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Automobiles & Auto Care

Smart cars (and micro minis) have swept through Europe with the force of a tidal wave.

We've all seen them, the cute little cars that only seat 2 people and are sometimes in very vibrant colors (such as neon green, for example).

I was actually surprised to see one of these parked on Lake City Way the other day here in Seattle. Personally, I love how cute they are, but they have other advantages as well.

Here are 7 pros and cons of the micro mini or smart car...

Many people (myself included) buy used tires. After all, that's one way to save money, right?

It's also another way to practice a green lifestyle since you're reusing something.

However, this might be one time when reusing an item is not in your best interest. The fact is, old tires simply may not be as safe as new tires -- whether they've been used or not.

After a tire is older than 6 years, there is an increased risk that that tire is going to suffer a catastrophic tread separation:

Following are some of the dangers associated with buying used tires -- or even OLD, unused tires!  Plus, how to make sense of the letters and numbers on your tire's sidewall and determine the true age of your tires.

Any time you rent a car, the company renting to you is going to try and get you to purchase the additional insurance. That is a given. But do you really need it?

Well, it depends on your situation.

One thing to keep in mind is that no car rental agency puts all the information regarding their different additional insurance policies on their website. In order to get that information, you will need to call them or visit their office in person.

Before you purchase any additional insurance, it's important that you read any and all information supplied by the car rental company -- or at the very least, have someone explain it to you and get your questions answered before signing and paying for additional car rental insurance.

Here are the pros and cons of buying additional insurance when you rent a car...

"How much do you want to pay each month?"

That is typically the first question you're asked when approached by the car salesman or car financing officer on the lot. 

Keep in mind that this question has nothing to do with how many years you will be making the monthly payment on the car, or how much the car even costs. 

Many first-time car buyers fall for this trick... once. But after this hard-learned lesson, they pay close attention to the price next time they buy a car. 
 
Even more experienced car buyers can be caught in car salesman tricks of the trade. Here's what to watch for...

This is a hot topic.

Earlier, Andrea mentioned 8 fun and easy ways to save money on gas. Plus, even more ways to save at the pump and tips for squeezing the most out of each fill-up.

Believe it or not, I've found a few more ways to be energy-efficient and save on fuel that I'd like to add to that list.

By the way, did you know that gasoline takes up 5% of the average household budget? That's up 21% from a year ago. (Source: Money, July 2008)

Are you worried about the rising cost of gasoline? I am too.  So are millions of other people. 

This is why MyGallons.com is allowing you to pre-purchase tomorrow's gasoline at today’s prices. 
 
So, is it worth it? Should you really pre-pay for gas like this? Are there any "catches"?

Here's the scoop about the MyGallons.com prepaid gas card...

Your car is a few years old and you are dreaming about a new vehicle... 

If you're considering its trade in value and trying to decide how much the monthly payment on your new car should be, chances are you're moving a bit too fast. 

Why? Because you really should be thinking about hanging onto the car you have -- just long enough to save your money and pay for your next car with cash.