The Different Types of Truck Cabs

When you’re shopping for a truck, you’ll probably notice some lingo among dealers with which you might not be familiar. Some vehicles are advertised as having a “crew cab,” while others are “double cab” or “extended cab,” and others do not mention these words at all.

What’s the difference? The space inside trucks with each different cab configuration will be divided a bit differently. Depending upon how you will be using your truck (personal vs. business) and whether you plan on having frequent passengers, you'll need to select the truck cab that best fits your own lifestyle.

REGULAR CAB

Of the three most common types, regular cab trucks generally have the least amount of inside space. They have a single row of seats, and there is no backseat at all. Since these trucks are smaller than other options and do not have nearly the capacity of an extended or crew cab, they are typically reserved for personal use by individuals who are either single or have very small families. Regular cabs are convenient if you don't need a lot of space apart from the bed, but are not ideal for those who frequently ride with others or need to carry large amounts of cargo inside of the vehicle.

EXTENDED CAB / DOUBLE CAB

Both words refer to the same thing. Extended cab trucks are larger than regular cabs in that they have a (rather small) backseat. In order to access the backseat, passengers will need to open small doors that are only exposed when the truck’s main doors are already opened. The extended cab is a good compromise for those who want more space than a regular cab provides but may not want to drive a larger crew cab. However, if you regularly have several passengers or otherwise use your backseat often, it can become annoying to have to open your front doors in order to reach the back.

CREW CAB

The crew cab is the largest of the three types of trucks on the market today. A crew cab is similar to an SUV in that it has larger seats in the back that are accessed by their own full-sized doors. However, the crew cab is somewhat limited in that its bed is often shorter than that of an extended cab, in order to provide more room for the cab. By far the most expensive configuration, the crew cab is recommended for those who need a larger cab capacity or travel with others very often and don’t mind sacrificing a larger bed space.

Which one is right for you? Evaluate your needs and pick on that can fit your crew and gear in the best way for you.

Picking Your Teen’s First Car

Is your son or daughter’s sweet sixteen coming up? What about a high school graduation or other major milestone? All of these are great times to give your teen their very first car. If you’re in the market for the first time in a while, or if you’ve never shopped for a car for a younger driver, there are some special things to keep in mind while you’re looking around at your options.

CONSIDER A NEW, USED CAR

Purchasing a car that’s brand new leads to higher car payments along with higher insurance premiums. You can often find the same vehicle two to three years older for a fraction of the cost of the new model. Of course you don’t want to spend a lot on a car that’s decades old, but picking one that was made within the last five years or so is a great way to save some serious cash. As long as the car is still relatively new and has a reasonable number of miles on it, it should run perfectly fine for years to come.

STAY SUBTLE

Once you have a new driver on your policy, your insurance rates are going to climb-- there’s no avoiding that. You can, however, soften the blow to your wallet by buying smart. Don’t purchase a sports car or sports edition of an ordinary sedan, as these types of vehicles automatically carry higher premiums regardless of the age of the driver. Stick with a sub-compact car or small truck, and you’ll find yourself paying less.

Bonus: if your child has his heart set on that Mustang, tell him that he can drive the first car while he goes to school, and in a few years when he has an income of his own, he can help purchase the new car and pay for his insurance. He’ll become a responsible car owner in the process.

THINK PRACTICALLY

Does your son really need a brand new king cab truck for his sixteenth birthday? Young drivers are naturally more prone to wrecks and other accidents, so it’s not the best idea to entrust them with high-dollar vehicles. Consider the things that your child needs most from their car: reliability, fuel economy, etc. Don’t feel bad or guilty if you can’t afford a brand new or luxury vehicle-- it’s smarter to get a less flashy car for their first one anyway, as we mentioned earlier. Your child mainly needs a reliable method of transportation, so focus on finding that. Your options are nearly limitless.

SHOP SMART

Don’t buy from the first lot you visit. Some dealers are notorious for trying to send their customers home with a less-than-great deal. Shop around and test drive a variety of vehicles, and always check CarFax for the history of any cars you’re considering. Talk cautiously with dealers, and don’t get pressured into spending more than you can afford or bringing home a car you don’t love. Visiting multiple locations will ensure that you find the perfect car at the perfect price.

Having a teen old enough to get behind the wheel isn't going to be an easy transition. Make the car buying process an easy one with these tips to avoid even more stress on you. Have your child test drive the vehicle and make sure they're comfortable with handling the vehicle you choose. You don't want something that's too big for them or not comfortable to drive.

Come see us to find the perfect car for your teen's first time out on the road!

3 Cars That Refuse to Die

These surprisingly reliable vehicles just keep going and going and going.

Cars in general have become more reliable over the years. Yet there are always some that just seem to keep rolling along, whistling right past the junkyard. Pinpointing exactly how many miles, on average, any given model has racked up is virtually impossible, but we've identified some with exceptional -- sometimes surprising -- endurance and value.

When you combine reliability and best-selling status you get ubiquity. Honda Accords of all years are everywhere, usually in tan, silver or white. If you look up the Honda Accord in Consumer Reports you will see a sea of red dots in the rankings -- a sign that owners have darn few problems with these cars.

Now, the smaller Honda Civic shares the Accord's inherent quality but is more likely to be modified by its owners with spoilers, wings, loud exhausts, that kind of thing -- with maintenance simultaneously neglected. So the Accord gets the nod.

Of all the cars General Motors put out in the 1990s and early 2000s, it's the Buicks that got all the awards from the quality-ranking organization J.D. Power and Associates. And so it is that the Buick LeSabre, along with Centuries, Regals and Park Avenues live on, more so than their Chevrolet, Pontiac and Oldsmobile equivalents.

One reason these cars endure? They were popular with older drivers, who maintained them well and drove them gently. That makes them a great value to pick up used. Check out that sweet cassette deck!

And this is a Geo Prizm. They last forever, too. A what, you ask? Here's the secret: Under the skin, it's actually a Toyota Corolla. So are a number of Chevy Novas, Chevy Prizms and Pontiac Vibes. Makes more sense now, right? It's a Corolla! All these cars were built on the same line in California, at a factory jointly owned by GM and Toyota. That technology-sharing project ended in 2010, but these cars, sometimes into their third decade, roll on.

Find these 3 and many other reliable used cars at our Raleigh, NC used car dealership!

Cloth or leather or your next vehicle?

One of many dilemmas is being unveiled today. Well, we all have different preferences when it comes to choosing between leather and cloth seats. One is more expensive than the other, yet has some pro’s compared to its respectable alternative. Let’s take a look at the differences and see which one best fits your needs.

Leather Pro’s:

• Luxury aspect and scent
• Soft and supple feel
• Excellent resale value
• Boost interior feel of the car
• Potentially easy maintenance

Cloth Pro’s

• More affordable than its alternative
• More comfortable (no sliding, no burning)

Ultimately, it all comes down to your lifestyle and where you live. If you live in a very hot and sunny states, you might want to avoid the leather. If you have kids and tend to have an active lifestyle, leather is actually good because of its easiness to be cleaned and ability to not retain odors.

Finding the Right Car for You

How do you find the car that will exactly suit your needs for years to come? It just takes a little research and planning. Use the steps below to help you select, price, locate and test-drive the vehicle that is best for you.

Assess Your Needs

• As much as you might like to dream about what you want in a car, it's best to think more practically about your needs — not just at present, but in the future, too. Functionality should trump flash. Here are some practical considerations to keep in mind:
• How many passengers do you need to carry?
• What type of driving do you do: highway, surface streets, off-road?
• Will you drive in ice and snow?
• Do you have a long commute and, because of that, is fuel economy important to you?
• Do you need all-wheel drive?
• What safety features are important to you?
• Do you need a lot of cargo capacity?
• Will you be using children's car seats?
• Will you be doing any towing?
• How much garage or parking space do you have?

Set Your Budget
Unless you're paying cash for your car, you'll need to think about financing your purchase or lease. How much can you really afford to allocate toward a car payment each month? The general rule is no more than 20 percent of your monthly take-home pay..

Consider Other Cars in the Class
Have your mind — or heart — set on a specific car? Many shoppers do. But in today's ever-changing marketplace, there are always new cars hitting the showroom, and one that you've never even considered could be right for you. Research and compare similar cars to find the one that truly fits you best.

If you already have a car in mind, you should still review other comparable vehicles in the same class to make sure you haven't overlooked an even better choice.

Consider All the Costs of Ownership
Something shoppers often overlook when considering their next car is that one may be cheaper to buy but more expensive to own. Why? Even if two cars cost about the same to buy, one might depreciate faster or cost more to insure and maintain.

Before you commit to a car, you should estimate its long-term ownership costs. These include depreciation, insurance, maintenance and fuel costs.

Set Up a Test Drive
Now that you've found a car that seems like it might be a good fit for you, call or visit the dealership to schedule a day and time for a test-drive. By making a test-drive appointment, you ensure that the car will be waiting for you when you arrive.

Taking the Test Drive
A car might seem to have all the features you want, but the true test takes place in the driver seat. You should test-drive the car the way you would drive it during your everyday life.

If you commute, drive the car in both stop-and-go traffic and at highway speeds. If you trek to the mountains, find some steep hills to climb. Drive over bumps, take tight corners and test the brakes in a safe location. Get in and out of the car several times and be sure to sit in the backseat, especially if you plan on carrying passengers. Check out the cargo space. If you plan on using children's car seats, bring those along to test for fit and ease of installation.

While you are evaluating the car, don't be distracted. Take your time looking everything over. A good salesperson will respect your need to experience the car and will let you focus on the driving experience. Turn off music so you can listen to the sound of the engine. You can evaluate the sound system when you return to the dealership. If the conversation does turn to questions about whether you'd like to talk about purchasing or leasing, you can say that you're still in the test-drive stage.

Pick Your Next Car
After test-driving several cars, the choice should be clear. If it isn't, sleep on it. In the morning, you might have your answer. If not, you might need to take a few steps back and drive more cars.

While making the right decision is important, it's also good to realize that there isn't one perfect answer. Today's cars are safer than ever before. They get better gas mileage. They have amenities at lower costs than in the past. In short, there could be several good vehicle choices and the final decision is really a matter of individual taste.

Let's Re-Cap

1. Assess your needs — not your wants — to determine the right car for you.
2. Set your budget. Estimate your monthly payments using an online "payment calculator"
3. Consider all vehicles in the class of cars you're considering.
4. Consider the costs of ownership.
5. Set up a test-drive.
6. Test-drive the car as if it were yours. Try city streets, hills and highways. See if car seats fit. Check cargo space.
7. Decide on your new car. Sleep on the decision if you need to.
8. Move on to your purchase with confidence.

Auto Buyer Beware of Used Cars For Sale By Owner

Used cars for sale by owner accompany more uncertainties than buying from an auto dealer specializing in pre-owned vehicles. Auto buyers are often under the misconception that they have more control of the sales transaction and negotiations with an owner. But, that’s not always the case. Fraudsters prey on unsuspecting auto buyers.

Four Common ‘For Sale By Owner’ Ploys

 

Odometer rollback

A savvy for sale by owner can always rollback the odometer reading to ask for a greater used car price. In a used cars for sale by owner transaction, a buyer has no way of validating whether a vehicle’s odometer has been modified. With an auto dealer, car consumers have resources, as well as recourse if a vehicle does not live up to its mileage history.

Title Fraud

In certain for sale by owner sales transactions, auto buyers don’t always have the vehicle’s automobile’s title. The title issue can morph into a legal fiasco for the auto buyer.

Curb-stoning

One common fraud technique involves an imposter, posing as private auto seller. In actuality, the “used cars for sale by owner” is really a unlicensed dealer, repetitively “flipping” vehicles and profiting. The fraud is referred to as curbstoning.
Read more about the signs of curbstoning: http://www.carfax.com/guides/buying-used/things-to-avoid/curbstoning
 

Falsified Vehicle History

Another unsavory tactic, often deployed in a used car for sale by owner transaction is a failure to disclose a vehicle’s history. An auto buyer has no way of knowing if pre-owned vehicle consists of salvaged parts. In contrast, it is illegal (in most states) for auto dealers to sell salvaged vehicles.

Buy your next used car with confidence at the premier auto dealer in Raleigh, Elite Auto Sales.

Car Buying - Test Drive Guide

The actual driving part of a test drive should be a brief but thorough test of the car's engine, suspension, steering and cornering, and on-board amenities, including heat and air-conditioning. A test drive should include both stop-and-go street driving, and some highway time.

• Pay particular attention to the car's steering ability as you take a couple of right and left turns.
• On a highway, go ahead and check the vehicle's acceleration. You should also make note of the vehicle's driving feel, and whether it affords a smooth and steady ride
• Get some more street driving in to ensure the vehicle will not run hot or rough after freeway driving.
• You may also want to find a vacant parking lot or other open area of roadway to hit the brakes hard to check the car's stopping power.
• The street and highway driving should include running in all gears, including reverse at some point.
• Run the heat to ensure it emits hot air, and check the air conditioning for cool air.
• Have the car idle for at least five minutes after a drive to ensure it does not run hot or rough after or during driving.
• Your post-drive inspection should include a thorough look for body, frame, or other damage or defects, and a look under the engine to see if any fluids are leaking or dripping.