Auto Loans Archives

Lots of people love buying new cars, relishing the freshness, the style, the newest options, the prestige, even the smell. Others hate the whole process, feeling out of their element when they haggle and dreading the cost.Like it or not, every car owner has to run the car-buying gauntlet eventually. One of the biggest issues: how to pay for the new vehicle. Read more»

On July 1, the federal government’s “cash-for-clunkers” program took effect, offering up to $4,500 to car owners who turn in gas guzzlers for new, fuel-efficient vehicles. Read more»

NEW YORK (AP) — American consumers assume they have the right to sue a company that has sold them a faulty product. In the upside-down world of bankruptcy — including the one General Motors is going through — those rights are not a given.What kind of leeway does a bankruptcy judge have over product liability claims? And what will happen with the ones filed against GM?Here are some questions and answers about how bankruptcy courts handle product liability. Read more»

NEW YORK (AP) — Volkswagen took the most awards in an annual U.S. automobile quality survey by a California research company, but Ford's Focus also proved to be a favorite, rising to the top of the survey's small car category.Volkswagen of America, which includes Audi, came out on top in six of the 17 market segments in the results released Monday by San Diego-based Strategic Vision Inc. General Motors Corp. vehicles won four categories and Nissan models took three. Read more»

NEW YORK (AP) — There's a message for Detroit's automakers in the new J.D. Power and Associates rankings: Good work. Now go back and do it again. The marketing and consulting company's closely watched annual study of vehicle quality found Monday that Ford, General Motors and Chrysler made strides last year but still lag behind their foreign competitors. Read more»

When buying a new car, one of the decisions you have to make is how much you should put down. Conventional wisdom says you should put down at least 20% of the purchase price as a down payment when financing a new car. In this case, conventional wisdom is correct. Read more»

It’s a view you hear all the time: “I’m not going to put $2,000 into a car that’s only worth $2,500.” But this rationale for buying a new car isn’t always sound. With money tight, keeping the old one going might be a better option. The real issue is the cost of driving, not the value of the vehicle. Read more»

If you’re an owner of an older car, truck or SUV and you’re looking to upgrade, you could get up to $4,500 off your purchase, thanks to a proposed government-funded "cash for clunkers" program. Read more»

NEW YORK (AP) — If a battered corporation like General Motors doesn't want its Saturn brand, is there any reason a new car buyer should?The line is one of four being jettisoned as part of GM's plan to emerge from bankruptcy as a leaner, more competitive auto maker. The Saturn, Saab and Hummer are expected to be sold off, while Pontiac is being shut down entirely.GM plans to move forward with four core brands — Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC. Read more»