Auto Roadside Assistance Blog

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners recently performed a study to determine what the best and worst states are in the country for auto insurance.  According to the study, you are paying the highest insurance premiums if you live in the Northeast.

New Jersey proved to be the most expensive state.  On average, premiums in New Jersey are over $1,300 yearly.  The capital of our nation, Washington D.C. was the second highest, with average yearly premiums of $1,185.  New York was third highest with $1,110 being the average premium.

Revealed in the study was that urban driving, high salaries, and a lot of traffic are responsible for elevated costs in those states.  In addition, liability insurance premium costs are higher in the Northeast.

Midwestern and Northern states proved to have the lowest insurance premium costs.  The overall lowest was Idaho with costs at $530 per year.  The next lowest was Maine at $560 a year, and North Dakota was $570 per year.

According to this study, your location is a key factor in determining your car insurance costs.  Today, consumers are paying more than they ever have for their vehicles.  These costs include insurance, roadside assistance, and maintenance costs.

Car shoppers are always questioning whether they should lease or buy.  But, here’s another question for shoppers: Will you even be able to lease your next vehicle?

U.S. carmakers’ financial subsidiaries have had to cut back on their leasing program, because of lower used-car values, especially with large vehicles.

Based on reports of poor earnings, Chrysler is completely abandoning leasing, and GM and Ford are making it hard for people to arrange leases through financial subsidiaries.

In fact, all carmakers are trying not to rely on leasing because it harms a profit picture that is already bleak.

The reason that this trend is continuing is because of the high risks and costs of leasing compared with regular cash and APR business.

Even foreign carmakers are considering following the lead of domestics, although for now they still offer leases.

But, the original question of should you lease still remains.  The domestic carmakers are going to make it so expensive to lease that you should probably avoid it.  Instead, purchase new or used with an auto warranty and roadside assistance to protect you in case of unforeseen repairs down the road.

Sports car enthusiasts consider the supercar to be the ultimate vehicle.  What is a supercar you may ask?  A supercar is a very high-end sports car that has power and handling that is exceptional.

It can be challenging to find one of these cars, and even more of a challenge to find the funds for one.

Cutting edge supercars have to be ordered directly from the factory.  As a result these cars have a big “ooh” factor.

But how can you distinguish a supercar from a regular sports car?  Three features will set the two apart.  First, supercars have an exotic appearance.  Secondly, they are extremely fast.  In addition, they have world class cornering and handling.  Most supercars are imported and the most prominent ones are Italian made.

Supercar models include Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Masserati.  They are considered supercars because they are rare, have impeccable engineering, and have top performance.  They can cost over a million dollars.

Owners of supercars are very prideful of their vehicles.  An auto warranty and roadside assistance are a necessity to protect these gems.

The recommended intervals for oil changes have increased a significant amount over the last ten years.  It used to be that oil changes were recommended every 3,000 miles, but now recommendations are for every 8,000 miles.  This is great news for drivers because it means less time at the mechanic and less money spent.  However, there are a few cautionary notes to consider.

First of all, consult your owner’s manual for the “maximum recommended interval”.  Make sure you don’t extend beyond that number because saving $40 on an oil change is not worth having an $800 repair due to sludge buildup.

Second, if your driving type falls under “heavy duty” you will need to change your oil more regularly.  Often, drivers don’t realize that daily stop-and-go commuting falls under this category.  Also, if you use your vehicle for short trips with little highway driving you many need shorter oil changeouts.

Finally, you should use the specific oil type/grade recommended by the carmaker.  Failing to use the right oil type can result in poor car performance, engine damage, and even void the terms of your auto warranty.

Although less frequent oil changes are convenient for consumers, people need to follow these cautionary notes.  After all, you don’t want to ruin an engine because you didn’t add a couple of quarts of Pennzoil.  This is why an auto warranty is always a good idea.  In addition, always make sure you’re covered by a roadside assistance program.

After a vehicle accident, it is as important to find the right auto body shop, as it is to find the right contractor for home repairs.  You can have your road service program tow your vehicle directly to the repair shop that you choose.

There are over 34,000 auto body shops in the nation, which makes choosing the right one confusing.

Insurance companies often make recommendations, yet drivers are ultimately responsible for choosing the auto body repair shop.  To get the best result, motorists need to find a shop that is trustworthy and does quality work.

The National Auto Body Council and the CBBB have joined to offer consumers some much needed tips on choosing the right auto body shop, finding a deal on a rental car, and settling disputes.

To find a trustworthy repair shop, first inquire about the shop’s qualifications.  You can do this by asking questions about advanced technician training.  There are national organizations that you can find this out from such as I-CAR or ASE certification.

The average car will be worked on for about two weeks, so you will need to find a rental car.  Many times the shop will make arrangements for you if you ask them, or for a few dollars a month you can have a rental covered under your insurance.

Finally, make sure to get everything in writing.  You need an estimate of the price of the repairs to be performed.  Also, reputable shops might offer a warranty on their work.

It’s the moment that every motorist dreads, a flat tire.  You don’t know if you ran over glass or hit a nail, but you need to take action.  You may need to call for road service, and then you have to have the tire fixed or do it yourself.  Surprisingly, it isn’t that hard to repair a tire yourself, and you can save the extra expense of having a repair shop do it.  Here’s how.

First, it is necessary to determine the location of the puncture.  You can do this by submerging the tire in water and watching where the bubbles come from.  Before you can patch the tire you must remove any foreign objects stuck in the tire.  You can pull out the object with pliers.  Be sure to pull out the object in the direction of the tread so you don’t do additional damage to the tire.

Now, use a tire reamer and clean out the hole from the inside of the tire.  Center the patch over the puncture to ensure proper sizing.  Take off the patch and coat an awl using cement.  You should run the awl in the hole a few times to make sure the damaged area is coated adequately.  Then, put a coat of vulcanizing cement directly on the patch and tire and let it dry.

Next, apply a layer of cement on the stem of the patch and then pull the stem through.  When the patch stem is all the way through the hole, cut it off.

Now, you are ready to get back out on the road.  With a little diligence you can do a quick tire fix and save yourself a trip to the repair shop.

Anti-lock braking systems, or ABS, were made available for cars in America in 1978.  Mercedes-Benz was the first carmaker to install them on their vehicles.  Then, Cadillac began installing ABS on their luxury vehicles in 1986.

ABS utilizes onboard computers, which have links to the wheel sensors, that make the brakes automatically pump at a rapid rate.  Anti-locking brakes apply pressure selectively by being able to determine which of the wheels might lock, and then lowering the pressure of the brakes on those wheels so they can rotate properly. ABS will only work in a panic situation, not in normal braking circumstances.

It is important to keep in mind that ABS won’t create a shorter stopping distance.  Yet, its advantage is that drivers can maintain control and avoid skidding.

Drivers need to know how to use ABS correctly.  The proper way to brake with this system is to stomp and steer.  While many drivers are accustomed to pumping, this isn’t correct for this system.  Instead, drivers should apply a strong pressure down on the brake without letting up.

Auto safety is becoming a big priority for motorists.  New car technologies are allowing for advanced safety features that protect passengers and drivers.  Drivers should also protect themselves by buying an auto warranty and roadside assistance for their car.  This allows motorists to have peace of mind.

An emergency on the road can occur at any time, whether you have an old or new car.  Any number of problems could cause it, from a flat tire or breakdown, to running out of gas.  There are several things you can do to prepare yourself for a situation such as this.  First, you should sign up for a roadside assistance program.  Also, you should have a basic emergency kit in order to increase your safety and help get you back on the road.

Even with a road service program, you need access to a phone in order to contact them.  You could be on the side of the road waiting for a while, so it is essential to have a few items in a basic emergency kit.

Your emergency kit should first and foremost have a cell phone to call for emergency auto assistance.  Also, you should have flares to warn other drivers that your car is broken down.  A fire extinguisher will keep your vehicle from undergoing a great amount of damage should it catch on fire.  In addition, you need foam tire sealant, a jack and a lug wrench in the event that you have tire punctures. Finally, jumper cables are a must in case of a dead battery.

Vehicle safety and maintenance is about performing all of the little things right, like replacing your windshield wipers frequently.  A simple task such as this could save you from an accident or help you avoid calling for emergency roadside assistance.   And, purchasing a quality pair of windshield wipers will only cost you $10, according to Consumer Reports.

Three out of the four blades that Consumer Reports rated on top were actually some of the least expensive.  Included in these were the Michelin RainForce, which were $7 for the 18-inch, the Valeo 600 series, which were $9 for the 18-inch, and Anco 31 Series, which were $7 for the 18-inch.

It’s a good thing that good windshield wipers are cheap because they should be replaced fairly often.  According to the report, even blades that are top-rated will degrade after six to nine months of regular use.

If you’re interested in buying the top-of-the-line windshield wipers, you will want the RainX Latitude because those were the only wipers that maintained a “Very Good” performance rating throughout the entire six months of testing.  However, for those you will have to pay $17 for the 18-inch.

Theories vary on when is the best time to purchase a new vehicle.  Some people say the holidays, others say early in the week or even a rainy day.  However, one thing is for sure, the end of the month is the time to get a bargain deal on a car.

Most of the sales staff at a car dealership operates on a quota system.  They get an incremental bonus every time they reach their next sales mark in that month.  This means that if a salesperson is about to hit the end of the month and he needs to sell a few more cars to reach his sales mark, there is an incentive for him to have the sales manager lower the car price.

In fact, car sellers get a bonus from the dealership and the manufacturer if they meet designated sales goals.  If the needs of the dealership and manufacturer change they will change goals.  They might give a $1,000 bonus for a month if goals are met, or they might give a $100 bonus for selling the first vehicle of the day on a Saturday.  Salespeople have more fun when there are incentives.

If you’re looking to purchase a new vehicle, go at the end of the month for the best deals.  Also, do your homework on such things as new car warranties and roadside assistance to make sure you don’t pay too much.