Owning pre owned vehicles is a great way to have multiple reliable cars while saving money. Unfortunately, since most used cars have had an average of three owners, you need to focus even more on vehicle maintenance in order to get the most out of your car.

Of course you should be taking your vehicle to a reputable shop every few months to ensure that everything is working properly, but there are plenty of other things you can do, as well.

Here are some helpful tips for taking better care of your pre owned vehicles this year:

• Check and change your oil — This is perhaps the most important step when it comes to keeping your engine functioning properly and your car working well. Neglecting your oil level or forgoing regular oil changes will destroy your engine quickly — so check often and schedule an oil change.
• Keep your car clean — Washing the outside of your car is great, but you need to clean your vehicle’s interior every once in a while, as well. Also, you need to clean your car’s undercarriage since just about everything your car runs over can get stuck to the underside. Hose off that road grime and winter salt to keep your entire car looking and feeling great.
• Clean your windshield — A dirty, foggy, worn-down windshield doesn’t just look bad, it obscures your view of the road and can be a major safety hazard. It’s recommended to thoroughly clean your windshield at least once or twice a week. You can do this at any gas station with a squeegee. Simply soak the windshield with the cleaning fluid and pull the squeegee tightly from the middle to both sides and then top to bottom.

Owning any kind of car is a major responsibility — so you need to make sure you’re staying on top of your car’s maintenance and visiting trusted auto shops every few months. If you want to learn more about how to better take care of your pre owned vehicles this year or find some quality used cars for sale, give Auto Sales and Service a call today.

When it comes to car shopping, it’s best to visit reputable new and used car dealerships for the best new or pre owned vehicles on the market. There are plenty of backend ways to find vehicles, but you could end up spending a lot of money on an automobile that won’t last very long. Working with professional auto dealers will help you better understand the auto sales market, leading you to drive off the lot in a high-quality vehicle instead of a total lemon.

When it comes to buying pre owned vehicles, however, there is a little more work that needs to be done to ensure that you’re getting a quality automobile for the right price. Here are some important questions you should ask a dealer when you’re shopping for used cars:

• What’s the average price of the vehicles you sell? — First, it’s best to get a firm understanding of the auto market in general. Currently, the average price of a new vehicle in the U.S. is approximately $35,309. However, every used car dealership caters to a different demographic. By asking this question, you can get a sense of whether you’ve arrived at the right dealership for your used car search.
• How has the vehicle been maintained? — You should ask to see if the car has been serviced by an independent mechanic, a mechanic not affiliated with a garage, or at a dealership. Additionally, you should find out if the vehicle’s maintenance is up-to-date as well.
• Has the vehicle been in any crashes? — Usually, auto accidents will show up on a vehicle history report, but not all the time. Whether or not any incidents are listed in the report, it’s still recommended to ask the dealer if the car has been involved in an accident. If there have been crashes, find out how and when it was damaged and how and when it was repaired.
• Are there any specific fees I should be aware of? — Once you have identified a prospective used vehicle and are ready to make an offer, you should check to see if there are any dealer document fees or additional dealership fees. Asking this will give you a better idea of the final cost.

If you’re ready to find out more about purchasing some quality pre owned vehicles and want to head to a reputable used car dealership, check out Auto Sales and Service today!

If you’re thinking about buying a new car this year, don’t make the mistake of shelling out a significant amount of money for a vehicle that you could acquire for a lot less. Your best bet, especially if you’re looking for a winter vehicle, is to check out used car dealerships and inquire about the used car sales on the lot.

Though there are plenty of used vehicles on the market with a wide range of cost, most buyers don’t have to spend much more than a few grand to get a reliable automobile. In fact, the most frequently searched vehicle price range is around $5,000 or less.

Here are some of the most affordable used cars on the market today:

• Chevy S10 Truck — Though S10s might seem like beater trucks, these vehicles can actually look quite nice as long as you take care of them. These trucks are capable of hauling all kinds of items and can be driven for years — especially in the winter. You can find these S10s at used car dealerships for under $3,000.
• Saab 9-3 Wagon — A 2007 Saab 9-3 Wagon comes equipped with a turbocharged engine, agile handling, and looks great. Though 2007 was more than a decade ago, this is still an extremely reliable vehicle. In fact, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety selected the 2007 Saab 9-3 Wagon as a Top Safety Pick when it was new. The average price for this vehicle is $4,515.
• Honda Accord — There are plenty of Accords out on the U.S. roadways and there are two main reasons for that: they are reliable and they are affordable. You can find quality Honda Accords from the 1990s and even 2000s for around $3,000 to $5,000. Similar to the Honda Civic, which is another popular vehicle, Accords are just as affordable but are even more comfortable, with nicer features, and aren’t as likely to have been modified than pre owned Civics.

If you want to check out some quality used car sales for yourself and visit a reputable used car dealership, head to Auto Sales and Service today!

Buying a car can be a little intimidating if you’re not working with a reputable new or used car dealership. Luckily, there are plenty of great options on the market that you and your family will love. Especially for used cars, since these vehicles are extremely affordable and rarely sacrifice any quality since automakers have been utilizing top-of-the-line auto technology for the past decade or so.

Used cars make up three of four auto sales in the United States. The average days spent on the market for all used vehicles is approximately 46.4 days. Some of the most popular used cars only last around 35 or even fewer days, however. Here are some of the best used vehicle options on the market today:

• Honda Accord — You can drive around for 15 minutes just about anywhere in the country and you’ll probably see multiple Accords on the road. That’s because this is not only a reliable and affordable vehicle but one that looks great, too. Honda Accords typically spend 35.5 days on the auto market.
• Toyota Prius C — Over the last few years, a major shift has occurred in the auto market — and that’s the increasing popularity of Prius and electric/hybrid cars.

  “The performance of hybrid and electric cars, especially the Prius, has helped consumers abandon their initial concerns about battery life, and this perception change has contributed to the rising popularity of these vehicles,” said Phong Ly, CEO of iSeeCars.

  The Toyota Prius C is no exception and is actually the fastest-selling used vehicle today, remaining on the market for an average of only 29.6 days.

• Tesla Model S — Though not everybody considers buying a used Tesla because affordability isn’t exactly it’s strong point, this vehicle is still a popular option for many U.S. drivers. The Tesla Model S stays on the auto market for about 32.4 days.
• Chevrolet Volt — This vehicle is also a plug-in hybrid and has been enjoyed by U.S. drivers since 2011. This vehicle is affordable, environmentally friendly, and only stays on used car dealership lots for an average of 34.3 days.

If you want to check out some terrific used cars for sale and work with a trusted used car dealership, give Auto Sales and Service a visit today!

Though used vehicles sales have been on the rise for the last seven consecutive years, the auto market, in general, has seen a recent dip.

According to CNBC, auto dealers have been noticing slowing sales, which is subsequently causing some concern that a long-exacted auto decline is right around the corner.

“We are definitely seeing business pull back,” said Scott Adams, owner of a Toyota dealership in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. “September was off some, but this month our car sales are down 12% and our truck sales are down 23%.

Since the most frequently searched for vehicle price range is around $5,000 or less, the used vehicle market isn’t experiencing as much of a decrease in sales as newer models — but auto loan interest rates have been increasing, as well, which could impact the entire auto industry.

During the second quarter of this year, the average vehicle interest rate was 5.76%, up from 5.2% for the same time in 2017.

Still, taking a step back, auto sales are still quite robust and are even on pace to top 17 million vehicles for a fourth-straight year, which would be a record for the industry. But a decline could possibly be looming.

However, there has been a recent surge in online used car shopping that could potentially save the oncoming decline.

According to 660 City News, the rise in the used vehicle market goes hand-in-hand with the improved quality of used automobiles nowadays, since cars are lasting much longer than in the past.

“It takes 23 years to remove the vehicles from the road now, a decade ago it only took about 12, so it [has] essentially doubled,” added Dennis DesRosiers, president of DesRosiers Automotive Consultants. “It’s not that far long ago, call it 15 years ago or maybe 10 years ago, where the used car market was largely a culture of deceit… even if the online capacity was there, there was just so much riffraff in the used car market that it was very dangerous. A lot of that has changed.”

If you want to learn more about the used car market, auto sales in general, or check out vehicles at trusted used car dealerships, give Auto Sales and Service a call right away!