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My Check Engine Light is On!

Should I panic when my check engine light comes on?

When your oil light comes on you are in trouble and need to stop immediately, but what is the deal with the check engine light, and is it important to pay attention to it, or is it just another way for dealerships to make money?

The name suggests that something is seriously wrong with your engine, which is meant to scare you into doing something,but your check engine light it is mainly about emissions components. The most simple fix, and a good thing to do first, is to check if your gas cap is on tight. While you’re at it, take a look at the gas cap to make sure it is in good IMG_20150324_181443_899condition, and doesn’t have a crack. Even if it it needs to be replaced, that is an easy fix.
A lot of people ignore this light. We’ve had a client with a Subaru, where in addition to the check engine light the cruise control light came on. The intent of making both lights come on was to make the car owner take this more seriously. In this case both lights went off once the one problem was repaired. Most mechanics can hook up a small computer to your car and get the error codes. They can also check your spark plugs and wires with the initial diagnostic.
Other causes can be a busted oxygen sensor, a problem with the catalytic converter, and with Subarus it is often on the head gasket. Be sure to go to a reputable mechanic (that does not mean you should go to the dealer unless you have free factory warranty). If your mechanic recommends something expensive. you should get a second opinion – always! If the second diagnosis is different from the first, you may want to get a third. We once had a shop insist it was only an oxygen sensor on an early 2000 Subaru and it turned out to be the head gasket. Had we gone to the first shop we would have thrown a few hundred $ away and fixed something that wasn’t broken.

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Questions We Get Asked a Lot as Auto Brokers

Why Hire an Auto Broker instead of going to the Dealership:

Unless you like to haggle and are willing to spend a lot of time researching not just the cars you are interested in but also pricing, a broker can save you a lot of time and money.
The dealer works for the dealership and his performance is judged by how much money he gets out of you. Repeat business is not as much of of a concern for them, as they sell only one make, and you may be in the market for a different make next time or have moved, etc.
To a broker referrals are everything.  A good broker works for you and looks out for your best interest and gets her next client because you refer a friend or family member because you were so happy with her work.

What does it cost to hire an Auto Broker:

It is seller driven system.  If you consign your car, there is a small fee, but it is less than the difference between private party value and suggested retail value, so you come out ahead and the broker does all the work.
If you buy a vehicle, the broker charges the dealer.  Brokers can work with any dealership, so their loyalty is to you not the dealer.  With experience they have also weeded out the bad apples, and work only with trustworthy proven dealerships.

Consulting:
In addition to saving you time and money a good broker can help you choose the best option for you.  Many of our clients know what they want from the car, e.g. reliability, 4WD/AWD, sit higher, fit the kids and their friends in the car, etc.  We find out what vehicles meet their criteria, provide pros and cons to give them all they need to make a good decision.  In contrast dealers are trained to push the cars they have had the longest as they pay a lot of interest on their inventory.  We don’t have that problem as we custom find instead of keeping inventory.

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Improve your Gas Mileage

Check & Replace Air Filters Regularly
Replacing a clogged air filter can improve your car’s gas mileage by as much as 10 percent.  Your car’s air filter keeps impurities from damaging the inside of your engine. Not only will replacing a dirty air filter save gas, it will protect your engine.

Keep Tires Properly Inflated

You can improve your gas mileage by around 3.3 percent by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure. Under-inflated tires can lower gas mileage by 0.4 percent for every 1 psi drop in pressure of all four tires. Properly inflated tires are safer and last longer.

Remove Excess Weight 

Avoid keeping unnecessary items in your vehicle, especially heavy ones. An extra 100 pounds in your vehicle could reduce your MPG by up to 2%. If you are not using the cross bars on your roof or your ski rack, take them off.

Repairs & Maintenance:

Fixing a car that is noticeably out of tune can improve its gas mileage by an average of 4 percent.  Fixing a serious maintenance problem, such as a faulty oxygen sensor, can improve your mileage by as much as 40%

Avoid Excessive Idling

Idling gets 0 miles per gallon. Cars with larger engines typically waste more gas at idle than do cars with smaller engines.

Use the Recommended Grade of Motor Oil
You can improve your gas mileage by 1-2 percent by using the manufacturer’s recommended grade of motor oil. For example, using 10W-30 motor oil in an engine designed to use 5W-30 can lower your gas mileage by 1-2 percent. Using 5W-30 in an engine designed for 5W-20 can lower your gas mileage by 1-1.5 percent. Also, look for motor oil that says “Energy Conserving” on the API performance symbol to be sure it contains friction-reducing additives.

Buy gasoline during coolest time of day – early morning or late evening is best. During these times gasoline is densest. Keep in mind – gas pumps measure volumes of gasoline, not densities of fuel concentration. You are charged according to “volume of measurement”

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Safe Snow Driving — Tips for Winter Driving in Ice, Snow and Slippery Road Conditions

‘tis the season for an update to our snow driving tips. We welcome all the new residents who have moved to Colorado over the past year, many from warmer climates. Here is a little help for those nasty snow commutes:

AWD or 4WD is very helpful, but it does little when you have bad tires. Good tread depth (newer tires) is extremely important, and if you drive in snow a lot you should consider snow tires. The tread pattern is different, they a little taller to cut through the snow better and it is a different rubber compound that works well in cold weather. Just make sure to take them off your car in the spring as they are not designed for warm weather and will wear out excessively fast if driven in warm weather.IMG_20151105_085954_035

Avoiding a spin is obviously the best policy, but if you find yourself sliding, it’s not all over. Try to stay calm. You’ve probably heard that you should steer into the skid, a simpler way to explain that is to straighten out your wheels — unwind the steering wheel. The more turned your wheels are, the less traction you have. When your wheels are pointing straight, you put 100% of the tire’s foot print on the road. As you turn — that leaning feeling — you give up more and more of that traction and are more likely to loose control.

Don’t overestimate new technologies. Having things like traction control, AWD or 4WD does not mean you can go 60mph on a snowy or icy road with a get home safe guarantee. With AWD or 4WD you havIMG_20141226_132319_121e an easier time getting up an icy hill, but you don’t stop any faster than a 2 wheel drive car.
If you are parking outside, clear off the snow so you have proper visibility. You may be able to see through the little hole you made in the windshield, but if you need to make an evasive maneuver, you’ll be blind if you haven’t cleared all your windows. If you haven’t cleared the snow off your roof, the first time you brake it may all slide down onto your wipers, which can break the wipers or wiper motor. When scraping the windshield make sure the wipers aren’t frozen to the windshield, that can burn out your wiper motor if it is trying to hard to free them. Often going under them with the scraper will do it, alternatively you can put a piece of card board between the wiper and the glass when you park.IMG_20131204_090706_660

If you drive outside populated areas it may pay off to have some emergency supplies in the car such as a shovel, sand or kitty litter, a blanket, even a snack.

We wish you safe traveling. Click  here  for last year’s article with more snow driving tips.

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Best & Worst Lists

A lot of research is done in preparation for blog articles. When we researched these list, the biggest surprise was how many of these lists we found. You can even find the same car on a ‘worst’ and a ‘best’ list, so the main lesson with lists is to take them with a grain of salt.  Talk to your broker to cut through the agenda of those list, so you chose the car that is truly right for you.

Worst Subcompact Car: 2013 Smart Fortwo
Worst Compact Sedan: 2014 Mitsubishi Lancer
Worst Mid Size Sedan: 2014 Dodge Avenger
Worst Full Size Sedan: 2014 Ford Taurus
Worst Luxury Sedan: 2014 Lincoln MKS
Worst Convertible: 2012 Ferrari California
Worst Coupe: 2013 Nissan Altima
Worst Hatchback: 2014 Scion iQ
Worst Sports Car: 2013 Lotus Evora
Worst Luxury Crossover: 2013 Acura ZDX
Worst Five-Passenger SUV: 2013 Land Rover LR2
Worst Seven-Passenger SUV: 2013 Subaru Tribeca
Worst Small Pickup Truck: 2013 Honda Ridgeline
Worst Large Pickup Truck: 2013 Cadillac Escalade EXT
Worst Minivan: 2014 Kia Sedona
Worst Electric/Alternative-Fuel Vehicle: 2012 Mitsubishi i-MiEV
Worst Hybrid Vehicle: 2013 Lexus LS 600h L

On the other hand, labeled Best:
2015 Acura NSX 2015 Audi S3 Sedan
2015 Cadillac ATS-V 2015 Cadillac Escalade
2015 Chevrolet Colorado 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06
2015 Ford F-150 2015 Ford Mustang
2015 Hyundai Genesis Sedan 2015 Jaguar XS Sedan
2015 Jaguar F-Type Coupe 2015 Lexus RC Coupe
2015 Lincoln MKC 2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
2015 Nissan Titan 2015 Subaru WRX
2015 Tesla Model X

from edmunds

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My Check Engine Light is On

IMG_20150724_162907_832
2006 4Runner 109k miles $15999

Should I panic when my check engine light comes on?

When your oil light comes on you are in trouble and need to stop immediately, but what is the deal with the check engine light, and is it important to pay attention to it, or is it just another way for dealerships to make money?

The name suggests that something is seriously wrong with your engine, which is meant to scare you into doing something,but your check engine light it is mainly about emissions components. The most simple fix, and a good thing to do first, is to check if your gas cap is on tight. While you’re at it, take a look at the gas cap to make sure it is in good IMG_20150324_181443_899condition, and doesn’t have a crack. Even if it it needs to be replaced, that is an easy fix.
A lot of people ignore this light. We’ve had a client with a Subaru, where in addition to the check engine light the cruise control light came on. The intent of making both lights come on was to make the car owner take this more seriously. In this case both lights went off once the one problem was repaired. Most mechanics can hook up a small computer to your car and get the error codes. They can also check your spark plugs and wires with the initial diagnostic.
Other causes can be a busted oxygen sensor, a problem with the catalytic converter, and with Subarus it is often on the head gasket. Be sure to go to a reputable mechanic (that does not mean you should go to the dealer unless you have free factory warranty). If your mechanic recommends something expensive. you should get a second opinion – always! If the second diagnosis is different from the first, you may want to get a third. We once had a shop insist it was only an oxygen sensor on an early 2000 Subaru and it turned out to be the head gasket. Had we gone to the first shop we would have thrown a few hundred $ away and fixed something that wasn’t broken.

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Top 5 Marketing Secrets for Small Business Owners & The Top 5 Mistakes of Car Ownership and Car Buying

Top 5 Marketing Secrets for Small Business Owners

  1. Features versus Benefits.  Features are what you do, benefits are what your clients buy, it’s what’s in it for them.  For example, for Auto Brokers, the feature is that we find cars for people, the benefits are that it is without hassle, convenient, cheaper and better quality and free.  Another example is the security system: what type of glass breaking detectors are used is a feature, what clients buy is feeling safe in their home.
  2. Brand Name (or business name) versus Benefits: Brand Names are very expensive to build, it likely took Coca Cola millions of dollars to make people know what Coca Cola is, or that Google means searching for something.  With Conifer Cars I don’t care if people know the name or if they call me the car lady, I’d rather spend my time and money promoting the benefits that get me business, since I don’t have an extra million to throw at advertising.
  3. Know your audience:  you need to tailor your message to fit your audience.  For Conifer Cars we are popular with young professionals, families up to retirement age, women of all ages, middle class, mid-income ranges.  We don’t spend resources on selling to people who love haggling with dealers.  If you aren’t sure who your audience is, analyze your good clients, the ones you enjoy working with and the ones you earn adequate revenue from.
  4. Tracking:  if you properly track your results, you will get to a point where you know exactly what works and what doesn’t, so you only spend money on the marketing that gets results for you. An example of tracking properly: if you have a store like Andrea’s Frame Store, and someone walks in who saw your ad in the Columbine courier, peruses and looks at every frame but doesn’t buy anything, it would not make sense to track them as a positive result from that ad.  You only track what leads to actual NET revenue.
  5. Opt in versus Opt out – Permission Marketing:  you spend a lot of time and energy networking with people and that results in what we call positive capital in marketing.  That means people like you and your service or product and will use you when the time comes.  Don’t blow it by sending them unsolicited emails, even with one email a month you destroy that positive capital one email at a time.  If you think they would like your emails, ask permission first.

Top 5 Mistakes of Car Ownership and Car Buying

  1. Understanding Repair Shops:  The nice guy talking to you at the counter and on the phone is the service adviser, which is a 100% commissioned sales position.  Don’t buy everything they sell.  Shop around, get 3 estimates for expensive repairs, ask questions like ‘when do I need this’ – often they will weasel out ‘can’t tell for sure’, but they should be able to tell you if you if it needs it done in the next 30 miles or the next 3000 miles.  Why does that that matter?  Your car may get stolen or wrecked in the next 2000 miles, or your situation changes and you end up selling it, so don’t spend money until you have to.  Ask ‘what happens if I don’t do it?’  If it’s a timing belt on a Honda, you’ll destroy the engine, on a Toyota you’ll just need a tow to the repair shop.  You may only do 2 timing belts over the life of the car instead of 3, that is over $1000 you save.
  2. I have 3 days to change your mind after I buy a car.  NO you don’t!  There is no 3 day right of rescission like there is with a mortgage.  Once you put your signature on the buyer’s order, the car is yours for better or for worse.
  3. Disclosure: The seller has to tell me what is wrong with the car they are selling. They don’t!  The only thing that has to be disclosed is the mileage if the car is under 100k miles. Nothing else. Get a mechanical inspection or better – hire a broker.
  4. Carfax tells me if the car was in an accident. It does not.  Even carfax does not claim this, they merely say that no accidents were “REPORTED” to carfax.  That’s a big difference.  Many accidents don’t show up on carfax and accidents do not just affect the paint quality or frame integrity, but also the mechanical reliability of the vehicle.
  5. Does my car have a black box?  Most newer cars have black boxes. Is that a good thing?  Who owns the data?  Can it be used against you?  Can your car be hacked?  That is something for car owners should be aware of. Stay tuned for more articles on black boxes.

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Get Home Safe – Snow Driving Tips

The most important and basic advice is to slow down and keep more space to the car in front of you. How much space varies depending on the conditions, e.g. more if it is very icy, or if you’re going down hill you will need more space than if you’re going up the hill.snow1

4WD is not 4Wstop! 4WD/AWD gives you extra traction going up the hill or getting going from a stop, but you don’t STOP / brake any faster with it than in a 2WD car. A 4WD or AWD car may get you out of the ditch faster but you get into the ditch just as fast as you do with a 2WD car.   Sudden moves are never a good idea when driving, but they’re especially costly in limited traction situations.

Snow2Look as far ahead as you can. That will help you anticipate situations where you need to slow down and you can take your time.  Keep both hands on the steering wheel. Your hands should be positioned at 3 and 9 o’clock.

Brake before the turn. It is safest to brake in a straight line when you can or as straight, with as little turn as possible.

Watch the surface ahead: shady spots are more likely to be icy. Snow is usually grippier than ice. Often there will be some sand ahead of the turn to help you brake.

While going slower is obviously advised, being the slowest car is not necessarily the best policy. If you’re slow to the point of being a road block you can get hit or cause problems IMG_20131204_090706_660for other cars. In traffic e.g. on 285 go smoothly, leave space, go slower and avoid having to stop and start on the uphill stretch. Smooth out the flow so it is less stop and go. If there’s only one lane, the uphill car has the right of way. If you can – let faster cars go by (it reduces your stress not to have someone on your bumper and if they’re too close they are a hazard to you). When you go down an icy hill, select a lower gear – you can do that with an automatic transmission as well. In “Drive” your car may shift into a faster gear and roll faster, just when you don’t need the car to speed up, and then you have to break and fight the car in order to slow down.

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How to choose a Good Auto Broker or Car Buying Service

The right Auto Broker can save you a lot of money and make the buying process safe and easy.  But with many car lots selling themselves as auto brokers, how do you make sure you are getting a broker and how do you choose the right broker?

Here are a few simple things to look for:

EXPERIENCE & KNOWLEDGE:   find out how much experience as a BROKER she has. Prefer someone with NO dealership experience and/or training, so that you have a broker without the dealer sales tactics who looks out for your best interest.

AVOID PLACES WITH LARGE INVENTORIES.  You want a broker who will find you exactly what YOU want,  exactly what vehicle is right for you.  Not someone who will push a car on you that he’s had sitting on his lot for too long and is paying a lot of interest for.  Many “inventory brokerages” train their sales people on “Switch Cars” so they can push you into cars they want to get rid of, rather than finding you the car that is right for you.

REFERENCES: a good broker should have no shortage of glowing reviews from her clients.

Accessibility: your broker should be AVAILABLE not only during the buying process but afterwards as well should you need anything.

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