In my opinion, the best cars for the beach are the ones that a) you can actually drive on the beach or b) that you look really fly in driving to the beach. If you’ve ever been a college senior in America, then chances are you fantasized about a beach road trip in a red convertible. I don’t know if it’s the remnants of Rebel Without A Cause left on our collective psyche, but flossin’ on a beach simply requires a sweet ride. So, here are a couple of options I’ve pulled together to contend for best cars for the beach, but you’re definitely going to have to do some field research and decide for yourself. Continue reading →

The other day, I decided to size up my dealer competition. I chose a car that could be priced two different ways depending on the manufacturer’s incentive: either 0% financing or $1500 dealer cash. The downside to these programs is that the general public only seems to know about the 0%.

I pursued my pricing request the way most customers would – by asking for their best price. Logical, right? Continue reading →

BMW Slang: Learn It and Live It

A few years back I was researching the BMW brand, and I came across a couple of forums.  You know the type- passionate owners/enthusiasts who love the simple joys of discussing everything BMW, along with the occasional “What’s the best muscle supplement?” thrown in for good measure.

What I didn’t realize was that there is a certain type of BMW slang that permeates the web-waves & specialist crowds, most noticeably having to do with the way ‘Bimmer’ is spelled and pronounced.  I mistakenly glanced over this golden standard of BMW slang, announcing to myself, “Ha, those people don’t know how to spell ‘Beamer’ correctly.”   And then I committed the ultimate Bimmer slang atrocity by using the more phonetic ‘Beamer’ throughout the rest of my research.  Continue reading →

At some point in our lives, most of us will find ourselves in a situation where our old, paid-off car breaks down. Not a big deal. We expected this to happen, right? But, what if it keeps happening? Suddenly your old car doesn’t seem to be rewarding you for taking good care of it. It doesn’t care about the new tires and brakes you put on last month. It doesn’t seem satisfied with the new oxygen sensor you gave it. You thought the sadness would end with a new timing belt, but the old beast gave way again. Continue reading →

A friend recently told me she’d waited five hours to buy a car – and naturally, she asked me why. In my answer, I found myself listing off several possible reasons she’d have to wait so long. The more I explained, the clearer it became: I should start the discussion here and give a few tips on how to avoid long wait times.

So, who are the people involved in your deal, and how do they impact your time at the dealer? Continue reading →

Since I’ve had my brand new car for about two months now, I decided it was enough time for me to do a Hyundai Accent review, considering what great press the entire Hyundai brand is getting these days. This is an honest account from my perspective  on the pros and cons of my little white hype, and how Babydoll performs in the Texas sun and heat.

First, the basics – I bought a 2012 Hyundai Accent GLS in white with some extra options for around $15,000. The car is an automatic, has air conditioning, power windows and doors, and extra features here and there like an iPod jack and driver’s side arm rest that make me smile. Because I’m a single person, comfort and convenience are paramount to me, and I prioritized those things, as well as price, over other things like interior room and high performance, although the Accent has an excellent showing on those points as well. Continue reading →

Ah yes, learning to drive on stick shift cars, I remember that quite well – stalling out in the middle of the busy intersection in my mother’s white Nissan Sentra while frantically trying to crank the car back up. But she was right about the skill, it did often come in handy later on, and now I enjoy the fun of driving stick shift cars…especially if they’ve got a V6 or a V8. Although the number of stick shift cars available for sale has plummeted over the past decade, there are still a few excellent holdouts for those of you that prefer a more hands-on experience. And here’s a secret: they aren’t all unaffordable sports cars. Continue reading →

They say that first impressions are everything, and while you occasionally may be able to pull of a charmingly rocky start here and there, some things cannot be unseen. Like the piles of dirty clothes in the back seat of a car, or the clear indication that one eats most of their meals out of a to-go bag in the driver’s seat. When picking up a potential mate in your car, you may think they won’t judge your book by it’s cover, but when it comes to what your car tells your date about you, this quiz will reveal what you really know. Continue reading →

Here are three car dealer manager catchphrases I both love and hate as a salesman. You won’t hear them in every dealership. But when you do, you can guess that dealer experiences some unhappy customer experiences and lost sales.  Continue reading →

Recently, Yelp informed me I’d become an “Elite” member. Being an Elite’r means that not only am I writing reviews for the businesses I visit, I’m also reading reviews of those I intend to visit.

Over the years, I’ve developed a few quick methods to ascertain what to expect at a business beyond what their overall star rating suggests. Usually, I find that looking beyond the surface has its rewards. For instance, if I’m reading reviews of a dentist and I see one complaint about the waiting room amongst great reviews for the dentist himself, I’ll pay less attention to the waiting room review. After all, I’m looking for a great dentist, not a great waiting room.

Here’s some tips on finding the right dealership for your new car purchase, whether you consult reviews from Google, Dealer Rater, Yelp, or Yahoo.  Continue reading →

Some people like to say that good things come in small packages, but those good things better not put a big dent in my wallet, which is where the best cars under 15K come in. All of the car manufacturers have become more mindful of doing more with less these days, and that doesn’t result in a lesser car; it results in a more well-rounded vehicle. And, much like the people purchasing these vehicles, they are practical, comfortable, stylish, technologically savvy, and they make a mean breakfast. Okay, maybe not the last part – that’s me I’m thinking of. Continue reading →