World's Smallest Car

British constructor Perry Watkins drives his “Wind Up” mini car. The mini car, which is the world’s smallest car with a license to drive on public streets, is only 41 inches high, 51 inches long, and 26 inches wide. The “Wind Up” can drive 60 kph (37 mph) and even has seat belts.

Best Resale Value: 2011 Models

There are many factors to think about when purchasing a new car. Price, size, brand, and safety are all major considerations. Another factor consumers should think about when making this decision is the resale value of a vehicle. This is an important issue, as it not only estimates how much you can expect to get for the automobile if you decide to trade it in, but it is also an indicator of a high quality vehicle that is built to retain its value. Kelley Blue Book recently named the 2011 vehicles with the best resale value for each major category. And the winners are:

- Subcompact car: Honda Fit
- Compact Car: MINI Cooper
- Mid-Size Sedan: Honda Accord
- Full-Size Sedan: Ford Taurus
- Wagon: Subaru Outback
- Sports Car: Subaru Impreza WRX
- High-Performance Car: Ford Mustang GT
- Hybrid/Alt. Energy Car: Volkswagen Golf TDI
- Compact Utility Vehicle: Honda CR-V
- Mid-Size Utility Vehicle: Toyota FJ Cruiser
- Full-Size Utility Vehicle: GMC Acadia
- Van: Toyota Sienna
- Near-Luxury Car: Lexus IS
- Luxury Car: Audi A5
- Full-Size Pickup: Ford F-Series Super Duty
- Luxury Utility Vehicle: BMW X5
- Hybrid/Alt. Energy Vehicle: BMW X5 xDrive 35d
- Mid-Size Pickup: Toyota Tacoma

Cars that Lose Value Fast

It’s fairly common knowledge that as a new car drives off the lot it loses 20% of its value that day; but over time the value of that car will depreciate much slower than it did that first day. At least some cars slowly depreciate; a study was done to see which cars depreciate the quickest and by how much. During the first three years of a cars life it depreciates at an accelerated rate; but the cars that made this top 10 list have a super accelerated rate of depreciation. After 5 years a vehicle usually will have lost 65% of its value; but the vehicles on this list have lost 74% or more of their value.

1. Kia Sedona – 5 year depreciation of 80%
2. Lincoln Town Car- 5 year depreciation of 79%
3. Isuzu Ascender- 5 year depreciation of 77%
4. Dodge Durango- 5 year depreciation of 76%
5. Ford Econoline- 5 year depreciation of 76%
6. Suzuki Reno- 5 year depreciation of 75%
7. Chevrolet Uplander- 5 year depreciation of 75%
8. Suzuki Forenza- 5 year depreciation of 75%
9. Mercury Grand Marquis- 5 year depreciation of 75%
10. Suzuki Aerio- 5 year depreciation of 74%

Buying vs. Leasing

When purchasing a new car, one of the main things to consider is whether to lease or buy the car. Although many people believe that leasing a car is more expensive and a waste of money, this is not always the case. Here is a look at buying versus leasing, and which option is right for you.

How long do you plan on keeping the car?
• Many years: Buy. If you will keep the car for years after it has been paid off, buying is the best option. This will allow you to one day own your car and be free of car payments, and will make the car less expensive than a lease.
• A few years: Lease. If you plan on trading in your car before it is paid off, as many people do, you are actually losing money. The ability to get a new car every couple years is one of the main benefits of a lease, so if you will be looking for a different car in a few years, leasing is the way to go.

How much can you afford?
• Low monthly payments and low maintenance: Lease. A major upside to a lease is the lower monthly cost. Leases typically have a lower down payment, monthly payment, and low maintenance fees. There are also no upfront sales taxes, and leasing a car can offer tax advantages for business owners.
• High monthly payments: Buy. If you can afford high monthly payments, you should be able to pay off a car relatively quickly. Just make sure you can also afford costly repairs after the warranty expires.

How far do you drive your car each year?
• Less than 15,000 miles: Lease. Most leases restrict the mileage you can put on a car each year to 15,000 miles, or sometimes less. But if you do not travel more than this, it will not be an issue.
• More than 15,000 miles: Buy. If you do go over the allotted mileage, you will be charged for each extra mile, which can really add up.

How well do you treat your car?
• Poorly: Buy. You will be responsible for any damage that is caused to a leased vehicle. So if you know that you do not have a good track record with cars, buying is your safest option. You should also buy if you want to do any customization.
• Well: Lease. If you keep your cars clean and take good care of them, there should not be any issues.

Buying vs. Leasing

When purchasing a new car, one of the main things to consider is whether to lease or buy the car. Although many people believe that leasing a car is more expensive and a waste of money, this is not always the case. Here is a look at buying versus leasing, and which option is right for you.

How long do you plan on keeping the car?
• Many years: Buy. If you will keep the car for years after it has been paid off, buying is the best option. This will allow you to one day own your car and be free of car payments, and will make the car less expensive than a lease.
• A few years: Lease. If you plan on trading in your car before it is paid off, as many people do, you are actually losing money. The ability to get a new car every couple years is one of the main benefits of a lease, so if you will be looking for a different car in a few years, leasing is the way to go.

How much can you afford?
• Low monthly payments and low maintenance: Lease. A major upside to a lease is the lower monthly cost. Leases typically have a lower down payment, monthly payment, and low maintenance fees. There are also no upfront sales taxes, and leasing a car can offer tax advantages for business owners.
• High monthly payments: Buy. If you can afford high monthly payments, you should be able to pay off a car relatively quickly. Just make sure you can also afford costly repairs after the warranty expires.

How far do you drive your car each year?
• Less than 15,000 miles: Lease. Most leases restrict the mileage you can put on a car each year to 15,000 miles, or sometimes less. But if you do not travel more than this, it will not be an issue.
• More than 15,000 miles: Buy. If you do go over the allotted mileage, you will be charged for each extra mile, which can really add up.

How well do you treat your car?
• Poorly: Buy. You will be responsible for any damage that is caused to a leased vehicle. So if you know that you do not have a good track record with cars, buying is your safest option. You should also buy if you want to do any customization.
• Well: Lease. If you keep your cars clean and take good care of them, there should not be any issues.

When to Buy a New Car

Buying a car is a tricky process. There are so many dealerships to choose from, models to look at, and you’re never quite sure how much of that MSRP you should really be paying. We know the ability to negotiate and the bottom line price vary from salesperson to salesperson and dealer to dealer, but do they also vary from day to day? As it turns out, they do… sort of.

According to several experts, the best day of the year to buy a new car is Labor Day Weekend. This is when many dealers want to really start clearing out last year’s models to make room for the new ones coming in. During this time of year, there are still enough models left to choose the color and trim you want, but dealers want to get them off of their lot, which equals you getting the car you want at a great price.

However, Labor Day Weekend only comes once a year, and sometimes you just cannot wait until it comes along again to purchase your new car. So what happens when your car breaks down, suddenly becomes inoperable, or you just want a new car, but don’t want to wait 10 months to get it?

The best time to buy a car year round is at the end of the month. Most car dealerships run on a quota system, and salespeople gain an incremental bonus when they hit their sales mark for the month. If a salesperson is still a few sales away from his bonus, he will be much more likely to offer incentives and push his manager to knock down the price of a car at the end of the month in order to make the sale and get him closer to that quota. So even if you can’t wait until next September to get that new car, do not waste extra money by making a purchase in the beginning or middle of a month. Wait until the end, save some cash, and make your salesman happy by getting him one step closer to that bonus.