Want A Fast Car But Need An SUV? Get A Fast SUV!

by | Sep 19, 2017 | Trusted Auto Pros

Update 4/8/21- Durango SRT Hellcat added.

This is a real dilemma if you’re a gear head. Maybe you are a spirited driver who has kids. Maybe you are a spirited driver who has kids and is always late because it literally takes the kids 2 hours to get dressed in the morning. Perhaps you live in a remote area, or on a dirt road, and maybe need a little more ground clearance. A truck is well…too trucky and you want space with a little luxury. Maybe you don’t even have kids, (lucky you, you get to just ‘walk’ out the door hassle-free in the morning) you just need some more space, comfortable space. But you want a fast-moving comfortable space. Sometimes a car won’t cut it in these situations.

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What Is An ‘AS-IS’ Used Vehicle?

What Is An ‘AS-IS’ Used Vehicle?

by | Sep 14, 2017 | Trusted Auto Pros

new and used cars wyoming

The sheet on the window of a used vehicle says “AS-IS” car, what does that mean?

AS-IS pretty much means just that. The vehicle is sold just as it is. So for example, if there is a dent on the rear passenger side door, it will not be fixed. The dealership will not put any extras money into the vehicle. There is no warranty with AS-IS vehicles.

It’s still better than buying a used car from a private buyer.

The vehicle is usually sold as it because is it an older vehicle. Most likely too old or has too many miles to be covered by a manufacturer warranty. The vehicle does, however, go through a safety inspection. All the major safety components are checked so you know that a wheel isn’t going to fall off just as you drive off the lot. Whereas if you were to buy privately from a random Craiglist add, not only do you risk getting mugged but you only have sellers word. Wyoming is a buyer beware State so if a wheel did fall off you really don’t have any come-back.

Another good point about AS-IS vehicles is that all the fluids will be topped up so you can have peace of mind that you aren’t going to have splurge out on oil (could get expensive on a diesel) or coolant.

Temp tags

As-Is vehicles bought from a dealership are eligible for temp tags. Again, something that you wouldn’t get with a private sale. Temp tags are now good for 60 days. It used to be 45 but that recently changed, so that gives you almost 2 months to save up for sales tax and plates.

Maintenance

vehicle servicing at Fremont with all used cars

All Fremont Motors vehicles are entitled to the Fremont Care maintenance plan. This includes AS-IS vehicles. It is good for 3 oil changes and 1 tire rotation within a year. This is not a common place offering on used vehicles at most car dealerships in the State.

Service Contracts

Although there is no warranty with an AS-IS used vehicle, it may still be possible to purchase a service contract/warranty. The level of coverage will depend on how much money you want to invest upfront. The year and mileage will also have an impact on the price. Do some research and figure out if there are known problems with that particular vehicle at that age and mileage and make a decision as to whether you risk it and pay for it when it happens or have peace of mind with a service contract if the price is justifiable.

Why Do Manufacturers Camouflage Vehicles?

Why Do Manufacturers Camouflage Vehicles?

by | Sep 12, 2017 | Trusted Auto Pros

I spy, with my little camera…

New vehicle under wraps as a testmule

I recently visited a neighboring state along with a bunch of other automotive journalists so we could meet up, talk cars and test drive a bunch. It just so happened, that where we were located seemed to be a little hub of new vehicle testing. How do I know this? Well, vehicles were draped with great big black sheets along with Sharpie-graffiti-like wraps are a little bit of a giveaway. Another clue was the abundance of vehicles with manufacturer plates registered to Michigan. Granted, some of those were for us to test, but the ones that weren’t I can only assume were there for business.

I spied the truck above and immediately has journalistic thoughts running through my head, like, I have to share this with everyone and does this now officially make an automotive paparazzi photographer? But what am I going to title the article? I can’t tell you for sure the exact model year this truck will be. Although I have a pretty good idea what type of truck this is (because I got right next to it…and may or may not have gotten even closer) I decided not to tell, to illustrate more why manufacturers use camouflage. Can you tell what it is?

These vehicles getting their photo taken, in the automotive industry, is like the equivalent of Kim Kardashian getting her photo snapped answering the door in her PJs with no makeup.

The most ironic part is that testers probably had no idea a bunch of journalists were about to arrive. I’m led to believe they are trained not to say a word to anyone, even your best friends mothers aunt who knows nothing about vehicles. I can tell you first hand from experience, trying to spark a conversation with one will get nothing but ignored or some stink eye. Understandably they just want to get on with their job and not be fired for leaking information.

Why do manufacturers camouflage vehicles?

A lady approached me as I walked back from looking at a camouflaged truck and asked me, “why are they all covered in that black stuff?”. I began to explain why to her. These vehicles are typically prototypes for new models or mules that manufacturer’s need to have tested. The testing may be for towing, speed ratings, fuel economy, high altitude, extreme temperatures etc and/or combinations of these. The reason they cover the up the vehicle while testing is for a few reasons. One reason is that these mules (test vehicles) are not ready. They aren’t a finished product yet and they probably don’t look very pretty underneath those covers.

tape on test car      I even seen parts held on with tape on one vehicle.

Attached to the vehicles is a bunch of testing equipment, and I don’t know this for a fact, but it would seem logical to think that if it were a finished vehicle it would get damaged during rigorous testing which would, in turn, cost the manufacturer more to fix. Another reason is that the manufacturer wants to release a new vehicle on their schedule, ie. when it’s finished, looking all shiny and pretty.

The lady now a little bewildered, “but they stand out in all that?” Well. Yes. Yes they do, but how else could real world testing be done? Until they can become disappearing holograms, I can;t think of another way. By the time holograms are common we’ll presumably all be in our autonomous flying ships powered by sugar anyway.

Did someone just take a marker pen to the vehicle?

Vehicle Camoflauge

It does look like someone just took a permanent marker and artistically drew patterns and swirl marks all over. It’s not though. These are vehicle wraps that manufacturers spend a lot of time designing. The idea behind the design is so that it confuses the eye. It is also designed to confuse cameras and software from being able to focus clearly and/or determine what the vehicle is. Manufacturers will try to hide strong identifiable styling lines. They may even go to the lengths of inserting pads underneath.

 

Can you tell what any of the cars pictured in this article are?

Safety: Yukon Vs Expedition Vs Tahoe

Safety: Yukon Vs Expedition Vs Tahoe

by | Sep 1, 2017 | Trusted Auto Pros


Large SUVs are very popular, but which one is safer?

Safety: Yukon Vs Expedition Vs Tahoe

According to carsalesbase.com, the large SUV segment is, “…the fastest growing mainstream segment in the US with an increase of 11%…”. They are just too practical if you have more than one child, need a lot of cargo space or need to sit 7 or 8 people in relative comfort. What about safety though, does bigger mean better and which one is the safest? The GMC Yukon and Chevrolet Tahoe are virtually the same under the skin of base models and both have the 5.3L V8. The only exception to this is the Yukon Denali. Denali’s have the 6.2 liter V8.

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Credit Score: How Does It Affect Your Car Payment?

Credit Score: How Does It Affect Your Car Payment?

by | Aug 17, 2017 | Trusted Auto Pros

 

Credit Score: How Does It Affect Your Car Payment?

Let’s start by asking what exactly is credit?

What is credit?

The definition according to Experian, one of the credit bureaus is, “Credit is borrowed money that you can use to purchase goods and services when you need them. You get credit from a credit grantor, whom you agree to pay back the amount you spent, plus applicable finance charges, at an agreed-upon time.”

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Top 5 Cheapest New Cars in Wyoming 2017

Top 5 Cheapest New Cars in Wyoming 2017

by | Aug 9, 2017 | Trusted Auto Pros

Looking for a vehicle where warranty and budget are top priorities? We’ve compiled a list of some of the cheapest new cars on the market today available at Fremont in WY and NE. When manufacturers quote prices on their website, sometimes they don’t include destination charges or take into account local rebates or discounts. Here are some real cars, already in the State with rebates included.

Just what exactly do you get in a cheaper new car? Here are some of the cheapest options available (as this is written) with some key features.

2016 Ford Fiesta SE Sedan 4dr for $11,491. This is insanely cheap for a brand new car. It has a 1.6L engine and even has a little space in the back. It’s not even bottom of the range either. Features include keyless entry, MP3 player, iPod Input, fog lamps, A/C, 6 -speed automatic transmission with a manual shifting option. Fuel economy is around 36mpg HWY / 28 mpg city, 4 star overall NHTSA safety rating. Warranty is 3yrs 36000 miles and 5 yr/ 60000-mile powertrain.  Not that this vehicle started at over $18k but qualifies for a lot of discounts.    2017 Fiat 500 Pop Hatchback 2dr at $15,490. This cute little 1.4L bubble car comes with premium sound, iPod/MP3 playability, and keyless entry. This particular one is a 5-speed manual but it’s also available in an automatic for about $1000 more. It’s rated for 38 mpg HWY and 31 mpg for city driving. the NHTSA gives it a 4 star safety rating. Warranty is 4yrs/ 50,000 miles.    2017 Toyota Yaris iA 4dr for $16,131. This 1.5L car gets a five-star rating from Car and Driver. Key features include a back-up camera, Bluetooth, alloy wheels and keyless entry. It also rated by the EPA at 40 mpg. 5 star overall NHTSA safety rating. Warranty 3yr/36,000 mile bumper to bumper 5yr/60,000 powertrain. Toyot are very much known for their reliability.    2017 Chevrolet Cruze 4dr 1.4L manual transmission for $16,530. Key features on the Cruze includes the Chevrolet MyLink 7″ touch screen radio, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Fuel economy up to 39 mpg. 4 star NHTSA safety rating. Warranty is the standard 3yr/36,000 basic and 5yr/60,000 powertrain.    2017 Toyota Yaris Hatchback 2dr at $16,623 1.5L has MP3/iPod input, Bluetooth, ABS, and Electronic stability control. 106hp and fuel economy is rated at 36 mpg HWY / 30 mpg city. The Yaris hatchback gets a 4 star NHTSA safety rating. Warranty 3yr/36,000 mile bumper to bumper 5yr/60,000 powertrain. 

What do these cars have in common?

They all have at least 3 years or 36,000 miles (whatever comes first) of warranty on the vehicle for under $17,000. All of the cars have little engines and are FWD, the advantage of this better gas mileage, so not only cheaper to buy but cheaper to run and maintain. FWD cars to ok in the snow but a set of snow tires would be a good investment for winter if your worried about it and will still work out less than going the AWD/4WD route. Newer vehicles are generally safer and if you’re looking for a less expensive lift-share vehicle one of these would work well. Which one would you choose?Feel free to contact us for more information   “The Official U.S. Government Source for Fuel Economy Information.” Fuel Economy. U.S Dept of Energy, n.d. Web. 21 July 2017.