Amy’s Garage

A car’s exhaust system works like human intestines-

removing stinky waste in order for the body (yours or your car’s) to stay healthy.

The automobile’s intestines or in auto talk, the engine’s combustion, produces hot exhaust gases that are not only poisonous, but create pollution that has contributed to the disappearing protective ozone layer around the earth.

This push of waste from the engine also creates very loud vrooooming noises. I’m sure many of you have experienced a muffler falling off and the need to shout at the person sitting beside you because your sweet little car sounds like a motor head’s dream machine.

The exhaust system consists of a series of parts and pieces welded together.

First in line is the Exhaust Manifold. Attached to the engine, this set of cast iron pipes funnel all the exhaust ports

The Manchurian Candidate release into one pipe so you don’t have multiple exhaust pipes sticking out the back of your car. The gases gather here and are pushed by the continuing pressure of incoming gases into the Headpipe which connects the manifold to the very important Catalytic Converter.

or y-pipe,

The catalytic converter or “cat’s” main job is to clean up some of the harmful chemicals from the waste gases, so you don’t end up breathing them or having them enter the atmosphere. It is filled with treated ceramic honeycomb or beads that cause a chemical reaction turning the harmful gases into carbon dioxide, nitrogen, oxygen, and water vapors. The Catalytic converter is very expensive to replace, and a lot of big engines can have two or even three of them.

These changed gases next go through various pipes, and in some cars a resonator

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to help dim the noise, through more pipes into the Muffler

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. The muffler routes the sound waves through a series of chambers, baffle plates, or other mechanical designs that bounce sound waves off of each other and, eventually, cancel each other out, getting rid of the vroom, vroom the car would make without it.

The Tailpipe is the last stretch of piping that connects to the muffler and stops at the side or back of your vehicle. These pipes usually have bends to curve up and over the rear axle.

Most exhaust systems now have one or more sensors.

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The sensors are a computer type gizmo which monitors the air/fuel mixture the engine produces. If the mixture is out of balance, your car may be using more fuel to do it’s job as well as emissions leaking into your exhaust. This sensor will sound the alert and turns on your Check Engine. If the sensor fails, you might feel your car surging or hesitating or you might not notice anything wrong except for that check engine light glowing on your dash. If you ignore the light and don’t replace the sensor, it could damage the catalytic converter, which I will remind you is a very expensive part to replace.

How Often Does An Exhaust Need To Be Replaced?

• The metals used today to make the exhaust parts last longer than they used to: typically it’s about five to seven years before any big pieces need to be replaced.

• BUT if you typically drive very short distances, especially during the winter the muffler and pipes never get hot enough to evaporate any collected water vapors. This short stop and go type of driving can cause the muffler to rust from the inside out. ????? ??? ??????????? ???????? ???????? ???? ???????????

• Also, mufflers that are mounted far from the catalytic converter or mounted behind the rear axle are at risk of having water vapors puddle inside the mufflers. The water combining with sulfur forms a highly corrosive acid that eats away at the metal.

• Where the various exhaust parts are welded together is called an exhaust gasket or flange. They tend to deteriorate way before any of the pipes. This is bad because the colorless and toxic exhaust gases will leak out and you will be it breathing in. Even a small amount of exhaust gases getting into your car can affect your judgment and perception. That headache you thought was caused by the long drive home may be poisonous gases trickling into the passenger compartment.

Lucky for you: We can sometimes replace the gasket or the flange and this is so much cheaper compared to having two pieces break apart while you are driving down the road resulting in damage not only to the exhaust but to a tire, axle, or other part under your car.

With potholes abounding on the roads, ask your auto technician to do you a big favor by inspecting your car’s exhaust system when you bring it into the shop for service or repair. You want them to tighten those annoying heat shields that continually get loose and rattle, and keep an eye our for any small exhaust leaks before they become a bigger, more expensive problem down the road.

Auto Craftsmen had it’s 2nd Woman’s Car Care Clinic on Saturday March 14th.

With 16 women in attendance we covered the following topics:

How to Communicate Clearly so your Automotive Service provider understands exactly what you want and need done to your car.

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• Give Symptoms
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  : Accurate descriptions of the symptoms will save you dollars and time. Be as literal and precise as possible. NOT: My car is making a funny noise. BETTER: When I first start the car and pull out of the driveway the war makes a noise that sounds like (Make noise) but only when I turn right.

• Don’t Push for an On-The-Spot Diagnosis: Asking the Service Advisor or Technician to second-guess your vehicle’s problem only causes false expectations and creates confusion. You would not want a doctor to guess at what is making you sick.
• Leave Accurate Contract Information: It is very important that you that you leave phone numbers of where you will be that day, so you can be contacted “At A Moments Notice”. Your car is one of many vehicles in for repairs and service. If you can not be contacted to give approval for a job, your car will be pulled out and will have to wait it’s turn to get back in line for work. This could result in your car not being finished by the end of the day.
• Keep Asking Questions if you don’t Understand: Most problems between shops and consumers are a result of faulty communication. Don’t be embarrassed if you don’t understand right away… cars are a complex subject. If necessary, make a trip to the shop and have them show you what is wrong and have them give you an accurate estimate.
• Be Patient: Your repair facility is doing its best to keep every customer happy. They know that an unhappy customer won’t return, so they work very hard to please everyone. But wrong parts, sick employees, emergency repairs, small jobs that turn into bigger ones are major challenges that disrupt a shop’s schedule every day.
• Be Appreciative: The repairs and service on cars is not only hard work but takes a great deal of skill and knowledge. Contrary to belief, Technicians have feeling too! A little appreciation goes a long way, especially if it comes with a plate of cookies!

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The ladies found it very interesting being able to look under a vehicle and learn about all the Steering and Suspension parts.

They also learned about what’s under the hood, and how to check the important fluids in their vehicles.

Brakes and Tires were also covered in detail.

The ladies asked great questions and everyone had a lot of fun.

The last clinic we have scheduled is for April 18th. Call 229-2054 if you want to grab the last 2 seats available or email amy@autocraftsmen.com

Join WAYTO Her Alibi GOVT.org in reducing 500,000 pounds (that’s Five Hundred Thousand Pounds) Train rip of Greenhouse Gas emissions!

We Challenge you: Leave your car at home from May 4-8, join the fun and be rewarded to help make a huge impact on the air pollution in Vermont!

• WALK: Help relieve traffic congestion and personal stress at the same time! To learn more about the benefits of walking: www.localmotion.com

• Car Pool: on average, by adding just 1 passenger to your commute you will be saving 31 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions for every ride shared. To learn more about carpooling in Vermont: www.connectingcommuters.org

• Take Public Transportation: For every mile you ride public transportation you use about 1/2 of the fuel consumed by the average car. The savings would add up very quickly. PLUS, every $1 invested in public transportation generateds $6 in local economic activity. To learn more about bus routes and service: www.cctaride.org or www.vpta.net,/a>/links/asp

• Bike The Craft video : A 4 mile bike commute keeps almost 15 pounds of pollutants out of the air. Commute 4 miles for 1 work week and prevent 17 lbs. of pollution. To learn more about cycling: www.localmotion.org

Pollution emitted by just 1 car:

If you would like to learn more about fuel economy go to: click on this link.

A typical Vermont car is driven 17,000 miles per year and produces:

• 13,600 pounds of carbon dioxide
• 935 pounds of carbon monoxide
• 114 pounds of hydrocarbons
• 68 pounds of nitrogen oxides

According to the AskPatty BeGreen Program, to help reduce your environmental impact when driving a car you can:

• Keep your tires properly inflated. Driving with your tires at the proper inflation can improve your efficiency by up to 3%. That’s a savings of $30 to $70 depending on how much you drive, and can reduce greenhouse gasses by 1.42% to 0.69 percent. Under-inflated tires alone cost the country more than $3.5 million gallons of gasoline each day.
• Observe the speed limit. As a general rule, assume that each On average, every one mph increase over 50 mph reduces your fuel mileage by .1 miles per gallon. That’s one mile per gallon less for every 10 mph over the speed limit you drive. Depending on your driving style and how fast you drive, you could waste 20 to 70 cents per gallon.
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  . Avoid hard or “jackrabbit” starts and stops. Aggressive driving can reduce your gas mileage by 33 percent on the highway and 5 percent in the city.

• Reduce excess vehicle weight. Avoid keeping unnecessary items in your trunk. Each 100 pounds can reduce your economy by 2%
• Keep your car properly tuned. A well-tuned car can run 4% more efficiently than one that is out or tune or has failed its emissions test.
• Check and replace air filters regularly. Replacing a clogged air filter can improve your fuel economy by as much as 10%
• Don’t idle
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  . Idling for just 10 minutes per day can waste as much as 22 gallons per year. At $3.00 a gallon, that’s $66 in your pocket.

To Learn more about the Way To Go Commuter Challenge, You can sign up at www.waytogovt.org or call 802-660-4071 x 14

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When a teenager gets behind the wheel of a car, they have entered a new chapter of their life and as a parent, you are going down that road with them whether you like it or not.

According to the

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:

• New drivers are more likely to have an accident in the first two years of driving then at any other time in their lives.
• Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for 15 to 20 year olds. This accounts for 40% of all teen deaths.
• Only about 20% of 16 to 19 year olds drive at night, but 50% of the fatal accidents occur during these hours.
• 43% of teen motor vehicle deaths occur between the hours of 9:00 pm and 6:00 am.
• 54% of teen motor vehicle deaths occur on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
• About 36% of crashes that kill young people involve alcohol.

Does this scare you?

Well it should. How the West Was Fun psp It’s the parents job to make sure their child learns the driving skills and awareness of sharing the road with others so they will not kill themselves or others when they get their driver’s license.

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Want some help?

My favorite automotive website www.askpatty.com has created a global PATTI Road Safety Program – Parents Actively Teaching T

eens Initiative and teamed up with The Survival Group to take the stress out of the whole process by showing you how to coach your teen drivers like professionals.

The “Coach A Rookie Guide” will give you the tools to actively teach your teen drivers vital road survival techniques. It will show you what to teach and how to teach it.

There are Three Main Sections in the CaR Guide

Section 1 – The Basic Coaching Kit

Section 1 gives you the practical tools necessary to teach your Learner when out on the road.  They will help you generate the road survival skills you must instill into the new driver (and yourself) until they automatically form part of your rookie’s driving regime.

Section 2 – The Advanced Coaching Kit

Spawn ipod This Section builds on the Basics and includes vital survival tips, strategies and techniques for Suburban Driving, Freeway Driving, Country Driving and driving in different weather conditions.

Section 3 – The Practical CaR Guide

This segment contains all that stuff that every one should know about how to change a wheel, how to check the oil and generally about how cars work.

The “Coach A Rookie Guide” comes to you as a downloadable PDF that is sent to your email for only $20. But because AskPatty.com is sooooo awesome Half the proceeds of sales of Coach a Rookie go directly to the United Spinal Association a group that supports victims of road crashes.

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YES I purchased it, and will print it out and have it at my shop Auto Craftsmen if you would like to check it out.

Do You Have Any Tips For Teenage Drivers or Their Parents?

The answer is YES, dealer, independent, tire center, quick lube…. they can all work on your car and maintain the manufacturer’s warranty.

I am always amazed and distressed to hear folks tell me they miss their regular auto repair shop, but since they bought a “new car” they have to go to the dealer for all the service or repairs to keep it under warranty.

They think that they must go to the dealer for the first 36,000 miles to 60,000 miles of ownership depending on the make, model and warranty of their new car. Well, I am here to tell you: “You don’t have to take your vehicle to the dealer to maintain any kind of automotive warranty.”

If someone has told you that your new car’s warranty will be rendered invalid if anyone other than the dealer’s service department does the work, or if any product other then manufacturer brand-name parts are used… they are telling you an un-truth!

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In 1975 the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act was created by the Federal Trade Commission. It was passed to “improve the adequacy of information available to consumers to prevent deception, and improve competition.” The only way the manufacturer can require you to use their brand of filter, or any other specific part is for the manufacturer to provide the item free of charge under the terms of the warranty, and I have yet to see any of the new car manufactures doing this.

So rest assure, you can have your favorite repair shop do all your oil changes, tune-ups, fluid flushes, etc., and any repairs needed using name brand, quality; spark plugs, filter, oil, belts, hoses, brakes, wiper blades, etc. and keep your new car’s warranty valid.

You just need to be sure to go to a shop that keeps proper records.

Each invoice needs:

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• The date of service and what service or repair was completed.

• Your name, the year, make and model of your car,
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• The car’s VIN (vehicle identification number),

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• The name and parts number of the parts used

• The mileage of your vehicle at the time of the service or repair.

Having your trusted auto technician to look over your car on a regular basis is the best warranty for your vehicle. Here at Auto Craftsmen if we find a repair that would be covered under warranty, we take pictures and write up a good report for our clients to take with them to the dealer to get the repair made as easily and quickly as possible. We are their advocates, and they greatly appreciate this.

If you receive a recall notice in the mail or need a repair that is covered under the manufacturers warranty, then you have to go to the dealer to get the work done.

The manufacturers will rarely reimburse your money if the warranty work was done at an independent shop, other than in emergency situations where a dealer was not available to do the work. If you are in an emergency situation and there is no dealer around… then call the manufacturer ahead of time to get their approval for an independent shop or a different manufacture’s dealership to do the work for you.

by Amy Mattinat

A workshop for women about cars

Sweeney Todd the movie ??? ??? ???? MONTPELIER: TIMES ARGUS NEWSPAPER – After Kathryn Bramman’s husband died last year, she became responsible for her vehicle’s maintenance for the first time.

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On Saturday, Bramman joined about 12 other women for the first Women’s Car Care Clinic at Auto Craftsmen.

Amy Mattinat, who owns the garage on outer State Street, has wanted to put on a workshop for women for at least five years. Four men who work at the garage were at the first scheduled, two-hour clinic to help answer questions and demonstrate repairs and maintenance.

“This is great for a lady who is in charge of her own car right now and doesn’t know a lot about it,” said Bramman of Barre.

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“One of our goals in doing this is to give them a little more information so they feel empowered,” said Marc Yakubosky, service manager for the garage. “Sixty-five percent of our clientele are women and they don’t want to know the number to the tow truck by heart.”

In order to give each of the women who attended a more thorough understanding of their vehicles, they were divided into three different groups. One focused on general maintenance regarding fluids, air filter, belts and what to look for when purchasing a used vehicle. Another focused on the underbody components, such as CV – constant velocity – shafts and wheel bearings. The third station, hosted by Mattinat and Mark LaFleche, focused on tires and brakes.

“I am a huge advocate on good tires,” said Mattinat, who is a member of the national Women’s Car Care Council and the Woman Automotive Association International. “Tires number one on my list – tires first, brakes second and then everything else.”

Mattinat is also considered an expert on the website, AskPatty.com where women seek auto advice, for buying a used vehicle. Auto Craftsmen was the first repair garage in Vermont to be , Ask Patty certified according to Yakubosky.

“If you only take away two things to make your car safer and more reliable – remember to check your oil and your tire pressure,” she said to three women in her station during the last rotation of the clinic. “Checking the air pressure on a tire can be a scary thing for some people. When they hear the hissing of air as they put the gauge on the tire stem, they worry they’re letting all the air out of the tire.”

She and LaFleche demonstrated the proper technique before letting each of the women have a try. They also explained where on the car you can find the proper air pressure for your tires. Ignore the numbers on the tires, Mattinat told the group, the owners manual or the sticker on the inside of the driver’s door will provide the correct air pressure for your vehicle.

“I’ve had this very wide range of opinion of how to check my tire pressure, which unfortunately I have to do pretty often,” said Kimberly Jessup of Middlesex.

“You need to check the air pressure before you drive the car,” said Mattinat about the optimum time to take a reading.

Nightmare Detective movie full Throughout the clinic, that ran a little longer than scheduled, Mattinat and her technicians explained anti-lock brake systems, how to maneuver a steep, slippery incline, how to check the oil, what to look for with a vehicle’s fluids, how to measure tires and their treads, why jump-starting a frozen battery is dangerous, when to replace an air filter, what to check for with a dead battery and which noises to pay attention to.

“So, you should drive with your radio down all the time?” said Bramman joked after one of the technicians explained the clicking noise of a broken CV joint. “I’m learning so much.”

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Patricia LaRose had a simple explanation for why she attended the clinic. “I’m a girl, most shops are owned by guys, I don’t want to get screwed over,” she said after listening to the tire demonstration. ?????? ????? ???? ???????? ?????????

The clinic Saturday was so well received during the sign-up period that Mattinat has scheduled two more, one in March and another in April. To find out more, call Amy Mattinat at Auto Craftsmen at 229-2054, go to autocraftsmen.com or email her at amy@autocraftsmen.com

sarah.hinckley@timesargus.com.

Carver 3 Wheeled Car

One wheel in the front the leans waaaaaaaaaaaay over like a motorcycle, with 2 wheels in the back that stay on the ground. 11 feet long, 4 feet wide x 4.5 feet high. You sit in a cockpit with a regular steering wheel, accelerator pedal, 5 speed transmission with clutch and a brake. Easy to drive… Goes 1 to 60 mph in 8 seconds. Wee hee hee… Top speed is 115 mph. ZOOOOOM!

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Hasn’t made it to the states yet. I hear that by early 2010 it may arrive. Sad to say the price tag is like $40K. I have high hopes that in 3 years the price with drop considerably, because everyone wants one.

I found 4 dealerships in Germany. I will try and find one when I head there this Sept. for a wedding.

The Carver 3 wheeled rig looks so very cool!
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There is no difference between the emergency brake and parking brake.

Same system just different names. BUT, if you don’t set the parking brake you could have an emergency with your car.

FOR EXAMPLE: A newish Subaru Outback Wagon, deluxe top of the line model was parked on a hill. The Owner ‘thought’ he had put the car into gear and set the emergency brake… only to later find his car missing from where he had parked. He finally found it down the hill SMASHED, CRASHED AND BASHED into a tree.

GOOD NEWS Mail Order Bride : As the car rolled down the hill, it did not hit anything else. No pets, people, cars, houses, not even a mailbox. Plus, it was not totaled.

OK, not totaled but as you can see there was a HUGE amount of damage.

1st it came to my shop, ‘Auto Craftsmen’ and we replaced damaged engine parts. Then it was towed off to “Majestic Auto” (244-5465) in Waterbury. Here is a picture of Tom Douglas owner of Majestic Auto. After he worked his magic the Outback looked as good as new.

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1. You need to use your parking brake on a regular basis to keep it working properly.

2.  When you park your car on a hill, turn the wheels so if the car does roll, it won’t go far. Put the car into gear and set the parking brake. Specially if you drive a manual transmission.

Have you ever lost your car by not setting the parking brake on a hill?

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No matter how well you plan, it happens every year. You rush around like a maniac doing last minute shopping, gift wrapping, making your special yummy recipe, packing up the family car and driving in really lousy weather to visit friends and family.

Remember that when you hit the roads to go on your holiday “vacation” you are sharing the highways and byways with a lot of other tense and weary drivers.

I’d like to give you my secret holiday driving stress reliever. Well, it’s not actually a secret, but I’m hoping that it gives you some food for thought and keeps you a little bit saner and a lot safer during your holiday travels.

Let your holiday begin as soon as you sit in the car and shut the door. Take a deep breath and let yourself relax before you turn on the engine. If the driver has any anxiety and apprehension concerning the trip then expect the passengers to pick up on the tension and add to it.

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Don’t start the trip by saying things like: “I hate the holidays, I hate going to your mothers, I’m too tired to deal with any of this, you kids better shut up and go to sleep because I am too stressed out to deal with you, etc.”

Try this instead: “Starting right now, we are officially on vacation. I have lots of yummy snacks for the trip, great music (and / or books on tape, DVDs , games to play, etc) to make this a fun trip. We will be stopping every couple of hours to stretch and air everyone out! Let the fun begin!”

When packing your vehicle, make sure everything is securely stowed. Make sure you also bring along the correct road maps, a spare key in your wallet, and a cell phone with the phone numbers programmed in of anyone you might need to contact if you are running late. It’s always a good idea pack: a car jack and tools, snow scraper and brush, extra blanket, flashlight, candles, matches, jumper cables, small shovel, some kitty litter, and flares or emergency triangles.

Whenever you stop make sure you lock the vehicle. Always store your luggage and packages out of sight. It’s sad to say but there are would-be thieves who take advantage of holiday packed cars.

Do yourself a big favor and make sure your car is road worthy by taking it to the shop for a safety check at least a week before your trip. My top priorities are: tires, brakes, lights, windshield wipers, cooling system and the reliability of the car to start every time you turn it on.

Try and scope out the weather before you head out. http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/trafficinfo/index.htm contains links to information on weather and road conditions. Leave yourself some extra time on your holiday travel schedule. The roads will be heavily traveled, congested and winter storms can sometimes hit without warning.

The Savages move If you encounter bad weather, please slow down. You need at a lot more space between you and vehicle in front to stop, and remember that bridges and overpasses freeze first in cold conditions. There will also be more commercial vehicles on the road. Remember that they are a lot heavier then your little car and need much more time and distance to stop.

If you start out on your trip tired, you are going to get heavy-eyed as the miles go by. Try and get a good night’s sleep before your trip. If you are driving a long distance, it helps to have a passenger who likes to talk.

Here are some early warning signs of exhaustion and pending danger:

• Repeated yawning
• Difficulty focusing
• Your rear end if going numb and you feel incredible restless
• Not remembering the last few miles driven
• Missing traffic signs and turns
• Hitting the rumble strips on the highway

What to do if you’re exhausted:

• Find somewhere to pull over ASAP. A restaurant, gas station or rest area is best.
• Drink some coffee but understand it takes about 30 minutes for the caffeine to kick in.
• Go for a walk or exercises to get rid of grogginess.
• Find a safe place and take a brief nap for at least 30 min.

Always appoint a designated driver when attending seasonal gatherings. When you are really tired, just one drink can have the same effect as three or more. Also remember that overeating can make you tired, and that turkey contains L-tryptophan which is like a natural sedative.

Having a good attitude, getting your car road worthy and staying awake will make your holiday travels more enjoyable and much safer.

And don’t forget before you head back home to check the tire pressure, oil, coolant and make sure the windshield, mirrors, headlights and tail lights are clean!

So You Want To Sell Your Old Car Yourself?

If you do decide to sell your car privately it will get you the most money in your pocket, but can take several weeks or even months to get the money!

How Do You Figure Out How Much You Can Get For Your Old Car?

In reality, you can only get what someone will give you… But, a good place to start is to find out the current average value of the car.

The value of your car is based on its age, mileage and condition it is in. To find out what the average amount your car is selling for, go online to www.edmunds.com, www.kbb.com,

or nadaguides.com. You should also gauge the website values with real life values of a similar vehicle that is in the want-ads in your local newspapers.

Don’t worry about putting any repair work into the vehicle. You will never recoup the money. Just be honest about what it needs to the next owner. Most people who are purchasing a used vehicle expect to spend some extra money on minor repairs or maintenance service.

Remember that first impressions are very important!

Clean the inside and outside of the car as best as possible. Make sure you also clean out all your “stuff” from the door pockets, glove box, ash-tray, cubby-holes and under the seats. Don’t want to clean it yourself? If you take it to a professional car detailer expect to pay approx. $100.00 – $150.00 for a thorough job.

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Gather all the car’s documents and put them in a folder. This should include all the service and repair records you have on your vehicle.

How To Market Your Car!

Tried and true is the classified section of your local newspaper. You can also list it on Craigslist.com, cars.com, eBay.com and / or autotrader.com

Use emotion words like luxurious, sporty, safe and reliable, etc. Describe the reasons why someone else would find your car interesting. Accentuate all the positives. For example, “one owner, nonsmoker, never had a dog in it, highway miles only, all service up-to-date with records to prove it, tires almost new, kept in garage,” etc.

Here are a couple of gorilla marketing ideas for you…

• Place posters on bulletin boards where lots of people will see them (grocery stores, country stores, health clubs, schools, Laundromats, etc.). The poster should list the features of your car, with tear off phone numbers on the bottom.
• See if there is a radio call in “swap and sell” show in your area.
• Ask everyone you come in contact with if they or someone they know is looking for a great used car. To give them incentive to find you a buyer, offer them a “bird dog fee” ($50.00) if they send you a qualified buyer who completes the deal.
• Park your car on a busy street with a detailed information sign in the window. Ask around to find out the local “hot spot” where sellers park their vehicles on the weekends.

When people start calling you…

• Be honest and forthright about describing your vehicle, but don’t dicker on the phone. The buyer needs to come and see what you are talking about before the selling begins.
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• Make sure the cost of your vehicle is within their budget. If they can’t afford it, then don’t waste your time setting up a time for a test drive.
• {I am sorry that this still holds true: Women would be well advised to have someone along whenever they show a vehicle for safety reasons.
• When scheduling a test drive, don’t leave it casual, like “why not stop by anytime Wednesday.” The prospect may not show and you have wasted your day waiting for nothing. A good idea is to treat this as a job and give them two different choices: “I can show you the car 4:30 pm on Friday or 10:00 am on Saturday; which time is better for you?” Take notes and get a phone number to call back in case something comes up. This may also help you call back the person you liked the most with a lower price if you get desperate.
• If they come driving up like a wild cat in a run down vehicle, there is no law that says you have to let them drive your car. Any excuse is better than regretting later that you didn’t listen to that tiny voice!
• Write down the potential buyer’s driver’s license number and name before the test drive to make sure it’s current.

• Go on the test drive with the potential buyer. You don’t know who they are… and you don’t want anything to happen that you’re not aware of.
• Agree to have the vehicle taken to a mechanic for an inspection. Have them leave a refundable deposit before they take the vehicle away or you could ask them to give you the name and address of their shop to set up a time to take it there yourself. Give the buyer a dated receipt for any deposit given.

If They Want To Purchase Your Car…

• To firm up the deal, set a time limit for picking up the vehicle. If they don’t call or come by the deadline you have every right to sell it to the second person in line.
• Don’t release the vehicle, the title or the keys until the car has been paid for in full. Insist that the buyer gets a bank check. This is guaranteed by the bank and you can release the vehicle that day. Cash is the easiest and most secure way to go when possible.
• Once you sell the vehicle notify your insurance company to remove the car from your policy. Take off the license plates before they take away the vehicle. It’s a good idea to make sure the new owner has registered and insured it before they drive it away.

Any Good Selling Stories To Share?

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