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!