As with many charities there is a lot of money spent on acquiring donations. In fact, some charities spend the majority of their funds on acquiring more donations – leaving a lot less for the actual charity recipients themselves. This is why some people choose not to give to charities that solicit donations.

With the car donations, it is even worse. There are many For-Profit companies that advertise as a means of donating your car to charity and they leave very little left for the charity. They typically leave the charity 50% to as little as 10% of the value of the car – and keep the rest as their revenue.

The better way to find a place to donate your car

Since the charity car donation thing has gained so much interest, quite a few charities now have this as an option – even though you may never see them advertise it. So, next time I donate a car, I am going to call charities that I am already familiar with and trust and ask them if they accept car donations. Not every charity will accept them, but you might be surprised how many do.

To find great charities check out Charity Navigator or the BBB.

Drop the car off – if you can

While it may seem obvious, it is a better idea to drop the car off at the charity rather than having it picked up. Your car won’t be picked up for free – they will incur some kind of expenses picking up your car from your house – and these are dollars that won’t be going to the charity recipients. So, if you have the means, dropping it off would probably be a better move.

Transfer of Title

In order for the charity to become “legal” owners of the vehicle, they are going to need to title. It is a better idea to fill out the transfer of ownership section rather than leaving it blank. And it may be a good idea to let the DMV know the transfer as well. If the car has a license plate, you’ll need to return the plate to the DMV (depending on state), and may even need proof of the “method of disposal”.

Taking the tax deduction

According to MSNBC, “If your donation is worth more than $500, you’ll have to attach IRS Form 8283 to your tax return. If it’s worth more than $5,000, your documentation must include an outside appraisal. You’ll also need proof of the donation, such as a receipt from the charity and a copy of the title change.”

Edmunds.com, purportedly “where smart car buyers start,” has a giant database of cars, including reviews, pricing, and specs. The site provides information on new and used cars, as well as advice on how to shop for and how to finance cars. Best of all, it can offer your searches tailored to your location!

Consumer Reports is pretty much the gold standard when it comes to rating consumer goods. Its website has a solid section on cars. Unfortunately, the most helpful offering – expert ratings – is available to subscribers only. But this site is still worth a look; there are many informative articles freely available.

Car Talk is a radio show about cars, but if you can’t catch the show, I highly recommend checking out the wealth of resources on their site. Look specifically at their “Actual Car Info” section for tips on buying, selling and more.

Car and Driver offers car news and brief online reviews of many makes and models. Best of all – no subscription necessary. If you don’t want to shell out the bucks for a Consumer Reports subscription, check here for a starting point on your car search.

Kiplinger’s Personal Finance has it’s own Car Buyer’s Guide. The guide is actually an extensive resource covering:

• Kiplinger’s rankings of new and used cars
• Tips on test-driving, negotiating, and getting car loans
• Information on mileage and features

Some of the articles have previously been published in the magazine or on the website, but now they reside with new content in one convenient location.

Bankrate.com has a section dedicated to auto loans. You can search for low rates, learn how to shop for the best loan, and read articles on making car ownership more economic.

Any other tips for research cars? I can also add forums dedicated to that car model, Cars.com, Motor Trend and more, as well as fellow blogs about cars. Ultimately, pick a car that fits your needs, driving style and budget.

Brand perception – Top 5

1. Toyota – 193
2. Honda – 149
3. Ford – 109
4. Cadillac – 102
5. Mercedes-Benz – 100

Brand Perception – Bottom 5

5. Jeep – 21
4. Hummer – 19
3. Saab – 18
2. Mazda – 17
1. Suzuki – 7

Ok, I won’t disagree that I perceive most of those brands as high or low quality, but let’s see what their real reliability scores indicate as the best brands:

Real Brand Reliability – Top 10

As a note, these are results based on Consumer Report’s annual reader surveys and are not based on data directly from the service divisions of the automakers. That means these results are still a bit skewed, but at least are based on real data:

1. Scion
2. Acura
3. Honda
4. Toyota
5. Lexus
6. Infiniti
7. Subaru
8. Hyundai
9. Mitsubishi
10. Kia

Scion huh? Well, it’s run by Toyota, but many people still aren’t familiar enough with Scion products to rank them highly. Plus since they market to “budget shoppers”, people automatically think they’re lower quality.

The biggest surprises on the list are Hyundai and Kia. Apparently their public relations departments aren’t getting the word out to consumers. People still think of Hyundai as a cheap Honda knockoff, and most probably can’t spell the name correctly. Hopefully the new Hyundai Genesis will prove people wrong, as it continues to receive accolades for build quality and value.

Car Brands Offering Free Maintenance

BMW

BMW calls its maintenance plan “BMW Ultimate Service” which goes for the first 4 years of ownership, or the first 50,000 miles. Here is some info about the plan (from the BMW website):

• BMW Maintenance Program: One of the most comprehensive maintenance programs in its class covering all factory-recommended maintenance, oil service and fluid service, as well as items that need replacement due to normal wear and tear – such as brake pads, brake rotors and wiper blade inserts.
• Four years of the BMW Assist™ Safety Plan: Many 2007 and later models include a four-year, unlimited mileage subscription to the BMW Assist™ Safety Plan including TeleService, an exclusive BMW benefit which allows your vehicle to contact your BMW center directly when it needs service or maintenance.
• Unlimited-Mileage Roadside Assistance: Receive Roadside Assistance 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for the first four years of ownership, without any mileage limitation.
• New Vehicle Limited Warranty: Your warranty covers defects in materials or workmanship for the first four years or 50,000 miles, whichever comes first, so you can rest assured your BMW will perform as expected.

MINI

MINI is owned by BMW, and benefits from its parentage by also getting a free maintenance program. Unfortunately for MINI owners, the plan isn’t as generous as BMW’s, but it does cover  3 years or 36,000 miles. We have a MINI and can attest that the plan is transferable if you sell the car. We bought our MINI with 30,000 and were able to take it in for the regular checkups and oil change, etc.

You also have the option to extend the maintenance plan, but at an additional cost. Talk to a MINI service technician to find out how much it would cost. As a note, the cost does differ depending on whether the car is under or over the 36,000 miles when you buy the extended plan.

Land Rover (2008 Models Only)

While Land Rover was recently sold by Ford to an Indian automaker, they still offer the no-charge maintenance program for 2008 models for 4 years or 50,000 miles.

Land Rover says it’s not changing the prices for the 2009 models, but they are dropping free maintenance to save themselves some money. Personally, if there was any vehicle I would want free maintenance on, it would be a Land Rover, but at least you have their warranty coverage.

Saab

Surprise!  Saab provides free maintenance for 3 years or 36,000 miles. I bet you didn’t know that, did you? This goes for 2007-2009 models (so far), but it could change at any time in today’s economy.

Another perk for Saab owners is free OnStar for the first year. If those scary radio commercials that play real-life accident recordings don’t scare you into getting OnStar, then I don’t know what will.

Volvo (2009 Models Only)

New to the mix for 2009 is Volvo, which is providing free maintenance for 3 years or 36,000 miles.

Volkswagen (2009 Models Only)

Yep, VW has also recently added free maintenance to its 2009 models. The plan covers 3 years or 36,000 miles, and having owned a VW Passat myself, I know how expensive even the most minor maintenance items can be on a VW. They wanted $40 for a wiper blade! Just one wiper blade! And you can’t find many VW parts at your local auto supply shop either. That’s when we decided to sell the VW…over a measly wiper blade.

Who Doesn’t Offer Free Maintenance?

You’ll notice that a few major luxury makers don’t offer free maintenance. Some previously offered free maintenance, but have recently discontinued those plans. Also, you might run into some dealerships providing “free maintenance plans”, but it’s either just for that dealership, or they include the cost elsewhere on the bill of sale.

• Mercedes Benz – I’m very suprised that MB doesn’t offer free maintenance
• Acura – I’ve owned an Acura TL-S, and maintenance costs weren’t too bad, but having those costs paid by the manufacturer would be nice
• Audi – You can buy their Audi Care package for $650, which covers about 5 years or 45,000 miles. Why does VW get free maintenance, but not Audi?
• Jaguar – now owned by the same company as Land Rover (Tata, an Indian motor company)
• Lexus
• Infiniti
• Lincoln
• Cadillac

While automakers factor in costs like maintenance in their overall pricing plans, that little perk is enough to make many buyers choose a BMW over an Acura or Benz. The American automakers could make a believable attempt at stealing market share from the Japanese and Europeans by offering free maintenance too.

As a buyer, you need to also do the math on both the initial cost of the car as well as ownership costs such as maintenance and repairs. If you can get an Acura TSX for $5,000 less than a BMW 328i, then I think that’s a good deal. You won’t spend $5,000 on brakes and oil changes over 5 years. But buying is both mathematical and emotional, so choose wisely.

Although recently named one of the safest cars in the U.S., the Mercury Sable is on the chopping block at Ford, along with its stablemate, the Taurus X crossover. Both are pinned to the Ford Taurus (previously called the Ford FiveHundred), which is being redesigned.

Neither the X nor the Sable have had much success in the marketplace, even though the Sable has received pretty high accolades (for safety, pricing and comfort). However, the public just didn’t like the Sable’s bland styling, and Ford is introducing the next generation of the Taurus in the spring.

The Taurus X is being phased out in place of the new Ford Flex, which is admittedly a much better vehicle, even if its boxy styling is a bit controversial.

Personally, in my opinion the Sable was a slightly better-looking vehicle than the Taurus, but both are pretty boring to look at and drive. Ford didn’t advertise the Taurus/Sable/Taurus X nearly as much as the Fusion, and thus sales suffered.

CNN published an article today title “Pop goes the market: Detroit’s auto bubble woes” that chronicles the numerous mistakes Detroit made in offering 0% financing (among other creative financing options) plus huge rebates and cash back offers. Not only did the strong sales make the automakers think they were on the right track, it also caused them to make some risky deals with the UAW that they can no longer live up to thanks to the down economy:

The strong sales also allowed General Motors, Ford Motor and Chrysler LLC to generate healthy profits, which led them to agree to contracts with the United Auto Workers union that they ultimately couldn’t afford over the long-haul.

Plus, they all added factory capacity, thinking that the demand would last forever. But all good things must come to an end, and that’s what automakers (even Toyota) are realizing now. One shocking statistic is the number of cars compared to the number of consumers:

In 1998, there were about 12 million more vehicles than drivers in 1998. By 2006, the difference grew to 34 million.

Wow! No one thought that supply might outrun demand someday? But the auto companies thought they could continue the 16 million+ sales year-over-year. Now 12 million sales in a year might mean a good year for a single car company.

Why bring all this up? Well, because the automakers need to justify why they deserve the $25 billion bailout up for grabs from Congress. If they can’t prove relevancy even if they get the money (thanks to no demand), then why give it to a company about to go bankrupt anyway?

Even with the discussions of Ford shedding Volvo and GM potentially dropping Buick, Pontiac and Saturn (and of course Hummer), it may not be enough to save the companies. It’s no easy task to drop a product line. Oldsmobile cost GM millions to discontinue thanks to payoffs to dealers and employees. And who wants to buy a product line so tied into GM’s other products like Buick and Pontiac? These brands don’t have much of their own unique products (except the G8), so you would be buying the factory capacity, brand awareness and, uh, debt.

The auto industry is in for some serious growing (more like shrinking) pains, and it won’t see the light of day for at least another 4-5 years. By then, maybe we’ll see a Chinese Corvette on our shores

I have a special place in my heart for the Acura TL. Back in 2001, I laid my hands on a brand new 2002 Acura TL Type S. The regular TL had been around for years, but Honda decided to pump up the engine, throw on some different wheels and seats, and call is Type S (for “Screaming”). I got an Aegean Blue Pearl with black leather interior, which I still think is the best color option to-date on the TL.

After 4 years of racing around local roads and highways, I had to hang up the driving gloves and sunglasses and trade in the TL for a pickup. I was a homeowner now, with grand visions of hauling tons of stuff for home improvements. And now 2.5 years into being a truck driver, and with an entire version of the TL come and gone, I felt it was time to check out the newest offering from Acura: the 2009 Acura TL.

Our Test Model

For kicks, I entered the dealer showroom just to check out the car, and found myself driving one on the local roads in short time (and the wife didn’t stop me). The salesman grabbed a key for a brand new 2009 Acura TL with Technology Package. The base TL runs $34,955, and the tech package brings it up to $38,685. With the Technology Package, you get:

• Navigation System with Voice Recognition
• AcuraLink real-time traffic and weather radar mapping
• Backup camera
• Acura/ELS Surround premium audio system (10-speaker, 440-watt premium sound system with DVD-Audio, CD, DTS™, AM/FM radio, XM® Satellite Radio and 12.7 GB hard disk drive (HDD) media storage)
• Keyless Access System with pushbutton ignition
• Premium Milano leather seating surface (perforated leather)

Pricing for the base TL SH-AWD is $38,505. Add the tech package and the price bumps to $42,235. Want 19″ rims and “performance tires”? Add on another $1,000.

2009 Acura Styling

For Acura loyalists, the new styling was rather polarizing when first revealed. The profile was sharp and sleek and most everyone loved it. But the grille and butt offered the most room for criticism. First, the grill looks like a big chrome bucktooth in pictures. It’s like Acura wants to compete with Cadillac in the bling department, but didn’t quite understand proper placement.

Next, the butt. As you can see from the photo, the new Acura has gone very, um, “edgy” with its styling. The trunk has a spoiler lip coupled with a sharp bump in the middle. Join that with the multi-cornered trunk seam (where the lid meets the bumper) and it gets pretty busy looking back there.

But all that discussion was over photographs of the car. It’s not until you see it in person that you can truly appreciate the design changes.

In the photos, the chrome bucktooth looks totally flat, but in person, you realize it’s actually contoured. It’s still an eyesore, but not nearly as bad as in photos. And the tail is still busy, but aggressive and intimidating. Sort of like a rhino; You know it should go forward, but God forbid that thing ever backs up toward you!

Overall, the more seamless integration of headlamps, turn signals, air ducts and tailpipes make this Acura a beauty to behold in the showroom. There are certainly going to be people who hate the look of it, but you can’t please everyone.

2009 Acura Models, Engines and Power

Currently on the lot is the basic TL, but soon to follow is the Acura TL SH-AWD (short for “Super Handling All-Wheel Drive”. When the SH-AWD model arrives, it will be the most powerful Acura every built. But the basic TL is no slouch. With a 3.5 liter engine pushing out 280hp and 254lbs-ft of torque, the TL will scorch your pants off. But keep in mind that this car is front-wheel drive, and FWD cars aren’t made to channel that much power through the front wheels. You get something called “torque steer”. For now, just know that torque steer means your steering wheel pulls to the left or right when you accelerate. The car is trying to get a grip on the road, and it causes the wheels to move.

Using a new 3.7 liter engine, the SH-AWD model will blast off the starting line with 305hp and 273lb-ft of torque, but all that power will push through all 4 wheels when needed to reduce torque steer or get traction. Thanks to the VTEC engine, you don’t hit the redline until 6,700 (SH-AWD) or 6,800 (base) RPMs. That means you get more power for longer periods.

2009 Acura TL Interior

Since I sat in a black-interiored TL, it was hard to distinguish all of the design features, whether in the showroom or out in the parking lot (at night, mind you). The first thing I noticed, though, was that entry (and exit) was easy compared to previous TLs. There wasn’t as much of a lip at the door, so you shouldn’t have to worry about banging your shoes or scuffing the paint as you enter the cabin.

Next up, I found the seats fit my bum perfectly (as I carry 220lbs on a 5′10″ frame), with room to spare. Compared to sitting in my wife’s MINI Cooper, I felt like I was riding in a Rolls. No overhanging hips here. For my petite wife, she noted that the passenger seat was comfortable and supported her legs the whole way out to the knees, like sitting on a sofa. And once you’re seated and comfortable in the cockpit, the next thing you notice is…

the wall of buttons!

Seriously, there were more buttons than I have fingers and toes, which is both good and bad. While many of the functions could be duplicated through the navigation system (our ride was equipped with the technology package), it was nice to have a physical button to change menu functions from radio to map, back out of screens, connect to your Bluetooth phone or shampoo your neighbor’s dog.

As far as the navigation system, if you live in a big city, the restaurant finder is a big help. You can even search based on Zagat ratings! And having a hard-drive-based nav system is great since you don’t need to mess with map DVDs. Speaking of the hard-drive, it also allows you to place your music in the car’s memory via a USB port so you don’t need to bring your iPod. And you can even rip music directly from your CDs onto the HD. In my opinion, it’s a great idea, but I would like to see a much larger hard-drive as I already have over 30gb of music, and I’m sure buyers will have much more. But if you fill up the hard-drive, the car comes with an auxilliary jack for your MP3 player, and it can even play music off your bluetooth-enabled phone!

To sum up the interior, it has all of the features found in any luxury model, plus some. From the rear parking camera to the driver’s heated, 10-way adjustable memory seat, you won’t be disappointed with toys and buttons to keep you busy for your whole ride.

Driving the 2009 Acura TL

Since my fingers are numb from typing, I’ll get right to it. The TL met my expectations of driving based on previous models. It was quieter than my 2002 TL-S, but not whisper-quiet. I expect as a sport-luxury model, they want some driving noise to come through so you feel “connected to the road”, but I would have wanted less tire noise.

Speaking of tires, the car came with the Michelin Pilot MXM-4, even though the spec sheet says it should have Bridgestone Turanzas. I’m bringing this up because I vowed I would never buy another Michelin Pilot MXM-4 tire again. They wear too quickly, they’re loud and they cost a fortune. You can get much better tires for half the $200 per tire cost of these Michelins. I’d suggest asking the dealer to replace the tires before you drive it off the lot.

So getting back to the drive, there was more than enough OOMPH! to get onto the highway. It was almost anti-climactic though. You just punch it and you’re at your destination before you can even appreciate the thrill of acceleration! The steering provided good feedback without being too stiff or loose. But one thing still lingers…

Torque Steer

I already mentioned that any front-wheel drive (FWD) vehicle with significant amounts of torque and horsepower will pull to the left or right on launch (and even when accelerating while cruising). This TL is absolutely no exception. While Acura plugged in computerized traction control to limit the torque steer, I still found myself needing to grip the wheel more tightly at red lights and stop signs, and even when accelerating from 55mph to 70mph on the highway. But when you have close to 300hp in a FWD car, it comes with the territory.

That’s why, if you want more controlled acceleration and more of the engine’s power being put to the asphalt, I recommend waiting until the 2009 Acura SH-AWD model arrives (very soon). Tack on a few grand to the price tag, but know that you’re getting even more power and, hopefully, no torque steer. But you can get a lot of gas for your regular TL with that extra $3,500 premium for the SH-AWD model.

Warranty and Service

One complaint I still have with Acura is that they don’t cover your regular maintenance costs. Sure, the new TL is supposed to go 100,000 miles before the first major service (spark plugs, etc.), but from experience, it’s those little service trips for oil changes, lubes, inspections, etc. that add up to big bucks. In my mind, if Acura really wants to compete with BMW, then add on 3 yr/36k mile maintenance coverage.

As for the rest of the warranties, Acura still has the bumper-to-bumper 4 yr/50k mile warranty, but they boosted their powertrain warranty up to 6 years or 70,000 miles. I know they’ve had so many transmission problems that this helps ease my fears. But then again, the salesman assured me these issues have been resolved and won’t crop up in the 2009 model. We’ll see.

Final Verdict: 2009 Acura TL

Ok, should you buy this car? Well, in general I’ll tell people to wait to get any car used, but I understand that many people just want their cars to smell new. I guess one thing about buying the TL used is that Acura holds its value very well compared to other cars, so you won’t get a huge discount on the price unless you wait 2-3 years after it’s released.

So in my opinion, the new 2009 Acura TL has all the gadgets, comfort, speed, handling (except some torque steer) and edgy styling you would want in a “luxury sports sedan”. I was very tempted to buy one myself, but luckily my wife has placed me on the “No New Car in 2008″ list. It’s a good thing because I don’t think I can justify spending $40,000 on a new car when I take public transportation to work every day. Maybe I should look for a new job so I have a reason to buy the Acura TL? Hmm…

Dealer Recommendation

As a footnote, if you’re shopping in the Washington D.C. area, I recommend trying Rosenthal Acura in Gaithersburg, MD. They’re the #3 dealer by sales volume in the nation, and I was always pleased with their service when I owned an Acura. And if you do stop by, talk to salesman Roger Briceno and tell him “Help FInd a Car sent me” (I don’t get any kickbacks though). My wife hates car dealerships, but Roger was so nice that she left the dealership actually smiling. Thanks Roger!

Here’s my take:

10. BMW Comfort Access: $500-$1000. I don’t understand why it’s so expensive. Our Chevy Malibu had remote start for like $100-150 extra (even on the base model), and our VW Passat, MINI Cooper and Honda Ridgeline all roll down their windows via the key remote (just hit unlock twice and hold it down on the second press). It wasn’t an extra option at all, it just does it.

9. Porsche Customized Leather List:$365 for leather-covered vent slats: Why do you need leather on your vents? Why don’t you just ride a cow around the track?

8. Mercedes Benz Designo Interior: $12,015 for the Designo interior. Although you may think velour floor mats are ridiculous because they would get ruined with rain and snow, you’re right. But 12-large for a designer leather interior? Makes the Eddie Bauer Ford Explorer option look like a steal!

7. Mercedes-Benz Drive-Dynamic Seats: $1,820 (stand-alone). Ok, with the price of some of those home recliners at Brookstone, perhaps a massaging car seat at under 2-grand isn’t too bad. If you’re spending $80-150k on a Mercedes, what’s another $1,820 for massaging seats? If I’m not mistaken, though, these seats also have automatically inflatable side bolsters to keep you in place around turns.

6. Lexus Executive Package: $12,675 on the LS to get reclining rear seats with some extra switches in the middle console for ventilation and stereo. I test drove a used Infiniti Q45 (I think it was a 2002) a few years ago with this same package and the option only cost abotu $4,000 at the time. Why did it triple in price on a Lexus?

5. Mercedes-Benz Airscarf: Part of a $3,750 package. You know what, if you’re buying a convertible, you want to drive with that top down as long as possible, so I don’t fault people for wanting this glorified neck warmer. And I can imagine the piping required to route heated/cooled air up to the neck added a bit of engineering complexity. Granted all options are priced for profit, but I think this one is worth it for a convertible.

4. Rolls-Royce Starlight Headliner: $12,100. Stupid. Just plain stupid. I know it’s a Rolls-Royce, and buyers of this car think nothing of 12-grand, but for a twinkly, starry night on your roof-liner? C’mon, just skip it and buy me a new Honda Fit or something.

3. Maybach Granite Interior: $60,600+: Holy crap. How about just throwing a Koi pond in the trunk and call me Mr. Flashypants. It cost us $4,000 for the tons of granite in our kitchen, so why would it cost 15x more to put even less in a car? One word: consumerism and stupity. Oh, those were two words.

2. Aston Martin Jaeger-LeCoultre AMVOX2 DBS Transponder Watch: $37,900. I think the Maybach granite option is worse because you an at least use the watch outside of the car. You can’t even dice carrots on the granite in your car door. I never understood why people would spend more than $100 for a watch, but to each his own. But this watch doesn’t even let you start the car. You still need the key. It only lets you unlock the doors. Stupid.

1. Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Paint Packages: $500,000. The Veyron (all $1.6 million of it) is both a beautiful and ugly supercar. With the paint configurator, you can choose from hundreds of different paint schemes. Personally, I would choose either blue and white (Penn State) or, most likely, black and gold (Steelers), but then again, I probably won’t ever own one of these (even if I had the money). The most expensive option is probably the one without a paint job at all. Tack on about $500,000 to the base price for the super-exclusive Pur Sang edition. Nothing but carbon fiber-goodness and shiny black (or is it gray?). Uh, why is it more expensive to get it plain?

So overall, I don’t disagree with some of these options, but for the general public, we would never buy a Benz, Porsche, Bugatti or even a BMW. But when you have the money for a luxury or super car, then what’s a little more to set yourself apart from the others…even if the “others” can also buy the same thing that you are. Hmm, not as exclusive as you think.

Getting a Discount on a Compact Car

While I must admit that your results will vary depending on your location and market, generally all small cars, such as the Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris, Mazda3 and even domestics like the Chevy Aveo and the Korean Hyundai Accent are selling for MSRP. At best, but still possible, you can negotiate down close to dealer invoice on these vehicles, but again it really depends on your market.

For example, if you’re looking for a Mazda3 sedan or hatchback, you’ll have more luck in an area like mine where there are 4-5 nearby Mazda dealerships than in Nowhere, Pennsylvania where the closest dealer is 30 miles away. I can pit the salesman against each other because they know I can more easily travel to the competitor.

Best Bet for Getting Discount

Other than going for an outgoing model year, your best bet on getting a discount on a highly sought-after car is to shop via the internet. These days almost every car dealer has an “Internet Sales Department” that negotiates vehicle prices via email. It’s a win-win because the dealer can negotiate with dozens of customers at once and YOU can collect prices from multiple dealers and on multiple cars. You don’t need to visit 4 Mazda dealers, and if you wanted to test out a VW Rabbit too, then just shoot an email to the local Volkswagen internet sales department.

You do all the research and negotiations from the comfort of your couch, kitchen table or toilet (hey, I’m not knocking how you browse!).

Checking Realistic Auto Prices

There are dozens of sites and services out there that are dedicated to helping you, the auto buyer, get the lowest price in the fastest and easiest way possible, but many require you to pay them first, or be a member of Costco/Sam’s Club/etc. or the local credit union. If you’re just testing the waters, I suggest checking out the pricing tools at Edmunds.com.

Edmunds provides the ability to price a new vehicle with options and then see what others are paying in your area. One problem with the options picker, though, is that it lists out the options, but some option configurations aren’t available anywhere, or you might pick an option (like heated seats) that is already contained in another option (winter package) and get a misleading price. You do, therefore, need to do a bit of your own research through the manufacturer’s website first to see what options are compatible, then go to Edmunds.

For example, I priced out a 2008 Mazda 3 with A/C, 6-disc changer and fog lights.  Here are the results:

MSRP: $16,210

Invoice: $15,054

TMV (what others are paying): $15,850

So you see that you CAN get a discount, just don’t expect to talk them down to their invoice price. It’s not a buyer’s market all-around; just on the bigger vehicles. And then you need to figure out financing which, in today’s economic climate, might prove more tricky than even negotiating the price! Hopefully you can just pay in cash…

Look at that photo and tell me what you see. If you’re like me, you see slightly restyled Toyota Prius. But we’d both be wrong; that’s not a Prius.

That’s the newly redesigned Honda Insight Hybrid.

Normally we hear about the Koreans copying designs from the Japanese, Americans or Germans for their new models, but now the Japanese are copying each other! Whodathunkit?

So basically Honda has restyled the Insight to no longer be super-efficient 2-door model (although from marketing shots, one should be available eventually). Rather, they’ve upgraded it to 4 doors and 5 passengers. Unfortunately, though, it sounds like it still won’t be a “true hybrid” where the car can run on the battery alone. Instead, it will continue to use Integrated Motor Assist like in the Civic to aid the electric motor at low speeds. The car will also shut off when idling as with other hybrids.

The Insight will be smaller, lighter and (hopefully) less expensive than the Civic Hybrid, but pricing isn’t out yet. The vehicle is expected to premier at the Paris auto show in October.