Right now the biggest part of future cars is the billion dollar race for manufacturing, and design of future vehicles.  How are the going to run, where are they going to take their design cues from, who’s going to be building them, and so forth.  Have you ever considered what it would be like to drive a car that leaned into a corner, or had no steering wheel in the cockpit, what about an ultra-light vehicle weighing less than 1,000lbs.

 The one thing I do ask, while reading these articles challenge what you think about cars themselves.  For the past 80 years cars have been built on the same basic design format, a box and 4 wheels.  So I look forward to hearing  your response to the FUTURECARS.

Roger Hocker, Senior Consumer Advice Editor

Japanese automakers didn’t fair much better in the American market. Toyota’s sales fell 32%, Nissan 30%, and surprise, surprise even Honda’s sales fell 28%.

There are two automakers though that actually increased their sales totals and they did it by giving the people what they wanted. The companies are Hyundai and Subaru 14% and 8% respectively. They were able to do this in large part because of their incentives and warranties. Hyundai for example made it difficult in these hard times to pass up an offer like taking back your vehicle purchase with no credit penalties if you lose your job. How about 10 year/ 100,000 mile warranty. Making quality vehicles that don’t break down, get excellent MPG’s, and have good incentives should be the norm and not the exception.

Roger Hocker, Senior Consumer Advice Editor

It’s a buyers market people and there is going to be some massive sales ahead of us, just keep in mind a cheap car now is a cheap car in the future.  Also keep in mind cheap is not always economical, you could pay in the long run in repairs if it’s quality is not up to par.  Identify a few models you truly want, price them, then bargain hard with the dealer.

Don’t forget about gas prices.  Granted they are no where near where they were last summer, but many people in the energy industry think that gas will go up again, as the recession winds down and the demand goes back up.  Even if that is a couple of years down the road you will more than likely have that vehicle you purchased today.  Remember too there are allot of models coming out next year, these include the Chevy Cruze and a new Ford Fiesta.  I also have written some articles on an American Company that has 3 models of electric vehicles called Global Green Cars Inc. check them out at www.globalgreencars.com

And if you are looking to buy strictly American keep this in mind a third of all the big three’s vehicles are built in Canada or Mexico.  And the “so called” foreign cars Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Mazda 6 and a lot of others are assembled right here in the U.S.  The company mentioned in the previous paragraph GGCI, 70% of their G-3 is made of American part, and all manufactured here.  To find out where a car was assembled and where the components come from, check out the fine print on the window sticker.

There are good vehicles in every category.  If it is not what you want or the cost is to much, look at another vehicle.

Roger Hocker, Senior Consumer Advice Editor

Q:  What do I do if I’m just car shopping and the salesperson is being relentless about keeping me there?

A: Generally a short, firm “I’m only shopping to get some ideas, and I am not ready to buy yet”, should work.  Remember  always be the one in charge.  Tip: Take someone with you who knows what you are doing there for moral support.

Q:  What is the first thing I should consider when buying a new or used vehicle?

A:  Financing - Know exactly how much you can spend, how much cash you have for a down payment, how much you can afford monthly.  Always get pre-qualified, it does you no good to find a car and not be able to afford it.  Financing First.

Q:  What parts of a lease are actually negotiable?

A:  Vehicle Price- This is the only element the dealer controls in the lease, all other factors are controlled by the leasing company.

Q:  Where can I find trade-in value for my car? 

A:  Local dealer auctions- Trade-in value is related to auction prices which can vary from week to week.  Local retail is based on asking prices of the local market in news papers and “trader” magazines which are usually a little lower than local used car dealer prices.

Q:  Which is better leasing or buying?

A:  Leasing and Buying- This answer depends on your driving personality, vehicle choice, financial objectives.  For more information read the article “Should I Lease or Buy a New Vehicle” www.thecaradvizor.com?p=152

Roger Hocker, Senior Consumer Advice Editor

What type of warranty comes with the vehicle I purchase from your company?  “There is a 15 year warranty on the drive line, the rest of the truck has a 10 year warranty.”

Are we going to need charge stations?  “They are not necessary, our vehicles charge with simple 120 volt outlets.  Any homes garage, place of employment with an oil heater circuit, or a simple GFI outlet.  There is no need for recharging stations.”

What are your company goals?  “They are simple and have not changed for the last 15 years, we want to stop burning fossil fuels for transportation.  To create energy independence for our nation, and clean up the environment.  We have been beyond burning petroleum for transportation 80 years ago, but car makers will not change.  We plan to use the best available technology to make cars, and to always make a way for the best technology to come forth. 

Be sure and visit Global Green Cars Inc.  at www.globalgreencars.com

Roger Hocker, Senior Consumer Advice Editor

How many Electric Vehicles(EV’s) do you plan on manufacturing in 2010?  “We plan to make 300 vehicles per month, perhaps up to 400 per month.  We are capable of making 3000 per month.  Two things limit us from doing that next year, funding is number one (Dept. of Energy gave ALL the money to major bankrupt car makers and none to electric car makers), and the speed with witch our equipment suppliers can build and install the line.  Best guess is 24-27 months out on 3000 per month.”

How many models do you have in the works?  “Currently we have 3 G-1,G-2,G-3  these cars are peoples cars and will sell better than any new car in history.  People want a simple, easy to drive electric vehicle that has a low sale price.  Our vehicles sell for around $25,000.  Unlike most car companies who want to make $10,000 profit per car, we seek only a fair profit and to proliferate these cars to as many consumers as possible.”

Part two of this question and answer session will be coming tomorrow.  Check out their website at www.globalgreencars.com

Roger Hocker, Senior Consumer Advice Editor

GGCI introduced their G-3 plug-in electric pick up truck by using it as the pace vehicle at Rocky Mountain Raceway on Saturday, August the 29th in West Valley City, Utah.  The truck has a payload of 1,000 pounds, can seat 2 adults, has a top speed of over 85 MPH.  Now the important part, it can run an average of 100 miles between charges which will cost you a whopping dollar bill to recharge the nickle based battery.

You might be asking yourself, well is this going to cost the same as those other EV’s I have been hearing about?  No.  The sticker price for the G-3 will be  at around $25,000, minus rebates from the Federal Government and Several State discounts, meaning you could be paying less than $20,000 when it is all said and done.  Another important fact is that 70% of the labor and materials are American, making the G-3 the most American made small pickup truck in the Country.

To learn more about GGCI and the rest of their product lineup visit their website at www.globalgreencars.com

This is an extremely exciting company and I look forward to writing many more blogs and news articles on this company.  I had the pleasure of talking to the President, Mr. Brooks Agnew and will be giving you some more information in the near future.

Roger Hocker, Senior Consumer Advice Editor

Let’s start with  Rebates, a manufacturer will offer rebates and financing packages that sound enticing.  Always read the fine print or call and ask for details.  Make sure you know if you qualify or not, before making the trip.  Rebates are advertised throughout the year especially holiday’s (4th of July, Thanksgiving, etc.). These can put you under cost on some vehicles.

Next is going to be End of the Month, dealerships have sales quota’s.  When they start falling short of expectations they offer deals.  You are not going to get as large of a discount as the one we are going to be talking about next but if you can wait the couple of weeks till the end of the month you will find yourself walking out with a much better deal.

Now it’s early December and because winter is a slow season for dealers, we have the Year End Clearance Sales.  During this period you will be able to find some HUGE discounts.

Last but certainly not least, the End of Model Year, left over inventory is not good for new inventory, so dealerships need to make room.  Buying now can mean substantial savings.  The draw back is that as soon as you drive it off the lot it’s a year old.  The good thing is you won’t be upside down on it.  Always look at the small print and details!!!!

Roger Hocker, Senior Consumer Advice Editor

The extended warranty is a service contract, between you and a warranty company.  Based on the contract the warranty company will pay for repairs during a specified time period.

So if your transmission goes out after the original was up and you don’t have an extended warranty you will end up paying the total repair.  If on the other hand you have a good extended warranty it would cover the repair cost, leaving you to pay an agreed upon deductible in most cases.

Keep in mind not all vehicles qualify for extended warranties, and not everything is covered.  If you do choose to get an extended warranty make sure that the very minimum coverage you get is the power train.  Remember you would be wise to maintain your car at regularly scheduled times and keep all the receipts, in case the warranty company needs proof of maintenance.

Roger Hocker, Senior Consumer Advice Editor

A lot of places call themselves Auto Brokerages, yet a majority of their profits come from dealerships, and sometimes work directly for a dealership.  Now this is not illegal, but it should make you question who’s interest they are looking out for.

The consumer driven Car Broker usually works out of a small office or home, charges a flat-fee buying service.  This fee can range from $200 to $1,000 depending on the type of car you are looking for.  Used and rare cars usually carry a higher fee since they require more leg work to find and negotiate.  I have personally saved people up to $2,600 on the purchase of a vehicle when I was Brokering, and never charged more than $350.

Whoever you chose to use as a broker, remember they should only charge the flat-fee agreed to before you purchase the vehicle.  This is so the broker can’t drive up the price for a more expensive vehicle.

If you can’t afford the upfront cash for a car broker, look for Internet Managers at dealerships and negotiate a price through them, after you have done all the homework explained in earlier posts.

Roger Hocker, Senior Consumer Advice Editor