New Auto Prices. Japanese Automakers with North American Head Quarters are moving the ball forward and pressing on into the future with new technologies for safety, fuel economy and net-centric systems. Before retiring from the auto aftermarket franchise industry, I took a tour around the nation to see what I had built and visit all our franchisees. During this trip I visited all the all Major Japanese Auto Manufacturers North American Head Quarters as part of our 2002 Victory Tour.

We are seeing a major push by Japanese Auto Makers to re-gain lost ground from post 9-11 lost market share by domestic manufacturers due to the Zero/Zero Financing Strategies of 2001-2002. Toyota had gained incredible market share in late 2002 against Ford, GM and DaimlerChrysler. Toyota started to offer a new SUV option on an old and most popular model. The 4-Runner now with an All-Wheel drive version for add safety and performance. We had the opportunity of going to the Dealership party held by Toyota of North American Corporate to introduce the many Dealership Owners this new vehicle. Also on display were the Hybrid cars and trucks, which were soon be on the lots ready for sale. They are selling many of those models today in 2005 and 2006 models. Toyota’s profits were also way up due to the 2001 value of the Yen against the Dollar. The Yen was at an all time low meaning that they could build the cars much cheaper and re-invest much of these profits in R and D projects, some of hit the streets as early as May of 2003 as they released the 2004 models. This will be a war for all manufacturers as the aggressive Japanese Toyota company goes for the gold.

Mitsubishi Motors made quite a run in March, April and May of 2002 by proposing a Zero/Zero/Zero plan. Zero Interest, Zero Down Payment and Zero Payments until 2003 on all Monteros, Gallants, Montegos and Eclipses. No one knew what the fall-out rate would be on these vehicles selling starting in March of 2003 as 90 day delinquent loans go unpaid from Mitsubishi Acceptance Corporation. In hindsight the short-term strategy worked but the fall-out rates were disastrous indeed. Ford Motor Credit had also run into problems on failed auto loans in its major Ford Motor Acceptance Corporations unit. My company was in the business of washing car dealership lots in our Car Wash Guys Dealership Division which washed for many Mitsubishi Dealerships across the nation and counting them out now would not be a good bet as the 2003 models were stacked and the prices were very good compared to the increased prices of Domestic Cars due to import steel tax and fallout rates of bad loans. Even more of a situation exists as Domestic Automakers realize that the new 2003 fallout rates could reach over 8% and therefore have raised prices 10% to counteract this offset.

Nissan had done well in 2000, 2001 and 2002 although had only gained moderate ground against the other manufacturers and most of that came in the light truck market. Infinity did not do as well in 2001-2002 as expected however the major consolidation in the auto dealership industry by AutoNation, United Auto, Auto1, Sonic Automotive and others shielded them from being hurt too bad as they are diversified with all brands from Hyundai to GM. This was a bad year for some manufacturers such as Daewoo, while other brands made good headway. 2001 delivered nearly 17 million cars to Americans and was said to have saved our economy as those sales figures were thrown into the all retail sales categories showing consumer spending good as most retailers had a lousy Christmas in 2001. Nissan did well due to its ability to catch the consumer with flashy light trucks with pizzazz. Excellent marketing if you ask us at the Car Wash Guys, knowing of course that it was pure brilliance.

Mazda did well in early 2001 pre-9-11 due to the gasoline price spike, with its many fuel economy models. But did not do as well during post 9-11 as the domestics took off like a banshee from hell with Zero/Zero and lots of retained earnings to carry them. GMAC took a big bite in Mazda’s sales out of the gate in 2002 and Mazda is looked for it’s 2004 models to help it catch up in Mid 2003. Mazda also got hurt in the sales to rent-a-car companies and due to its domestic partner and major shareholder putting it in the back seat for now. Mazda Miata’s sold excellent between 1999-2002 but not enough to carry the entire company. With a recent brand re-identification under way they missed the boat in early 2002 meanwhile Chrysler and Ford met GM’s Zero/Zero and the horse raced out in front during a Buy American post 9-11 craze, the rest was history. We are looked for an excellent return to market position by mid to late 2003 from Mazda and of course their domestic partner as GM’s relentless pursuit of the Zero/Zero game slowed down. GM was out in those years to wipe the competition and with the GMAC home division and new housing starts issues if the real estate bubble caused walk always, these other companies may see things rally take off. Good call as we see home sales robust even now in Spring of 2005 and enough to carry the summer. Of course if interest rates hike up and inflation occurs GM made a perfect play and inflation is moving forward and so is the FED with rate hikes, even if money flows out of the country race past inflows. All will be based on Iraq war, so far in 2005 we are 187 Billion into the re-construction of Afghanistan and Iraq and we need those money flows back. North Korean games and Iranian nuclear material standoff and the consumer’s over all short-term debt and unemployment realities came up in mid 2003. It is still all up in the air now in 2005.

Honda has had good success all during the 1999-2002 auto sales boom as large city’s streets and highways fill up to nearly gridlock. People knowing of Honda reliability and some having been burned in the late 80’s with lousy quality would not buy an American car if you paid them. They are extremely loyal to Honda. In my early days in business I had met the Honda Brothers when they came to the US to buy a long range Cessna 150 Aircraft and even then they were very aggressive with the latest and greatest technology. At the time I was selling aircraft, boy has Honda come a long way indeed. Today they maintain new prototypes in all five categories of hybrid cars, from mixed units to pure hydrogen cell, from all electric to thermo-hydrogen-electric, from natural gas to biofuels such as bio-mass methane and ethanol. It is amazing to the secrets they keep in house with composites, finishes and propulsion. Having spent the most of any of the other foreign manufacturers on R and D projects, Honda looks to surpass the efforts of BMW, DaimlerChysler and Ford in all categories of the newest Hydrogen Cell cars of the future. Meanwhile the race continues to sell as many cars possible and amass as much money as possible at all costs from nearly giving cars away on credit with free hamburgers to pay back in the future.

All the domestics are hard set on displacing the foreign manufacturers for good or buying them on the cheap in the case of a total collapse of the Japanese economy if the bad loans are realized for what they are under the current political structure which would not only hurt auto manufacturers but also cause heads to roll in banking, securities and government. In 2005 the foreign automakers with their environmentally clean cars are out pacing domestics in those categories presently due to fuel prices. They will out run any bad debts on auto loan fallout rates as the economy is back and people have jobs, the unemployment rate is extremely low in the United States now. Find more information about Auto Rating here.

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It usually happens at the most inopportune time – the car breaks down or dies altogether at a critical moment. This moment is when you are trying to decide if it is time to buy a new car. You are in a panic to buy something, anything, to get your life back on track and moving according to schedule again. At the same time you are contemplating the expenses you will incur by bring your car to an automotive shop for service, sitting in the waiting room when you car is hoisted in the air on their car lifts. But don’t let yourself feel pressured to purchase the first decent deal you come across. If necessary, get a rental car for a few days so you can think clearly without being clouded by the inconvenience of being without a vehicle.

Sometimes it makes sense to go ahead and pay to have a vehicle repaired. If the car is paid for and there is no damage to the frame, it may even be wise to go as far as having the engine replaced or rebuilt. This resolution avoids that high payment for a new car, along with the greater insurance coverage demanded by the institution loaning you the money for the car. Only liability is required on a car that has been paid off.

If you are certain only a new or a newer used car will do, get online or go to the library to get a copy of Edmond’s online or book guide to determine the dealership’s invoice pricing and market value of any car you might consider buying. Then research car insurance. It is easier to rate and cover a driver over 25 who has had not tickets in the last three years, has a stable work history, and a good credit report.

To get the best possible financing, get pre-approved for a car loan. When you go car shopping with financing already in place you are in a much stronger negotiating position. This also means you had the chance to look for the best terms among loans.

Armed with information on vehicle values, knowledge of insurance charges on the types of vehicles you prefer, and pre-approval on a car loan it is time to go shopping. But you don’t have to leave home to do that.

Many dealerships have an internet sales representative that will answer your inquiry quickly via email. Even if they are not set up with a dedicated internet rep they no doubt have a fax machine. Call and get that fax number then send over your written specifications and ask them what their best price would be. When the dealerships reply with their offer contact the two next lowest bids and tell them you have an offer lower than theirs and see if they will make you a better deal. With a written quote you have solid information with which to bargain. Get the best deal possible.

By doing your research, whether on car insurance, car loans, or on the expenses incurred for repairs on your car in an automotive shop equipped with car lifts, you will have a peace of mind that you are making the right decision.

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Specialty license plates are one of the hottest items now in lots of parts around the country, and it is not so difficult to see why. Think in connection with it. Whichever model your car is, any other driver on the path has, in all likelihood, seen 100s if not 1000s of the identical auto in his or her time. But with custom license plates, it does not matter because you can be renowned anyway. If you have a special and clever license plate, then you will be at the fairly least the only one in your state to display that singular communication. That gets you noticed, and who does not require to be noticed? I sure appreciate that I do. Sometimes it can be harder to get attention in your car than to get rid of yeast infection symptoms.

Some of my favorite license plates are the 1s where the letters form bizarre patterns. I saw 1 which went something like “wvwvwvw” once. Know, looking back on this vanity license plate, I think that whoever got it did so just to confuse the police officers (because how to get out of traffic tickets can be harder than how to get rid of cold sores), but still, it was fairly cool. What is even cooler, though, is the tradition front plates which you can use in some states. In California where I live, you are required by law to have the same state issued license plates on both the front and the back of your auto or truck, but in loads of places this is not the case. You can truly have anything you want as your front license plate, and that is where you can let your creativeness run wild and have a lot of fun.

My preferred front license plates are the ones representing your preferred brand of something. I especially like license plates which advertise the sort of automobile that they are on. Who knows, for instance, why you are driving which Ford. It would be because you like it, because you inherited it from your aunt when she passed away, or simply because you got a high-quality deal on it. But if you put convention license plates that say “Ford” on the front of it, everybody will comprehend which you are driving which vehicle because it is your dream car, and their respect for you will go way up. Just like seeing embellished wholesale wedding favors at a reception that are gorgeous. Everyone loves a man or a lady who reaches out and takes just what they want, a person who is decisive and a go getter, and specialty license plates can show people which that is just what you are. There is no alternate for that kind of publicity.