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Unemployment in the United States has finally begun leveling off, but only after several years of jobless rates that were unseen since the Great Depression. This has led to millions of families looking for any way to save an extra buck, with different types of insurance policies feeling the financial cut-backs the most. Automotive insurance, while typically required by most states, gets reduced to the bare-minimum coverage required to operate a motor vehicle legally. In a family situation, with 16 - 19 year old drivers under their parents’ policies, the need to maintain a balance between benefits and high premiums can be even more of a necessity. However, if an individual researches the right way - by reading forums and unbiased customer opinions - they can easily pick-out the cheapest car insurance that offers the best coverage for their situation.

Secrets to Teenage Driver Discounts - Some folks believe it is impossible to save money on policies that include their teenage kids as covered drivers. True, it can be difficult. However, there are a number of discounts available that can save a substantial amount of money.

Insurance companies offer policies that sometimes include vastly different benefits. Some may offer an interesting discount usually referred to as the “Good Grades Discount”. If the teenaged individual maintains at least a “B” average then they are entitled to this type of savings.

Another aspect for parents to consider is the type of vehicle that their child will be driving. Ensure that it has as many safety and security features as possible. Also, do not apply any after-market high performance add-ons to the vehicle. If the insurance company learns about any of these additions they will raise premiums and lower benefits.

General Discount Tips - A great tip, no matter the age of the driver, is to add additional safety or security equipment to the vehicle. With just a few additions one can noticeably decrease their premiums. These add-ons could be items such as a Nerf bar or an after-market security system.

An individual searching for automotive coverage needs to understand how the VIN number is used. The insurance provider can quickly access any make and model vehicle and its specifications, including any additional factory installed accessories. This is helpful to know when filling out online forms as the individual doesn’t have to remember every single safety and security feature. If a discount is missed, most reputable companies will include it in the next payment cycle with a notice informing the insured of their rightful savings.

The VIN number can be used in other ways as well. Having it properly etched, if it isn’t already, into the windshield can lead to some savings. Although, this is an older type of discount that companies are beginning to phase out.

Buying a car can be exciting and daunting. It’s a major purchase that people on average do about 10 times in their life. There are so many new cars to choose from, in fact, Australia is one of the most competitive car markets in the world. You’ve got a choice of over 40 brands with over 300 different models, not including the model variants. So if you’ve got your heart set on a Volkswagen Golf, you then need to decide which of the 14 different variants is the one for you!

We’ve put together this guide to help you through the stages of the car buying process to make it easier and faster for you.

Research - You know it’s time you deserved a new car and you have a budget in mind. (Don’t worry if you end up going over your initial budget, most people do!) The best starting point to find out what’s available is to have a look on the road and talk to your friends, family and work colleagues about their cars. Also have a look online. Create your short list - Once you’ve had a look around and found out how far the budget will stretch it’s time to create your short list. It’s always good to compare at least 2 models at dealerships so that you can weigh up the best option for you. One will usually just “feel” better than the other. Also, when looking at the cost, it’s good at this stage to find out ongoing costs such as fuel, insurance and servicing. Test drive - Not everyone chooses to test drive, but it is a good idea. You’ll be able to assess visibility, zippiness and ease of parking. You can also have a good look at storage, seat functionality-are they split fold, can they be removed completely to put in your skis, bike or luggage for long trips? Have a listen to the sound system and see whether you can plug your iPod straight in. Finance - There are many ways you can pay for your car. Cash/cheque, personal loan, lease or dealer finance. If you are borrowing the money (lease or loan) compare the interest rates and application fees. It’s good to have an idea of how much you can borrow and repayments before you start to negotiate. Negotiate - Cars prices are negotiable. Sales Consultants are well versed in negotiation strategies. Before you go into the dealership, check out what deals are currently advertised. Deals can include free on road costs (registration, CTP green slip for NSW and stamp duty), free leather seats and free air conditioning. Some offers will be supported by the manufacturer and others will be at the dealer’s discretion. You can usually get a good deal on a car in stock at a dealership, an old model or when they are overstocked with a colour or transmission type. Whilst prices are negotiable, dealer profit on some models can be quite small. For example, cars around the $15,000 price tag may only net less than $1,000 to the dealership. Once you’ve agreed on a price you may be asked for a holding deposit and to confirm your order by completing the necessary paperwork. Don’t feel compelled to sign anything on the spot. Sometimes it’s good to sleep on it! To Accessorise or Not? When buying a new car, most dealerships will introduce you to add-ons including window tint, fabric protector, alloy wheels, headlight and bonnet protector and much more. If you are anticipating normal suburban driving there really is no need to add anything to a new car as most are built well enough to endure these conditions. However, if you wanted to make your car look more sporty you can ‘t go passed alloy wheels and a darker window tint!

The 1st warm weekend of the season traditionally triggers a symphony of cleaning goods, vacuums and garden hoses. But although you may be in a rush to put a shine on your motor vehicle, it is equally crucial to make certain it is ready for the warm weather internally too as the outer.

The most critical areas to check after the harsh winter months are engine fluids, radiator hoses, belts, tires and brakes, says Pat Goss, host of PBS’ MotorWeek and Washington Post automotive columnist. Adequately preparing these key areas of the car before the weather warms up won’t only keep you safe although driving, they will assist avoid costly repairs.

After battling months of snow, sleet and icy roads, your vehicle is without doubt in want of some serious care. To make your spring trouble-free, follow this 10-point checklist for security, dependability and fuel economy.

1. Remove your winter tires and rotate all-season radials-If you’ve winter tires, it’s time to outlet them away. Should you do not have winter tires, it is equally critical to have all-season tires rotated or switched out for new ones.

2. Brake check-After a blistering winter, be positive to check your brakes. Warning signs consist of extreme grinding, squealing, screeching or chatter.

three. Wiper blades check-Wipers work challenging over the wintertime months, wiping away dirt and debris on your windshield. Replace them inside the spring just before a shower makes it hard to see.

4. Clean the underbody-In addition to washing the outer, be certain to spray the underbody of your motor vehicle and underneath the rear and front bumpers to rinse away any salt congregating, which may result in erosion and rusting. Utilize a high-pressure sprayer or garden hose for very best results.

5. Apply a protectant-Any vinyl surface, for instance the seats together with the wheel, is susceptible to cracking, sun damage, and fading-so be positive to apply a protectant at the beginning of the season and touch-up frequently.

6. Change your oil-Give some thought to the type of gas you might have inside your engine. Fully synthetic oils, including Mobil 1, are specifically created to protect your engine in hot weather, whilst optimizing your engine’s efficiency and reducing oil ingestion. .

7. Check all fluids-In the winter months, fluids are quickly depleted as your engine works harder inside the colder weather. Make sure to check, top off or replace all fluids, which includes brake, transmission, coolant, power steering and windshield washer fluid.

8. Pressure test-Assess the pressure of the cooling system, and examine belts and hoses for wear or deterioration.

9. Interior tidy-up-Vacuum and be certain to throw away any unwanted garbage that has hibernated below your seats over the wintertime. Now is in addition the time to outlet your winter automobile mats in the garage.

10. Wash your car-All vehicles irrespective of the finish (clear coat, acrylic, enamel, etc.) call for standard washing all through the year. To preserve your car’s shine and protect the surface, wax your motor vehicle once it has dried completely.

The warm weather is here-so be certain to follow these basic ideas to ensure vehicle dependability within the warm months ahead, says Goss. By taking care of your vehicle, it’ll much more likely take care of you. And it’ll do it for a great deal less dollars.

Sports cars are actually making an enormous comeback in our society. Some of the finest ones are many many years old. The Camaro, Nova, Chevelle, Charger, Corvette, and Mustang are only a few of them that people used to love. They’d large engines, big bodies, and so they were loud and fast. As the cost of gas increased although these sports cars appeared to be discovered less and less.

A lot of them discovered their strategy to changing into components or on display in junk yards. Others discovered stay at the race tracks because they’re a standard favourite among drag racing enthusiasts. Prior to now few years though all of those older automobiles have been revamped and hitting the market once again.

Shoppers love the concept of a sports cars with many of the perks and appears of the past. Additionally they like the idea of them having fashionable technology too so it is the best of both worlds. These autos are extraordinarily quick, look very sharp, and may be seen pushed by each younger and old.

Everyone has their own favorites in the case of sports cars. You’ll be able to fire up fairly a debate whenever you discuss in regards to the subject with any group of people. You may have these die hards that only want the true deal which are the older fashions that should be purchased for an excessive worth and then mounted up.

You also have these people which are very excited in regards to the prospect of being able to drive a model new sports car off the lot of a dealership. They like the status of having the ability to do so in addition to the fact that they’ll have an automotive that turns heads in every single place they go.

With the high demand for these newer variations the automotive producers seem to be going the additional mile to see what they will deliver. Chevy had utterly stopped making the Camaro and then instantly it was a prototype with heavy circulation they usually wished enter from consumers concerning the new design for it. They needed to make certain it might promote before they invested in it.

The use of it within the Transformers film was a really smart move. That they had many orders for these sports cars a yr before they had been completed and able to be sold. At the moment you can see them and other varieties of sports cars driving down the road on an every day basis. There’s a thrill to be behind the wheel of one so if you haven’t had the prospect to do it, go to a dealership and take one for a spin!

It is winter and you feel in any case more sleepy these days. And in these hours every morning with heavy traffic on the road and your vehicle moving speed during periods of snail, is it feel very natural sleepy. Sounds sleepy and cozy, it is not. But be careful, my friend! This can be fatal. Going to sleep in the steering wheel or even a blink your eyes could be dangerous. Here are from some simple ways or tips to nod while driving.

Car pooling helps as someone is sitting next to you - it is always advisable, sit with someone to ride with in the seat next to drivers. Subconsciously you keep awake the feeling someone next to you. Car-pooling serves several purposes in such a case. Except that give you a company while driving, saving fuel and money, as well as.

Active conversation helps - try to talk while driving but make sure that the conversation is light, so that you not to go to deflect attention from your.

Radio or music player - when driving alone, enjoy a song or tune to your favorite radio station listen. Avid hear, something that makes you feel also relaxed.

Their eyes with cold water wash - I you on the edge of the drowsiness, only the car down and washing you your face and some cold spray in your eyes.

Hunger sleep Mars - stay for some hungry works. I’m not advise you starve discount on the food, but only try have a light meal, so that you may feel of hunger during the journey.

Chewing something for other works - munch on something that tickles your taste buds. You can also try crunchy food also. This is a common technique to the to keep alive while driving.

Long road trip break needs - if you are out for a travel miles away from home, then breaks while driving is mandatory. Move out of the car and only for some time. Enjoy a cup of tea or coffee before you start again.

Exchanging Swap driver - easiest way to prevent accidents, that is because of the nod from the driver. While driving late at night or during a trip to a far-away place ask your co-passenger to drive for an hour during a short NAP to make which will refresh you.

Go for Catnaps - This is good idea if it works for you. You can stop for a few hours sleep in a hotel on the way. Otherwise, could you and your car to stop and remember again in the back seat.

Party of less - research shows that those the hard party tend to fall asleep to the controller. So, if you know have to go the next morning for miles, do not attempt, celebrate late into the night.

Put windshield - let something cool get air in your car so that you can’t fall asleep. Bring your power Windows or glass disks which feel chill atmosphere just below.

Sitting in the same position also loads drowsiness - this is a major cause of drowsiness. Try, relax your body after a hour drive and start again drive.

Getting insurance on a sports car can be more expensive than what you are looking to spend. Sports cars usually require a higher rate every month than most other cars. At most all sports car owners want full coverage on their prize winning jewels. Even though getting insurance on your 350z will never compare to getting insurance on your family mini van, there are however a few things that a sports car owner can do to get lower rates. Going by these four tips, can help a sports car owner keep there rates lower than any before.

First, an owner should check to see if any memberships will give any discounts on rates. At times a membership can greatly reduce your rates. Teachers and government workers usually get these discounts but rarely see them. Always ask your agent if there are any clubs you can join to lower your rates. Generally, a club membership can get you lower rates than if you hadn’t joined one.

Next, you should always compare the prices of rates from different companies. It does not take a long time for you to call around and compare the rates for your car. You might find a really low price from an agency you may have never though of. There are aids available to help you compare these rates; these can be the best place to find your really low rates. Although, you may get better offers it will pay off to call around. Most always an agent with the knowledge of the info you need may be able to save you hundreds of dollars by switching to there company.

After that, you may get even more by bringing multiple policies to your agent. A lot of insurance companies can help you with lower rates if you use them to insure everything you have and own. You can save a lot by having all your vehicles insured by the same agency. You can most likely save more by making these deals under the table. The savings may not be pointed at your sports car. Instead you may find cost savings just from having all your cars insured with them.

At last, ask your agent if there are any special programs that you can get into that can lower your rates every month. Some agencies may lower your rates if you take a course online for defensive driving. If a kid is driving a car, there may be lower rates for good grades. Most agencies will offer to lower your rates if you remain accident free for a period of time.

What car car wax should I purchase? Wow! Great question! First, you need to know that there a difference in “Wax” and “Polish”.

Usually does not last as long as through their lunch break, capacity polished waxes below. What I mean is that they tend to easily melt on hot summer days. It has been said by many car enthusiasts that wax is a better “wet” showroom lights, but this is very questionable, since the new technology in Polish these days. Polishes typically contain a polymer mix and could take up to a year in a good scenario with the right preparation. In the search for a Polish look with “Teflon” for maximum protection.

Fake you let you not by the “wet” look at the beautiful car in the display either! Most of each ad you try a car Polish to sell or car wax have a class A color job. Sure, the wax and Polish bring the color of something, but the real shine is in color. Please don’t be fooled you think that your dull color is returned to a showroom shine by buying the next “miracle” wax or Polish out there. I have been there and done that before! Now with that said, if I hadn’t “Varnish” on my colour (most of the vehicles after 1990 are coated on the hand above) and my color fades, there is the possibility that I could use, some rubbing remove compound oxidation (faded areas) and then a car wax or if car Polish was there then and it 90% could look better than before.

To sum up what I will say, first you need good color on your vehicle before even thinking about trying to get a great shine. Secondly, if you would go every day or often, I somewhat good “Polish” stick with. You have a show car you may have the pure carnauba waxes. They are very good, but as I said, they give the shelf-life. Be not concerned about which one is better, because for a daily driver, is slightly better than nothing. Many people never wax or Polish their daily vehicle, and that is a recipe for disaster color remains constantly outside of members of the vehicle. Last but not least, make sure that the surface is well washed and cleaned before you on any car Polish or car wax. You do not want dirt seal under your freshly polished or waxed car don’t you?

Have a great time clean this ride! Some fun there is to know you!

Doug is a 21 years automotive industry veteran with an associates degree in automotive technology. He is a GM dealer employees and has several Concours cars with award-winning results in State and local shows restored.

There is no doubting that the introduction of downloadable audio books, music and videos has been one of the defining moments of the 21st century so far.
Tens of billions of songs have been downloaded using the internet; whilst films, music videos and audio books have also been bought in their droves via the internet.
However, some traditionalists have damned the introduction of digital media and have claimed that physical versions of such products will always be much better.
This article presents arguments for and against digital media.
For
The introduction of digital media has made it possible to cover thousands of books, videos or music tracks effortlessly in your pocket. Back before the invention of digital audio books , those who wanted to carry more than two novels on their travels would have to lug them around in a bag.
Increased accessibility is another huge advantage of digital media. Fans can get hold of their favourite author’s novel in audio format almost instantly without having to leave their house thanks to online media stores, which allow consumers to buy products online and download them straight to their computer.
Some of the rarest books, music and films from decades ago which could have been difficult to find in the past are usually found via a simple Google search these days.
Against
For a lot of people, travelling to the shop, paying the cashier, admiring the artwork on the product and having a physical version of a new purchase is all part of the process. It is argued there is less of an emotional connection to digital media.
Fans of physical copies also argue that digital media has made piracy a lot easier and this is harming those talented enough to produce the media. It’s much easier to lose it as well.
Whether or not you’re a fan of digital media, there is no denying that it will play a huge part in popular culture for many years to come.

When shopping for used cars, it is important to understand the value for the automobile that you are considering purchasing. One way to determine an accurate value is through Kelly Blue Book (kbb.com) and their extensive pricing system. By entering select data about both new and used cars, consumers will receive instant value estimates. In order to get an accurate value, consumers must know the make and model of the automobile, current mileage, additional features and overall condition.

Selecting from a lot of used cars can be an excellent way to own the automobile that you have always wanted, but could not afford a brand new model. Understandably so, new cars are more expensive than used cars. But, that doesn’t mean there is anything wrong with purchasing used cars. No matter whether new or used, any automobile can develop a problem at any given time. That means that buying a new car does not automatically guarantee the new owner will have a smooth trouble-free ride. In addition, automobile insurance is often less expensive than those for new cars and this is another reason for the ongoing popularity of used cars.

When shopping for used cars, consumers should always take a test drive and also request to take the automobile to a trusted mechanic for further inspection. Under no circumstances should a consumer accept the word of the individual, or company, selling used cars. The only way to make sure that the automobile is in the condition as stated is to take it to a mechanic, who can properly inspect used cars and determine any underlying problems. The majority of used cars are exactly as stated but, when auto safety and a large amount of money is involved, there is no room for error in judgment.

When purchasing used cars, it may be possible to purchase a warranty contract. Not everyone realizes this, but even used cars carry warranties if they are purchased from a licensed automobile dealer. An additional warranty will, however, not generally be included in the original purchase price and may be additional. However, depending on a future problem, the additional cost of a warranty contract may very well be worth the money. Typically, the cost of the extended warranty would be figured into the entire loan amount and would ultimately only affect the monthly payments by a minimal amount.

Used cars can be found at a variety of places, including a local dealership, the classifieds section of a local newspaper, the bulletin board at a local retail or grocery store, word of mouth or even online. In many instances, a licensed dealer can order used cars from another automobile dealer. For example, if a customer wants a specific model and color of a car and knows which out-of-state dealer has that car for sale, they may request that a local dealer obtain the car so that they have the convenience of purchasing locally. This is not at all uncommon and is actually a standard practice among many dealerships offering used cars.

Over the years car salesmen have gotten a bad rap! Is this justified? Well I can tell you from being in the automotive repair business and seeing what the car sales industry is like, this “rap” is well justified.

For instance, at one Chevy dealer where I provided my service a customer had brought in his Yukon (this was a few years ago so I do not remember the make for certain, the vehicle had double rears doors) to have some work done to it in the service department. The vehicle was having one of the rear windows replaced.

The technician damaged the paint while replacing the window. They asked me to repair the door, meanwhile I did not know that they had not informed the customer that the vehicle’s paint had been damaged and they were repairing it.

This is a particularly bad situation because if the customer wanted the repair flawless then the repair is better off being done inside a sterile body shop. Not in the parking lot behind the service department. The worse part of this is they had not informed the customer of the damage and were not giving the customer the option to decide who he wanted to repair the damage and how it was repaired.

I was not informed either…all I knew was the vehicle was damaged and they asked me to fix it. In fact most of the time they do not tell me any details…I have to pry the information out of them. And I do mean pry! In this case the customer is always going to want a flawless job. He brought his vehicle in for service and the dealer damaged it.

Now to clarify, a good on-site painter knows how to work outside and if he is really good he uses materials and paint that work very well in outside conditions and uses fast drying paints. But the fact is he cannot control his environment. As it turns out the customer found out about all this and to say the least was not happy!

What does this example tell us? The car dealers really do not have any integrity. In fact in the last few years it has gotten even worse!

In any case I am writing this article to help you identify minor paint repair that you would not normally notice or know how to detect if you did not know how to look for them. The Car Fax report is indeed a great tool, and I recommend you never buy a car without one. However, a Car Fax report will not tell you anything about ANY minor paint repair that has been done to the vehicle. In fact it is only going to report damage that was run through and repaired by an insurance company (or paid for by the insurance.)

So how can you tell if the dealer paid to have work done on the car you are looking at? First of all, if the onsite painter they are using is no good it can be fairly obvious. In fact you should let the salesman know and his managers know if you notice bad paint repairs on their lot. This will force these unscrupulous individuals to require better qualified paint repair technicians to the work on their car lots.

Things to look for that are obvious. In fairness to the dealers they may have vehicles on their lot that have had previous work done to them prior to them purchasing it. However, if the vehicle is only 1-2 years old I can almost guarantee the dealer that is selling the car has had work done to it that they approved and paid for.

Most of the work I provide is on vehicles only a few months old that the dealer has bought from the car auction. In fact many of those vehicles are bought after car rental agencies have sold them to the car auctions. That being said, you really need to look the paint job over carefully.

The first thing I would do is look at the color on the car. Check the panels. Do the doors match the panels etc? Also, does the car look shiny in an even fashion? Are some areas shinier than others? Check the bumpers; do they match the factory color? However, when looking at bumpers keep in mind they will more often than not need to be painted even if only a few months old. This is very common. Also it is not uncommon for the bumpers not to match the paint color on the rest of the car. Especially with certain colors, like white pearls and some beige metallics.

This is partially because those parts may have been painted in a different part of the assembly process and from a different batch of paint. Honda and Toyota have had real problems with this in the past.

What you want to look for is poor quality work. Too much texture in the paint will make it dull. Poor color matches will make paint repair stand out like a soar thumb. The best way to look for and find paint work is this:

Look the entire vehicle over…walk around it looking for inconsistencies in color and texture (shine). If you notice anything, particularly if you notice one area is not as shiny as the rest, now you can look at the area at an angle and look for small specks on the surface of the paint.

Anything that stands out, sometimes it can be very minor, and if it is minor look for multiple small minor imperfections. If you notice an area that doesn’t look right you can lightly rub the area with the inside of your hand and try to see if you feel any imperfections in the paint.

Now it is not necessarily a bad thing if the vehicle has had paint repair done to it, most likely it needed it, what you want to look for is poor quality workmanship. If you are buying a “new” used car the dealers spend a lot of money to recondition them, so make the dealer get what they pay for and pay for what they should be getting!

The dealers are notorious for haggling a cheaper price from their reconditioning vendors. This is the absolute worst thing for you the consumer. Here’s why! First let me give you this example.

One of my Dodge dealers many years ago asked me to refinish a Jeep Grand Cherokee bumper that should never have been Base/Coat-Clear/Coated in the first place. Some makes of the Jeep have a textured molding styled bumper that is either dark gray or another plastic trim color.

Other makes had painted bumpers to match the rest of the paint on the vehicle. This make had the Base/Coat-Clear/Coat but had had the front bumper replaced with a trim molding bumper and had been base/coat-clear/coat painted. The paint was pealing. And I mean PEALING. The problem with these trim molded plastic bumpers…Chrysler did not manufacture these to be Base/Coat-Clear/Coated…and the paint never sticks for very long. (There are some adhesion promoters that help but as a rule this is not the way to repair this bumper.)

In any case I informed the Used Car manager that the paint would not adhere to this bumper…and the fact that it was pealing in the first place was the most compelling evidence. He asked how long it would adhere…I told him my best estimate was 1-2 MONTHS! He exclaimed… “That’s more than enough…just so long as I can get it off my lot!”

These people are crooks! They do not care about you, they do not care if you are happy…unless you spend a ton of money with them each year…and even if you do they are still crooks and they think differently than normally human beings! They think like liars and cheats. They assume you would treat them the same way. Why?

Because this is how their minds work. They would cheat you and lie to you and they cannot imagine anyone who does not function that way. In fact they consider it a weakness if you are honest and trust-worthy…unless of course you work for them…then they want you to be honest with them but do not care if you lie and cheat the customer.

The only thing these people care about is making a sale.

Have you ever heard of a 30 day money back guarantee? Not in the car business you haven’t!!! Ever wonder why? Have you ever tried to return a car to the dealer after you’ve bought it? Night Mare!

By the way…this article is not about just “buy here, pay here” lots this is about main line car dealers…New Car dealers! I have worked for them all, Ford, Chrysler, Dodge Gm GMC Pontiac, Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar, Lincoln and I have worked on 90% of every make and model.

I have had every kind of crooked experience run by me…from a Used car manager asking me for a monthly bribe to work for him…(also know as a Kickback)…to dealers asking me to lie for them to their customers! Dealers asking me to repair damage they caused and not inform the customer.

The dealers will also leverage dishonest unskilled painters against those who do good work…to drive down their prices. The problem with that is this…if you force a skilled reputable painter to compromise his prices (fair prices) for his work it destroys the entire on-site industry…because inexperienced new businesses cannot maintain their businesses at these ridiculous prices.

These people go out of business but the market prices remain low because they were driven low and the market does not catch up to the actual supply and demand cost of real rooted businesses. So what happens is NONE of the dealers get quality repairs.

Why? Because even those repair shops who care about their work cannot work for the prices the dealers want to charge so the work suffers. Many dealers want to pay $75 to paint a bumper. The labor takes at least 3 hours for a proper bumper repair…the repair shop is paying for all materials, plus labor, (skilled labor?) plus gas, drive time, etc…

So learn how to spot poor quality paint repairs and call the car dealer out on it. If enough people do this eventually it will force the dealers to raise the standard of the repairs they expect because they know they cannot get away with it any more.

However, at the very least educating yourself will give you some protection against the shady practices of these unscrupulous car dealers. Remember this, if you are in the market for a used car they will almost always had some reconditioning done to them. Do some research about automotive reconditioning, so you know what to look for.

Common things car dealers pay to recondition:
Paint repair including scratch repair and touch up.
Interior repair
Paintless dent repair
Windshield repair
Wheel repair
Odor removal - (they usually just have an industrial air freshener treatment so the smell comes back later)