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Buying a new car might sound cool and exciting, but keeping your current vehicle, and continually maintaining it at recommended intervals, makes more economic sense than purchasing a new one, says the non-profit Car Care Council.

“From the down payment to the monthly car payments and higher insurance rates, the cost of buying a new car adds up really fast,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council. “By simply budgeting the equivalent of just one new car payment, you could cover an entire year’s worth of basic maintenance on your current vehicle and redirect the rest to beef up savings, take a vacation, or pay off credit card debt, college loans and other bills.”

ORLANDO, Fla. (November 11, 2015) –Automakers’ decision to eliminate the spare tire may leave more than 30 million drivers vulnerable at the roadside, according to new research from AAA. Tire inflator kits, a high-cost alternative for consumers, have replaced the spare tire in millions of vehicles over the last 10 model years and, due to their limited functionality, cannot provide even a temporary fix for many common tire-related problems. AAA calls on automakers to put consumer interests first and halt the elimination of the spare tire.

“Flat tires are not a disappearing problem, but spare tires are,” said John Nielsen, AAA’s managing director of Automotive Engineering and Repair. “AAA responds to more than four million calls for flat tire assistance annually and, despite advances in vehicle technology, we have not seen a decline in tire-related calls over the last five years.”

The holidays are stressful enough without having to worry about your vehicle making it over the river and through the woods in time for dinner at grandma’s house. The Car Care Council recommends that before hitting the road for the holidays, you take a little time to have your vehicle thoroughly inspected to make sure it is road ready.

“The last thing anyone wants during the holiday season is to break down miles from home in the middle of nowhere,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council. “It’s always a wise idea to have your vehicle checked out before you leave home to identify any potential problems that can be serviced before your holiday journey.”

ORLANDO, Fla. (November 17, 2015) – AAA Travel forecasts 46.9 million Americans will journey 50 miles or more from home during the Thanksgiving holiday, a 0.6 percent increase over the 46.6 million people who traveled last year and the most since 2007. With 300,000 additional holiday travelers, this marks the seventh consecutive year of growth for Thanksgiving travel. The Thanksgiving holiday travel period is defined as Wednesday, November 25 to Sunday, November 29.

“This Thanksgiving, more Americans will carve out time to visit friends and family since 2007,” said Marshall Doney, AAA President and CEO. “While many people remain cautious about the economy and their finances, many thankful Americans continue to put a premium on traveling to spend the holiday with loved ones.”

Wow!!! As a consumer I would be totally confused by all of these terms for a single product.  What am a buying and from whom.  The reality is depending on the business you are working with there are several different names for most major transmission repair.  I have done my research and the reality up until this point is none of these terms are set-up by the federal government or by the state of Arizona.  There is no uniformity or guidelines.  The term is completely defined by the person selling the product and service.  Why should this matter? You are spending a lot of money on a transmission.  Are you receiving “Sparkle Dust” or what I consider “Real Value”? 

Well, the transmission business is changing quicker than ever before. The modern transmission is a fabulous piece of machinery. They are lightweight, smooth and super efficient. Five speed automatics have become standard with the six speed automatics following close behind. Nine speeds are not an unusual find in higher end late model luxury cars.

The "Fix" is in! Car expert Lauren Fix, The Car Coach helps a couple to purchase a new car and shares important information about how to negotiate with car salesman online or via email.

Car expert Lauren Fix, The Car Coach shares 5 common mistakes drivers make during Holiday road trips. Don't get stuck on the side of the road! Follow these important driving and car maintenance tips from the Car Coach.

Things change, including the way we use our cars, how we drive them and the condition of our roads. Although normal driving is defined as steady driving in non-extreme weather or environments, for most motorists today, being a severe driver is more the rule than the exception, says the Car Care Council.

(WASHINGTON, September 14, 2015) - Falling gas prices continue to benefit motorists with three southern states posting averages below $2 per gallon: South Carolina, Mississippi, and Alabama. This is the first time that three states have had averages below $2 since February. The national average price for regular unleaded gasoline has fallen for 28 consecutive days, reaching today’s price of $2.33 per gallon. Drivers are saving six cents per gallon compared to one week ago and 33 cents versus one month ago. Gas prices remain much cheaper than last year due to the relatively low price of crude oil with drivers saving an average of $1.06 per gallon compared to a year ago.

Barring any unexpected disruptions in supply or spikes in the price of crude oil, the national average is expected to keep moving lower as we head into the fall. Pump prices typically decline during this time of year due to lower driving demand after the busy summer driving season and the changeover to cheaper to produce winter-blend gasoline, which takes place in many parts of the country starting on September 16. U.S. drivers continue to benefit from an oversupplied market and consumers could experience even lower prices at the pump if the price of crude oil remains relatively low and refineries are able to conduct planned seasonal maintenance without issue.