1. RATE-UR-DLR at women-drivers.com

    August 28, 2009 by My Carlady

    carladylicplate1MY CARLADY loves to find great deals, and cool information for my beloved readers, followers and occasional visitors. SO, when Ann Fleming contacted me about Women-Drivers.com  I was my usual skeptic-self.  After 20+yrs in the car business, that’s what happens to you.

     

    After a 2 hour call, I was convinced she really did have the goods, and I was more than interested in helping Ann support the legions of women (and men) car buyers across the country.  SO, you will find me offering my usual blend of sarcasm and insider scoop to the Women-Drivers.com website on a periodic basis.  I’m all about spreading the word, there really is a better way to buy your next new or used car!  I’m thrilled to be able to offer my car-buying service to women (and men) too busy to haggle and wanting to know the best price, best trade-in value and what all the best combination of dealer-cash discounts, factory rebates and interest rate incentives. Thanks to Women-Drivers.com I’m hoping my tips and tirades will add a new dimension to the Women-Driver.com enthusiast while supporting “women-friendly, respectful” dealerships recognized by Ann and her staff. BTW: They were written up in the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday, and I think you will find this article balanced and informative.

     

    It’s not a pay to play deal, by any means.  Dealers are ranked BY THEIR CUSTOMERS on a voluntary basis, and let’s face it, when YOU’RE HAPPY, it’s easy to SHOUT-OUT. I’m not talking about“whining” here, they use the “if you can’t say something nice” rule, which makes sense. (That way it doesn’t look like anyone has an agenda.) I’m talking about telling your “sisters” and “brothers” about the dealers that gave you great service, BEFORE and AFTER the deal.  Point your friends in the RIGHT DIRECTION, name names of the pales people you want to congratulate for doing a great job. (Does anyone write letters anymore? SOmetimes, but more often we are asked to fill out a survey. This is YOUR opportunity to say Thanks, Good job or well-done, and maybe the boss will notice. Considering most sales people make less than $200.00 on a car deal these days, a nice shout-out is a great way to help them make more deals. IMHO)  

     Well, I would love for you to click on over to Women-Drivers.com and comment away on their review page.  I also encourage you to review me, if you have had the pleasure of using my services. While I’m an army of one, you can feel free to spill your guts, anonymous or not, just do me a favor and leave the weight, age and hair-color comments off the page. ;-)

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    Sarah Lee is an automotive executive with 20+ years of experience. She writes about Cars, and is a staunch consumer advocate on car related subjects. Her company: MY CARLADY is a car buyer’s service committed to getting you the best deal on your next new or pre-owned vehicle. You can reach her at www.mycarlady.com
    Top learn more about getting your best car deal click here: CAR DEALS

    NEED AUTO FINANCE HELP or CREDIT report repair go to tell them MY CARLADY: Sarah Lee sent you. It’s a free consult and they do the right thing by you, fast, easy, cheap.

     

     

     

     

     

     


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    Category: AUTO STIMULUS BAILOUT, Car rebates and incentives, WOMEN BUYERS, WOMEN DRIVERS, women car buyers
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  2. CLUNKERS ENDS so WHAT’S NEXT?

    August 24, 2009 by My Carlady

    CLUNKERS ENDS TONIGHT 8/24/09

    2010 MAZDA3 sedan

    2010 MAZDA3 sedan

    Dealerships will have to see what the true cost of CASH for CLUNKERS is, based on how long they are flooring the rebates form Uncle Sam.  If the money takes more than 60 days to show, many dealers could be pushed to the brink of failing, as most manufacturers will NOT extend credit lines to re-stock the lots.

    Meanwhile, dealers will continue to control overhead by keeping inventory to a minimum as they watch buying patterns post-CLUNKERS.  The Used CAR LOT is the One dealer profit center crushed by the Clunkers program because most $5,000.00 “transportation cars” have been wiped out by the $4500-$3500 CARS trade-in rebate.  Employees, students and those needing cheap rides have been pushed up to more expensive $6,000 to $10,000.00 models taking on loans that added to their debt or out of the market. Meanwhile, buyers who found themselves pushed out of the new car market for trade-in or credit reasons, quickly gobbled up the $10,000 to $15,000.00 late model, off-lease, rental, and program pre-owned cars. This situation at the low and high end of the used car market has left dealers empty, and the cash tied-up in CLUNKER rebates leaves little cash flow to buy more used car inventory.

    This is a GREAT TIME for the NEW CAR BUYER willing to pounce on a early release 2010 model. By LABOR DAY, as 2010’s start to fill dealer lots and CLUNKER-summer becomes an after-thought. Owners of a nice trade-in, less than six years old and fewer than 80k miles, especially foreign name plates*; YOU will be able to enjoy a great deal on a new 2010, with reasonable incentives on interest rates: 4.99%-5.99% or rebates, along with a greater trade-in value. Dealers need nice trade-ins more than ever. Grab your best interest rate NOW as interest rates are expected to move upward by year end. BTW, forget the 0% days, they’re gone too. 

    This is the next “GREAT TIME TO BUY a NEW CAR”, and by extension, the used car buyer will find a wider variety of makes and models along with stabilized pricing by October through the end of the year. (Credit-worthiness will still be a major factor, so expect to put 20% CASH down on any purchase if your FICO AUTO score is less than 760.)

    SO, get your engines REVVING and check out the latest 2010 models, they will be here soon. GRAB one before the lots start to fill-up and you could enjoy a great deal, especially if you didn’t qualify for the CLUNKERS program.

     

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    Sarah Lee is an automotive executive with 20+ years of experience. She writes about Cars, and is a staunch consumer advocate on car related subjects. Her company: MY CARLADY is a car buyer’s service committed to getting you the best deal on your next new or pre-owned vehicle. You can reach her at www.mycarlady.com

    Top learn more about getting your best car deal click here: CAR DEALS

    NEED AUTO FINANCE HELP or CREDIT report repair go to tell them MY CARLADY: Sarah Lee sent you. It’s a free consult and they do the right thing by you, fast, easy, cheap.

     

     

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    Category: AUTO STIMULUS BAILOUT, AUTOMOTIVE, Car rebates and incentives, LUXURY PRE-OWNED CARS, MAZDA, REBATES and INCENTIVES, USED CARS under $10 thousand
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  3. CASH for CLUNKERS SALES TAX UPDATE!

    August 12, 2009 by My Carlady

    CASH for CLUNKERS SALES TAX UPDATE!

    YOUR CLUNKER-JUNKER is a REBATE NOT a TRADE-IN!

     

    Hold the phone; I have been updated on the latest in SALES TAX collection on the current CASH FOR CLUNKERS, CASH FOR JUNKERS program.  YOU WILL PAY SALES TAX ON THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE SALE, including DOC FEES, warranties, etc., before the auto manufacturer rebate and CLUNKER REBATE are deducted from your gross total amount.

     

    In previous blogs I stated, “be careful of dealers trying to charge sales tax by adding it to the sale price of the car.” This in addition to taxing it, which would mean you were paying the tax TWICE, before any tax credit was allowed.  I was interpreting this as the dealer’s double dipping for their own gross profit. BEFORE the STATES banded together to deny any trade-in tax credit.

     

    NOW the STATE governments, supported by the FEDERAL government CARS program administrators have jumped into the fray by insisting the STATES GET ALL THEIR SALES TAX! (In some reasonable thinking, the car not worth $100.00 should NOT be gifted a sales tax credit based on an elevated price, yet the program makes the dealer file a form noting the true salvage value.)  ANYWAY, NO TRADE-IN SALES TAX CREDIT is ALLOWED because the trade is not represented as such on the purchase order.

     

    The CASH FOR CLUNKERS IS A REBATE, subject to tax in your home registering state, unless you take delivery in another state. When taking delivery in another state, you will pay the sales tax % for the state where the deal was made, and show proof to your home state when registering. If you paid more sales tax to the state of purchase than your home state would have charged, TOO BAD, don’t expect a refund or credit for the difference. If you paid less tax, expect to be charged by your home state for the difference owed.

     

    DO NOT CONFUSE THIS TRADE-IN TAX CREDIT WITH THE NEW CAR SALES TAX CREDIT YOU WILL GET ON ANY NEW CAR PURCHASED between 1/1/09 and 12/31/09.  YOU CAN STILL DEDUCT THE SALES TAX YOU PAID on your FEDERAL/STATE INCOME TAX , if you itemize or prefer to take the lump sum deduction. TALK to your accountant!

     

     

    Want to maximize your CASH FOR CLUNKERS deal? Call SARAH LEE MYCARLADY; 702-521-7546 and don’t pay STICKER!

    qualifies for CLUNKER status at 10mpg

    qualifies for CLUNKER status at 10mpg

     

    Want to maximize your deal? Call SARAH LEE MYCARLADY; 702-521-7546 and don’t pay STICKER!

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    NEED AUTO FINANCE HELP or CREDIT report repair go to tell them MY CARLADY: Sarah Lee sent you. It’s a free consult and they do the right thing by you, fast, easy, cheap.

    Top learn more about getting your best car deal click here: CAR DEALS

    Sarah Lee is an automotive executive with 20+ years of experience. She writes about Cars, and is a staunch consumer advocate on car related subjects. Her company: MY CARLADY is a car buyer’s service committed to getting you the best deal on your next new or pre-owned vehicle. You can reach her at www.mycarlady.com 

     

     

     



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    Category: AUTO STIMULUS BAILOUT, AUTOMOTIVE, Car rebates and incentives, WOMEN BUYERS, WOMEN DRIVERS
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  4. CASH for JUNKERS hits the BRAKES!

    August 3, 2009 by My Carlady

    Dealers are idling the CARS-CASH FOR CLUNKERS program as they await word from Congress on the fate of the CARS program. Already nervous about car deals made between 7/24 and 7/27, when changes to the NHTSA fuel economy guide affected100 models eligibility; as the cars either gained or lost qualifying status by 1 MPG, dealers are preparing to hit the gas hard for the next run, or shift into third and let remaining 2009 models chug off the lot with end of the model year rebates.

    Should the next $2 Billion be forthcoming, many dealers express concern about the float time between writing the new car deal and seeing the $4500 (max. allocation) in their bank accounts.  There is still no word on what audit procedures will be necessary if or before the rebate cash is released.

    There appears to be a bi-partisan revolt revving up in the Senate, as Dems and Republicans alike have expressed concern about the use of TARP funds to underwrite car deals based on minimal standards. Many Americans have expressed disappointment at not having adequate selection of hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles, as their pre-EPA vehicles get better gas mileage than many newer models.

    Consumers should be prepared to consider new car deals based on incentives other than CASH for Junkers/Clunkers, should the model of their choice not be available before the  next $2 billion dries up, never materializes or ships as a 2010.

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    NEED AUTO FINANCE HELP or CREDIT report repair go to tell them MY CARLADY: Sarah Lee sent you. It’s a free consult and they do the right thing by you, fast, easy, cheap.

    Top learn more about getting your best car deal click here: CAR DEALS

    Sarah Lee is an automotive executive with 20+ years of experience. She writes about Cars, and is a staunch consumer advocate on car related subjects. Her company: MY CARLADY is a car buyer’s service committed to getting you the best deal on your next new or pre-owned vehicle. You can reach her at www.mycarlady.com

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