ALT-1 Car Buying Options
The smart consumers of today have set minds when buying a car. Long gone are the flashy, large, vividly colored vehicles and the humble economic fully computerized and Bluetooth integrated cars are in. I have compiled a list of features that are at the top of the list of today's automobile buyer, not just for the money, but for the functionality of it. It is true what they say that colors were made for different tastes, and it is no different when it comes to car buying. Everyone has a set mind on what they want, how much they are going to pay for it, and what they are going to try to squeeze out of the dealer in freebees. Believe it or not, you can still get a good value just for the asking, especially in today's economy, where a buck has no choice but to go a long way.On top of the list of features is my personal favorite Bluetooth Cellular Phone Connectivity. Standard in most luxury cars and an added feature in most economy cars, Bluetooth technology is the favorite choice for most car buying Americans. Bluetooth is a wireless technology that allows Bluetooth enabled phones to be connected wirelessly without needing to be in sight, your phone can be kept in a bag, pocket or glove box. Via this signal calls are made and answered wirelessly with the mobile phone through a button or display attached to the dashboard of your vehicle. Fitted Bluetooth cars are becoming more and more advanced with features like caller display, phone book synchronization, color screen, integration of steering wheel controls and built-in GPS receiver for navigation. Some Bluetooth car kits will also stream music from your phone. A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile) allows the music on your mobile phone to be played through the vehicles in-built speakers via the Bluetooth feature while the phone is put away in your pocket.Number two on the list is the number of cup holders available on the vehicle. The need for cup holders has increased with the new era of the baby- boomers and mega taskers, having only one cup holder in your front seating area has become a thing of the past. A standard number for required cup holders by today's car buyer is 5, yes five cup holders (2 or 3 in the front, and 2 or 3 in the subsequent rows of seats in back), and if the vehicle is equipped with third row of seats, an additional 2 cup holders are necessary bringing the total to 7. I guess sharing a coffee is out of the questions in today's road trips.Our third item on the list is the center information console or cluster. This is basically a 3 to 8 inch, depending on the car model, LCD screen mounted on the center front console, which display a vast array of information with the click of a button or touch screen. On regular cars this area is usually reserved for the radio and maybe the air conditioner controls, but in today's production autos, the center console has a much broader purpose including: GPS Navigation, Radio, CD, Band, Satellite Radio, Auxiliary input, IPod, Phone Connectivity, Map View, and my personal favorite, Rear View Camera for Reverse Vehicle operation. Some people find this feature as indispensable when car shopping.Another favorite by our car buying gurus is All-Wheel-Drive feature. In the past, having a Four-Wheel-Drive vehicle (4x4), was the rave, but in our times of economic pinch, an all-wheel-drive vehicle is a cheaper solution. Dealers charge several thousands of dollars in order to offer you the 4x4 convenience in your vehicle, and that's if it was available in your model car. In years past, not many sedans and economy vehicles had the option of four-by-four available, but today this is almost a requirement. Almost all of the luxury sedans, and most of the regular and economy cars now offer this feature standard or for a minor fee. Its convenience outweighs the cost specially in the northern states, were ice and rain are an everyday occurrence.Our fourth item on the list is third row seating. Many of the larger cars available today can only accommodate up to 6 people, and that's if the ones on the back are skinny. As Americans, our overweight tendencies do not allow for more than 3 people to occupy the rear seat on most cars and SUVs, for this reason, car makers saw the need to create an option that allowed for comfortable seating for 7 or 8 passengers on most larger cars and SUVs, thus creating the need for a third row of seats. The modern car, now called a Crossover Vehicle, (A combination of Luxury Car and Sports Utility Vehicle), is standard equipped with additional seating for this purpose. This allows for a more comfortable trip to grandma's house, and we can even take the dog.Finally on our list is the sports package. Young and careless never leaves a man, we never outgrow the need for having the hottest, fastest car on the block, even after we are married with children. The need for that extra kick will always be in the back our minds, especially at the traffic light, when a younger individual is sporting his new ride, and you want to impress as well. For this reason, car makers have made available several engines packages for your pleasure when buying your new vehicle. Most range from a typical Inline 4 Cylinder Engine, to a Raging 8 Cylinder Gas Guzzler Behemoth, which allows you to rocket back on your seat on every take-off. In fact, since 2001, every car is now available with some sort of sports package, were you can command an additional 100 to 250 Horsepower over the standard model for a price, of course, and they conveniently call it the sports package option. Well, I hope this article has instructed you in the need for your next car buying experience. Good luck, and good hunting out there, it's a jungle.
The smart consumers of today have set minds when buying a car. Long gone are the flashy, large, vividly colored vehicles and the humble economic fully computerized and Bluetooth integrated cars are in. I have compiled a list of features that are at the top of the list of today's automobile buyer, not just for the money, but for the functionality of it. It is true what they say that colors were made for different tastes, and it is no different when it comes to car buying. Everyone has a set mind on what they want, how much they are going to pay for it, and what they are going to try to squeeze out of the dealer in freebees. Believe it or not, you can still get a good value just for the asking, especially in today's economy, where a buck has no choice but to go a long way.
On top of the list of features is my personal favorite Bluetooth Cellular Phone Connectivity. Standard in most luxury cars and an added feature in most economy cars, Bluetooth technology is the favorite choice for most car buying Americans. Bluetooth is a wireless technology that allows Bluetooth enabled phones to be connected wirelessly without needing to be in sight, your phone can be kept in a bag, pocket or glove box. Via this signal calls are made and answered wirelessly with the mobile phone through a button or display attached to the dashboard of your vehicle. Fitted Bluetooth cars are becoming more and more advanced with features like caller display, phone book synchronization, color screen, integration of steering wheel controls and built-in GPS receiver for navigation. Some Bluetooth car kits will also stream music from your phone. A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile) allows the music on your mobile phone to be played through the vehicles in-built speakers via the Bluetooth feature while the phone is put away in your pocket.
Number two on the list is the number of cup holders available on the vehicle. The need for cup holders has increased with the new era of the baby- boomers and mega taskers, having only one cup holder in your front seating area has become a thing of the past. A standard number for required cup holders by today's car buyer is 5, yes five cup holders (2 or 3 in the front, and 2 or 3 in the subsequent rows of seats in back), and if the vehicle is equipped with third row of seats, an additional 2 cup holders are necessary bringing the total to 7. I guess sharing a coffee is out of the questions in today's road trips.
Our third item on the list is the center information console or cluster. This is basically a 3 to 8 inch, depending on the car model, LCD screen mounted on the center front console, which display a vast array of information with the click of a button or touch screen. On regular cars this area is usually reserved for the radio and maybe the air conditioner controls, but in today's production autos, the center console has a much broader purpose including: GPS Navigation, Radio, CD, Band, Satellite Radio, Auxiliary input, IPod, Phone Connectivity, Map View, and my personal favorite, Rear View Camera for Reverse Vehicle operation. Some people find this feature as indispensable when car shopping.
Another favorite by our car buying gurus is All-Wheel-Drive feature. In the past, having a Four-Wheel-Drive vehicle (4x4), was the rave, but in our times of economic pinch, an all-wheel-drive vehicle is a cheaper solution. Dealers charge several thousands of dollars in order to offer you the 4x4 convenience in your vehicle, and that's if it was available in your model car. In years past, not many sedans and economy vehicles had the option of four-by-four available, but today this is almost a requirement. Almost all of the luxury sedans, and most of the regular and economy cars now offer this feature standard or for a minor fee. Its convenience outweighs the cost specially in the northern states, were ice and rain are an everyday occurrence.
Our fourth item on the list is third row seating. Many of the larger cars available today can only accommodate up to 6 people, and that's if the ones on the back are skinny. As Americans, our overweight tendencies do not allow for more than 3 people to occupy the rear seat on most cars and SUVs, for this reason, car makers saw the need to create an option that allowed for comfortable seating for 7 or 8 passengers on most larger cars and SUVs, thus creating the need for a third row of seats. The modern car, now called a Crossover Vehicle, (A combination of Luxury Car and Sports Utility Vehicle), is standard equipped with additional seating for this purpose. This allows for a more comfortable trip to grandma's house, and we can even take the dog.
Finally on our list is the sports package. Young and careless never leaves a man, we never outgrow the need for having the hottest, fastest car on the block, even after we are married with children. The need for that extra kick will always be in the back our minds, especially at the traffic light, when a younger individual is sporting his new ride, and you want to impress as well. For this reason, car makers have made available several engines packages for your pleasure when buying your new vehicle. Most range from a typical Inline 4 Cylinder Engine, to a Raging 8 Cylinder Gas Guzzler Behemoth, which allows you to rocket back on your seat on every take-off. In fact, since 2001, every car is now available with some sort of sports package, were you can command an additional 100 to 250 Horsepower over the standard model for a price, of course, and they conveniently call it the sports package option. Well, I hope this article has instructed you in the need for your next car buying experience. Good luck, and good hunting out there, it's a jungle.
