RideLust

Zachary Quinto and Leonard Nimoy. Two Spocks of different eras brought together for a battle of speed and wits in Audi’s new commercial for the 420 horsepower S7 sedan . Quinto, our new Spock, returns for his second film in the upcoming “Star Trek: Into Darkness”, while Nimoy is a veteran of seven motion pictures and will forever be our #1 Spock. And while Quinto adds a wonderfully youthful flair to the character, let’s just say that there’s no replacement for tried and true experience.

Source: Youtube.com

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If you’re an avid surfer of automotive content on the internet and you haven’t yet heard of BringATrailer.com, well then, this is your lucky day. Since 2007 these guys have been showcasing some of the best vintage cars for sale on the web. The key is that they do so in a manner that combines well written descriptions, style and photography so that in a sense you’re reading an article, not just looking at a “For Sale” ad. Click through and check them out!

Source: Vimeo.com

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So there you are, sitting around the house with that $30k in your pocket that you’ve allotted for the purchase of your next car. You’ve looked at some domestic new cars like V6 powered Mustang’s, Challenger’s and Camaro’s, as well as some imports like Subaru WRX’s, Nissan Altima coupes and the Volkswagen GTI, however nothing seems to fit your fancy. What about a good used car though? I mean $30K will give you the ability to purchase some pretty serious hardware. You can go the modern muscle route by way of a used BMW M5, Chrysler SRT and or Mercedes-Benz AMG. Get sporty with any number of used STI’s, a Porsche Boxster or BMW M3, or if you’re crafty enough, you can even delve into the world of exotics. I found this out first hand this weekend when my buddy Alan stopped buy to show me his new ride.

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Image: comedy_nose

According to Lease Trader, the number of consumers taking over leases without test driving the car has climbed from 3 percent in 2007 to some 6.5 percent today. The company explains the growth as a by-product of internet research, since customers can now learn everything there is to know about a particular year make and model from the privacy of their own home. Many lease acquisitions are for short periods of time, too, so even if a vehicle isn’t everything its cracked up to be, those assuming a lease have relatively little risk. Read More…

The 2011 Toyota Corolla. Image: Toyota

If you’re in the market for a car right now, you may want to sit tight for a few more months. There’s a lot going on in the industry right now, and Japanese automakers are, for the most part, reeling from production and supply shortages related to the disasters in Japan. Supplies of vehicles and parts are beginning to return to normal, but the Japanese car companies have a significant amount of ground to make up. Toyota’s sales in July, for example, were down almost 23 percent compared to last July, and Honda’s results looked even worse with a 28 percent sales drop year on year. Read More…

It’s been along time since automotive dealerships felt the need to hire more employees. Over the past 3 years jobs have been slashed, dealerships have closed and production of automobiles has been reduced. To give you and idea of how bad the situation was, according to NADA figures for 2009, employment at U.S. dealerships dropped below 1 million, something that hadn’t been seen since 1995. However now, thanks to a slightly improved economy and increasing vehicle sales it looks like things are finally beginning to look up. The sale of compact and economy based vehicles has been on the rise, which means that some dealerships are now finding the need to hire on more people. For example, Houston based Gillman Cos holds 11 import and 3 domestic dealerships. In 2008 they were forced to lay off 15% of their employees. However now, with factories projecting a 10% sales increase they are looking to hire additional salespeople as well as service advisers.

Some holding groups however are still airing on the side of caution. In Huntington Station, NY at the Habberstad Auto Group, dealers are relying on improvements in technology to compensate for the lack of physical bodies. Jeremy Alicandri, the group’s Vice President states,
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Every aspect of auto ownership costs money. The upside is that there are countless establishments competing for your cash, with myriad incentives to get business. Take advantage of how low they are willing to sell themselves to call you their customer: also included in this article, the five worst car ‘deals’ to watch out for while shopping this season.

FIVE OF THE BEST CAR DEALS OF 2010
1. Toyotathon Shareathon

If you’re buying a new Toyota, tweet it! Tweeting about a new Toyota during their Toyota Shareathon can score you a $500 debit card. You gotta tweet by December 15th, and you have to pick up your new ride by January sixth, but it’s the easiest $500 you’ll ever make.
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2009 Z06, delivery miles only, seeks loving home... Photo: © GM Corp.

GM recently published October sales data, and for the second month in a row, Corvette sales numbers are down. In September, Chevy delivered a total of 1,109 Corvettes, some 476 units (or 30%) less than in 2009. October’s unit sales were down to 1,011, but that was only a 12.4% loss to October sales in 2009. Year to date, Corvette sales are down 9.5% compared to 2009, and it doesn’t take an economist to figure out that 2009 sales were bleak compared to the pre-recession sales of 2008. In fact, 2009 sales were down over 48% compared to 2008.

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Deciding whether leasing or buying makes more sense for you involves many factors, like your financial needs and lifestyle. While leasing, you’re only paying for a vehicle’s depreciation, which is cheaper than buying and paying for the entire vehicle. Also, for business owners, leasing allows a person to write-off most of the payment, whereas car owners simply write-off their mileage, or a small portion of the car.

For drivers who like road trips, buying is a better option, because leased vehicles have a mileage cap, which is expensive to exceed (much like monthly cellular minutes). Car leasers have many restrictions, and a detailed contract, while those who own vehicles can sell, trade-in, or give away their car at any time.

But for those who wanna PIMP their rides … you may want to stay away from leasing (according to TrueCar’s 10 Facts Of Leasing Vs. Buying)

“Pimping your ride,” or customizing is not advisable with a lease. Generally speaking, you can do it, but at the end of your lease, you will have to remove any custom parts you add, and will have to pay any damage to the car from the modifications you made.

So what about you? Do you buy with cash, make payments or lease?

Sorry, you can't buy a Tata Nano here yet...

Just the other day we gave you some tips on buying a $1,000 beater car from Craigslist. Let’s say your financial circumstances are a little better, and you actually want to buy something new, with a warranty. Fun really isn’t in your price range; instead, you’re looking for practical and affordable. I’ve got good news for you, Mr. Bargain Hunter: you can still buy a new car for under $15,000, and in some cases quite a bit under $15k. If you’ve got good credit and put some money down, you can be rolling in low budget style for less than the cost of breakfast and lunch out every day.

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