Last month was the first time, in over 20 years, that cars outsold  trucks and SUV’s. To top it off, it was worst month in 10 years for  new vehicle sales as their sales dropped almost 7% from last year’s levels.

 How is this good for you? Glad you asked.

When the Spring season begins, high gas prices typically soften. Obviously not happening now. Because of rising oil and gas prices shooting up faster than Reverend Wright’s absurd popularity, truck and SUV prices are falling as demand wanes and supply continues to creep up.

A few years ago, wholesale used truck prices averaged $16,500. Truck in that same class now only average $14,000.  

If you need a used truck, now seems like a good time to grab one. If you believe gas prices will continue to climb, wait it out a little and maybe truck prices will drop even further. 

However, if you’re looking for a used car, now may be one of the best times to buy. Since January ‘08, wholesale used cars prices have increased steadily to an average of $13,000.

7 used cars with the best gas mileage:

Minicompact Cars: Mini Cooper; 4 cyl. 1.6L. 28 City, 37 Hwy.

Subcompact Cars: Toyota Yaris; 4cyl. 1.5L. 29 City, 36 Hwy.

Compact Cars: Toyota Corolla; 4 cyl. 1.8L. 28 City, 37 Hwy.

Midsize Cars: Toyota Prius Hybrid; 4 cyl. 1.5L 48 City, 45 Hwy.

Large Cars: Honda Accord; 4cyl. 2.4L. 22 City, 31 Hwy.

Small Station Wagons: Honda Fit; 4 cyl. 1.5L. 28 City, 34 Hwy.

Midsize Station Wagons: Volkswagon Passat Wagon; 4cyl. 2L.  21 City, 29 Hwy.

Who’s got the worst gas mileage? Proud owners of the Lamborghini Mucielago & the Buggatti Veyron.  They’re getting about 8 City and 13 Hwy. But, if you’re driving one of those, I doubt the price of gas is on your list of worries.

Have you made any cutbacks in your own driving habits, or even changed the type of vehicle because of high gas prices? Share your stories…

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This whole gas thing is taking its toll on everyone.

Hummer HI fanatics dropping down to H3’s; Ford Excursion lovers settling into their Ford Escape Hybrids and now this: Oscar Mayer has felt the pinch as well and launched their own scaled down version of the classic Weinermobile.

Just consider the savings to Oscar Meyer’s gas bill - this thing drives over 50,000 miles/year at an estimated 10 mpg.

Filling up the Weinermobile’s 32 gallon tank, to power its Vortec V8 engine,  costs about $120. That’s about 156 fill ups - over $18,000/yr.

The new Mini-Weinermobile gets about 31mpg from its compact 13 gallon tank. That equals about 124 trips to the pump for about $6000/yr. in fuel costs. (We were eating some delicious Oscar Mayer hot dogs while doing our math - so we could be off…)

Kudos to Oscar Mayer for towing the green line and updating the Weinermobile.

The Mini Cooper is a nice choice for those looking to save a little on their gas expense - and not just major food conglomerates either

Now if they can only help out the Spam Van. 

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But if you do happen upon these, WD-40 is your savior. People love their WD-40.  And its all due to the hard work and persistence of one man: Norm Larsen.

Norm’s intense perseverance would eventually become a metaphor for WD-40’s own legendary power. You see, Norm was just grinding away, as a chemist at Atlas Rockets; Trying to create a solution for a water displacement problem to protect rocket missiles.

Try and try he did. His first 39 solutions failed. 

Then it happened. He achieved Water-Displacement on the 40th try.  Little did he know those efforts would eventually become one of most recognizable household brands, with a name nobody really understood. [I wonder if it had taken him longer, would they have called it WD-173?]

The customer service department at WD-40 must be one quiet place. The only complaint in 50+ years? Losing that tiny red straw. You know you’ve lost at least a couple dozen in your life.

WD-40 fans will be happy to know that a solution is finally available. A permanent straw attached to a hinged mechanism. Here’s a sampling of ways to use WD-40 on your used car:

•  Removes decals from windows and bumper
•  Removes insects from front grill
•  Cleans motorcycle chains
•  Removes grease from clothing
•  Removes adhesive tape without damaging factory paint
•  Helps hone cylinder walls
•  Protects corrosion-sensitive areas of car
•  Prevents corrosion of spark plug cables
•  Shines motorcycle finish
•  Removes sludge from outside engine block
•  Removes asphalt from trucks
•  Cleans grime from engines
•  Cleans and protects chrome on cars
•  Helps remove brake dust from wheels
•  Restores shine on classic cars
•  Keeps hitch locks rust-free
•  Cleans road oil from rocker panels
•  Cleans and protects aluminum rims
•  Shines car tires

Need more WD-40 used car care tips? Check out the incredible list of 2000 total uses at the WD-40 Fan Club. Yes, there’s a fan club. And yes, I’m a member.

Take care of your used cars. And your rockets.

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We’re doing a lot more than just talking and taking pictures now. With over 1 billion text messages sent daily, the practical applications are being recognized and implemented by businesses more frequently.

I was fortunate enough to meet Shuki Lehavi, CEO of Gumiyo recently; It didn’t take me long to recognize we shared the same fervent enthusiasm for all things tech related…and our kids.

My position gives me a unique perspective on some of the changes to the infrastructure to the car business - some at a snails pace while others in the blink of an eye.

Check out some of Shuki’s comments from our conversation. I see things getting easier for both automotive consumers and dealers as they both embrace the changing landscape of car shopping…

WBUC: Describe your background and experiences which lead up to your current company:

SL: Simply put- I love applying technology to market. I’m an avid technologist and have been building mission-critical enterprise applications for over 12 years now. In my free time, I research mobile technologies and build robots. As mobile technologies emerged in the past three years, I constantly asked myself ‘what is the role of a mobile device in the traditional buyer-seller junction?’

WBUC: What was your “light bulb” moment that made you decide to start Gumiyo.com:

SL: Driving back from work one day, I noticed a car parked on the side of the road with a “for sale” sign on it. It occurred to me that the information that triggers a conversation between buyers and sellers is as simple as a picture, price and a little description. I then realized that the mobile phone would be the best device to display inventory and promote a conversation between buyer and seller – anytime and anywhere.

WBUC: Have to ask…where does Gumiyo’s name come from?

SL: Great question, and there’s a story there as well…. Gumiyo started as MobiZar (mobile bazaar). I always hated the name and during the first focus group I held, one guy said that he will never list a high-end product in a ‘bazaar’ like site. As I came back home that night, my 2yr. old opened the door as he held his teddy bear, “Adam”, I asked, “what’s the name of the bear?” He simply replied,“Gumiyo.” Once, I heard that - I knew I found the perfect name.

WBUC: You’ve got 4 primary target markets/segments…share your thoughts on the trends you’re seeing in the automotive business & how do you see online consumers benefiting?

SL: Used cars dealers are true pioneers! They are the first to adopt any technology and use it to build their brand and their sales. What we have proven, is that the mobile device is a great tool during the final stages of the sales funnel. During the first stages of the buying funnel, a user focuses on research/comparison activities, and uses the web. During the last weeks of the purchase funnel, the user is looking for a dealership or a deal in a specific dealership.

During the last few weeks – connectivity is a must. Not only outgoing connectivity (dealers following up on leads anytime) but also incoming connectivity (making your inventory available to buyers anytime). Mobile solutions bring exactly that – connectivity! The buyer can be at the car wash, browsing through a newspaper – one text message to your Go Code™ and they can browse your inventory from their phone. The dealership team and the buyer are always two clicks away.
WBUC: What other trends/new developments do you see in the mobile marketing segment?

SL: Without exposing too much, I think that (mobile) video support, location based services (LBS) and instant messaging will be the technology drivers. Mobile marketing efforts will evolve to be targeted, concise, location focused campaigns that will allow a dealer to bring the right buyers to the lot instantly.

WBUC: Any new products/services to expect from Gumiyo?

SL: Gumiyo evolved from a solution to a platform and in the coming weeks and months we will extend our reach and depth. You will see us provide more capabilities in the areas of reporting, campaigns and tie more buyer-facing mobile tools (like our CARFAX mobile reports). In addition, you will see supplemental products and services from our partners, build on top of our platform. These supplemental products allow existing automotive vendors to build mobile-facing products with us and provide these tools to the dealers on our platform. 

Thanks Shuki…best of luck to you and Gumiyo.

Since I’m sure you’ll grab your phone shortly after reading this - when you do, text 399NY to 48696 to see the Gumiyo application at work. 

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Oh my is this beautiful or what?

How do you create this type of beauty and perfection in an automobile? Simply lock the designers responsible for the S7 Saleen Supercar, Viper, Prowler, Ford GT and the SRT & SVT models in one room and let ‘em loose with some pencils, modeling clay and a few protractors.

This is what you can expect to come rolling out when they’re done.

An incredible 650hp creating 630 lb-ft of torque gets kicked out from its hand-built Saleen Supercharged engine.  Even more amazing is the fact this power is created by cellulosic ethanol. (The same stuff powering Le Mans and IRL vehicles)

All this green power gets you to 60mph in only 3.2 seconds; 200 mph comes just as easy. Problem is, getting a Saleem Raptor won’t be.

You could just buy all of these used Mustangs and still have a couple hundred thousand left to burn.

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Some of the engineers over at Shell Oil got a little close to the fumes and pumped out (couldn’t resist) a vehicle personality survey. 

They call it their Autotude survey. Personally, I’d like to see the brains at Shell Oil come up with lower gas prices than kitchy names for vehicle surveys. I guess the extra gas profits have suddenly made them a little more creative.

Here’s what their Autotude survey concluded.

67% said vehicle had unique personality

56% said they had developed strong emotional bond w/ vehicle

60% say vehicle is female; 40% said vehicle is male

88% said comfortable filling up vehicle; 28% hated changing tires

66% of women say vehicle matches their personality; 56% of men say same

21% say they pat dashboard like vehicle is pet

Only 15% named their vehicle, many after someone they know

Southerners had most pride in vehicle

Sports Cars viewed as most attractive followed by SUVs

60% said vehicle can be “chick or dude” magnet

…Are there really people out there “petting” their dashboard like a pet?

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I was fortunate enough to meet the founder of a new online automotive community.

Unique sites can easily be traced back to their equally unique founders. I’m referring to Wei Yang – a very cool and talented entrepreneur. [Follow his Tweets & you’ll quickly see…]

Wei was kind enough to share his thoughts on the auto industry with WhyBuyUsedCars.com…and our job is to provide online auto shoppers with the best used car information.

WBUC: So Wei, what’s your newest online initiative all about?

WY: EasyAutoSales.com is a free, ad-supported autos web 2.0 service which helps private sellers and dealers sell cars online.  The EasyAutoSales team consists of a group of serial entrepreneurs with various backgrounds in programming, marketing and sales. 

WBUC: Share your online career background and highlights.

WY: All of us have worked on other startups in one form or another and our team has a rather complementary set of skills.  My last startup began in college and it was an online matchmaking service for parents and babysitters.  The service was recently sold off to a competitor so I can focus on getting EasyAutoSales.com off the ground.

WBUC: What do you feel your unique competitive advantage is with EasyAutoSales.com?

WY:  The online automotive classified business is starting to show its age.  10 years ago, when AutoTrader and other online auto sites started listing cars online, it was revolutionary and it replaced the newspaper’s 4-line, 1-inch wide classified ads.  However, 10 years later with more advanced technologies, cheaper distribution costs, and new ways to promote products and services via social media, we are still seeing the old model of doing business - which is to charge dealers and private sellers to distribute their inventory on the web. We think it’s time to modernize the way cars are sold online. 

The web 2.0 way says distribution should be free.  With services like Amazon’s S3 that charge 15 cents for a gig of hosting, photos shouldn’t really be limited to 1 or 4 or even 30.  Dealers should be able to post unlimited numbers of high quality photos if they so choose without being “taxed” for trying to sell their car.EasyAutoSales.com plans on making the process of selling cars on the internet easy.  Our service will grow and change like the web but what we’re hoping for is to make sure dealers recognize the importance of online leads and that paying attention to inquiries over the web will generate sales.   

WBUC: What are your goals for the site?

WY:  We want to host the largest collection of cars on the web and to give our shoppers options.  Due to rising costs with other auto classifieds, there is a whole market of cars sold by small dealerships that never make it on the large search sites.  We want to make sure these smaller dealerships can have the same opportunities and face time as larger dealerships - everybody should have a presence on the web; it IS 2008 after all.

WBUC: What has the response been within the dealer community to your pre-launch activities?

WY: The dealers we have talked to so far have given us great responses and encouragement.  Those that “get it” realize the value of our service and want us to help them tap into the minds of the online shoppers.  One of the best quotes we received from an anonymous dealer, who is currently ticked at a certain Trader company, said, “You guys came at a great time! A__T_____ has changed from taking me to ball games in sky boxes to just delivering me the bill.”   I think it speaks volumes when a lot of dealers are paying more and getting less (due to increasing competition) and want other options.

WBUC: What are some of the trends you see happening within the automotive retail industry?

WY: As more people rely on the internet for research, I believe the rest of the retail auto industry (small & medium sized dealers) will catch up by establishing a web presence, so they too, can be in front of the customers when they’re ready to buy.  I’m personally hoping that sites with crazy scripts and virtual assistants will go away in exchange for more useful, and user friendly sites. Flash is only cool the first time you see it, afterwards it’s just another barrier between you and the users.Hopefully within a couple of years every dealership out there will at least have an internet connection on site and hopefully they will all pay attention to their online leads.

WBUC: What are some of your predictions for the automotive retail industry?

WY: I think people will demand more eco-friendly and better performing cars.  If the Big 3 isn’t putting more money into green R&D, then they will continue to lose out to those who are.  I would like to see these companies (with the money) do something drastic that will help shape the world and change the future for the better.  Innovation comes from need and if we don’t feel we need it and aren’t pushing ourselves, then nothing will ever change. 

Everyone freaked out about Y2K when it was discovered, but as a world, we solved the crisis in 2 years because we had to.  I think making a 100mpg or 250mpg cars is not impossible if we decide we want to try.  The problem is getting the companies to try it.As a startup, EasyAutoSales.com is definitely one that will be trying new things and help dealers reach consumers. 

I’m hoping to get more dealers on board and together figure out how to use technology to our advantage.  People are accustomed to the convenience the Internet has brought them and as technology progresses; people want an easier shopping experience when buying a car.  Our goal is to get us closer.

Thanks Wei – appreciate your views…Best of luck to EasyAutoSales.com.

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Could this be the simplest way to buy a used car…In pieces?

Here’s how it works.

1. Pick out a used car.
2. Pick out the part you want to purchase. Say, a door…a wheel…maybe just the gas cap.
3. Come back every week and select another piece.

Sounds  easy. Check out what some other satisfied used car shoppers have said about their experiences.

Fred P; “I am so excited about my two wheels, steering wheel and passenger sun-visor. My friends are going to be so jealous of my sweet ride in 4 or 5 more years.”

Sandy B; “I just picked up my first piece - I keep the rear view mirror in my purse.”

Tony D; “My wife thinks I’m nuts - little does she know that those pieces I’ve accumulated in the front yard will eventually be her next ride.”

Get your used car pieces before they’re all gone. [Limited Time Only - Until 4.1.09]

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I see the paradigm shift within the used car industry more and more every day. The consumer behavior and activity is being noticed by new players within the industry - finally.

CarTango is a unique online venture with an extremely interesting concept: Social matchmaking targeting female automotive customers. The power of Web 2.0 is finally making its way to the automotive sector.

Talking with Daniel Osborne recently, CEO of CarTango, he enthusiastically shared his thoughts about his company and the industry. Automotive consumers deserve better ways to shop online - CarTango is making great strides by offering online shoppers, especially women, a creative approach to shop for the best used cars available.

WBUC: What was your driving motivation behind the launch of CarTango?

D.O: Creating a better car shopping experience for women. What we found is that by enhancing the consumer experience we were also providing dealerships with more opportunities to have better quality connections with buyers. The female demographic has been academically acknowledged by the automotive industry for years, but very little has been done to meet their unique needs. CarTango provides an innovative suite of tools designed around how women shop, and it also provides the industry the right context to connect and engage with them.

WBUC: How has the concept been received thus far?

D.O: The reception has been fantastic by both consumers and the industry. The Car Soulmate Survey has been a big hit for consumers. It is the part of our site that is receiving the most traffic.  Female consumers are looking for a better shopping experience and car dealerships are looking for better ways to connect with them. We have been very pleased.

WBUC: What [other] trends do you see developing in the retail car industry? 

D.O: The dealerships like AuctionDirectUSA that are not only adapting to the Internet trends but pioneering creative ways to use it are going to continue to be the most successful dealerships.

WBUC: What are your thoughts on major 3rd party channels being a little ‘late to the party’ with regards to not serving the retail customers’ true needs?

D.O: They have positioned themselves as a barrier between consumers and dealerships. Although this position helps make them a significant amount of money, its a disservice to buyers and sellers. Under the current model, at the point where the buyer information is captured and sold to dealerships, the buyers know little or nothing about the dealership, and are often too far from making their buying decision, or even know what car is best suited for them.

Under the current model, sellers know little or nothing about the buyers and their relevant activities online, including what other vehicles they are looking at and where else they are shopping. This information is incredibly powerful, and is what CarTango provides to dealers.

WBUC: What else do you see on the horizon for CarTango.com?

D.O: We will continue to improve the female car shopping experience and create better opportunities for car dealerships to connect with them. The more options we offer to female consumers to help them feel comfortable with the car buying experience, the more qualified the leads will be for dealers. We also plan to ultimately invite private sellers to utilize the site; thus giving women car shoppers more options and giving another seller demographic some competitive advantages that are currently unavailable to them.

WBUC: Thanks Daniel…Best of luck!

Be sure to check out CarTango.com and have fun at the dance.

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How cool does this look?

I remember being that kid in the back of the class dreaming about cars…

Do you remember the Mach 5 gadget-laden steering wheel? Eight buttons providing pure tech-heaven with 5,000HP.

• A:  Pushing this button set off the automatic jacks for instant repair jobs.  It was also used to strategically cause the car to jump when needed. 
• B: This controlled the tire’s gripping abilities regardless of the surface. Flat, ice, water, the side of a building, etc.
• C: Simply push this button when driving on lots of wood; this also controlled the two rotary saws hidden within the hood.
• D: Very cool feature…creates a transparent bullet/crash proof cover over the top of the car. Also useful when going for an underwater drive.  
• E: Night vision driving “lights” - also triggered the infrared lights in Speed Racer’s helmet.   
• F: For those underwater jaunts; provides access to the oxygen tank, a periscope and an in-car video screen.
• G: Homing Robot launcher. 
• H: This calls the Homing Robot back to the hood of the car.

Can’t wait to take the kids to this flick. [That’ll be my excuse.]

$3.71.

Supposedly, that’s the magic number gas needs to be at - on a nationwide average basis - to scare the bejesus out of drivers and create a significant slow down in every day driving habits.

Non-essential retail items have already seen a slow down occur.  Restaurants, entertainment items and real estate transactions have experienced this as well.

Consumer behaviors will continue to be shaped by the rise in gas prices.  Good-bye Vente Carmel Machiatto’s, afternoon Manny/Peddy’s and Red Sox box seats.

Sadly, drivers will continue to sacrifice their favorite guilty pleasures for the simple excitement of filling up their Hemi, driving to their friend’s house to play several hours of Wii Sports and filling it up again for the ride home.

However, a recent KBB study indicates that with a .25 increase per gallon, one-third of automotive consumers will be more willing to consider alternative, fuel-efficient vehicles over traditional octane loving models.

An entire new wave of mileage friendly vehicles is ready and waiting for those looking to cut expenses any way possible. Finding low mileage hybrids make the best used car values…when you can find them.

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Everyone wants the best price on a used car. Up to 80% of used car shoppers are looking for their next deal online; shoppers visit over 10 different car sites before even visiting a dealership. Knowing this, a consumer may ask why car dealers don’t try harder to price their inventory more competitively.  A new company is shaking up the used car market with the first and only solution to an old problem.

Only three years old, vAuto is making a strong impact on used car dealers. Their revolutionary system helps dealers price, appraise and stock pre-owned vehicles. The winners? Dealers AND consumers.

I spoke with vAuto’s Chairman and Founder recently, Dale Pollak. His enthusiasm, knowledge and passion for changing the used car industry rings loud and clear. 

WhyBuyUsedCars: What was your driving motivation in creating vAuto’s used car pricing solution?

Dale Pollak: I quickly saw the huge disconnect between the way traditional dealers price their vehicles and how consumers compare car prices on the Internet.  Most dealers mark up their acquisition costs by $3,000 - $5,000 and place the vehicle on the Internet at that price.  Consumers, on the other hand, can (and do) easily sort and search for the best values in the market.  This renders the majority of the used cars on the Internet as uncompetitive from the customer’s perspective. I saw this as a really big problem and one that needed to be solved…so I created the vAuto solution.

WBUC: How have dealers responded to vAuto - what’s the feedback so far?

DP:  Very positive right from the start; our sales have soared. The next phase will be exciting as dealers begin to see their own sales pick up as a result of working with us.

WBUC: What was the buzz like at NADA this year in San Fran?

DP: Our traffic at NADA was over the top; we had standing room only for nearly the entire show.  I think dealers have figured out we have something really special to offer.

WBUC: What opportunities do you feel dealers are missing?

 DP: Although dealers are eager to acquire our tools, they still have significant cultural challenges in using them correctly.  Specifically, most dealers want to price their vehicles to make the biggest margin possible rather than to price them to market.  It takes a lot of discipline for a dealer to price vehicles to what the market will bear rather than to a higher, pre-determined profit margin.  Progressive operations, such as Auction Direct USA serve as important models of how to successfully serve the used car market. 

WBUC: Notice any trends developing within the industry?

DP: The used car market has become efficient and transparent.  In my opinion, dealers must price used vehicles according to the market if they expect to see buyers show up at their door.  As more dealers catch on, there will be less negotiation and in many cases, none at all.  I therefore believe that whether dealers recognize it or not, negotiation-free selling is in their future.

Thanks for the comments Dale, keep up the great work!

Dealers - If you haven’t seen it yet, check out their used car pricing solution.

Consumers - Keep searching for the best used car prices. If Dale has anything to do with it, it’ll probably be easier in the near future.

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Take Care Of Your Oil If You Want To Save Gas!
by Scott Siegel

A vehicle that performs at it’s peak will realize the best fuel economy.  If something interferes with peak performance it will decrease gas economy and will cause you to use more gas and spend more money.  For that reason proper management of the oil in your engine is a critical component of good fuel economy.

You need to make  scheduled oil changes a priority in maintaining your car. Following the auto producers oil change recommendations is a major component of keeping your car running at its peak and keeping your gasoline economy at its best.

The job of the oil in your car is to lubricate the moving parts of its engine, minimizing friction. preventing metal- to-metal contact and carrying away excess heat. All of those functions promote better gas efficiency.

Another major function of oil in your engine is to remove dirt, metal shavings and other impurities which are then captured in the oil filter. In addition to negatively affecting fuel economy, neglecting the oil in your car could lead to replacing the engine itself.

You should follow the manufacturers recommended maintenance schedule for oil changes.  If the manufacturer says to change the oil every three thousand miles or every three months, do it.  If oil is not replaced at the proper time it becomes saturated with impurities it is supposed to remove from the engine.  If it becomes saturated with these impurities, sometimes called dirty oil, it will be less efficient in doing its job.  That will cause the engine performance to decline and your fuel economy will decline with it.

Make sure that you are using the right grade of oil that is required by your car or truck. By using the lowest multi grade of oil recommended in your owner’s manual, you can improve the fuel efficiency of the engine, particularly when starting it cold.

Using the wrong grade of oil may cause your car to run poorly as the weather changes. The wrong grade will get thick and heavy in cold weather. Oil that is too thick and heavy requires the engine to work harder because the thick and heavy oil’s resistance is greater.  The harder the engine works the more gasoline it will use. The wrong grade of oil can cost you 1 to 2 percent of your gas economy.

If you use, for example, 10W-40 motor oil in an engine designed to use 5W-40 it can lower your gas mileage as much as the two percent mentioned earlier.  In addition if something goes wrong with your car, and the manufacturer can show you used the wrong oil, it could void your warranty.

Many drivers make the mistake of procrastinating in getting the oil changed. The more a driver puts off changing the oil the worse the fuel economy will be. Using the proper grade and changing the oil on time will help you get better gas economy, especially when you buy used cars.

Tip of the hat to Scott Siegel who wrote a 143 page manual of automotive industry insider secrets on how you can learn to get better gas mileage. 

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Unless your name is Paris or you work for a major oil conglomerate, you’ll want to take notice. This is really simple: Stay away from the manufacturer’s “Value Packages.” 

Between gas prices, credit crunches and the threat of a recession, here are some incredible examples of the savings spread available between quality used cars and and new cars with value packages. Of course, most consumers don’t pile on value option like condiments on a burger - but here’s what can happen if you did…

Looking for a sharp C-Class Mercedes? Two options to consider:

• A new Mercedes-Benz C300, filled to the brim with the best Value Packages Niederlande has to offer: $57,944.
• A used 2007 Mercedes Benz C230, with enough valued added options to keep you smiling all the way to the Oktoberfest, $27,922.
• Savings: $30,022.

How about a fun Porsche Boxtser?

• A new Porsche Boxster; and this is just for the standard model. Go nuts with the Build a Boxster feature & suddenly you’re at: $118,295.
• A used 2000 Porsche Boxster, that will still get you to 60 mph in under 6 seconds:  $15,278.
• Savings: $103,017. 

Even the Lincoln Town Car wants to get in on the action.

• A new 2007 Lincoln Town Car Signature Sedan: $50,645.
• A used 2007 Lincoln Town Car Signature Sedan: $23,960.
• Savings: $26,685.

Rather than buy the new Lincoln, buy the used Lincoln & the Boxster…then stash the extra 11k for another great find on the best used cars. 

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This is what happens when several German car designers spend too much time in Italy. Audi wanted more than just a piece of the super-car fame - so they bought Lamborghini S.p.A. and cranked out the Gallardo inspired Audi R8.

If you were one of the nine people NOT watching the Super Bowl this year, you caught a glimpse of the Audi R8 in the coveted first commercial slot. I missed the entire first quarter Tivo’ing the commercial.

Super car enthusiasts around the world have blessed it as a wunderkind. It showed up the 911 Carrera 4S, Aston Martin V8 Vantage and BMW M6.  Autocar, Top Gear & Automobile magazine all fell in love. They named it the Best Handling Car, Car of the Year and Automobile of the Year respectively.  Hugh Hefner knows a thing or two about beauty; Playboy gave it Car of the Year honors.

Here’s the complete 2008 “Best of” list from MotorWeek. These Driver’s Choice Award winners provide a nice glimpse of the future’s best used cars.

1. Best Small Car - Scion xB
2. Best Family Sedan - Honda Accord
3. Best Minivan - Dodge Grand Caravan/Chrysler Town & Country
4. Best Convertible - Chrysler Sebring Convertible
5. Best Luxury Sedan - Mercedes-Benz C-Class
6. Best Sport Sedan - Cadillac CTS
7. Best Sport Coupe - Infiniti G37
8. Best Performance Car - Volkswagen R32
9. Best Small Utility - Nissan Rogue
10. Best Large Utility - Chevrolet Tahoe/GMC Yukon
11. Best Crossover Utility - Buick Enclave/GMC Acadia/Saturn Outlook
12. Best Pickup Truck - Ford F-Series Super Duty
13. Best Eco-Friendly - Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid/GMC Yukon Hybrid
14. Best Dream Machine - Audi R8/Bentley Continental GT Speed/Lexus LS 600h L

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