New Cars

3 key factors when buying a used car for a teen

COLLABORATIVE CONTENT Despite how much you may enjoy it, it may not be possible to drop off and pick your teenager from school every day. Your younger family members may also travel afar and driving them may not be possible. The solution may be to get them a car. Teenagers being teenagers, purchasing the right car is important, particularly if your child is driving for the first time. Buying a used car can also be problematic unless it’s properly maintained and driven carefully. Still, if your budget doesn’t allow you to purchased a new vehicle, good quality used cars are available and worthy of purchase. Here are some key guidelines to follow: Make sure your child is driver trained Many

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Looking for a New Car? 5 Things You Have to Consider

COLLABORATIVE CONTENT It’s a great experience to own a new car, whether it’s your dream vehicle or not. The freedom to go where you want on your schedule and no to having to rely on public transportation is convenient, especially for a first-time car owner. Owning a car can be a difficult decision, and it’s beneficial to make precise decisions. To get the best deal that matches your budget, develop a priority checklist. It should include a “must-have” features section and a non-essential features list. Here are five things you should consider when looking for a new car: Financing The top priority and first decision to make is determining a budget. What amount are you comfortable spending on a car?

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Best New Year Gifts for Car Enthusiasts

COLLABORATIVE CONTENT Car enthusiasts are easy to impress. Keep your discussions about, and if you’re going to send them a 2021 New Year gift, make sure it’s at least remotely related to automobiles. Here are five gift ideas to surprise your auto-loving friend or family member. Make sure to understand their needs and preferences. Check what they don’t have, so you can buy a gift that will be appreciated. Purchase A Car Has your spouse, parent, child, or good, good friend been “mooning” over a car you can afford? The festive season is the perfect time to put it in their driveway. You can purchase the vehicle and register as the owner if you don’t want to ruin the surprise

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Don’t let the Covid-19 pandemic ruin car-buying dreams

COLLABORATIVE CONTENT Vehicle ownership is one of the most significant financial plunges any of us are likely to make. Second only to homeownership,  car-buying can be a massive commitment and often essential to our work, recreation and other lifestyle demand. But ownership dreams have come to a halt during the last year because of the global coronavirus. If you thought of upgrading or buying your vehicle, odds are your plans were delayed or perhaps canceled. With jobs, family and other components of life at risk. After nearly a year of COVID-19, not much has improved. While vaccines are now available for certain segments of the population, but the economy is still suffering, jobs are still are risk and there’s no

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#135, Buying a new car like it’s 2019

If you’re interested in purchasing a vehicle, why not considering buying a new car that’s nearly two years old? There’s a huge inventory of 2019 vehicles available, particularly for consumers interested in Dodge. Here’s the deal. The covid-19 pandemic stalled production of 2020 models for carmakers and resulted in the temporary closing of many car dealerships. Sales suffered. But a positive emerged from the health crisis, and Julie Blackley, an analyst at iseecars.com, is our guest on this week’s episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast to discuss the issue. Dodge Caravan: New Car, Nearly Age 2 Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia talk with Blackley and she details the reasons why such large inventories of 2019 vehicles are available from

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#122, Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich, James Raia talk car stuff

The Weekly Driver Podcast usually has at least one guest each week, sometimes more. But sometimes co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia just talk it out. We did exactly that in episode #122. There’s always a lot going on in the automotive industry— recalls to Tesla’s latest fiascos, the further saga of the autonomous driving industry to new car and truck models. Bruce and I agree on many areas of the automotive industry, but not everything. Listen to the new episode of our 30-minute podcast as we cover a lot of areas, the above-mentioned topics to a few random opinions about cars old and new. It’s also a good time to reiterate our appreciation for the guests we interviewed from

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#117, New decade auto predictions from Cars.com

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 33:12 — 45.6MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreThe automotive industry is ever-changing. Advancement in technology, autonomous driving and alternative fuels, keep manufacturers moving quickly. Joe Wiesenfelder, executive editor of Cars.com and a 25-year automotive expert, knows the industry trends as well as anyone. He’s our guest on episode #117 of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Wiesenfelder discusses with co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia the top five trends in the industry that will shape the automotive future for the next decade. The prominent automotive website believes increasing consumer expectations, connected technology, rising loan prices, a pivotal presidential election, and an infatuation with electric and autonomous vehicles will shape the automotive future. As

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2019 Subaru Ascent arrives with SUV street cred

The sport utility vehicle market apparently hasn’t reached its saturation point — at least Subaru doesn’t think so. Welcome the Ascent, the largest car the Japanese manufacturer has ever made. Five years after Tribeca was discontinued, the 2019 Subaru Ascent is the manufacturer’s second and bigger three-row SUV. Subaru is hopeful its new people mover will fare better than its predecessor. When the Tribeca departed, it was among the country’s worst-selling vehicles. Key Takeaways Ascent is the largest vehicle Subaru has ever made: A three-row SUV with seating for up to eight replaces the discontinued Tribeca and surpasses the Outback in size. 260-hp turbocharged 2.4-liter four delivers ~7-second 0-60: The CVT and standard symmetrical all-wheel drive deliver strong daily performance

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#77, Peugeot president discusses iconic car’s return

Groupe PSA is the multinational manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles sold under the Peugeot, Citroën, DS, Opel and Vauxhall brands. In late February, the French company announced it will soon re-introduce Peugeot to the North American market. Larry Dominique, President and CEO, PSA North America, Inc., is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Dominique reasons for the iconic vehicle’s return after nearly a three-decade absence. Dominique cites facts and figures and industry and trends. He explains that after China, the United States is the world’s second-largest car market. The industry is extraordinarily competitive, but Dominique explains Peugeot again realizes it must be sold in North America to correctly

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Bugatti debuts most costly new car; sold for $18.9 million

Bugatti has never made a subtle car. Now, even by the elite manufacturer’s standards, the French carmaker has outdone itself. During this year Geneva Motor Show, the one-of-a-kind La Voiture Noire was unveiled. It’s touted as the most expensive new car of all time with a price of $18.9 million. Inspired by the Type 57 SC Atlantic, the La Voiture Noire references Bugatti’s heritage in its design. Constructed from carbon fiber and coiffed in a deep black finish, the one-off hypercar was handcrafted. It has a 16-cylinder, 1,479 horsepower, 1,180 lb-ft of torque, a top speed of 261 mph and with six exhausts. “Every single component has been handcrafted and the carbon fiber body has a deep black gloss only

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NEW CAR PREVIEW: 2020 models aplenty set for debuts

Some 2019 car models haven’t arrived in dealerships, yet many 2020 new cars and trucks are on the near horizon. More sport utility vehicles, an electric version of a luxury sedan and an enduring compact sedan have been announced. Here’s a look at three 2020 vehicles set for release soon and a list of others with new editions or with multiple upgrades. Mercedes-Benz EQC 400 — The manufacturer’s first full-electric vehicle, the EQC is a crossover and another addition to the ever-increasing popularity of SUVs. The EQC, positioned between the GLC-Class and GLC-Class SUVs, features two electric motors, one for each axle, combining for 402 horsepower and 564 pound-feet of torque. Energy is stored in an 80-kWh battery pack with

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How to wisely purchase a new car with bad credit

SPONSORED CONTENT Making a major purchase with bad credit is difficult, but trying to buy a car with bad credit or post-bankruptcy is more difficult. However, it’s impossible and there are conditions. When you get a car loan with bad credit, the interest rate will likely be high. Make sure you have enough cash each month to make payments. If you fail to meet the terms of the loan, your credit score will take another significant dip, your new vehicle will be repossessed, and you’ll be out the thousands of dollars you already spent on the vehicle. But don’t be discouraged. You can make a sound purchase, improve your creditworthiness and still driving away in a brand-new vehicle. But how

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Car-Buying Trends for 2017 and Beyond

SPONSORED CONTENT Millions of new cars are sold every year, and the car-buying experience can be a hassle for many consumers. The traditional process of purchasing a new car involves a lot of time visiting dealers and price negotiation. Today, consumers are looking for a less time-consuming experience as well as a more convenient option better suited for their needs. The buying process and the must-have features are poised to evolve. Here are some of the top car-buying trends for 2017 and beyond. Online Shopping The biggest advance in the car-buying process in recent years is the use of the internet to help purchasers make a decision. Today, it’s common for consumers to spend most of their time searching for

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The Weekly Driver Newsletter, Volume 1, #2: Technology overload

The term technology overload is new to the automotive world. In recent years, manufacturers have gone to great lengths to provide more gadgets in their vehicles to beat the other guy. The competition is fierce, but what does it all mean? Do drivers need all this stuff? Many of the safety improvements, side detection mirrors, traffic monitoring, backup cameras, are beneficial. But over-sensitive bells and buzzers that engage seemingly at random? David Lyon, a former General Motors designer, speaking at the 2015 Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) World Congress in Detroit, stressed the need for an industry “features intervention.” Likewise in 2015, J.D. Power, the global market research company, detailed the issue in its first Driver Interactive Vehicle Experience Report.

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So long, farewell to these cars after 2016 models

While some cars’ legacies continue for decades, through many generations and fluctuating sales years, other cars have short tenures and disappear as new models quickly in the ever-crowded marketplace. It was no different at the end of 2016. Some highly reviewed cars and some not-so-well reviewed vehicles won’t be available as 2017 models. As such, we say goodbye and farewell to at least 10 vehicles with 2016 as their final years. Will any of them become collectors’ items? Or, will they simply fade into an automotive graveyard somewhere and resurface as “barn finds” decades from now. Either way, here’s a look at 10 cars manufacturers stopped making after their respective 2016 models. Cars listed with hyperlinks were reviewed in at

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