Tag Archives: low-income

Auto Loan: Chevy Volt Gets Top Customer Rating for Second Year

It is the ultimate goal of every automaker to produce a car that drivers love so much that they would buy it again for their next car. I would guess then that GM is very happy this week as the Chevy Volt has, for the second year in a row, received the highest user satisfaction rating from Consumer Reports.

93 percent of Volt owners stated that they would buy a Volt again. The Volt beat out the popular Dodge Challenger and Porsche 911 which both received a 91 percent rating.

Some of the other top vehicles of the year were the Volkswagen Golf TDI at 80 percent, Toyota Camry Hybrid at 87 percent, Audi A7 at 90 percent, Toyota Prius V at 83 percent, and the Jeep Grand Cherokee V8 at 81 percent.

Readers, we want to hear from you! Does the Chevy Volt’s satisfaction rating from Consumer Reports make you more likely to buy a Volt? What cars have you loved so much that you would purchase them again? Leave a comment below, and let us know what you think!

Are you ready to get into a new or used car? Approved Loan Store can help you! Good credit, bad credit, no credit, we want to get you into a car you want at terms you can afford! Fill out our secure online auto loan application here, and for more auto news and buying tips, check out Approved Loan Store on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube!

New Car Financing: 2013 Chevy Cruze Introduces Safer “Smart” Airbags

When looking for a new or used car, the price, features, and comfort are all taken into consideration, but at the end of the day, I want to know that the car I am buying will keep me safe.

With that in mind, GM has announced that the 2013 Chevrolet Cruze will come with a “smart” airbag as a standard feature. Typical airbags can actually cause injury to the driver if they are not seated the proper distance from the front airbag, but these new airbags use a flexible vent so that the driver’s momentum will push the air out.

GM General Director of Vehicle Safety Gay Kent has praised the new airbag as a “smart way to manage crash forces,” and GM is marketing it as an “industry first” in safety technology.

When it comes to airbag injuries, it is important to remember that airbags are most effective when passengers are wearing their seat belts. The large majority of airbag injuries occur when the driver or passenger was not wearing a seat belt, and even with the new technology in Chevy’s airbag system, it will not work properly if seat belts are not worn.

Are you ready to get into a new or used car? Approved Loan Store can help you! Good credit, bad credit, no credit, we will work with you to get you into a car you want at terms you can afford! Fill out our secure online auto loan application here, and for more auto news and buying tips, be sure to like Approved Loan Store on Facebook, follow Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribe to Approved Loan Store on YouTube!

Bad Credit Auto Loans: More Subprime Auto Loans in 2012

According to one of the big 3 credit bureaus, now is the time for subprime credit car shoppers to go for an auto loan.

Earlier this month, Experian Automotive released statistics about auto loans written in the third quarter, and they found that 42 percent of new and used auto loans were for subprime buyers. In this report, subprime buyers are classified as buyers with credit scores below 680. Overall, average credit scores on new auto loans are down to 755 compared to 763 last year, and looking at individual automakers, the average scores could be as low as 694.

For car buyers with a troubled credit history, it is clear that this is a great time to buy. The end of 2012 is offering a perfect combination of holiday sales specials and lenders ready to grant auto loans. Besides that, car buyers looking for a used car will get the added advantage of dealerships wanting to move last year’s inventory to make room for the new models.

Are you ready to get into a new or used car today? Approved Loan Store can help you! Good credit, bad credit, no credit, we want to get you into the car you want at terms you can afford! Fill out our secure online auto loan application here.

Looking for more auto news and buying tips? Check out Approved Loan Store on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube!

Image courtesy of vichie81 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Auto Loan: Finalists Announced for 2013 North American Car and Truck/Utility of the Year

This morning, the top 3 finalists for the 20th annual North American Car of the Year and Truck/Utility of the Year were announced at a luncheon for the Automotive Press Association. Contenders for Car of the Year will be the Cadillac ATS, Ford Fusion, and Honda Accord, and contenders for Truck/Utility of the Year will be the Ford C-Max, Mazda CX-5, and Ram 1500.

Finalists for both awards were voted on by 49 American and Canadian automotive journalists. 11 cars and 10 trucks/utilities made the short list of nominees. The Dodge Dart, BMW 3 Series, and Nissan Altima were among the cars that didn’t quite make the cut. On the truck/utility side, the Ford Escape, Hyundai Santa Fe, and Nissan Pathfinder didn’t make the top 3.

Here are the complete nominee lists for the 2013 North American Car of the Year and Truck/Utility of the Year Award.

2013 North American Car of the Year

BMW 3 Series
Cadillac ATS – FINALIST
Chevrolet Malibu
Dodge Dart
Ford Fusion – FINALIST
Honda Accord – FINALIST
Lincoln MKZ
Nissan Altima
Scion FR-S
Subaru BRZ
Toyota Avalon

2013 North American Truck/Utility of the Year

Acura RDX
Audi Allroad
BMX X1
Ford C-Max – FINALIST
Ford Escape
Hyundai Santa Fe
Infiniti JX35
Mazda CX-5 – FINALIST
Nissan Pathfinder
Ram 1500 – FINALIST

Both winners will be announced on January 14th as part of the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Last year’s winners were the Hyundai Elantra and the Land Rover Range Rover.

Readers, we want to hear from you! Who do you think will win Car and Truck/Utility of the Year? Do you disagree with the top 3? Leave a comment below, and tell us what you think!

Are you ready to get into a new or used car, truck, or utility vehicle? Approved Loan Store can help! Good credit, bad credit, no credit, we will work with you to get you the car you want at terms you can afford! 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!

New Car Financing: Automakers Offer Discounts for the Holidays

With Christmas coming up quickly, car shoppers are looking to get into a car soon that can handle winter weather. Fortunately, automakers are making it easier to afford both their new and certified pre-owned vehicles with all sorts of holiday discounts and deals.

According to Autoweek, everyone from Kia to Audi and Volkswagen will have fantastic deals all the way up through the beginning of January. Chevrolet, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Lexus, Mazda, Mitsubishi, and Volkswagen all have offers going through January 2, and Audi and Kia’s offers are good through January 7.

Right now, January 7 seems far away. It might sound like car shoppers have plenty of time to get in on these deals, but the truth is that the holiday season goes by very quickly. There are family gatherings, office parties, and super-special-mega sales at the mall, not to mention any traveling to see extended family. This is potentially the best time of year to get a car because new models are coming in, and dealership want to move their inventory of last year’s models out the door. Unfortunately, many car shoppers will miss out on this golden opportunity because they procrastinate and don’t make it a priority to get into a dealership.

This is why Approved Loan Store is such a great asset to serious car buyers this holiday season. Every day of the year, we work to get our customers the car they want at the best terms possible, even if they have no credit or challenged credit. We keep the car buying process simple so you can spend more time with your family and less time going from dealership to dealership looking for the best deal. To get started, simply fill out our secure online auto loan application here. Within 24 to 48 hours, one of our representatives will contact you to review your application and set an appointment for you with an Approved Loan Store dealership. You meet with our Special Finance Representative, and they will work with you to get the best rates possible. Many customers drive off with a car the same day, and you can see testimonials from real Approved Loan Store customers here!

Are you ready to let Approved Loan Store get you into a car? Fill out an application today, and connect with Approved Loan Store by liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter, and subscribing to us on YouTube!

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Car Loan: New Safety Device Offers Easy Escape in Water Car Crash

Back in high school, I had a friend who refused to wear a seatbelt. No matter what he was told about safety and statistics about car crashes, he would not wear a seatbelt. His reasoning was that he had a dream once where he had crashed his car into water, and in the dream, he couldn’t get out of his seatbelt. Helpless to get free of the car, his dream ended with him drowning.

This week, there was some great news for my friend and anyone else who has ever stressed over a faulty seatbelt in water. A Dutch company Fijen has developed a seatbelt that will release when submerged in water. They have dubbed it the Escape Belt. Here is how the Escape Belt works. The Escape Belt attaches to the seat belt clasp, and inside the mechanism is a cartridge with a salt pill. In the event of a crash, water fills the car up to the Escape Belt, the salt pill dissolves, and a metal clip pushes the button and releases the seatbelt.

To see the Escape Belt in action, check out the video below.

This is a pretty amazing device, especially for younger children who are likely to panic in the event of a crash and might not be able to get their seatbelt loose. Besides that, it will help a parent in an emergency situation as well since they won’t have to worry about a stuck seatbelt clasp. I could the Escape Belt being very popular with American parents if Fijen does much advertising in the United States.

Readers, what do you think? Would you buy the Escape Belt for your car? Leave a comment below, and let us know what you think!

Are you ready to get into a new or used car? Approved Loan Store wants to help you! Good credit, bad credit, no credit, we will work with you so you can get into a car you want at terms you can afford! Fill out our secure auto loan application here, and get more 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!

Auto Loan: New NHTSA Proposal Requires “Black Box” Devices in All Motor Vehicles

Today, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced a proposal that starting September 1, 2014, automakers would have to install event data recorders, or EDRs, into all light passenger vehicles. This announcement has been followed with much hand-ringing and unnecessary panic over privacy violations and “Big Brother” government. In reality, this isn’t earth-shattering news, and because there is some misinformation and paranoia, we wanted to take a moment to separate fact from fiction.

First, EDRs have been in cars for almost 20 years. These “black boxes” are not scary new technology. Currently, over 90 percent of new vehicles have EDRs, and they are used in the same way as a “black box” in an airplane, to determine the cause of a crash. Among other factors, they will record the speed the vehicle was traveling in the event of a crash, the time from the beginning of the crash at which the maximum change in forward crash speed occurs, whether the driver applied the brake, whether the driver was wearing their seat belt, and the percentage of the engine throttle.

Second, EDRs are not GPS devices. This is not a means for the government to keep tabs on drivers. EDRs are strictly devices meant to collect information in the event of a crash. They do not record driver conversations or any other personal information, so there is no need to panic that anyone is listening in.

Finally, the information contained on an EDR belongs to the driver. This data can be potentially used in a court of law if it pertains to a car crash, but otherwise no one will ever seen this data except the owner of the car.

If you have any further questions about the proposal, click here or contact the NHTSA at 1-888-327-4236.

Are you looking for a new or used car? Approved Loan Store can help you! Good credit, bad credit, no credit, we will work to get you in the car you want at terms you can afford! Fill out our secure online auto loan application here, and for more auto news and buying tips, like Approved Loan Store on Facebook, follow Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribe to Approved Loan Store on YouTube!

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Car Loan: New Models, Discounts Sell More Electric Cars in November

Getting consumers to adapt to new technology is tough, and the electric car has faced its fair share of challenges. Sales numbers for electric cars in November, however, bode well for the future of the electric car.

November sales numbers from Maxim Group show that car dealers sold 7,600 electric cars in November alone with a yearly total so far of 47,500. Right now, projections predict that dealers will sell 56,000 electric and plug-in hybrid electric cars by the end of 2012.

Industry analysts attribute the electric car’s success in 2012 to a variety of new electric vehicles as well as deep discounts and incentives on existing models. Nissan has worked to make the Nissan Leaf more affordable, and Chevy has offered discounts adding up to $10,000 in savings on the Volt. Some of the newer models have really led the pack, though, with Ford selling 1,259 of the C-Max Energi, a vehicle that was only just introduced in November. Those numbers are very strong considering that the Chevy Volt sold 1,519 units and the Toyota Prius sold 1,766 units in November.

The demand for electric cars is only going to go up, especially as the economy continues to recover and consumers can better afford electric cars. Right now is an exciting time for the auto industry as they move more and more towards electric and hybrid vehicles. Soon, consumers will be able to pay less at the pump and lessen our negative impact on the environment.

Whether if you are looking for a more fuel-efficient car, a car for the family, or just something fun and sporty, Approved Loan Store can help! Good credit, bad credit, no credit, we want to get you into a car you want at terms you can afford! 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!

Image courtesy of Danilo Rizzuti / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Bad Credit Auto Loan: Why Shopping Around Dealerships Can Hurt Your Credit Score

When making a major purchase like a new car, most people shop around and find the best possible deal before making a decision. They don’t want to look back on their car purchase and think that they could have found the same car elsewhere for less.

Unfortunately, not all car shoppers know that running their credit again and again at different dealerships will hurt their credit score and make them look riskier to lenders. Hard inquiries will dock a credit score by several points and will stay on the credit report up to 2 years. The reasoning is that this consumer has applied for an auto loan at all these dealerships but did not get a loan whether by choice or rejection by lenders. This is why we recommend that serious car buyers should not apply for a credit card or any other kind of loan or credit before going in to buy a car.

What makes Approved Loan Store’s auto buying program different? Our three-step process gives our customers an advantage over other car shoppers because our customers don’t have to shop for a dealership. First, they fill out our secure online auto loan application. Second, they receive a call from an Approved Loan Store representative who reviews the loan application and schedules them for an appointment with an Approved Loan Store dealership nearest to them. Finally, they meet with their Approved Loan Store Special Finance Representative, and their Special Finance Representative helps them find the car they want at rates they can afford.

Are you ready to stop searching? Let Approved Loan Store help you get into a car 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!

Image courtesy of vichie81 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

New Car Financing: Recap of the LA Auto Show Premieres

Last week, the Los Angeles Auto Show premiered many new concept cars as part of the show. Now, concept cars are always fun to browse, but they won’t be available at your local dealership. This is why we were more interested to see the production vehicle that debuted at the show. They might not have a beak, a bike from TRON, or whatever this is, but these are cars that our customers could be test driving very soon. Here is a quick rundown of some of the show’s biggest production vehicle premieres.

2013 Fiat 500L – The new Fiat keeps the Fiat 500’s charm and gives the driver over 2 more feet of interior space. Who knew a car could so cool and yet cute as a bug?

2013 Porsche Cayman – Porsche claims that the new Cayman can go from 0 to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds. We won’t be able to get behind the wheel until spring of next year, but this lighter and more powerful Cayman definitely has our attention.

2013 Toyota RAV4 – Toyota was really amping up the RAV4’s premiere with promises of “a new generation” of car that embodies “sophistication and strength.” Not much really changed with the RAV4 at least from first glance, and it seems that the auto critics mostly agree. Forbes was more impressed and said that the changes made to the RAV4 were a huge improvement, though even they said it isn’t “oozing excitement.” The 2013 RAV4 will be available January 2013.

2014 Kia Forte – Showing up in cool blue, the 2014 Kia Forte impressed Autoweek which said the Forte proves that cars in its class and price range don’t have to be “bland.” The buzz is that the Forte is a real competitor amongst the new compact sedans.

Readers, we want to hear from you! Did you check out the LA Auto Show coverage? What were your highlights? Leave us a comment below, and tell us what you think!

Are you ready to get into a car today? Approved Loan Store can help, whether if you’re looking for a new or used car! Good credit, bad credit, no credit, we will work with you to get you a car you want at terms you can afford! Fill out our secure online auto loan application here, and make sure to like Approved Loan Store on Facebook, follow Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribe to Approved Loan Store on YouTube!