• Cars for Clunkers program runs until November 1st, 2009 – or until funds run out
• Car must to be less than 25 years old
• Cars must average 18MPG or less (exceptions exist for very large vehicles)
• Car must be owned, registered and insured for 12 months in owner’s name before trade in. Must provide Proof of Insurance and Registration to dealership
• Car must have a clear title, without any liens or encumbrances.
• Car must be in drivable condition
• Cars traded-in must be scrapped, meaning the car will be turned into scrap metal (worth a few hundred at most)
• Depending on trade-in, a $3,500 or $4,500 credit is applied toward purchase of new vehicle
• Cannot participate in CARS program more than once

The program has these requirements to prevent explicit abuse of the Cash For Clunkers program. Otherwise, owners could simply drive to the junkyard in Renton or Everett, buy a junk pickup truck for a hundred dollars and tow it to the dealership for a essentially a free rebate.

Having a scrapping requirement is also interesting, as it limits newer cars from participating in the program due to the immediate trade in loss. This means that the owner of a 2003 Toyota Corolla would not be inclined to participate in Cars for Clunkers as their vehicle still has a $7000 trade in value. By participating in the program, they would only receive a $3,500 to $4,500 credit plus scrap value toward the purchase of a new car.

How Much Cash Credit Do I Get for my Trade In?

If your vehicle qualifies for the Cash For Clunkers program, dealerships that participate are required to offer you an instant credit/rebate toward the purchase of a new, fuel efficient vehicle. The rebate differs depending on the type of vehicle you are purchasing and the difference in fuel economy between your trade-in and newer vehicle.

Trading in old passenger car for new passenger car:
Fuel economy improvement from 4 to 10 MPG: $3,500 credit
Fuel economy improvement over 10 MPG: $4,500 credit

Trading in old passenger car for new truck:
Fuel economy improvement from 2 to 5 MPG: $3,500 credit
Fuel economy improvement over 5 MPG: $4,500 credit

Trading in old truck to new truck:
Fuel economy improvement from 1 to 2 MPG: $3,500 credit
Fuel economy improvement over 2 MPG: $4,500 credit

While Seattle is primarily a city of passenger vehicles, the Cash for Clunkers program is a huge (some would say ridiculous) incentive for owners of old trucks or SUVs. The short of it is that if your car has a trade-in value less than $4,500, the program is an incredibly incentive to purchase a new car.

How does the Cash For Clunkers Trade Process Work with the Dealership

Though many sources mention that a voucher is required to participate, that is not true. You need no paperwork and during the trade in, the dealer handles all of the paperwork between them and the NHTSA. Provided that your trade in meets the qualifications for the Cash for Clunkers program, the $3,500 or $4,500 credit is immediately applied toward your new car.

There have been some reports coming out about dealerships (though none we’ve heard about in Seattle) telling customers that they will receive a rebate check from the NHTSA directly, the trade in needs to be held until cleared, or that there are fees or contracts to participate in the program. All of these practices are against the terms of the program and the NHTSA even asks that you report dealerships who tell you this. To repeat, the program takes no filing of paper work on the consumer side – only proof of meeting the requirements of the trade in.

However, some dealerships are wary of the Cash for Clunkers program because of the potential financial risk. It takes ten days after submitting the paperwork to the NHTSA for the dealership to know whether or not they will be credited for the trade-in. In the event they are not credited, the dealer will be out of $3,500 or $4,500 credit. This puts the onus on the dealer to correctly inspect and file the paperwork.

Most dealerships, especially those in the Seattle area, that we have talked to, are thrilled about the program – and rightly so. The Cash for Clunkers program may well be a financial stimulus program for the auto industry and a much needed rescue for domestic automakers like GM.

So, if you were thinking about trading in your old vehicle, seriously consider the Cash for Clunkers program, as it may be the best financial incentive in history to trade up for a new car. The program ran out of money within the first two weeks when it first rolled around earlier this year, so even though the program expires on the first of November, there is a good chance the program will be out of cash far before then.

Do you dread high pressure salesmen? Are you being scammed by the financing manager? Consumers all say that buying a car is worse than a visit to the dentist. Don’t have a bad experience – contact us at today sales@seattleauto.net to get you in touch with our professional auto broker who will treat you with the utmost care. Sign the papers in your own living room and have the car delivered to your door at dealer prices!

Here’s the press release from the Washington State Department of Transportation

WSDOT: Gas prices and the recession can’t take all the credit for reduced congestion
OLYMPIA – Washington drivers are spending less time stuck in traffic despite growing vehicle volumes during peak commute periods in urban areas, according to a national study released to news media today. WSDOT’s own data crunchers attribute the trend to the declining economy, but contend that smart transportation investments and operational strategies are what will keep travel times reasonable well after the economy recovers.  
The 2009 Urban Mobility Report, a national study released today by the Texas Transportation Institute, announces that congestion is declining or leveling off across the country, and attributes the cause to rising gas prices and the declining economy. WSDOT agrees that commutes are improving, but draws other conclusions as to the cause.
Puget Sound region travel trends are somewhat different than those found nationally. The TTI report draws from 2007 data. For this period, Washington’s economy was still very robust and added jobs. Our own congestion data shows continued increases in travel times for key Puget Sound corridors in 2007, although the increase is at a lesser rate than in previous years.
The data supports that congestion is improving in part because of Moving Washington, WSDOT’s program for addressing congestion. Moving Washington is a three-part strategy comprised of adding highway capacity strategically, operating the system efficiently and managing demand.
 
“We’re fighting congestion with safety improvements, construction projects, advanced freeway operations and providing transportation options,” said State Traffic Engineer Ted Trepanier. “While it is clear that many factors influence congestion, there is no question that our strategies are making a positive impact.” he said.
WSDOT analyzed on seven major Seattle-area commuting corridors in the first six months of 2008, as gas prices surged above $4 per gallon. While it’s true that Washington drivers used 63 million fewer gallons of fuel in the first six months of 2008, peak period volumes still continued to grow on these key commuter routes. The most notable changes in traffic volumes were observed on weekends and evenings as drivers reduced discretionary trips, changed destinations or cut trips to save money.
Although congestion remains heavy on several corridors, travel times on six of seven key Puget Sound corridors either improved or remained level for the first half of 2008, compared to 2007.
Four of seven major corridors saw increased traffic volumes during peak periods, yet six corridors experienced better travel times as traffic flow improved and disruptions declined. Improved travel times through some of the region’s busiest corridors suggest that WSDOT’s congestion relief strategies and their associated projects, combined with higher gas prices and rising transit ridership, had a positive effect on the performance of these corridors in the first six months of 2008.
WSDOT is currently delivering the largest capital construction program in our state’s history, including hundreds of safety and congestion relief projects funded by the 2003 and 2005 gas tax, worth $6.5 billion. As of June 30, WSDOT has completed 192 of 391 projects with an additional 83 projects currently under construction. Combined, these projects represent 70% of the total number of projects for both the Nickel and TPA programs.
WSDOT publishes an annual congestion report that provides detailed travel time and traffic delay analysis and highlights “Before and After” case studies of its safety and congestion relief projects. It measures the results from the driver’s perspective for each completed project.
In King County, WSDOT widened the freeway and improved interchanges on I-405 between Kirkland and Bothell.  This $82 million project, the first of the multi-stage Kirkland Nickel project, was completed in October 2007. Based on travel speeds before and after the project was completed, drivers’ speeds have increased by 16%, from 37 mph to 43 mph. The Tukwila to Bellevue morning commute improved by 12 minutes in part due to new WSDOT auxiliary lane on I-405, opened in early 2009.
WSDOT recently completed one of the largest construction projects ever delivered in Snohomish County, the $263.4 million I-5 Everett HOV and Freeway Expansion project. This project combined added capacity, safety and operational improvements by adding HOV lanes to demonstrate that our Moving Washington strategy can reap big benefits. Before the project began in 2005, afternoon commuters headed northbound on I-5 between 128th Street and Marine View Drive spent up to 18 minutes moving through this eight mile stretch of highway.  After crews opened the new lanes in May 2008, commuters shaved their commute to 10 minutes. Without congestion, travelers can drive through this section of I-5 in eight minutes.
In Clark County, WSDOT widened two miles of I-5 between Salmon Creek and the I-205 interchange. This $44 million project was one of several aimed at improving traffic flow in the I-5 corridor between the Main Street interchange in Vancouver and the I-205 junction.
Result: Drivers’ travel speeds have improved 19% from 42 mph to 50 mph.
For more information about Moving Washington, visit www.wsdot.wa.gov/movingwashington. For our detailed annual congestion report and the most recent six-month, incremental traffic trend analysis folio go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/accountability/.

Kelly, director of Seattle Art Cars, is inviting the Seattle car and art community to come out and experience the art cars! Held at the Fremont Fair from June 20th to 21st, the show is a unique and entertaining exhibit of decorated cars that are both wacky and amazing.

“I’m writing to invite everyone to come to the 11th annual ‘SEATTLE ARTCAR BLOWOUT’ at the Fremont Fair, June 20th and 21st. We’ll exhibit decorated vehicles from all over the U.S and B.C, on the Upper Burke Lot on 35th street. 

This is 60 or more painted cars, glued/assemblage/sculpted, cars welded and or modified in every conceivable manner, all guaranteed to induce awe as well as laughter. The Fremont Fair is free and family-friendly (although it’s now-famous-for-the-200-naked-bicyclists), while art cars are growing in popularity every year as more and more people start making personal artistic statements on their daily transportation.

When I started my first art car – a horse-themed Pinto – in ‘86, it was one of 2 or 3 in Seattle. Now there are presumably 50 or 75 of us [art car modders] and more showing up monthly. We welcome any and all ’skill levels’ of decoration, the only common denominator is an appreciation of public rolling art and a sense of humour. Cars are registering from Canada, Texas, California, Kansas, and more. Be sure to check out Dave Major’s tiny airplane BMW, and Rex Rosenberg’s ‘CHEWBARU’, a Subaru covered in dentures.

Go to www.seattleartcars.org for information or to donate (we do fund-raising, because most Artcar shows reimburse gas costs to participants, as well as house and feed them for 3 days. For example: a single van from Texas can be $1,200. So 20 or 30 out-of-town cars adds up in a hurry!).

Let the Good Times ROLL!”
kelly

People here wash their cars in the rain.

Someone from Los Angeles might think that’s insane, but if you’re from Seattle you think nothing of seeing someone at the car wash during a winter drizzle. If it’s rained for two solid weeks and is going to rain for two more, sometimes you just have to wash off the gunk and start over.
A clean car not only makes you feel better, it protects your car’s resale value — something that might be of particular interest right now, as people might be holding onto cars a little longer. Particularly with older cars, clean vs. dirty can make a huge difference in sale price.

One local used car dealer estimated you can get up to 25 percent more for a car that looks and smells clean, and people can tell the difference between a car that was kept clean all along and one that got a hasty carpet shampoo before the “for sale” sign went up.
If you’re car shopping and you get into a car that smells like it’s been housing wet chinchillas, or notice a shady rectangle on the rear carpet from when a child left a Fudgesicle on it in 1996, does that attract you to the car? On the other hand, if a car feels like it’s been taken care of on the outside, you tend to assume the previous owner also took care of it mechanically.

The best choice for washing is generally a top-flight commercial car wash like Brown Bear. They take the extra step of recycling their water, which has a huge impact on the environment. Places like Brown Bear also have special brushes, wiping cloths, and cleansers. All are gentle products designed specifically for the exterior of most cars, because they have to be.

But it’s a financial commitment to have your car professionally cleaned often, so even though many major car manufacturers advise against hand washing, some people will choose the do-it-yourself option at least sometimes. Following a few guidelines can make the process more effective, easier and more environmentally friendly.
• Don’t wash your car in the driveway or on the street. Storm drains feed directly into rivers, lakes and the ocean — which means all the soapy byproducts of your washing end up there, too. Most people wouldn’t dream of dumping a bucket of soapy water into Puget Sound, but it’s literally the same thing to wash the car in the driveway. If you must wash at home, choose biodegradable car wash liquids or make your own using eco-friendly dish or laundry soaps. And it’s better to wash your car on your lawn than on the concrete — the waste water does less damage filtering down through your soil than flowing into the storm drain.

• Keep your wash mitts and rags clean. If grit and bits of debris build up on the implement you use to scrub the car, you may as well be polishing your car’s paint with sandpaper. It causes visible swirl marks and breaks down wax. Run those mitts and rags through the washing machine after every use.

• Wash early or wash late. Most people know not to apply wax in direct sunlight, but you shouldn’t wash under those conditions either, especially if the weather is warm. It causes spotting from the cleanser that can be damaging and permanent.

• Rinse, rinse, rinse. One of the cautions against home washing is that water pressure from your hose isn’t strong enough to adequately rinse off cleansers, which build up and hurt the finish. Put that sprayer on full blast and give it an extra once-over.

• Test your interior cleaners first. There are so many types of cleaners, and so many kinds of upholstery, leather and plastic, that you can’t assume a product won’t damage your surfaces. Test on an inconspicuous area first, and when using spray cleaners, spray on the rag to apply rather than spraying directly on the surface. Especially when it’s sunny, that can leave spots that are difficult or impossible to remove.

• Remove odors, don’t pile on more. We’ve all known the guy who has a dozen of those little air freshener trees hanging from the rear view mirror of a car that smells sickeningly of vanilla or pina colada. People often do this thinking (wrongly) that it will cover up that the occupants smoke in the car. Piling your car full of air fresheners, or spraying a blast of cherryscent in it at the self-serve car wash, doesn’t make it smell clean. Think of air fresheners like cologne — a little can be complimentary,but a lot just makes you stink.

In general, don’t add “good” scents, work on taking away bad ones.Have the upholstery steam cleaned. Use a small vacuum attachment to get debris, mold and grime out of the air vents. Regularly spray Febreze on cloth upholstery and headliners. If you can’t get floor mats sufficiently clean, consider replacing them. And each time you gas up the car, use the time while the pump is running to clean out any garbage that has accumulated. Moldering food wrappers and soda cans are a big source of bad car smells.

Also, don’t use your car to house wet chinchillas. That’s just common sense.

Dave Andriesen is a former Seattle P-I sports reporter. His stories can been seen on SeattleAuto.net as a contributing writer.

Everyone knows the basic rules of renting a car – return it with as much gas as was in the tank when you were handed the keys…  don’t light up in a non-smoking vehicle…  take the free map in an unfamiliar locale, even if you think you don’t need one – but there is so much more to the process.   

WHEN AN UPGRADE IS A DOWNGRADE

• There’s nothing I love more than a complimentary upgrade.  Extra spot in First Class for this frequent flier?  Why thank you, I’d love a cup of coffee before we take off.  HOWEVER – be very wary of a common occurrence at the rental counter during this era of a challenging economy – the “free” upgrade. 
• If you have heavy miles to rack up during a trip, don’t be persuaded away from the vehicle size you requested.  That SUV might look spacious and boast a better stereo than the compact car on your reservation, but you’re going to lament those luxuries at the gas pump.  The bigger the ride, the worse the mileage – and it’s your right to rent what you’ve reserved.

THE UNEXPECTED DOWNGRADE

• Flights are late.  It’s inevitable.  But what happens to your rental reservation if you saunter up to the counter several hours beyond when you were supposed to pick up your vehicle?  If you have my good fortune, you could end up with a wee three-cylinder death trap that smells like a dirty ashtray instead of the clean, cozy intermediate-sized ride you reserved months ago (intermediates are VERY popular – first to fly off the lot!)  What are your rights in this case?
• Depends on both the company you’re renting from and your active participation in the process.  Some companies, for example, will ask you to provide them with your flight information so that they can monitor its progress.  If you have supplied the flight number and they can see it is late, they WILL save the ride you requested, anticipating your eventual arrival.  However, this is not a global policy for all companies and you cannot expect the helpful ones to guess where you’re coming from.
• It is on you to do a little research, otherwise, you can only blame yourself for rolling off the lot in a vehicle better served to be in Sanford and Son’s yard (and I’ve been there – more than once).

Check out Part 2 on Car Rental Nightmares

Cara Capuano has worked in television, mainly in sports, for over a decade, spending the last four years covering the Northwest Sports Scene for Fox Sports NW and before that on ESPN News. A dedicated storyteller, from time to time she’ll be lending some “female perspective” to SeattleAuto.net.

“When weather hits here in Washington it’s pure chaos,” says Cook. “Most folks don’t want to change their tires when the weather is bad, it’s easier to use AAA. We offer an all encompassing emergency service. If you’re locked out we’ll send out a locksmith, we can replace a battery if needed, we even deliver gas.”

While most Seattle drivers know AAA for jumping a dead battery or changing a tire, their services go way beyond the tow truck, as long as you know what you’re buying.

“AAA Washington is so much more than just our emergency road service,” explains Jennifer Cook, the spokesperson for AAA Washington. “We offer full leisure travel services and personal lines insurance as well. And our discount programs can save you more in a year than it actually costs to be a member.”

There are a number of money saving discounts to take advantage of. Card holding members can receive discounts all over the state and across the nation.  While most people are careful how they spend their money these days, AAA can be an untapped resource to just about any Seattle area driver.

Who Doesn’t Love a Deal?
Here are a select few discounts AAA Washington offers:

• 30% off for eye wear (Lenscrafters, Pearlevision, Sears Optical)
• 20% off Sirius Satellite Radios
• 20% off at the EMP/Science Fiction Museum
• Up to 20% on Prescription Drugs
• Pay $20.09 Jiffy Lube Signature Oil Change

Considering the low annual price on just the basic service, using AAA just once or twice a year is well worth the cost.  If members utilize the services and discounts, AAA could be worth every penny. It’s all in one shopping for your road traveling needs. Plus, you never have too many maps!

Check out the automotive section for AAA Washington

Housed in a moderate sized facility, K1 Speed manages to find room to fit not only a go-kart track, but pool tables, mini arcade, observation lounge and a concession stand all in the same building. With the small building size, the track layout is smaller than other K1 locations. That’s not necessarily a bad thing however, as this 20 second track features technical hairpins and turns that will have most racers struggling to keep traction across all four wheels.

Turn 2 will test your hairpin skills

K1 uses the Italian made OTL karts, which feature an electric engine that delivers almost 20HP. The OTL karts are a popular brand in Italty, which is the world leader in both go-karting and racing. Though 20HP might sound small compared to a regular car, the power is more than enough for this track. In fact, on my test run through the course, I only found myself using the full pedal on straightaways, as I was too busy trying to keep the car under control with all the heavy cornering. If you like the back pinning feeling of acceleration, you’ll still get some of that too, but this course has the lateral G-force roller coaster fun written all over it. Whatever you do, don’t compare these carts to the ones at other family amusement centers, as these are better suited as an adult or teenage hobby due to the speed.

For the racing fan, K1 is one of the few places in the Seattle area that offers a quick speed fix. Other go kart facilities include SyKart down in Tukwila, though they have the 6.5 and 9HP gas powered carts that are more of the amusement park variety. The pricing is $20 per race, which is a bit steep in this economy, but they do offer package deals that makes the speed fix a little easier to stomach.

You’ve seen them in parking lots of your local PCC, packed with two car seats on the east side, or in traffic around Safeco field after a Mariners game…the Subaru nation of Seattle.

The versatile AWD vehicle captures the essence of the northwest driver. Versatility, handling, and capacity are just some of the words that appeal to local drivers about Subaru.

“We have the perfect go anywhere vehicle,“ claims Jim Pernas, Subaru’s regional VP. “People can drive from downtown to the passes for skiing and not have to worry about it. We fit into their active lifestyles. People who buy Subaru engage in life.”

According to Pernas, Seattle is the number five Subaru market in the entire country, with three of the top 20 Subaru dealers in the nation as well (Carters, Chaplins, and Eastside).

“It’s been a top Subaru market since the mid 1990’s” he says.

But the real question is why? There are certainly more Civics and Camry’s on the road, other vehicles get better gas mileage, and the other larger automakers have a bigger selection, so why is a smaller car maker like Subaru taking such a large bite out of the Seattle pie? It could come down to individuality.

“The people in Seattle and the Northwest as a whole don’t follow the masses,” explains Pernas, who’s based in Portland. “We’re more rugged individuals, and our cars make a statement about our lives. It fits our lifestyle.”

But with a half dozen of these multi faceted vehicles to choose from, which one fits the Seattle driver best?

“The Outback is a mainstay in Seattle,” claims Jim Pernas, Subaru’s regional VP of sales and marketing. “Since the mid 1990’s the Outback just took off. From the first generation Outback till now it’s always been a mainstay in Seattle. Although the Forester is starting to outpace it.”
 
In fact, the sales of Forester’s in the US helped Subaru become the only major automaker to make a slight profit in 2008. While the big boys like Ford, Chevy, GM, and even Toyota have been losing billions per quarter, Subaru saw a 115% increase in Forester sales in the first month of 2009 alone. With sales numbers to prove it, maybe Seattle drivers have figured out what the rest of the country is still wondering about.

“Loyal Subaru owners feel they have the best kept secret in the car industry,” claims Pernas.

Maybe the only left to decide, is which one to buy.  Outback or Forester?

Forester 2.5X Specs

• 4-cylinder, horizontally opposed (Boxer); aluminum cylinder block and heads with forged steel cylinder liners
• 170 hp@ 6,000 rpm
• Automatic- Active All-Wheel Drive with electronically managed continuously variable
  hydraulic transfer clutch
• Brakes-Power-assisted 5-wheel disc with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and 4-channel / 4-sensor ABS and Brake Assist
• Cargo Capacity- Rear seatbacks down: 68.3 cu. ft.
• Fuel Economy-Automatic-2.5X models: 20/26HWY

Outback 2.5i Specs

• 170hp @ 6,000 rpm (PZEV: same)
• Drive Train- Automatic- Electronically managed continuously variable hydraulic transfer clutch
• Brakes- Power-assisted 4-wheel discs with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and
  4-channel / 4-sensor ABS
• Cargo Capacity- Rear seats down: 65.4 cu. ft.
• Fuel Economy-AWD-Automatic  2.5i 20/26 HWY

See the full specs and other models at Subaru.com

Outback vs Forester video feature coming soon.

The most well known provide of vehicle history reports are CARFAX and AutoCheck. Both provide detailed history reports on vehicles that are almost identical. I personally used AutoCheck in our features How to Buy a Car For Under $1,000 because it’s far cheaper than CARFAX and has an option for unlimited VIN checks over a period of 60 days (CARFAX has 10 checks for the same price).

1) Accident History
If you’ve been driving for any amount of time, most likely, you or your car has been in some kind of auto accident. It happens. With millions of drivers on the road, accidents happen each day. It’s important to know whether the car you are interested in buying has ever been reported in an accident, due to the damage that the car may have sustained. It’s also a good way to tell if a seller is lying to you, as any honest seller should tell you if the car was involved in an accident and how it was fixed. If a seller denies the car was in an accident or worse, you see evidence of a cover-up job, you will know to walk away. More importantly, if the car was recently in an accident as is now for sale – you should often run, not walk – as that car is likely unfixed and potentially illegal to drive.

2) Salvage and Rebuilt Title
Imagine this: You just bought a used car from that nice smooth talking gentleman for nearly a thousand less than the closest seller. It almost seems too good to be true. As you drive off, you notice your car pulling to the right and take it to the mechanic. An hour later, he comes back with and asks if you know your car is welded together from two completely different cars. This is an extreme story, but you would be surprised at the amount of rebuilt and salvage cars out on the road. Not all cars with rebuilt titles are junk, as they may have been worked on by a competent mechanic; but only the brave, desperate or mechanically inclined should honestly consider a salvaged vehicle. Not only that, these cars should always be sold with full disclosure as to their rebuilt title.

3) Flood Cars
Seattle is a region not typically known for it’s flooding. Occasionally, a 10 or 100 year flood comes around and claims cars, but otherwise, we have it safe here. Most drivers think that because flooding is rare in the area, there is no need to worry about flood damaged cars. Wrong. Cars damaged by flooding are often taken as far away as possible from flood regions, as buyers there are smart enough to avoid flood damaged cars. Unsuspecting consumers elsewhere in the country however, are in for a nasty surprise. If a car is claimed as an insurance loss due to flooding, the insurance provider is required to state that the car has been damaged as such.

4) Emissions Failure
This is often overlooked when buying a used car, namely because it’s hard (impossible, even) to actually tell if a car can pass an emissions check. A vehicle history check will show if a car has failed to pass the most recent emissions test. That said, it still is possible for a car to have passed the last emissions check but still fail, due to mechanical wear or damage between now and the last check. Never, ever, take an emissions failure lightly, because it will average between $1,000 to $2,000 just to get the car to pass emissions – and perhaps even more.

5) Odometer Rollback
Think that ‘98 Honda Civic with 50,000 miles is too good to be true? Well, it probably is. Odometer rollback is a common practice with shady sellers and dealers. The unfortunate truth is that odometer rollback is very difficult to detect, because odometer readings are only required on vehicles during title registration and other major events – not for tab renewals. This means that unscrupulous seller can rollback the odometer anytime and keep the miles artificially low on a car. If the seller was overly greedy or stupid, they could roll back the odometer so far back that it would cause red flags to come up at the next odometer check. Most odometer rollbacks are subtle enough not to be caught, but major instances will be seen through a history check.

6) Lien /Loans on the Car
When a loan is taken out on a car, the DMV reports that a lien has been taken out on the vehicle. The majority of consumers take out a loan to purchase their vehicle, so this isn’t a major deal. That said, you want to be sure that the vehicle you are buying does not currently have a lien on it and that the vehicle is paid off. The vehicle history services all include a title check as well, which essentially tell you whether or not the car is safe to buy. Always remember to request to see the vehicle title before any purchase is made and verify that it is indeed the title to the car.

7) Ownership History
Most people prefer a car with a low ownership history, because that often means the car has been treated well and maintained long enough to be in running condition. A large amount of owners on a car might signal mechanical issues, poor maintenance and also a lack of documentation to go with the car. Here is Seattle, you can also see if the car has been used on the East Coast, where salt and corrosion may have damaged the under body. It’s also useful to verify a seller’s claim that the has only had X amount of owners.

8) Fleet / Rental Car
I put this here even though I don’t think fleet cars or rental cars are personally a huge liability. Yes, you’ll often hear about that buddy that took his rental car out to the parking lot and doing fishtails, but in reality, most rental car drivers are practical individuals. Fleet and rental cars sometimes have a history of not being maintained well, but you can always see in the history how long the rental car was kept in the fleet. Most rentals companies only keep cars for 1-2 years before selling, so the amount of use the vehicle gets isn’t horrific compared to the miles left in the car. You may prefer a non-rental car for your own mind set however, so it may or may not be important to you.

9) All other damage
While we’ve covered accidents, floods, odometer rollback and other pitfalls, there’s still a laundry list of events that may have happened to the car – fire, hail, stolen, insurance claim, etc.. You want to know if any of these have happened to your car for good reason.

10) It’s Cheap
Lastly, the most practical reason to get a vehicle history report is because it’s worth it! The cost of a vehicle check with AutoCheck is $15 for a single vehicle. That is less than what you would pay to fill the gas tank! The average used car is probably around $8,000 – which means that this car check costs less than a quarter of one percent of the price of the vehicle. For that little amount of money, you can save literally your entire investment by having the foresight to practice some due diligence on your vehicle before purchasing.

So remember, if you’re serious about buying a good quality used car, get a vehicle history report. They’re not always perfect, but it’s far better than the other option of doing nothing!

The President’s plan would force the production of smaller, hybrid, and advanced fuel saving technologies into the US auto marketplace.

He told the Associated Press:

“I want to be clear from the beginning of this administration that we have made our choice: America will not be held hostage to dwindling resources, hostile regimes and a warming planet,” Obama said. 

The change in policy could also make things bit more expensive in the short term for consumers. New technologies generally cost more. These fuel efficient vehicles could cost thousands more. However  President Obama believes this is more of a long term fix.

“It falls on us to choose whether to risk the peril that comes with our current course or to seize the promise of energy independence,” Obama said. “And for the sake of our security, our economy and our planet, we must have the courage and the commitment to change.”

If new emission standards get passed by individual states, it would require auto makers to boost fuel standards by 40 percent and by 2020, cars will at the very least get 35MPG.

The President also said that the US dependence on foreign oil “bankrolls dictators, pays for nuclear proliferation and funds both sides of our struggle against terrorism. It puts the American people at the mercy of shifting gas prices, stifles innovation and sets back our ability to compete.”

Lofty goals and high demands made by the new president. But ultimately, it comes to changing American habits. Luckily for Seattle drivers, we’re ahead of the nation when it comes to this.

See the full AP article in the Seattle Times.