Auto Blog

If you are determined to purchase a new vehicle now, you will get the best deals in May this Saturday (yes, tomorrow).

If you are car shopping, expect to pay more -- at least for the next six months or so.

If you can wait to replace your beater, you should.

The Chevrolet Volt is getting a bad rap because most reviewers are drawing faulty comparisons with the Toyota Prius and Nissan Leaf.

As you weigh your financing options on a new vehicle, these three auto loan calculators can help to determine which type of financing and discounts fit your financial lifestyle. While there are many choices to make when shopping for a new car loan, the numbers won’t lie for these three crucial questions.

Should you save now to spend more later?

Many dealers have begun offering the option to put zero money down before you drive off the lot, but keeping your money now will impact how much you pay each month. This auto loan calculator can help you find out how much your down payment affects your monthly payments.

Buy or lease?

The decision to buy or lease a new vehicle depends on a range of factors. From how much you drive each year to how low you hope to make your monthly payments, the answer varies among different types of drivers. Use this car loan vs. leasing calculator to compate the true costs of buying or leasing a new vehicle.

Is the rebate the right reward?

If you are financing your new set of wheels at the dealership, you may need to make a choice: a manufacturers’ rebate or low-interest financing. While the amount of the rebate and the low interest rates are the two crucial pieces of this decision, your state sales tax, your down payment and other additional factors impact your choice. Use a car rebate calculator to determine which option will help you save more.

As you shop for a new car loan, remember that your monthly finance charges are only a portion of your expenses on your new vehicle. From paying for insurance to filling up your gas tank and covering the cost of repairs, consider all of the expenses associated with the make and model you hope to take home.

When the going gets tough for you and me, Hyundai is the carmaker that seems to find a way to make life easier.

It did it at the bottom of the recession two years ago when it guaranteed to make an owner's auto loan payments on a new Hyundai if the owner was laid off.

Hyundai is back at it again.

It recently announced it was establishing the all-new Hyundai Assurance Trade-In Value Guarantee.

Usually the longer a program's title, the more complicated it is and the less it actually achieves. Not so with this one.

In a nutshell, here's what it does:

• Covers any 2011 Hyundai purchased on or after May 1, 2011.
• Sets a guaranteed trade-in value for that vehicle for 24 to 48 months after it was bought.
• Protects buyers from unexpected depreciation regardless of the reason.

Here are the key mouse-print details:

• The guaranteed trade-in values will be determined using the Automotive Leasing Guide's projected values at the time of purchase.
• At the time of trade-in, the owner must be able to show proof of vehicle maintenance at the recommended intervals through authorized Hyundai dealerships.
• You must replace your old Hyundai with a new Hyundai and pay for it using a new auto loan from Hyundai Motor Finance.

The upside for owners is that if they trade-in their vehicle during the qualifying 24- to 48-month period and its actual value is more than the guaranteed value, they will get credited for the higher assessed value.

If the guaranteed value is higher than the assessed value at trade-in time, they will be credited for the guaranteed value.

By putting a floor under the trade-in value of its cars, Hyundai could potentially reduce the number of buyers who are upside down on their auto loans, and owe more than their cars are worth, during the third- and fourth-year of ownership.