Flooded Vehicles Make Car Buying More Treacherous

It has been weeks since Hurricane Sandy hit the East Coast, and people are still picking up the pieces and putting their lives back together. One of the biggest problems facing these affected areas is lack of transportation. Public transit is still spotty, and many people’s cars were flooded or completely swept out to sea. Unfortunately, some private car sellers are taking advantage of a desperate situation and selling flooded cars to unsuspecting buyers without disclosing the car’s condition.

Car dealerships are required to disclose any flood damage on their used car inventory, but loopholes in state laws often allow private sellers to sell a spruced-up flooded car without saying a word. According to ABC News, private sellers in Maryland who sell less than 5 cars per year are not required to disclose flood damage on the cars they sell. Now more than ever, it is important to know the history of the car you are planning to buy, especially if it is through a private seller.

We want to emphasize that private seller does not equal a crook. There are many great private sellers, and the good ones will have no problem producing a Carfax report. What we want is for our readers to be a little more skeptical and take measures to protect themselves. This is one of the reasons why the Approved Loan Store only works within car dealerships instead of just giving a loan for someone to purchase from a private dealer. If we just gave our customers a personal loan to buy a car from John Doe on Craigslist, we would have no way to verify that the car they are purchasing wasn’t previously in an accident or flooded or just a lemon. Now more than ever, it is simply safer to go through a program like Approved Loan Store than go for that private sale deal that is too good to be true.

Are you looking to get into a new or used vehicle? Approved Loan Store can help! Good credit, bad credit, no credit, we want to get you the right car at terms you can afford! Fill out our secure online auto loan application here, and get the latest auto news and buying tips by liking Approved Loan Store on Facebook, following Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribing to Approved Loan Store on YouTube!

Image courtesy of winnond / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Domino’s Search for the Next Pizza Delivery Car

Food delivery in a big city like New York can get really tricky when it comes to car vs. bicycle. Cars offer safety and ease for the delivery worker, but parking is such a hassle that delivery isn’t as quick. On the other hand, cyclists don’t have to worry about parking or paying for gas, but riding a bike in a big city can be dangerous.

Domino’s Pizza wanted to find the next pizza delivery car, and they hosted the Ultimate Delivery Vehicle Project in partnership with Local Motors. The contest winner Anej Kostrevc designed the Domino’s Pack, a vehicle that combines the convenience of a bicycle or a scooter with the safety of a car. These flash super-compact cars have a distinct look integrating the blue and red domino logo on the side with a red, white, and blue hood also tying back to the Domino’s look.

As 2012 is reaching the final stretch, it seems that small is the new big. Small cars are more practical for more Americans and for more businesses like Domino’s Pizza. It has yet to be seen if Domino’s will actually use this design with their fleet of delivery cars, but I bet that in the next few years, the delivery vehicle of choice will be the super-compact, and delivery services will move away from the traditional sedan, bicycle or scooter.

Are you looking for a smaller car with better fuel efficiency or something with a little more power? Whatever your auto needs, Approved Loan Store wants to help you! Good credit, bad credit, no credit, we want to get you into a new or used car! Fill out our secure online auto loan application here, and get the latest auto news and buying tips by liking Approved Loan Store on Facebook, following Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribing to Approved Loan Store on YouTube!

The Dangers of Online Auto Sales

Did you ever think about buying a car online? It can seem appealing to buy a car without having to even leave the house, and there are plenty of legitimate sellers online that can offer a good deal.  The trouble is, though, that buying a car online is very different from buying a book from Amazon or some takeout from Delivery.com.  When you buy a car online, you miss out on a test drive, and the potential for financial loss is significantly greater. If a book arrives damaged or a delivery meal is sub-par, you might be out a few bucks, but if you buy a car that doesn’t live up to the online ad, you could be out thousands of dollars with no legal recourse.

Of course, there are also scam artists who use legitimate websites like eBay Motors, Craigslist, and Auto Trader to sell cars that don’t exist. Just last week, two European scam artists plead guilty to cash smuggling and wire and bank fraud charges, all related to their online auto selling scam. They would post auto ads online, and when they got an interested buyer, they would ask for payment upfront. Before the buyer knew he had been conned, the criminals had already smuggled the money out of the account through cash and money transfers.

At the Approved Loan Store, we get asked all the time why we don’t post our car inventory online or why we can’t run the entire car buying process online or over the phone. When we hear stories like these two scam artists, we have to ask why anyone would want to buy a car without meeting the seller in person.

Approved Loan Store combines the convenience of the internet with individual attention and personal service. First, you fill out our secure online auto loan application here. Second, you set up an appointment with a Special Finance Representative at an Approved Loan Store dealership. Third, you meet with your Special Finance Representative, browse the inventory, and find the best deal for you. With Approved Loan Store, you can narrow your search down to one convenient location from the comfort of your home, and you still get to take a test drive and work out financing face-to-face.

Are you ready to get into the car you want at terms you can afford? Go to http://www.approvedloanstore.com today, and connect to Approved Loan Store on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube!

Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Volvo’s Injury Risk Drops 50 Percent in Last 12 Years

Smart car buying begins with research, specifically finding out where certain makes and models excel. What is the best family car? What is the most fuel-efficient pickup truck? Is it worth paying more for a hybrid? Two-thirds of car buyers actually say that researching makes and models is the most pleasant part of the process. We are always looking to better educate our readers with news and tips for finding the best car at a good price, and knowing how important auto safety is to our readers, we wanted to share this amazing news from Volvo.

According to new accident data comparing the newest Volvo models to models from 2000, the risk of injury has dropped a stunning 50 percent. What has happened in the past decade to cause such a drop? Motor Authority attributes the drop to the prevalence of features like electronic stability control, adaptive cruise control, automatic braking, lane departure warning, and blind spot detection. Back in 2000, these features were only available in the high-end models. Besides that, Volvo has been working on new safety technology in those 10 years including the V40’s pedestrian airbag which in another 10 years will probably be a common safety feature.

At Approved Loan Store, we encourage our customers to do their research and know what kind of car they are looking for when they come to their appointment, and safety is of the utmost importance. Remember while researching to check into any available injury statistics and the standard safety features on any make or model you are seriously considering.

Want to get more auto news and car buying tips? Like Approved Loan Store on Facebook, follow Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribe to Approved Loan Store on YouTube! If you are looking to get into a new or used car, fill out our secure online auto loan application here. Good credit, bad credit, no credit, we want to help you get the car you want at terms you can afford!

Chinese Dad Helps Kid Cool Off with Backseat Pool

Growing up, one of my favorite parts of summer was going to the local pool for a swim. Now that I'm grown, the experience is not as appealing with screaming children and overcrowding at neighborhood pools, leading to less-than-sanitary water. One father decided to bi-pass the public pool experience and give his son another way to cool off by turning the back of his van into a mini-swimming pool.

The van/pool was originally featured on a Chinese TV news report but caught out attention today on Jalopnik. Now, the pool is certainly not a replacement for a full-size pool. It is only 1.7 by 1.3 meters, so a game of Marco Polo would end very quickly. Still, for a kid trying to escape the sweltering summer heat, the van pool does the trick.

You can check out the original news story below:

Readers, we want to hear from you! Parents, what do you think of this father's van pool, and would you let your kid swim in it? Everyone else, would you want a pool in the back of your van this summer? Leave a comment below and tell us what you think!

Approved Loan Store might not have any vans with pools, but we do have a huge inventory of new and used vehicles. Bad credit or no credit is not a problem! We want to help you get into a new or used car! Fill out our secure auto loan application here, and keep up with the latest auto news by liking Approved Loan Store on Facebook, following Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribing to Approved Loan Store on YouTube!

A Whole New Bang to the No-Parking Zone

If you think American cops are a little too ticket-happy, thank your lucky stars that you don't live in London.

Yesterday, Nima Hosseini Razi, a business student from Wales, was sightseeing in London and ran into some car trouble. His car broke down close by the House of Commons and Westminster Abbey, two major landmarks in Parliament Square, and after calling a repairman, he left a note with the car stating, “Dear Sir or Madam, this car is broken. I am just waiting for the AA to arrive. Please do not fine! Thank you, yours sincerely.” Not wanting to waste his time in the city, he decided to check out some of the nearby landmarks including Buckingham Palace. Needless to say, the car attracted the attention of the London police.

Here is where the story gets weird. The police decided to have the car towed, but for some unfathomable reason, they decided to used explosives to open the hatch of the car. Many people have already said the explosives were excessive and that there were safer ways to open the hatch that also wouldn't have damaged the car.

Now, as a New Yorker, I can see how the London police were concerned about an abandoned car sitting in the middle of Parliament Square. It would be like seeing a car just sitting in the middle of Times Square. Anyone with half a brain would be worried. Plus, London is hosting the Olympics this year, and the police are already on-edge about any perceived safety threats. I think it was stupid of Razi to leave the car by itself in such a busy section of London, whether London was hosting the Olympics or not. (Completely off-topic, does his sweater vest remind anyone else of Bill Cosby's sweaters?)

Even so, I have to agree that the police's actions were kind of bizarre. Using explosives to open a car hatch? Really? If the car had been rigged with explosives, wouldn't the additional explosives used by the police make the situation worse? I doubt I'm the only person scratching their head and wondering what the police were thinking. “This car might have dangerous materials in it. What do you suppose we should do?” “Hmm, how about we blow it up?”

No matter why you are looking for a new car, Approved Loan Store can help! Good credit, bad credit, London police blew up your car, Approved Loan Store is ready to get you into a new or used car! Fill out our secure online auto loan application here, and keep up with the latest auto news by liking Approved LoanStore on Facebook and following Approved Loan Store on Twitter! Also, be sure to watch our video testimonials featuring real Approved Loan Store customers on our YouTube channel!

Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Tank-Car is True "Patriot," a.k.a. Insert Tank Puns Here

Car nuts are a fascinating sub-culture, drawing in obsessive personalities like Koji, attention-seekers looking to showboat, and whatever this is. To celebrate the upcoming Memorial Day, we wanted to share this totally amazing Army-styled car courtesy of Jalopnik that screams patriotism. (The owner actually painted “Patriot” on the hood of the car.)

The car is a restyled 1988 Chevy Caprice with 33-inch tires, an olive paint job, and a teeth-like grill. On top, the driver sits in a tank-like seat complete with fake cannon. According to the Autotrader ad for the car, there is an additional seat for a passenger, though I think anyone who would want to own this car would want to hog all the attention for themselves.

I adore this car. The fact that it is selling for only $1500 makes it all the more tempting to buy. Honestly, this patriotic car belongs in an Arnold Schwarzenegger movie or The A-Team. Ron Swanson should be driving it with Chuck Norris riding shotgun. In a way, I feel bad for other car enthusiasts out there because they will have a tough time topping the manliness of this special car. All I have to say to the current owner of this car is that they are crazy to sell it, and I hope the new owner will be able to handle its level of awesomeness.

At Approved Loan Store, we might not have “Patriot,” but our associated dealerships have a large inventory of new and used vehicles. Bad credit is not a problem, and you can apply today using our secure online auto loan application here. You can also keep up with the latest news and trends from the auto industry by liking Approved Loan Store on Facebook and following Approved Loan Store on Twitter.