Thursday, September 6, 2012

Do It Yourself: Tips for Selling Your Car

FooteWork
Thinking of selling your car privately?  According to Kelley Blue Book, "Selling a car on your own can seem complicated, troublesome and even, sometimes, scary. As a result, most people choose to trade in their cars to a dealer rather than sell privately, thus taking a hit on the transaction price. But private-party sales don't have to be difficult, and will often result in higher transaction prices than trade-ins." The editors at KBB put together 10 steps that zero in on exactly what you need to know with helpful links to determine a price.

1.  Fully assess your car's condition.
"It's important to know the condition of your car before setting a sale price. Kelley Blue Book offers a Condition Quiz that can assist you and can be accessed from within the Private Party Value section of our web site. After assessing your car's condition, you'll feel more confident deciding on an acceptable, and reasonable, price. The Kelley Blue Book Private Party Value can be used when setting your price but, remember, only you know the condition of your car and only you can best judge if any flaws might warrant a price cut. It's also very important to be brutally honest with yourself about your car's condition. Generally, sellers tend to over-rate their cars' conditions, and buyers tend to be fairly good at spotting problems. Therefore, if you over-rate it, and thus over-price it, you'll only prolong the time it takes to make a sale. Remember, the idea is to sell the car and, even if you accept a lower price than you might like, it will still likely be more than you would have made on a trade-in. 

Do not decide that you "need" to get a certain amount for the car if that amount you "need" is more than the reasonable market value. That will just mean you'll never sell it. The buyer doesn't care how much you need. Remember; your car is in the market, competing with every other car in the market, and it is the market, and the market alone, that determines a fair and reasonable price.

You may also want to do some homework before showing the car to a potential buyer. If you were a dealer, you would give the vehicle a certain amount of preparation before putting it on the lot for sale, and you would do this preparation in order to get a better price. The same principle applies when selling your car to a private party. You may not want to spend a lot of money on your car just to sell it, but you do want it to look presentable and, just as important, you want to avoid unpleasant surprises while showing it to potential buyers.

2. Pretend to be the Buyer
Before you show your car to a buyer, look at it as if you were interested in buying it for yourself. Look for scratches and dings. Are the tires in decent condition, do they all match and are they wearing evenly all of the way across the treads? Start the car and operate all the knobs, switches and controls. Does everything work? How about the lights, the turn signals, the wipers, the sound system, the power windows? Does the air conditioning and heating system work in all modes and blow hot and cold air? Try everything. Many people, for example, don't know if their cars' rear windows work because they've never used them, and don't know if the brake lights work because they never see them. If something doesn't work properly, either fix it or accept the reality that it will reduce your price."

Read more here:http://www.kbb.com/car-advice/car-selling/step-1-communicating-with-potential-buyers/

Can't find the title to your vehicle? A duplicate can be done at FooteWork within minutes. We also have notaries on staff who can notarize your vehicle title if you are in the process of selling.  Let us help you sell your car and transfer title quickly and easily. 

At FooteWork, we can handle all of your vehicle needs and transactions are completed in about 15 minutes! Come see us at one of our three offices in Prescott, Prescott Valley, and Williams
 
Fast! Friendly! FooteWork!

Monday, August 27, 2012

The New Arizona Child Restraint Law Clarified!

Graco Nautilus 3-1 Car Seat
On August 2nd 2012, the new child restraint law went into effect in Arizona that will hopefully save lives.  However, it has left many people confused by the requirements and there is misleading information circulating about it.  The new law factors in a combination of age and height and extends the age from 5 to 8.  Here is an explanation and some helpful examples given by About.com's article 'Car Seat Confusion': "The old law required that any child in a passenger vehicle under 5 years old must be secured in a child restraint system.  The new law in Arizona requires:

Any child under 5 years old must be secured in a child restraint system.

Any child at least 5 years old but under 8 years old who is also 4'9" tall or shorter must be secured in a child restraint system. 

It is AND not or, meaning that the law applies to children who meet BOTH the age and height requirements.

Examples:

Your daughter is 6 years old and 4'1" tall. She must be in a child restraint system when riding in a vehicle. She is more than 5 years old but not yet 8 years old, and not taller than 4'9".

Your daughter is 9 years old and 4'5" tall. She is not required by law to be in a child restraint system. Although she is not taller than 4'9", she is not under 8 years old.

Your son is 7 years old and 5'2" tall. He is not required by law to be in a child restraint system. Although he is more than 5 years old but not yet 8 years old, he is taller than 4'9".

Your son is 7 years old, 4'8" tall and weighs 70 pounds. He must be in a child restraint system. He is more than 5 years old but not yet 8 years old, and not taller than 4'9". 

Weight is not a factor in Arizona. The intent of this law is to improve the safety of children riding in our vehicles who are too big for a car seat, but still not big enough for a regular, factory-installed seat belt to provide adequate protection in the event of an accident. Note: there are exceptions to the law for certain types of older vehicles, RVs, and transport for emergencies.

What if you have a child that is older but still rather small? Can you have them use a booster seat in the car? Of course you can, but that's up to you."

Also remember that kids are safer in the back seat than the front. If that is not possible, make sure the airbag is turned off.  

Hopefully this helps clarifies the new law.  Happy and safe driving from your friends at FooteWork!

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Get the Best MPG Possible with What You Drive Now!

Who wouldn't love to get one of the latest efficient cars to save money at the pump but that is not an option for most people.  Instead, there are some great ways to get the best millage possible with the car you drive now. Consumer Reports did a thorough report on fuel economy using a fuel meter and came up with valuable tips to improve your MPG as well as debunking some commonly thought myths about gas consumption.  According to CR, "Tests with a Toyota Camry and other vehicles show there are ways to minimize what you spend at the pump with your current car.

Drive at a moderate speed

This is the biggest factor. You may have to be a little patient, but driving at 55 mph instead of 65 or 75 will save you money. When we increased the Camry's highway cruising speed from 55 mph to 65, the car's fuel economy dropped from 40 mpg to 35. Speeding up to 75 mph cost the car another 5 mpg. One reason is that aerodynamic drag increases exponentially the faster you drive; it simply takes more fuel to power the car through the air.

Drive smoothly

Avoid hard acceleration and braking whenever possible. In our tests, frequent bursts of acceleration and braking reduced the Camry's mileage by 2 to 3 mpg. Once up to speed on the highway, maintain a steady pace in top gear. Smooth acceleration, cornering, and braking also extend the life of the engine, transmission, brakes, and tires.

Reduce unnecessary drag

At highway speeds, more than 50 percent of engine power goes to overcoming aerodynamic drag. So don't carry things on top of your vehicle when you don't have to. Installing a large Thule Cascade 1700 car-top carrier on our Camry dropped its gas mileage from 35 mpg to 29 at 65 mph. Even driving with empty racks on the car reduces its fuel economy.

Don't use premium fuel if you don't have to

If your car specifies regular fuel, don't buy premium under the mistaken belief that your engine will run better. The only difference you'll see is about 20 cents more per gallon. Most cars are designed to run just fine on regular gasoline. Even many cars for which premium is recommended will run well on regular. We have found that the differences are imperceptible during normal driving. Check your owner's manual to find out if your engine really requires premium or if you can run on other grades.

Minimize driving with a cold engine

Engines run most efficiently when they're warm. In our city-driving tests, making multiple short trips and starting the engine from cold each time reduced fuel economy by almost 4 mpg. Engines also produce more pollution and wear faster when they're cold. When possible, combine several short trips into one so that the engine stays warm.

Keep tires properly inflated

The Camry experienced a 1.3 mpg loss in highway fuel economy when the tires were underinflated by 10 psi. More important, underinflated tires compromise handling and braking, and wear faster. And they run much hotter, which can lead to tire failure. Check the pressure of your vehicle's tires at least once a month with a tire gauge. The owner's manual explains how to do it.

Buy tires with lower rolling resistance

A tire's rolling resistance can add or detract another 1 or 2 mpg. In our tire ratings, look for high-rated tires with low rolling resistance. They generally won't cost more, and replacing a worn tire could save you more than $100 a year in fuel.

Avoid idling for long periods

Think of it this way: When you're idling, your car is getting zero miles per gallon. When we let a Buick Lucerne, with a V8, idle for 10 minutes while warming up, it burned about an eighth of a gallon of gas. A smaller engine would probably burn less, but idling still adds up over time. As a rule, turn off your engine if you expect to sit for more than about 30 seconds. An engine warms up faster as it's driven anyway."

Read more: http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/2012/01/fuel-economy-save-money-on-gas/index.htm

Also remember to combine errands and avoid unnecessary trips whenever possible. Conveniently located, FooteWork has three offices in Prescott, Prescott Valley, and Williams. We can handle all of your vehicle needs and most transactions take under fifteen minutes! Fast! Friendly! FooteWork!


Thursday, August 9, 2012

Safety Tips in the Summer Heat: Keeping Your Tires Cool

Consumer Reports: Summer Heat and Tire Safety
Summer is definitely here with record breaking heat across much of the county.  In Arizona, the heat can be blistering for your tires and dangerous.  According to Conusmer Reports, "Hot weather exacerbates heat build-up and weakens the tire, potentially leading to abrupt and sometime catastrophic failure. On a hot 90-degree day at our track, surface temperatures easily exceed 150-degrees. Think about what your tires are experiencing while you're enjoying the drive in a cool air-conditioned car."  With temperatures currently above that in most of Arizona, there are some important tips that can keep your tires cooler and you and your passengers safer.

"For example, just having your tires properly inflated will go a long way to avoiding such failures. Tire pressure is the life-blood of any tire; An under-inflated tire generates more heat due to excessive sidewall flexing, adversely effecting handling and fuel economy. Also, the tires will wear out faster.  The key here is using the correct inflation pressure. Based on our experience and a number of industry surveys, most tires are not inflated correctly. Those that are under-inflated are typically the result of no or infrequent pressure checks. However, some consumers go the other way when they over-inflate their tires using the sidewall rating—that's the maximum pressure and the not service pressure as defined by the vehicle manufacturer, which is typically listed on a driver's door jamb placard."

Important tips from Consumer Reports:
  • Inflate the tires to the recommended setting outlined on the tire information placard found most often on the driver's door jamb and/or the vehicle owner's manual.
  • Check the tires monthly. Tires will typically lose up to 1 psi per month, and pressure drops about 1 psi for every 10-degree drop in air temperature.
  • Buy a good tire gauge. It's also a good idea to buy a portable compressor that works off of your car's power outlet; these are available in many auto parts stores. 
  • Tires also lose air to common punctures, so if you find you're always adding air to one particular tire, it might have a slow leak. Have it checked out at a service garage.
Source:http://news.consumerreports.org/cars/2012/08/tips-to-keep-your-car-tires-cool-amid-damaging-summer-heat.html

Remembering to keep and eye on your tires while enjoying the summer heat can help avoid blowouts and improve your millage.  At FooteWork, we are looking out for you!  Fast, Friendly, FooteWork!

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Prescott Antique Auto Club 38th Annual Car Show this Weekend at Watson Lake!

This weekend, August 4th & 5th 2012, is the Prescott Antique Auto Club 38th Annual Car Show, Parts Exchange, and Old Engine Fire-up at Watson Lake. There will be vintage motorcycles and cars for sale too!  If you have a 1987 or older vehicle you want to show, there is no pre-registration!

At FooteWork, you can get a historical plate for your car or motorcycle. If your vehicle is 25 or more years old, It qualifies!

http://arizonacarshows.com/


Thursday, July 26, 2012

Family Events this Weekend in Prescott!

http://www.prescottregulators.org/
There is always something happening in Prescott! This weekend is no exception!

Saturday and Sunday July 28th and 29th is the Annual Shootout on Whiskey Row! 

See the lawdogs, outlaws, drovers, grouchy old prospectors, cantankerous Cavalry scouts, gamblers, saloon girls, town folk, cowboys, cowgirls, pistol packin mamas, the rowdiest, meanest hombres & wildest women this side of the Pecos. 

See the rip-roarin, gut bustin, high falootin, gun totin, shoot-em up, heroes & heroines of the Old West. 








Saturday Night, July 28th, is 
Zoovies Night 
at Heritage Park Zoological Sanctuary featuring
'A Bug's Life' outdoors on their lawn!








Sunday, July 29th,  is Prescott Mountain Bike Alliance's
8 to 80 Ride 
Riders of all ages and abilities are welcome, and families with children are especially encouraged to join us.

Meeting at the Dog Park (parking is free) on Willow Creek Rd across from Tim's Toyota (or Ford perhaps). Park at the far end of the lot nearest the trail. This area gives us access to the Willow Lake Trail (toodle ride), the Embry Riddle/Pioneer Park Trails (intermediate ride), and the Willow Dells Trails (technical granite dells ride).

When: 2:00 pm. We ride until 3:30 pm, then enjoy visiting and snacks after the ride.















Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Cool Watercraft: Ride Like a Dolphin....


Check out this cool watercraft that will have you feeling like a dolphin...or a shark!  




Don't spend time waiting in line when you can be having fun on the water this summer.  At FooteWork, we handle all types of boat, ATV and OHV paperwork. Come see us at one of our three offices in PrescottPrescott Valley, and Williams, Arizona!