Tag Archives: chevy

Paris Motor Show: What’s New and Shiny from Chevrolet

The Paris Motor Show kicks off tomorrow, and all the major car manufacturers are giving auto enthusiasts an early sneak peek at what they can expect to see from the show. Today is our last day of coverage before the show, but you can get the latest from the Paris Motor Show via the show’s official website.

Chevrolet will be only debuting one new SUV at the Paris Motor Show, but they are showing off several new updates to old favorites that are certainly worthy of note.

First up, the headliner is the new Chevrolet Trax which Chevy has touted as dependable yet modern, a highly versatile SUV that handles like a car. It is a smaller sized SUV but has space to seat 5 people, and the seats can be folded over for additional storage in the back. For the driver, the Chevrolet Trax will include Chevrolet MyLink as a standard feature. MyLink syncs with the driver’s smartphone and allows the driver to place calls, select a music playlist, get directions, or access other information from their smartphone on the car’s high resolution touchscreen. The screen also shows the car’s rear view camera, an invaluable tool when parallel parking.

I have a feeling that the Trax will appeal to people who like the look and space of an SUV vs. a sedan but prefer the handling of a smaller car. Families will probably be the target audience, and with the MyLink system as a standard feature, I could see the Trax doing very well with car shoppers who might otherwise consider a minivan or a four-door hatchback sedan.

The rest of Chevy’s Paris Motor Show line-up is mainly redesigns and updates. The Chevy Spark will get a redesigned grille, front bumper, head light covers, and fog lights as well as a new center LED light in the spoiler above the window. Additionally, the Chevy Orlando will be getting a new 1.4L turbo gasoline engine that will be more fuel efficient at about 38 miles per gallon, and the Cruze station wagon and Malibu diesel will be on display, though they have already premiered in Europe. Finally, Chevrolet’s two Youth Concepts, the Code 130R and Tru 140S, will be on display again. These concepts have previously been on display at shows around the world from New York to Beijing and Geneva, and they have gotten rave reviews. The Code 130R even made CNET’s top 10 best concept cars of the international auto show season, so while the Code 130R and Tru 140S have already been seen around the world, they are still an exciting addition to the Paris Motor Show.

To see more of the upcoming show, stay tuned to the Approved Loan Store and check out the event’s official site here. Also, get the latest auto news by liking Approved Loan Store on Facebook, following Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribing to Approved Loan Store on YouTube!

Family Sells Classic 94-Year-Old “Honeymoon Car”

At Approved Loan Store, we love a good classic car, which is why we were so intrigued by a beautiful 1918 Chevrolet D-Series that will be up for auction in Hershey, Pa. next month.

What makes this particular car special besides its age and pristine condition is that the family selling the car is the same family who originally bought the car nearly a hundred years ago. According to a profile in the Wall Street Journal, the car has been passed down in the family for generations. The first owner was Elam Becker who received it as a gift from his father John Becker. Throughout the years, it was a good car for the family, and it was dubbed the “Honeymoon Car” after Becker drove to Washington D.C. and eloped with his then-fiancée.

When Becker bought a new car in 1928, he put the “Honeymoon Car” in storage and didn’t bring it back out until 1949 when he began restoring the car. He started doing car shows and events with his wife, and they always brought along their 1918 Chevrolet. In 1974, they even celebrated their 50^th wedding anniversary at the Hershey Fall Meet with their beloved car. After that, they gave the car to their son who is now selling it nearly 40 years later.

For car enthusiasts and anyone who loves a healthy dose of nostalgia, this car is a dream. It will probably sell for around $35,000 to $45,000 and will come with the original order sheet, bill of sale, and owner’s manual. The auction is scheduled for Thursday, October 11 thru Friday October 12 in Hershey, Pa., and you can get more information on the auction by contacting RM Auctions.

Are you ready to get into the car you want at rates you can afford? Approved Loan Store can help! Fill out our secure online auto loan application here, and get the latest auto news and buying tips by liking Approved Loan Store on Facebook, following Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribing to Approved Loan Store on YouTube!

Chevy Offers $10,000 in Discounts on Volt

If you’ve been thinking about picking up the Chevy Volt but were hesitant because of the price, right now might be the perfect time to buy.

The Chevy Volt has had a tough time in sales since its release, even with drivers who are environmentally conscious or loved the idea of paying only $1.50 to charge its battery. It was a great car, but the timing of its launch was completely wrong. People were looking to cut costs in the short term, and paying $41,000 for a compact car did not make sense, no matter if they saved money in the long run.

Now, Chevy is trying to move the Volt off its lots without too much of a loss. There has been a $7,500 federal tax credit attached to the Volt to encourage drivers to make the change to a hybrid, but Chevy has added on more incentives throughout 2012, adding up to a $10,000 discount. Since the discounts were put in place, Volt sales have seen a dramatic change. Chevy has already sold over 13,000 Volts this year compared to 7,700 last year. The Volt is beating out every other electric car on the market including the Prius Plug-in and the Nissan Leaf.

Chevy is not the only dealership moving last year’s models off the lot. At this time of the year, dealerships across the country are offering deep discounts on a wide range of makes and models. For the best deals, now is the time to buy that new or used car, and Approved Loan Store is ready to help you every step of the way. Good credit, bad credit, no credit, we want to help you get in the car you want at terms you can afford!

To get started today, fill out our secure online auto loan application here, and be sure to like Approved Loan Store on Facebook, follow Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribe to Approved Loan Store on YouTube for the latest auto news and buying tips!

Just Who is Buying Cars These Days?

With the resurgence of the auto industry being firmly embedded into the news cycle month after month, the major car makers have found themselves questioning just what they have to do to keep themselves there. A recent report from AARP showed that the Millennial generation are the ones with the most buying power. Making up more than 40 percent of the car buying market, there’s been a considerable shift in thinking from the car companies about just who they should be selling their cars to. The youth crowd has been the typical demographic, but with only making up 27 percent of new vehicle sales, it begs the question of just how much effort should be extended to encourage the young to purchase a car?

Autofinancenews.net has an article that shows that the advent of social media has diminished the desire for many youths to own a car. Why do they need to purchase a new set of wheels to go visit a friend when they’re are just a tweet/text/email away? Many are still in college, struggling with staggering college debt, and are turned off when looking at just the costs of gas and concerns about the environment.

Car makers, like GM and Chevy, are trying to see what they can get in the $170 billion in buying power young consumers have. They have teamed up with MTVScratch, to see how to get both the youth and the Millennial into dealerships. One of the first orders of business is rethinking business. MTVScratch will be transforming not just the way cars look, or the technology in the dashboard, but will even be re-imaging the test drive. Chevy, for example, will have their upcoming models of the Sonic, Cruze, and Spark available in some news colors, such as “techno pink,” “lemonade,” and “denim.” Scratch has even gone as far as saying that the sales people at the dealerships need to abandon the commission system. The new buying crowd is used to buying things like in an Apple Store, where the employees don’t use hard sell tactics.

It’s still the question of if the young buyers are going to be the ones to really help the auto industry’s sales trend. Jeep has decided the answer is no and have turned to the Millennials by taking out ads in AARP’s magazine geared strictly at placing the above 50 crowd into a new car. Only time will tell of just how auto makers can succeed in capturing such a large part of the market and just which generation is the one to keep the industry strong.

What do you think? Which market is the better one, the youth or the over 50 generation? Go ahead and leave a comment voicing your opinion. If you’re part of either group and looking to purchase a vehicle, but suffer from challenged credit, be sure to fill out an application for Approved Loan Store. Our staff is waiting to help get you into the car you want. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and we’ll keep you up to date on all the latest news in the industry.

Image: photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Should I Buy a Hybrid?

The rise of gas prices have lead car drivers to start making more educated choices in their choices. Hybrids are really seeing a surge in sales due to people looking to keep away from those high prices as much as possible. That popularity is causing many buyers to ask the question, should I buy a hybrid? The San Francisco Chronicle offers advice for these very people.

Hybrids have gained this upswing in sales because it’s thought that they will save money when gas prices rise. The cars SF Chronicle uses to show the difference is the 2012 Honda Civic Sedan and the Civic Hybrid. The Sedan has a price of $15,995 and gets around 28 miles per gallon in the city and 39 on the highway. In comparison, the Civic Hybrid’s price is $24,200 and is 44 miles per gallon in the city and highway. After doing some math based on the average miles driven by someone ages 20-34 (15,098 miles a year) the conclusion shows that the fuel cost is indeed lower on the Hybrid by $455. The problem with that number is that the difference in cost is still $8,205. That means it’ll take 18 years for the buyer to make up the lose.

That doesn’t bode too well for the idea that hybrids save. It’s unrealistic to expect a car to last 18 years. There’s other things to take into account, however. The government used to have tax incentives to encourage purchases of hybrids. This was done more then the idea was new though, and since the car maker has sold more than 60,000 vehicles, that incentive has gone. As of December 31^st, 2010, that credit is no longer eligible. There’s one exception however, and that’s the plug-in hybrids. They still offer credit of up to $7,500 but be warned the vehicle tends to be rather pricey.

That brings us to the new generation of the hybrid, the plug in hybrid. While normal hybrids use a combination of a gas engine and electricity, the plug in relies on batteries. While keeping gas out of the equation, they are subject to shorter ranges, only having about 50 to 100 miles in them before needing a recharge. There is a gasoline-powered engine, however, that does take over once the battery is dry. What to keep in mind when thinking of purchasing a plug in to save on gas costs is that they do come with a hefty price tag. The 2012 Chevy Volt for example is $39,145. The tax incentive brings that down to $31,645. The traditional Honda price is half of that.

Hybrids do a good job of making the driver feel good about the environment. In a world that is starting to put the green moniker on everything they can, driving a hybrid gives a sense of aiding to make the world a better and cleaner place. Hybrids certainly are good for the environment, but in the problem of if they are worth the extra cost to cut down on gas prices, they aren’t so good. It’s up the consumer to see if this is a good enough value for themselves, but a hybrid will not save you overall at the pump for the time being.

Wanting to get yourself a new or used hybrid anyway? Don’t worry if you have challenged credit, here at Approved Loan Store, we work with people struggling with bad credit to put them in the car, or hybrid in this case, they want. Go online to fill out the application to see how our staff can help you. To stay current on all the latest news and advice pieces, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.