PAGE 2 | CARBUYER’S GUIDE | SATURDAY, APRIL 30, 2011

AUTOMOTIVE | SEVEN REASONS TO BUY A NEW CAR

Affordable Credit Terms

PHOTO: GRAFICALLYMINDED / YAYMICRO.COM

HUGE REBATES, LOW-INTERESTFINANCING CAN MAKE YOUR

DREAM CAR ATTAINABLE

Well, the credit faucets are flowing onceagain, and lenders are lining up to offer buyersthe chance to purchase a new car — often onvery favorable terms.

Many people without perfect credit are ableto get financing for their new vehicles onceagain, which helps turn the dream of driving anew car into reality. And, thanks to low interestrates and rebates offered on many models, itmeans buying a new car can be surprisinglyaffordable.

Consider the zero-percent financing offeredby some car companies. While they’re usuallyavailable for a limited time, and you’ll needgood credit to qualify for them, they do give youthe opportunity to drive a brand-new vehiclewithout paying a penny in interest charges.That’s a huge advantage.

And if zero-percent financing isn’t availablefor the car you want, today’s interest rates arestill below the historical averages. If you canlock in rates while they’re low, you’ll be saving

yourself a lot of money over time if interestrates rise in the future like many financialexperts are expecting. That makes now a smarttime to buy.

Rebates are another way car companies are“sweetening the deal” for buyers looking at newcars now. While some manufacturers reduced therebates they offered buyers a few years ago,they’re starting to creep back up at many brands,which is a great thing for smart shoppers.

Finally, there are more financing optionsavailable today, including the ability to spreadyour car payments over as many as six years,which means lower monthly payments. Theselonger-term loans don’t make sense for every-one, but for people looking to save on theirmonthly payments, they can be helpful to makethat new car fit your budget.

With everything combined — affordableinterest rates, more available financing, and bigrebates being offered — it makes now a greattime to buy your dream car.

There was a time when newcars were hard to afford. Just acouple of years ago, during the

so-called credit crisis, banks tightened theirlending standards and made it more difficultfor anyone to get financing for a vehicle.

SATURDAY, APRIL 30, 2011 | CARBUYER’S GUIDE | PAGE 3

AUTOMOTIVE | SEVEN REASONS TO BUY A NEW CAR

Better TechnologyNEW FEATURES WILL BLOW YOU AWAY, AND THEY’RE SURPRISINGLY AFFORDABLE

Computers, cell phones andthe Internet have made ourlives more connected than

ever before. Now the same technology that so many peoplelove in their portable devices ismigrating into new cars.

More and more new cars are not only making thesehigh-tech features available, but they’re often standardequipment that comes straight from the factory.

Take a look at the entertainment options availabletoday. Even the small, efficient, affordable commuter carstypically come with a stereo system that can connect toyour MP3 music player. Some come with Bluetooth tech-nology that lets you talk on your cell phone through thecar’s speakers while the phone stays safely in your pocket.Still others let you control your iPod through buttons onthe steering wheel or through voice controls.

It’s remarkable how quickly car companies have beenable to implement this technology and make it simple touse.

Today’s luxury cars offer even more options for enter-tainment and comfort. Most minivans and large SUVs areavailable with built-in movie players, sometimes withmultiple screens or extra-large displays to make themovies easy to watch.

Hard-drives for storing your music, heated and cooledseats, navigation systems that get traffic and weatherinformation, and satellite radio are just a few of the high-tech choices for drivers who want to stay comfortable andconnected.

Not sure if you need all this tech overload? Don’t worry.Car dealers are specially trained to help buyers figure outhow to use all the systems in their new car. They can alsogive you a demonstration while you’re in the process ofshopping for a new car so you can compare how all thedifferent systems work before you decide on your newvehicle.

If you take a look at today’s new cars, you may beshocked not only about how impressive the technology is,but also how affordable it can be. It’s not just for thoseexpensive luxury cars.

AUTOMOTIVE | SEVEN REASONS TO BUY A NEW CAR

One of the bestthings about buying a new car

is not having to worry somuch about reliability. Ifyou’ve been driving anold clunker, you can restassured a new car won’tbe as likely to let youdown.

In fact, today’s new cars have madehuge strides in reliability ratings.While Japanese brands have long hada reputation for dependability, manypeople may not know that Americanand Korean brands have raised thebar dramatically. No matter what kindof car you prefer — American, Asianor European — you can be sure mod-ern cars have improved reliability rat-ings thanks to better technology andmore intense competition.

In the unlikely event that some-thing does go wrong, you’ll be com-forted knowing today’s cars offerstrong warranties that back them up.

Not only will these warranties covermajor mechanical problems, like anengine or transmission failing, butsome even pay for the basic mainte-nance on your car. Things like oilchanges and windshield wipers arecovered by some brands — granted,they’re usually the more expensiveluxury cars — but that just goes toshow how thorough car companiescan be when covering their vehicles.

One of the great things about mod-ern cars is that manufacturers areusing warranties as a sales tactic.Many are offering longer terms and

more comprehensive coverage to helpthem compete against one another,which is a huge win for people look-ing to buy new vehicles.

Warranty coverage can vary dramat-ically from brand to brand, and evenvehicle to vehicle, so be sure to ask

your dealer about the specifics. Theycan tell you what the warranty coversand what it doesn’t so you can makean informed buying decision.

No matter what, buying a new caroffers you peace of mind knowingyou’ll be driving a vehicle that’s not

likely to break down. And, if there is aproblem, a good new-car warrantymeans you can limit your out-of-pocket expenses for major repairs.

It gives your finances more pre-dictability, which is the best peace ofall.

Generous Warranties

PHOTO: MONKEYBUSINESS / YAYMICRO.COM

NEW VEHICLES GIVE YOU PEACE OF MIND ABOUT DEPENDABILITY

PAGE 4 | CARBUYER’S GUIDE | SATURDAY, APRIL 30, 2011

AUTOMOTIVE | SEVEN REASONS TO BUY A NEW CAR

If you have a family,you know howimportant it is to

keep them safe andsecure. And if you’re adriver, you know howcrazy other people canbe when they getbehind the wheel.

That’s why it’s important to have avehicle that’s as safe as it can be. Nomatter how cautious you drive andhow many precautions you take, noone can ensure they won’t get in aterrible automobile accident at somepoint.

Thankfully, today’s new cars arepacked with more safety featuresthan ever before. Some of these aremandated by the government — airbags and anti-lock brakes have beenrequired for years, for example —while others are included to makecars more attractive in a highly com-petitive marketplace. Every manufac-turer wants to make their cars as safeas possible.

One of the best safety features onnew vehicles is traction and stabilitycontrol. This is an electronic systemthat controls the brakes and throttlein emergencies, helping keep the carunder control during skids. While nosafety system can beat the laws ofphysics, they do make it much easierto keep the car pointed in the rightdirection during skids or when driv-ing on slippery roads.

Air bags have also made greatadvances in recent years. While older-style air bags can be dangerous —and sometimes lethal — for children,

new cars are required to have a sen-sor that can tell whether a child isriding in the front seat. This is muchsafer than on older cars where the airbag will deploy at full force in acci-dents.

The number and location of airbags are also making cars safer. Notonly are they available in the frontseat, but many cars offer air bags onthe sides and in the rear seats to pro-tect the head and body in crashes.

Some of the most advanced carsare even taking things a step furtherby using technology to avoid an acci-dent or prepare for one before it hap-pens. They use sensors to predict if awreck will occur, and they’ll takesteps — such as applying more brakepressure or moving the headrestraints — to make the wreck moresurvivable. This is cutting-edge tech-nology that not all cars have avail-able, but it’s becoming more common

with each passing year.Finally, some new cars have safety

systems that help the driver makebetter decisions. Rear back-up cam-eras, blind-spot sensors and parkingassistance systems help drivers spotpotential problems and take steps toavoid them.

All the technology and engineeringthat goes into new cars helps protectthe most valuable possession youhave: your life.

Modern Safety Features

PHOTO: REANA / YAYMICRO.COM

TODAY’S CARS HAVE BUILT-IN ENGINEERING THAT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE

SATURDAY, APRIL 30, 2011 | CARBUYER’S GUIDE | PAGE 5

AUTOMOTIVE | SEVEN REASONS TO BUY A NEW CAR

More Fuel Efficiency

PHOTO: IOFOTO / YAYMICRO.COM

SAVE MONEY AND THE PLANET BY CHOOSING A FUEL-SIPPING NEW CAR

Keeping an old gasguzzler on the roadcan be expensive.

Not only do you have therepair costs associatedwith an aging car andthe big payments at thefuel pump, but you’remaking the Earth pay ahigh price by burning allthose hydrocarbons.

If you’relooking tosave bothmoney andthe planet, youshould consider getting anew car. They’re more reliable,more fuel-efficient and better forMother Nature.

Manufacturers are focusing onbuilding new cars that use less fuel fortwo reasons: the government isrequiring it, and buyers want it. Gasprices have been extremely unpre-dictable in the last few years, whichmakes many people want to save asmuch money as they can at the fuelpump, and car makers are respondingby designing cars that are cleaner andmore efficient.

These aren’t wimpy, slow cars,either. Thanks to improvements incomputer and mechanical technolo-gy, today’s new engine designs canactually make more horsepower fromless gasoline than ever before. They’regetting more powerful and fuel-effi-cient at the same time, which is aremarkable feat.

They’re also better for the environ-ment. Stricter emissions standardsand consumer demand for hybrid andelectric cars mean today’s vehiclespollute far less than older models,which keeps our air clean. Evendiesel cars, which were oncethought to be dirty and noisy,have been improved withnew, high-tech emissionssystems that keep themclean and quiet.

Depending on how much gas yourcurrent vehicle uses, buying a new,efficient car could save you a lot ofmoney on fuel. New cars not only

have impressive engines, butthey often come with

fuel-saving featuressuch as continu-

ously variable

transmissions and carefully sculptedaerodynamics that reduce drag.

When you buy a new vehicle, youcan still have a fast, powerful, capa-ble car, but also one that saves youmoney every time you fill it up.

That’s a smart move for penny-pinchers and environmentalistsalike.

PAGE 6 | CARBUYER’S GUIDE | SATURDAY, APRIL 30, 2011

Not too longago, buyingan affordable

car meant you’dhave to live withouta comfortable,quiet interior. Butnot anymore.

Today’s new cars — even the mostaffordable variety — come withhigh-quality, classy interiors thatrival what luxury cars had just a fewyears ago.

Granted, not all cars are built thesame. Some have snazzier and morewell-built cabins than others, butoverall, the vehicles you’ll find on anew-car lot will leave you impressedat just how upscale today’s main-stream cars have become.

Gone are the hard, brittle, cheap-feeling plastics that once plaguedeconomy cars. Most new vehicles gettheir classy feel from soft-touchmaterials and tight construction tol-erances that make them feel solidand look warm and inviting.

Stylists have done a great job inthe past few years making car interi-ors feel like the kind of space youactually want to spend lots of timein. Close attention is paid to theoverall design — both inside and out— to give you a feeling that rangesfrom the cool sophistication of anightclub to the homey comfort of aliving room.

Car companies are also takingsteps to make their new cars morecomfortable for drivers and passen-

gers. Features such as adjustablepedals, automatic climate control,tilt and telescoping steering wheelsand seats that adjust in many differ-ent ways are becoming more com-mon, even on affordable family cars.

It wasn’t long ago that all those fea-tures were only available in moreexpensive cars from luxury brands.

There can be big differences fromcar to car — and even among differ-ent trim levels on the same vehicle

— so be sure to take a look at all thedifferent options available to get thelook you want. With all the personal-ization options available at manybrands, you’re sure to get a vehiclethat’s as individual as you are.

AUTOMOTIVE | SEVEN REASONS TO BUY A NEW CAR

Luxurious Cabins BETTER MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION, NICER STYLING IN NEW CARS

SATURDAY, APRIL 30, 2011 | CARBUYER’S GUIDE | PAGE 7

AUTOMOTIVE | SEVEN REASONS TO BUY A NEW CAR

People buy newcars for a lot ofdifferent reasons,

but ultimately it boilsdown to one thing: itfeels great to drivethem.

There’s no other feeling in theworld like driving a brand-new car.There’s the sense of pride in drivinga shiny new vehicle — the comfortin knowing it will be more depend-able than an old car, the looks youget from other drivers, the com-ments from friends and family —and, of course, that famous new-carsmell.

New cars are not only stylish, witha body design and modern cabinthat you can be proud to call yourown, but they also make you feelpampered. You can customize thecar to meet your exact needs, find-ing a model, trim level, options andcolors that match your personalityperfectly. No other car can give youthat flexibility, that ideal pairing ofperson and machine.

Best of all, that feeling can last along time. Instead of buying a carthat you hoped was loved and main-tained properly by its previousowner, you have a chance to lovethis vehicle from the beginning. Youcan make sure all the maintenanceis performed on schedule by quali-fied people, ensuring a long life ofdependable, stylish, comfortabledriving.

Buying a new car is as much anemotional decision as it is logical.

You should take your time pickingnot only the right vehicle, but alsothe right dealer who can make youcomfortable and take care of yourautomotive needs for a long time tocome.

In the end, you’ll know your newcar when you see it. It will just feelright. You’ll make memories of find-ing and driving that perfect vehiclethat can last for a lifetime, drivingoff the dealer lot with a smile on

your face and butterflies in yourstomach.

You’ll know you bought a vehiclethat not only met all your needs butalso fit your budget.

And that’s a happy feeling, indeed.

It’s a Great Feeling

PHOTO: MONKEYBUSINESS / YAYMICRO.COM

THERE’S NOTHING IN THE WORLD LIKE DRIVING A BRAND-NEW CAR

PAGE 8 | CARBUYER’S GUIDE | SATURDAY, APRIL 30, 2011