of big pickup trucks are overcompensating for something (three guesses as to what that something is). So it’s rather appropriate that there is at least one company (plus a few imitators) selling big, plastic, er, scrota that attach to a trailer hitch receiver. What do these accomplish? Asserting that your rig’s a dude? That flashing is one of your hobbies? That you’re a firm believer in Freudian theories? We really don’t know, and not sure we want to know.

Crybabies

Sometime in the 1990s, somebody apparently thought it would be hi-larious to dress up a toddler-sized doll and pose it leaning on a hot rod so it looked like it was leaning on the front of the car, face buried in its arms, and crying. Well, the munchkin mannequins quickly exploded in popularity to the point where you couldn’t go to a single hot rod or muscle car show without seeing a seven-nation army of the damn things. Thankfully, their ubiquitousness is all but a memory these days, though there are still a select few that still whip ‘em out come show time. Their reward? Being ostracized by the rest of the hot rodding community. WINNING!

Car Bra

Generally speaking, we’re fans of lingerie on women. But what about lingerie on cars, specifically car bras? Not. So. Much. Aside from the potential to trap moisture, scratch the paint by buffeting at speed, and create the automotive equivalent of a tan line in the finish (Hmm…another thing we find far less objectionable on a lady than we do an automobile.), it’ll also make you popular with amateur car spies who mistake your ride for a camouflaged future car (Veterans like Brenda Priddy will know better.), at least until they get tired of you unintentionally duping them. Then you won’t be so popular.

Whistle Tips

Not every car accessory can be credited with helping to launch a bona fide Internet meme, so whistle tips are in pretty elite company. Such a pity they manage to be both laughably pointless and annoying enough to be the target of bans in certain areas. Put another way: Bubb Rubb’s enthusiasm fought the law and the law won. Thank goodness.

Stick-On Vents

These days it seems like luxury car designers have a colossal hard-on for fender vents. No surprise, then, that making aftermarket vents that simply stick on via double-sided tape has become big business. You can purchase them from many different sources in all shapes and sizes, but they all have one thing in common: They will not make your Civic or Cavalier appear any more stately and/or sporty. Besides, what’s so prestigious about making it look like your engine runs hot?

“Mileage-Boosting” Widgets

We’d all love to spend less money on fuel, especially in this day and age. Good thing there are scores of gadgets and geegaws – ranging from an electronic module that plugs into your cigarette lighter to magnets that clamp onto your fuel lines – out there to bump up your gas mileage. Only one small, teensy tiny problem: Independent test after independent test has proven none of them. Do. Jack.

Think about it: Why hasn’t Big Oil bought up all their patents to keep such products off the market? Or the EPA mandated them as standard equipment on all new cars and trucks? If you can’t answer that, could you at least tell us if you’d be interested in purchasing an old suspension bridge over the East River from us?

Gold-Plated Trim

Nothing says “f*ck-you money” better than gold (except platinum. Then again, how much platinum jewelry do you see relative to the gold stuff?). So if you want to at least look like you’re makin’ it rain, you want to flash copious amounts of the stuff, whether on your person or on your ride.

Gold plating has been around for many, many years, and has been upping the bling quotient on automotive trim for as long as we can remember. Of course, all but the biggest ignoramuses know that it isn’t solid gold, and why would it be, given the potential for thievery? So it’s common knowledge that it’s fake, yet you flash it just the same? Got it…

Altezza Lights

When the Toyota Altezza debuted in Japan in 1998, it garnered basically no attention on this side of the Pacific. When it arrived in the U.S. two years later as the Lexus IS300, however, it was on many-a-tuner’s radar. Not so much because of its small, rear-drive chassis or the 2JZ-GE 3.0L straight-six under the hood, but because of its taillights. Red lamp units encased by clear lenses became all the rage among aftermarket automotive exterior lighting makers throughout the first half of the Naughts. Eventually it got to the point where it seemed Lexus-aping replacement lamp clusters for every car except a Series II Humber Super Snipe were available.

And then, seemingly just as quickly as they burst onto the scene, Altezza lights petered out. Even Lexus dumped them on the second-generation IS. Yeah, they’re still available for quite a few applications, but these days they’re only bought by people who rent their movies and video games at Blockbuster (Yes, we mean the actual physical stores.) and are adamant (ADAMANT!) that “Survivor” and “American Idol” are at the bleeding edge of reality competition show innovation and freshness.

Seatbelt Covers

Wearing your seatbelt while driving is not only required by law pretty much everywhere, but it’s a damn good idea to boot. But it seems some people don’t like the feel of a strap over their shoulder. That’s where seatbelt covers (be they fashioned from sheepskin, Neoprene or some other material) come in. Oh sure, they may soften the feel of the belt across your clavicle, and make it easier for cops to see that you’re following the rules, but those same cops are also much more likely to point and laugh at you.

Our advice? Unless you have the worst case of psoriasis in recorded history, you should either a) cowboy up and ride barebelt, or b) surrender your Man Card at the nearest sports bar, home improvement store or strip club post haste.

FM Transmitters

Portable music players are great, especially in cars, since they allow you to bring along your whole music collection and not be stuck with the radio, which is slowly having all remaining life sucked out by the commercial-break-synchronizing Clear Channel Borg. But what if you drive an older car that doesn’t have an Aux-In jack and/or USB port? How do you get your tunes from A to B?

One way is an FM transmitter. Just tune your head unit to an unused frequency and voila, instant listening bliss, right? Not so fast. Even if you find an open frequency in an urban area, there’s a very good chance you’ll still have static and signal dropout, at least some of the time. And road trips? Be ready to hunt for available stations multiple times. Save yourself the frustration and headaches and save your pennies for a modern radio or, better yet, see if you can have the stock piece retrofitted with an Aux-In jack (Some manufacturers like Becker will do this for a reasonable price.).

Scrolling LED Signs

If you’ve ever accidentally cut someone off and wanted to apologize, there are companies that will sell you a scrolling electronic signboard that you can display in your rear window to convey custom messages. Neat idea, but we reckon it would be just as handy at creating road rage as preventing it. And what if, in your frenzy to type up a message to the irate driver behind you, you wind up ramming the vehicle in front of you? We’re betting no pattern of blinking LEDs is going to make that go away.

Add-On Cupholders

If you drive a car built prior to the mid-‘90s or so, it almost certainly doesn’t have any cupholders (No, those round divots on the inside of the glovebox lid don’t count.). There are, however, retrofits available, ranging from ones that fit in the map pockets on the door panels to ones that clamp onto the dashboard. But really, unless your car is a standard shift, holding a drink between your legs and not spilling it is totally doable. Trust us on this.

Cargo Area and Seat Pet Covers

If you have pets, you have to cart them around in your car to the vet, the park or elsewhere. And if your four-legged friends are too big for pet carriers or crates (or you just don’t want to cage them up), you can buy one of the specialized covers for rear seats and SUV or station wagon cargo areas. Such covers can sell for over $100, though. Alternately, you could go to a thrift store, buy a big towel or blanket and some clothespins for a grand total of about $10 and have something just as effective. But hey, it’s your money…

Carriage Tops

Back in the dark days of the late 1970s and early 1980s, most of the major automakers didn’t offer true convertibles, largely because there were fears the U.S. government would enact safety standards that would ban them anyway. As a result, carriage tops, which were designed to look like fabric convertible tops in the raised position, became all the rage.

And yet, nearly 30 years after the “rebirth” of the convertible, they’re inexplicably still around. Gaudy really doesn’t begin to describe them, and that’s just on the expected Lincolns and Cadillacs; we once saw one on a Jaguar X-Type and found ourselves grabbing for a bottle of Brain Bleach that just wasn’t there. The horror. The horror.

Turbo Whistler Exhaust Tips

A close cousin of the whistle tip, a turbo tip is a whistle suspended in the middle of the pipe to create the sound of a turbocharger spooling up and a blowoff valve chirping. Sounds neat on paper, but the increase in backpressure can cause serious damage upstream. What’s more, while putting them on, say, a Honda Civic or Mitsubishi Eclipse would make for a somewhat believable soundtrack, throwing one on something like an Olds Cutlass Ciera would be the motoring equivalent of a 100 lb. high school freshman stuffing a papaya down the front of his drawers: Not. Fooling. Anyone.

Wheel Size Emblems

Those who belong to the Church of the 20”-plus Rims aren’t known for being introverts. In fact, some members even like driving home the fact their rides’ wheels are bigger than all but the most extreme pizza pans by installing emblems denoting the diameter of the wheels. While it’s nice for curious onlookers, since they don’t have to squat down to look at the size molded into the tire sidewalls, they do come across as a bit tacky owing to the whole expansion of the “mine’s bigger than yours” mentality.

Hatchback Tents

On paper, these things kick 31 flavors of ass: Fairly easy to set up (only having three walls and all), and they let you sleep in the smooth back of your own car rather than the lumpy forest floor. In practice, though, there are some notable issues: The gaps between car body and tent aren’t 100% fauna-proof. There’s no curtain or wall on the car side, meaning passers-by can, for instance, observe you and your favorite co-camper doing the birds and bees thing. And, most damning of all, two of the most frightful automobiles in history – the Chevrolet Vega and Pontiac Aztek – offered hatchback tents in their official accessory catalogs. We’ll take “Guilty by Association” for $500, Alex.

Chrome Rocker Panel Molding

Okay, we’ll admit it: These things have their place as original equipment on certain older luxury cars (We’ll totally cop to liking them on the 1993-’96 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham, a car we half-ashamedly, half-proudly love anyway.). But late model pickups? Present-day rental car fodder? No. Just…no.

And don’t give us the whole “It protects the paint” spiel. Instead of having dirty or chipped paint, you have dirty or chipped chrome plating (or, if you’re a cheapskate, chrome-look plastic film) to look at every day. And like carriage tops, they simply don’t work, visually speaking, on modern motorcars. The world has moved on, and so should you.

Package Tray Menageries

While hatchbacks and station wagons are king in most other corners of the globe, notchback sedans have long ruled the roost in the U.S. of A. Part of that may be due to the perception of two-box automotive shapes being synonymous with basic transportation or riding with your parents, but another may be the way sedans, with their fixed rear package shelves (the flat surface between the top of the rear seatback and the back window) lends itself to displaying knickknacks.

Whether it’s the ever-popular Chihuahua bobblehead, Beanie Babies, Hello Kitty dolls or whatever you’re into, it’s easy to tell the drivers following what your obsessions (sorry, “interests”) are. Just don’t get into any frontal collisions, okay? That little Domo-Kun plush won’t seem so light and soft when it goes medieval on the back of your skull at 70+ mph.

Manufacturer-Branded Apparel Overload

Yeah, calling these legitimate car accessories is a bit of a reach. But considering most are available at the dealership parts and accessories counter, we’re lumping them in with the 19 aforementioned misfits…and how.

Don’t get us wrong; we have no problem with owning and occasionally wearing a hat or T-shirt emblazoned with your whip’s family crest. However, if your entire outfit consists of such profanely overpriced merchandise and you try to wear said outfit to as many public places as possible, you have a problem. Just because you’re dressed from head-to-toe (socks and skivvies included) in gen-yu-wine BMW and Motorsport GmbH gear doesn’t mean you’re no longer the owner of a theft-recovery E36 318ti automatic who spends his days in his bedroom/parents’ basement trolling Audi and Mercedes-Benz enthusiast forums. In reality, you’re a crown prince of the Republic of Douchenozzlia. Yeah, sh*t just got real in here. You’re welcome.

Rides - Top 10: Things Women Notice About Your Car Drafted by Karolina Kurkova

 

 

You've seen her. She's the leggy blond clad in about as much silk as is in your tie. And as if drooling over photos of her in your girlfriend's Victoria's Secret catalog (yes, we still do that) wasn't enough, we're giving you another reason to take notice of supermodel Karolina Kurkova.

During Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Fall 2011, Kurkova unveiled the redesigned Mercedes-Benz 2012 CLS. We caught up with her to ask a question we've always wondered about: What do women notice in our cars?

As a supermodel/wife/mother, Kurkova's answers reflect the many hats she wears in her life. Ready for a sample? "I think men should know how to operate the car. It's important to know the key things."

Truer words were never spoken, Karolina.

Read on to discover what else women notice about your car, courtesy of Karolina Kurkova.

 

No.10 That you know your car

I think men should know how to operate the car. It’s important to know the key things.

No.9 Your style

Fashion, style, drive in style, arrive in style, be safe -- in style.

No.8 The lines

I like the lines. You know, there’s something very sensual about it [in reference to the Mercedes-Benz 2012 CLS]. You know, it’s not squarish; it’s got nice curves. So I think it gives you a sexy, sleek look.

No.7 The color

I think color is a very important… In the CLS, I like this color. It’s like a dark gray. Something that's not too flashy, something that is subdued, something that’s not too dark, but it’s got a little light.

No.6 That it's masculine

I think a car, you know, if you’re newly married or in a family, a car that’s not too feminine but not too masculine. So I think when you look at a car, you have to look at those things.

No.5 Versatility

If it’s a car that you share as a couple, as a family, you want something that’s safe, it’s classic, it’s timeless, that you’ll have for the rest of your life. You can take your son, you can pick him up in school, you can arrive at a fashion show, you can go to a nice dinner, or you can take a fun road trip.

No.4 Storage

Room, having storage in the back for luggage, strollers, car seats, comfort, something that inside is not too precious, it’s not too light, so if the kids are in the car, then it can get a little beaten up and still look good.

No.3 Is it a hybrid?

I love when cars, you have the choice of a hybrid. You know, if you can have a car that’s beautiful and stylish, plus be a hybrid where it’s better for the environment, I love that.

No.2 Your music and sound system

The music is very important -- the sound system. It depends on how I’m feeling... Very relaxed, something like Norah Jones-y or John Mayer. But then sometimes I want to, like, have fun in the car. You know, like you’re in traffic, you’re anxious, you put Lady Gaga on, you put Katy Perry… I love listening to music, so definitely music is a big thing I look at.

No.1 Safety

Safety is very important… That’s why it’s important to get a good car, like Mercedes-Benz, that you rely on. Having a good-quality car when you’re spending money, you know it’s a car where you’re safe. There is a service with it [where] if anything happens, you know somebody can come and fix it… and I think that’s very important. If you can, it’s better to invest in stuff like that.




 

Rides - How to Handle Insurance for Your Custom and Modified Car

If you have made substantial modifications to your vehicle, you need to make sure that your insurance policy covers the real value of your car in its current condition. High-performance modifications or cosmetic structural changes to the vehicle can impact its value a great deal. If you are not insured for your modifications, you may not be reimbursed for the value of the custom rims you installed or the high end stereo system that you paid top dollar for. Some insurance companies will not extend their standard coverage to modified vehicles, while others will work with you to create a policy that covers your customized car realistically.

Possible Restrictions

Some insurance companies will agree to provide coverage for modified vehicles as long as the owner agrees to certain restrictions. The agreement may involve avoiding driving the car on a racetrack. You may have to agree to drive under a specific number of miles during the year. Since the value of the modified parts can easily exceed the original value of the vehicle, the insurance company might want to limit the amount of risk the car is subjected to. Some states also have regulations in place for insuring modified or custom vehicles.

Rate Changes

Some modifications can have a positive impact on your insurance rates. Installing anti-theft devices or extra safety equipment could earn you special discounts from your insurance company. Modifications that are designed to increase the car's power or customize the way it looks may cost you more when it comes to insurance rates. Insurance companies tend to view modified cars at a high risk for being involved in accidents. Drivers who install high speed engines usually like to drive faster. Modified cars also have a higher risk of being stolen or damaged because they tend to attract more attention. Even adding custom rims or replacing stock parts with chrome can make your car a more visible target for thieves.

Communication is the Key

The best way to find the right insurance policy for a modified car is to research several different insurance options. Each insurance company will approach modifications differently. It is not necessary to pay exorbitant rates just because you have customized your car. If you are already insured when you make your modifications, make sure your insurance company is aware of everything you've done to the vehicle. Keep all of your receipts and track any changes so that you can refer back to them if you ever need to prove the value of your car due to theft or a collision.

Rides : How To Get A Discount On A New Car

Audi

• Better Man in brief ...
• Keeping an open mind with respect to colors and options may mean a lower price.
• Be patient and wait for incentives and end-of-year bargains.
• Try shopping around far and wide for the best deals in your surrounding area.

"When you love cars and are prone to instant gratification, it’s tough to stick with the same car more than a year."

While penny auction sites insist you can bid on and win any new car you like for the equivalent of a few months’ payments, purchasing through an authorized brick-and-mortar (or click-and-mortar) dealership is a safer and smarter bet. Not that they’ll let you drive off the lot for a thousand bucks. Like it or not, car dealers are for-profit organizations, with overhead and quotas to meet.

That said, you still need to know how to get a discount on a new car. In your father’s day, that meant a marathon of arguing over a couple hundred bucks for pinstripes and rustproofing. The art of the deal has thankfully evolved. Through education, technology and a little self-discipline, you can still negotiate a realistic deal while saving thousands up front and over the life of your loan.

Be flexible but persistent

When you’ve settled on the car you want to buy, it’s good to not only know its features and specs, but also its price points. Most models have multiple trim levels with graduated pricing for standard and optional equipment. It’s tempting to load a car with everything available, but you can literally double the sticker price in the process. So keep an open mind with options and paint. If you can live with a less popular option package and/or color, a dealer might part with it more willingly than the loaded, neutral-toned example more people are buying. As long as you know when to draw the line and avoid being steered into a "deal" that’s actually more expensive, you can still get the car you want without overspending on stuff you don’t need.

Factor your trade-in or -out

Depending on what you’re ditching and what you’re buying, trading in may or may not work in your favor. Be prepared to go either way. See what cars like your old one are fetching in the local classifieds (or the classifieds local to your dealer if substantial distance is involved). While you’re at it, have your potential salesperson give you a ballpark trade-in quote. If you have a high-demand sports car and suddenly learn you’ll need something modest with room for a baby, an infant seat and the half ton of requisite paraphernalia, you could be in a very favorable position. If your outgoing ride is more environmentally hazardous than Charlie Sheen, chances are you’ll come out better selling it on your own or donating it to charity and cashing in at tax time.

Be patient

When you love cars and are prone to instant gratification, it’s tough to stick with the same car more than a year. We get that, because we’ve been there. But we also hate wasting big bucks on an impulse purchase instead of waiting a few months to get a generous discount on a new car. In general, it’s wise to buy during early or late months of the year, when most folks’ monetary focus is elsewhere despite the traditionally great car deals that can be had. Some of those incentives, like rebates, sales events and low-rate financing, are now appearing in the middle months, so don’t let your awareness down the rest of the year.

While you’re at it, drop by the dealer and see your would-be salesperson periodically to stay on his radar, showing you’re serious about a new car, but not desperate. Just don’t wait too long, like until your old car dies and you absolutely need a new car immediately.

Your resolve could have you inhaling New Car Smell in no time."

How new does it have to be?

Be honest with yourself, and decide if you really must take delivery of an absolutely new car fresh off the truck. If you can live with a few numbers on the odometer, you can save big numbers on the bottom line while still being the first guy to register it. To get a discount on a new car this way, look at dealer demos or unsold cars from the last model year. It’s even more to your advantage when a model is redesigned. That’s when dealers become especially eager to clear any remaining inventory they have before the next-generation models arrive.

Get a referral

For all the online reviews of any given dealer, you still can’t drop a username and expect to get a discount on a new car (“Um, bigdaddy69 told me to see you about a deal on a minivan…”). Instead, this is one time when old-school tactics still have relevance today. For this, you’ll need a longtime customer referring you directly to his longtime salesperson. Even if it means prolonged digression into grandkids, sports and weather amid a commingled fog of Brut and English Leather in a too-small office with no ventilation, hang in there. Your resolve could have you inhaling New Car Smell in no time.

Shop around... really around

There’s a lot to be said for keeping your dollars local to your own community, but we caution against doing that at all costs without at least considering alternatives. We are talking about one of the largest transactions you make, after all. So by all means, see what a smaller dealer is willing to do for your business; just don’t stop there. Get quotes from competing dealers around the area and region. Jump online and browse high-volume dealers, even if they’re out of state. Many can and do ship cars on a regular basis while still offering substantial discounts. Sites like AutoTrader, Vehix or even eBay and Craigslist let you compare multiple dealer inventories at a time.

What’s it going to take to get you in this car today?

The safest and most cost-effective way to get a new car is through an authorized and licensed dealer. That doesn’t necessarily mean you’re stuck paying sticker price, nor does it mean you have to roll up your sleeves and go into extended haggling. Knowing how to get a discount on a new car is as much about education as it is mediation.