Tag Archives: Facebook

The Top Names in Auto Reviews, All in One Place

After years of searching Edmunds, Consumer Reports, and MSN Autos for the best cars on the market, consumers can now get the most relevant vehicle reviews all in one place.

TotalCarScore.com is being dubbed the Rotten Tomatoes of car sites, and the similarities are striking. When searching for a car on Total Car Score, readers will get the TCS review plus an average score based on reviews from some of the top review sites. Unlike Rotten Tomatoes, though, TCS users can customize the sources that TCS is using to calculate the score, so if they didn’t agree with MSN Autos’ review, they can view the average score without MSN Autos.

After browsing the site, I think that car shoppers are really going to love the features that TotalCarScore offers. Aside from reviews, there are links to the manufacturer, online forums for owners, the owner manuals, and comparison tests. We love it because Approved Loan Store has access to a wide inventory of cars, and no matter what make or model, we can find it. Once our Approved Loan Store customers have set up an appointment with their Special Finance Representative, they can go to TotalCarScore.com and figure out which makes and models could be right for them. That way, they can come into their appointment prepared, and they can get into a great car quicker!

Are you ready for Approved Loan Store to get you approved? Fill out our secure online auto loan application here, and keep up with the latest auto news by liking Approved Loan Store on Facebook and following Approved Loan Store on Twitter.

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When It Comes to Cars, Buying Used is Buying Smart

In the first quarter of 2012, car sales are still on the rise with used car sales making up a large percentage of those sales, and according to Business Insider, the trend towards used cars is a smart choice.

Yesterday, Business Insider published their top 10 money mistakes “that everyone makes.” Most of the usual mistakes were on the list like paying a large interest rate on a credit card that gives miniscule cash rewards towards savings or buying the newest gadget on the day it goes on the market. Number 2 on the list, though, was buying a new car instead of a high-quality used car.

If I had to guess, I think consumers feel a bit safer buying a new car than a used car because a used car has history. They are afraid of buying a car that has hidden problems, or they have a certain level of pride that they don’t want to buy a used car.

Here is why Business Insider’s advice is completely right.

First of all, the value on a new car will drop very quickly. Car shoppers will pay through the nose for a new car, and if they go to trade it in even a few years later, they will get a fraction of what they initially paid. A new car is not a great investment. Second, there are so many fantastic used cars available at low prices, and car buyers can get the vehicle checked out by the dealership or a third party if they still feel unsure about buying used.

Approved Loan Store has access to a large inventory of used vehicles, and with our special financing programs, we can help car shoppers get into a great car, even those with challenged credit. Fill out Approved Loan Store’s auto loan application online here, and keep up with the latest auto news by liking Approved Loan Store on Facebook and following Approved Loan Store on Twitter.

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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.

Missing Air Bags, Other Hazards Face Private Car Buyers

The price might be right for cars on Craigslist, but car buyers could be putting themselves at risk for hidden problems like missing airbags.

Today, a CBS affiliate in Oregon ran a story about how used car buyers need to be wary of missing airbags, particularly with private sellers. Sometimes the airbags have been stolen, and other times they were deployed and never replaced. Car buyers can’t even trust that the airbag light on the dashboard will indicate a problem. Thieves and scam artists have found a way to trick the airbag system so that the car buyer has no idea anything is wrong until it is too late.

Doug Hansen, an airbag repair technician, was interviewed in the report, and he had a chilling story for any car buyer, especially for parents buying a car for their teenagers. Hansen recounted, “We had a gentleman buy a car for his daughter going away to college. Bought it in a parking lot from somebody he met on Craigslist, and they brought it in and it was about 29-hundred dollar repair bill to make the car whole again, safety wise. The system was a fraud. His good deal wasn’t such a good deal anymore.”

Buying a car through Craigslist or a private buyer might seem like a bargain, but these hidden problems could end up costing thousands of dollars in repairs. In an accident, they could also lead to injuries or worse, the loss of life. You don’t have to take a chance to get an affordable used car. Approved Loan Store can help, even if you have challenged credit or no credit. Fill out our secure online auto loan application here, and keep up with the latest news and consumer education by liking Approved Loan Store on Facebook and following Approved Loan Store on Twitter.

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Reuters: Lose Weight, Improve Car’s Fuel Efficiency

If you want your car to be more fuel-efficient, Reuters has a novel idea: lose weight.

A recent statistic shows that gasoline consumption has gone up along with the needle on American’s scales. According to the study, Americans in 2012 compared to Americans in the 1960s are wasting 1 billion gallons of gas in their cars.

Where are those 1 billion gallons going? Well, Americans in 2012 on average weigh more than Americans in the 1960s, and it takes 1 billion gallons more to power their cars. Across the country, Americans could be getting a better gas mileage on their cars and spending less at the pump by getting their weight down to the average American’s weight in the 1960s.

Of course, you can’t turn a gas-guzzler into a hybrid just by dropping a dress size, and Approved Loan Store can help you find a more fuel-efficient car in your price range. Fill out an auto loan application online here, and keep up with the latest news from the auto industry by liking Approved Loan Store on Facebook and following Approved Loan Store on Twitter.

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“Smart Tires” Adaptable to All Driving Conditions

So far, 2012 is a year full of auto innovations from the rotary shifter to the pedestrian air bag, and now, German scientists are working on all-weather tires that would work on snow and ice as well as they work in off-road driving.

This cutting-edge project is being conducted by researchers at the University of Applied Sciences in Leipzig, Germany. Their so-called “smart tires” are fitted with electronic sensors that can tell the difference between a variety of road conditions, and the tire’s profiles will change and adapt for optimal driving.

Detlef Riemer, the head of the research team, spoke about the project at the Hanover Fair and was very enthusiastic about the project’s possibilities. “The driver no longer has to think about adapting their tires,” he explained. “The tire itself ‘thinks’ too.”

While the tires aren’t ready to hit the market yet, Approved Loan Store has access to a vast inventory of cars ready to take on rough weather and off-road driving, and Approved Loan Store can get you approved whether you have bad or no credit! Fill out an auto loan application online here, and keep up with the latest auto news by liking Approved Loan Store on Facebook and following Approved Loan Store on Twitter.

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Outrageous Craigslist Car Ad Becomes Internet Sensation

What does it take to make a $700 1995 Pontiac Grand Am into one of the most wanted cars on the internet? Simply make the greatest Craigslist ad ever.

On Wednesday, Jalopnik posted what they claimed was “the best Craigslist car ad ever.” The ad, posted by Joe Strachila, was for a 1995 Pontiac Grand Am GT, a fairly run-of-the-mill used car. The ad, created by Joe’s lifelong friend Kyle Miller, was anything but ordinary.

I thought I had seen just about everything on the internet until I saw the ad’s headline, “1995 Pontiac Grand Am GT – AKA – JESUS TAP-DANCING CHRIST.” The splashy bright-yellow and blue ad claims, “Never in your life has a car made you so appealing to the opposite sex…EVERY PREVIOUS OWNER HAS HAD A BEARD. This was the car that broke Pontiac. When it came off the production line, each person in the company had a collective aneurysm from the visual masterpiece with which they had blessed humanity, and gave up entirely.”

Of course, the question I had was that if the car was so amazing, why was the owner selling it? The answer was that he wasn’t man enough to handle it. “I tried to be,” he laments.” “I grew my beard to unreasonable lengths, trimmed my fingernails with belt sander, ate nothing but lumber for 6 straight days and knocked a polar bear unconscious. The car chuckled at my failed attempt at manliness, and became so bloated with testosterone that it literally blew a head gasket. Oh right, you’re definitely going to have to fix that…”

I seriously doubt that any car, much less a car with a blown head gasket, could live up to the hype of this Craigslist ad. Still, I have to give the seller credit for creativity. He took a $700 1995 Pontiac Grand Am and turned it into an internet sensation, and now, he is flooded with offers for the car. Supposedly someone even offered $10,000 for the honor of owning “Jesus Tap-Dancing Christ.”

Only one person can get Joe’s 1995 Pontiac Grand Am, but if you’re looking for a car that will blow your mind even if you don’t have mind-blowing credit, Approved Loan Store can help! Fill out an auto loan application here, and keep up with the latest in auto news by liking Approved Loan Store on Facebook and following Approved Loan Store on Twitter.

Cordray, CFPB Tackle Discriminatory Lending

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is still getting its feet wet seeing as how the President just assigned Richard Cordray to the agency a few months ago. That doesn’t mean they don’t want to hit the ground running, though.

According to the the Chicago Tribune, Cordray mentioned discriminatory lenders in a recent speech and warned that they would be the first to really see the force of the new agency. “The Consumer Bureau is still in its infancy, but we will not be silent on discriminatory lending practices. Our twin goals here are to protect consumers and empower them to be able to protect themselves.”

The CFPB plans to monitor the financial institutions for potential lending violations. This will be regarding all forms of consumer credit including auto loans, credit cards, and student loans. According to the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, lenders are barred from basing credit decisions on race, color, religion, sex, or marital status. The CFPB will also be looking for disparate impact in lending in which lending practices aren’t discriminatory themselves but have discriminatory effects. Cordray also touched on this goal in his speech, stating, “This subtle but powerful form of discrimination creates damages that are no less direct than the kind of overt and blatant discrimination that, we hope and assume, is increasingly a relic of a bygone era.

To better illustrate the impact that these practices can have, the Chicago Tribune article highlights the disparity in African-American households. On average, the median wealth dropped more than 50 percent in the years 2005 and 2009. Hispanics saw even worse results, losing 66 percent in their wealth. This has not stopped the discriminatory lending from targeting these groups, however.

The CFPB looks to be a powerful force in aiding the consumer in a time where everyone is looking to take advantage of them. One of the key tools they plan on using is education. They want to make sure that everyone has the right knowledge to keep from being victims. “Whether they are applying for an auto loan, student loan, or home loan, consumers need to know their rights and they need to know what red flags to look for that may indicate their rights are being violated,” Cordray said. “We want consumers to be able to recognize when they may be victims of discrimination.”

Approved Loan Store is the honest way to get approval for a car loan, even if you’re suffering from bad credit. Fill out an application to see the process work for you and see why so many have proclaimed their love for the services ALS provides. Be sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter so we can keep you educated on industry news.

Auto Loan Approval-By-Phone: Why Approved Loan Store Doesn’t Do It

At Approved Loan Store, we get asked all the time why we can’t give car loan approvals over the phone and why our customers need to bring their driver’s license, Social Security card, proof of income, and other identification to their appointment. Yesterday, there was a perfect real-life example in Dedham, Massachusetts, and we would like to share it with our readers so they understand why approvals-by-phone simply don’t happen.

Arthur Roberts wanted to get a new car. His previous car had been repossessed, and he was looking to get a car loan. Rather than take less-than-favorable rates or a cheaper car, Roberts forged documents from Attorney General Martha Coakley’s office and a credit bureau claiming that he had been the victim of identity theft. As a result, he got approval for a $22,000 car loan.

It wasn’t long until the law caught up with Roberts. He was indicted last March, and yesterday, he pleaded guilty to one count of larceny by false pretenses and three counts of common law uttering. He was sentenced to two years in jail, but due to medical reasons, he was put on three-year probation. The conditions of his probation are that he has to report any purchases made over $3,000, provide his quarterly credit reports to his probation officer, and inform his probation officer if he applies for credit.

This is why approvals-by-phone do not happen. There is too much of a risk that criminals will submit other people’s personal information, claim that they earn a higher income than they really do, and commit fraud just to get a car. At Approved Loan Store, we set up appointments for our customers to meet with a Special Finance Representative so that we can verify all of your personal information. We do not and nor will we ever stand for illegal activities, and the best way we can prevent that is by insisting on approvals in-person and with the proper documentation.

Are you having trouble getting approved for a car loan? Approved Loan Store can help! Fill out our auto loan application here, and keep up with the latest news and consumer education by liking Approved Loan Store on Facebook and following Approved Loan Store on Twitter.

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Approved Loan Store: Car Loan – Meeting with Your Special Finance Representative

At Approved Loan Store, we take the hassle out of car buying. We make the process easy, even if you have challenged credit. Still, we want our customers to understand our process and why we are the best way to get into a new or used car quickly!

The first step is filling out our convenient and secure online auto loan application here. Once you fill it out, you will hear back from one of our friendly Approved Loan Store representatives within 24 to 48 hours. They will verify the information on your application and let you know if you are picked for our loan program. If you are chosen, you will be scheduled to meet with an Approved Loan Store Special Finance Representative to look at vehicles and discuss your financing options.

Now, we get more questions about the meeting with a Special Finance Representative than any other part of the process, so we wanted to answer some of the more frequently asked questions here.

1. What do I need to bring with me to the appointment?

Bring your driver’s license, Social Security Card, a proof of residence, and proof of your income. Proof of residence can be a utility bill or bank statement that has your current address on it. For proof of income, bring two recent pay stubs or a letter from your employer stating how much you make and whether you are paid weekly or bi-weekly.

2. Do I need to buy a car if I set up an appointment?

Absolutely not! Approved Loan Store will work very hard to put together the best deal for you, but you are not obligated to purchase a vehicle if you meet with a Special Finance Representative.

3. Approved Loan Store set me up with Special Finance Representative located at a Kia/Chrysler/Mazda dealership, but I want a different brand of car. What do I do?

No worries! Your Special Finance Representative might be located at one dealership, but they can pull cars from any of Approved Loan Store’s certified locations. You are not limited by brand make or model. Tell your Special Finance Representative what car you are looking for, and they will do their best to get you that car! Remember, any make, any model!

4. Why do I need to set up an appointment?

Our Special Finance Representatives are busy folks, and they meet with lots of people like you on a daily basis. If we didn’t schedule appointments, they wouldn’t be able to work with you one-on-one and give you personal attention.

5. What if I don’t get a car?

We work hard to get our customers into a car, but in the rare scenario that we can’t get you the car you want at the financing you want, we offer complimentary gifts just for making it to your appointment. Ask your Special Finance Representative for details.

6. Why do I have to meet with a Special Finance Representative? Can’t I get approved over the phone?

Without seeing proper documentation and doing a credit check, it is impossible to get approved for a car loan. Anyone that tells you that you are approved for a car loan over the phone is not being honest. Besides that, your financing depends on your credit score, what car you want to get, and other factors that need to be discussed in person.

7. Is there anything else I need to bring to my appointment?

This appointment is as much for you as it is for us, and you will get out of it what you put into it. With Approved Loan Store, you will get great customer service, financing options, and a huge inventory of vehicles, but you will get even more out of it if you come prepared and know the right questions to ask. An inquisitive consumer is a smart consumer, so never be afraid to ask if you don’t understand how much you will be paying, the APR, or how many total payments you will be making.

Still have questions? Feel free to call and speak with one of our Approved Loan Store representatives at 877-217-2217. Are you looking for a new or used vehicle? Fill out our secure online auto loan application here, and check out testimonials from real Approved Loan Store customers here. You can also keep up to date on the latest news from Approved Loan Store by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter.

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