This www.accuratecars.com blog post is the second in a series of used car buying tips, that you can easily perform in conjunction with the internet,  when shopping for Honda used cars and Acura used cars. The next several used car buying tips will cover researching vehicle history and the use of Carfax and AutoCheck title history reports.

Our first tip covered the importance of always referencing the vehicle identification number (commonly referred to as the VIN or serial number), when considering a Honda or Acura pre-owned unit that is advertised online. This is the first step, because without a VIN, a consumer cannot reference a title history report on a particular vehicle. The direct link to the first used car buying tip is:   http://accuratecars.com/blog/2009/11/03/tips-on-buying-a-honda-or-acura-used-car/

TIP #2  Reference Carfax for Possible Vehicle Service History

Because of identity theft,  most consumers put a high regard in protecting their personal information that includes addresses, phone numbers, and credit / debit card receipts. For this reason, it is unlikely that printed service records and receipts will be left in the glove box of used Honda cars and Acura used cars that are for sale in the Nashville area in Middle Tennessee. But, one possible source for vehicle service history may actually be the Carfax title history report.

EXAMPLE: A few weeks ago, our dealership purchased this 2005 Acura TL from a South Florida Acura dealer. This particular Acura TL had over 114,000 miles on it but it was in very good shape

http://www.accuratecars.com/car_listing/592.php

We put a great emphisis on the extensive service history that was recorded on the Carfax Report before our inventory purchaser acquired this unit.

Like Geico Insurance Company; Carfax has spent a small fortune in strategically marketing themselves. Carfax is probably the most recognized source for title history reports. Their reports include the following information:

• How the vehicle was previously registered ( as a personal vehicle, rental or a lease )
• What state (s) the vehicle was titled in.
• If the vehicle’s VIN shows up on any police records. These records including police reports that were written due to vandalism, which has been known to inaccurately show up on a Carfax Report as accident history.)

In addition,  the Carfax report may show previous maintenance history on the vehicle. This is a fairly new feature on the Carfax title history report. If you are researching a vehicle that does not have service history recorded on the Carfax report, don’t be alarmed. There is a limited number of repair and maintenance facilities that use a DMS (Dealer Management System) that Carfax accepts for this exchange of maintenance data. Currently the DMS list is made up of only ten possibilities and some of these are very expensive billing systems. So you may find that while some of the most expensive franchised dealership service departments will likely have these DMS tools;  some smaller repair / service facilities (that closely watch their overhead, to save their customers additional money on vehicle maintenance) may not have these particular accounting tools that electronically link to Carfax.

At Accurate, we specialize in the sales, service, and repair of Honda and Acura automobiles, trucks, vans, and SUVs. Come in and see why www.accuratecars.com is the best place in Nashville and Middle TN to purchase and service your Acura and Honda vehicles. Always expect certified quality Honda and Acura pre-owned units from our facility.

This www.accuratecars.com blog post is the first in a series of used car buying tips, that you can easily perform in conjuction with the internet, and when shopping for Honda used cars and Acura used cars.

TIP #1

DO NOT CONSIDER ANY VEHICLE WITH AN ONLINE LISTING THAT DOES NOT HAVE THE VIN OR SERIAL NUMBER POSTED ON THE AD.

Do you know how to not get ripped off buying a used car? Start your research on the internet. But understand that this research should be based on the history of the vehicle, and not how many cup holders or iPod jacks that it has.  Because you are shopping used cars, you must perform that internet research with “a foundation” or “point of reference”.

This point of reference will be the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number).

Every vehicle has a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) and this is the serial number of the automobile.

The vehicle identification number is critical when shopping for a used Honda’s and when shopping for used Acura’s. This number must be referenced to access current Carfax and AutoCheck title history reports. The VIN confirms the year model of the vehicle. It identifies the model variations, such as ”Touring”, “Premium”, “Technology”, EX-L, and “Sport”.  The VIN also identifies many equipment packages that may or may not be actually on the vehicle.

Even though that internet ad may state that the vehicle is a certain year model and equipped with specific factory equipment options, in most cases, the VIN will confirm or it may dispute the ad description.

For example: Let’s take the vin of one our most recent inventory units: vin 2HNYD18905H557357, which was a 2005 Acura MDX Touring.

The first digit “2″ indicates that the vehicle was built in Canada

The 6th digit  “1″ after HNYD indicates that this vehicle is a 4 wheel drive unit

The 7th digit “8″ indicates that this vehicle is equipped with an automatic transmission.

The 8th digit “9″ indicates that this Acura MDX is a Touring model and it is equipped with Navigation and RES (Rear Entertainment DVD System).

The 10th digit “5″ indicates this Acura MDX was produced as a 2005 model.

Most consumers know that the vin is located on the driver’s side of the dashboard, but their are several other places the vin can be found on a vehicle.

Most Honda and Acura vehicles will have a VIN sticker on all major body panels, if they are the original panels. These include the doors, the fenders, the hood, the trunk lid and rear hatch.

There will also be a production sticker and the Vehicle Identification Number will be on this label as well. On Honda and Acura vehicles, the production sticker is normally located on the body of the vehicle inside of the driver’s door.

If these vin labels are missing or the production sticker has been removed from the vehicle, it is possible that those body panels are not the original and have been replaced…..However, note that some models of Honda and Acura vehicles do not have vin labels that can been seen, on certain original body panels. One example of this are the early year models of the Honda Pilot. The front fenders of the Honda Pilots have the vin label behind an outer molding, instead of under the hood, where the fender labels are located on the Acura MDX.

LOOK FOR CONSISTENCY:

If the right front door has a vin label, then the left front door should have a vin label and in that same place on the door as well. If a right front fender has a vin sticker in a specific place, then the left front fender should have the same vin sticker and in about the same location.

When shopping for that perfect Honda or Acura used car, always verify the VIN to the vehicle that you saw online.

Print the ad when you are at your computer. When you get to the location of the vehicle that you are interested in, check the VIN on the vehicle to the VIN on your copy of the online ad.

On most online vehicle listing sites, the Vehicle Identification Number can not be entered incorrectly. They will not be off by a couple of digits (such as tranposing the numbers when it is being typed / entered on a computer database).

If the vehicle that you see online and the vehicle that you looking at do not have the same VIN when you walk up to it, then DO NOT BUY THAT VEHICLE.

If a car dealer has multiple Honda used cars or multiple Acura used cars in their inventory; They may try to ( accidentally ) show you a clean title history report from a different vehicle, with a different VIN.

ALWAYS USE THE VIN AS YOUR FUNDAMENTAL POINT OF REFERENCE

Some other accurate car articles pertaining to the VIN of Honda used cars and Acura used cars are posted below:

http://accuratecars.com/blog/2008/07/25/always-shop-and-buy-2001-to-2006-acura-mdx-units-by-vin/

http://accuratecars.com/blog/2008/07/25/identifying-the-2007-and-2008-mdx-by-vin/

http://www.accuratecars.com/http://www.accuratecars.com/http://www.accuratecars.com/http://www.accuratecars.com/news-article-36.html

This is an introduction to a list of used car buying tips that the inventory purchaser for www.accuratecars.com personally suggests and implements,  when acquiring the Honda and Acura used car inventory for Accurate Auto Sales, which is located in Nashville, TN.

The use of the internet has drastically changed used car marketing over the past decade.

For instance;  a few years ago, many consumers viewed shopping & purchasing used cars on Ebay to be very risky. But, with the feedback scores and buyers comments posted online for all to see, Carfax reports, AutoCheck reports, NADA pricing guides and other major internet referencing tools; the consumer does not have to be in a position of intimidation when shopping for a used car.

In fact, the internet shopper has never been in a better position and would probably consider just going down to the local used car lot and buying a used car on a handshake and a smile to be very risky….And they would be correct.

Along with the internet research tools, most consumers can also find exactly what they are looking for in make, model, and factory options with just a few clicks on the keyboard or I-Touch screen.

Over the next several weeks, used car buying tips will be posted (one at a time) at www.accuratecars.com and you will likely find these tips to be very useful and pertinent to finding that perfect used Honda or Acura vehicle. As these Honda used car buying tips and Acura used car buying tips are composed and published on the website, they will be written to be very precise, and will include reasons for performing certain actions, as well as avoiding certain actions that may make you vulnerable to internet scams and other pitfalls.

While these internet used cars buying tips are written to assist in buying Honda used cars and Acura pre-owned units on the internet, they can also be applied to other makes / models of passenger vehicles, vans, SUVs and light duty trucks.

As winter temperatures continue to drop all over America; local car drivers here in Tennessee are experiencing a little car trouble. Just yesterday, four Honda and Acura vehicles were towed out of Nashville to Accurate Automotive, and three of them were brought in with our own tow truck.

All four vehicles are earlier model used cars. These tow-in vehicles consisted of a 2002 Honda Civic, a 2001 Honda Prelude Si, a 1993 Honda Accord 10th Anniversary Edition, and a 1992 Acura Vigor. What all four of these Honda and Acura vehicles have in common was while they are all very reliable cars, they are older cars and the temperatures, that had dropped well below freezing,  had caused some problems. These cold weather problems consisted from not starting to major oil leaks.

While the vehicles that wouldn’t start had to be towed; the Honda and Acura car owners with major engine oil leaks, wisely chose to have their vehicle towed instead of risking further damage and a more extensive & expensive car repair.

The most common cold weather problem is “the car won’t start”  Please note, the information below is based on local, middle Tennessee weather conditions and may not apply to the bitter, sub-zero temperatures that many experieince in the mid west regions and further north of TN.

Car Won’t Start in Cold Weather.

If the vehicle has been regularly maintained and serviced,  this problem is usually caused by a low crank speed. Low crank speed during cold weather usually results from two common problems; a low charged / bad battery or the wrong engine oil viscosity for winter temperatures.

• A bad car battery  can show up at any time. Regardless of how old the battery is, or what brand the battery is, provides no guarantee that it cannot fail. According to our own Interstate Battery Supplier, during cold weather, the individual plates inside of a car battery can short-out. This can occur with no previous warning and if this happens the battery “is toast” and cannot even be “jumped-off”.  During the winter, Accurate Automotive recommends that you drive your Honda and Acura vehicles every few days, including some constant speed driving on an interstate or highway. Also, have your car battery load tested when you go in for an oil change. Most shops have a way to load test the battery and many of them will provide this service at no cost if you request it during routine maintenance, such as an oil change.

As for freezing, most modern-day car batteries will not freeze and crack. Several years ago, battery manufacturers provided a way to top off the acid level with tap water, when the acid levels got low during the summer time heat. Today, most battery manufacturers have produced “maintenance-free” batteries and it is harder to obtain a way to top-off the battery acid level with water…. However, if enough water has been added to the battery acid level during the summer or late enough into autumn, and if the battery is exposed to extremely cold temperatures;  they can freeze, crack, and even explode under the right temperature conditions.

NOTE:  Always wear eye protection and gloves when working with car batteries and NEVER stand near either battery when using jumper cables. Hook the jumper cables up and stand clear.

• Wrong engine oil viscosity can not only cause a low crank speed, but it can also cause engine damage because the lubricant cannot flow properly  and protect vital engine parts when cold.

The above photo was taken from a 2000 Honda Accord owners manual is simply being displayed as an example. Oil viscosity does vary by vehicle and the year that it was built. Always consult your own Honda and Acura owners manual for correct engine oil specs.

For additional information on using the correct engine oil in Honda and Acura vehicles, click on the link below:

http://accuratecars.com/blog/2008/08/09/always-use-the-correct-motor-oil-weight-in-your-acura-and-honda-automobiles/

During any extreme, below freezing cold weather, snap Honda and Acura Car Owners should be on the look out for an oil leak, coolant / anti-freeze leak and other vehicle issues such as the engine cranking slower than normal. Some of these car engine issues can indicate that your car may not start the next time you turn the key in cold weather.  Instead of that reliable, strong crank of the engine, you might only hear a clicking noise or nothing at all.  In colder than normal temps, Accurate Automotive recommends that car owners “stop, look, listen, and address the warning signs”.

Honda and Acura Car Owners in the Nashville, Brentwood, Murfreesboro and Middle Tennessee area can call Accurate Automotive for assistance if any of these issues effect your car.

615-220-0333

Accurate Automotive, Inc. has specialized exclusively in the service and repair of Honda & Acura automobiles in the Nashville, TN area for the past 12 years; and a couple of weeks ago we had the opportunity to do something that I rank at the top of “MY FAVORITE THINGS TO DO LIST”.

A new customer contacted us by phone and requested a price quote for an automatic transmission replacement in his 2002 Acura MDX Touring. His vehicle was at the local Nashville area Acura franchised dealership and their service department had informed him that he would need to replace the transmission. Because their price seemed excessive; he wanted to “shop around” before giving them “the ok” to proceed.

Because the overhead and daily expenses of operating Accurate Automotive is a fraction of what it costs to run a franchised dealership in Cool Springs; our service department was able to quote a price that was less expensive; but there were two other major things that got this new customers attention:

The first thing was that our service department uses a rebuilt transmission from H&A Transmissions, out of  California. We started installing H&A transmissions over 8 years ago and Honda and Acura transmissions are all they rebuild. The reason we rely on H&A is simple:

• Their product is good.
• Their warranty is good.
• They take pride in the product that they sell.

The second thing that seemed to “win him over” was the actions of the franchised dealership service writer. According to the customer, when he told the service writer that Accurate Automotive would be picking up his Acura MDX with the tow truck later that day, the franchised dealer’s service writer had indicated that we would likely install a used transmission out of a wrecked Acura MDX. He also lowered his original price quote and claimed that their warranty was better.

Because this customer is a business owner himself; he identified that Accurate Automotive is a direct and legitimate competitor for the service and repair of Acura and Honda vehicles in the Nashville, Tennessee area. He ignored the franchised dealers defamatory remarks.

We simply explained that Accurate Automotive does not install used transmissions in Acura MDX units and informed him that an H&A rebuilt transmission would be installed in his Acura MDX.

We also informed the customer that a larger and more efficient transmission fluid cooler would be installed during the installation procedure and that the use of Genuine Honda / Acura automatic transmission fluid (Honda part number 08200-9001 or 08200-9001A) would be applied.

The reason for the new cooler is based on an H&A recommendation of installing a larger tranmission fluid cooler when installing a replacement transmission in Honda Pilots, Honda Odysseys and Acura MDXs. Because of their expertise, we make it a habit of listening to H&A’s advice.

The new customer realized that even with the fluid cooler and installation, our price was lower than the franchised dealer’s adjusted price.

He told us to dispatch our tow truck, install the transmission, and to call him when his MDX was ready to go. He came in a few days later and even found our covered customer pick-up area to be useful on that rainy morning.

Because Honda Odyssey vans are normally used to haul families with small children or the soccer team; the age of the vehicle can have a tremendous influence on the condition of it’s interior and exterior.

When shopping for that “perfect used car”, the average used car buyer will usually rank their search criteria in the following order of importance:

1. Lowest price
2. Lowest mileage
3. Newest year model for current body style

Because of this “order of priority”, the average used car buyer usually gets discouraged and frustrated within a few days of shopping used cars. The reason for their discouragement is simple; they do not consider the fact that cars, just like everything else have a “rate of decay”. As consumers, we naturally place lower mileage at a higher priority than how long a vehicle has been in use and how long it has been in exposure to the elements.

Let’s say that you are looking at a  2005 Honda Odyssey with 40k miles on it and you are comparing it to a  2006 Honda Odyssey with 65k miles on it. It is very likely that the 2005 model will look considerably “more used” and for a good reason. Mileage does not effect the condition of a vehicle nearly as much as the age of the vehicle. If the 2005 Honda Odyssey was sold in late 2004 or in the first quarter of 2005, and the 2006 was not sold until the end of it’s model year;  then the 2005 would have been exposed to about 20 additional months of use.

When I was a kid and growing up in Nashville, Tennessee; my mom was a school teacher. During the school year, she drove about 3 miles to work; only averaging an accumulation of about 10 miles per work day on the odometer. When that car was 10 years old, it was a low mileage vehicle but it had been driven everyday and it’s condition was close to worn-out. During the winter months, the engine would not even get to operating temperature before she arrived at school and that short-trip driving had caused oil sludge in the engine. The engine burned oil and age had effected the gaskets & seals; so the engine and transmission leaked oil also. The interior was worn and the dash was cracked because of the 10 year exposure to several hot summers and cold winters.

Today, all vehicles still have a ”rate of decay” and years of exposure still effect their condition. However, cars are designed  to go longer distances; Motor oils are better, tires last longer, fuel & ignition systems are more reliable and Honda & Acura engines are designed for 300,000 miles plus, under normal driving conditions with minimal maintenance.

Because Honda and Acura vehicles are designed for long distances; our dealership recently purchased two late model Honda Odyssey EX-L vans from American Honda Lease Trust. Even though these vans have accumulated “higher-than-normal mileage” in the initial years of ownership; they can be financed at the new car interest rates with most Credit Unions. These vans will provide two families a great opportunity to acquire a very clean, reliable and well equipped Honda Odyssey van at a price that won’t break their family budget.

The first unit is a 2006 Honda Odyssey EX-L with Navigation and RES / DVD. ( 5FNRL38746B003625 ). This Honda Odyssey is a one owner, non-smoker van that was originally titled as a personal vehicle in Florida. It is extremely clean and the Carfax report is not only accident free but also reports a pattern of regular maintenance that was performed at Germain Honda in Naples, Florida.  This unit originally had  an MSRP of $34,595.00

If you take $34,595 and divide it by 200,000 miles; the cost per mile quals 17.2 cents when this van was new. Today, with 81,400 miles on the odometer; NADA evaluates this 2006 Honda Odyssey at $19,000. If you take $19,000 and divide it by 118,000 miles (the difference of 200,000 miles minus 82,000 miles); the next owner will pay about 16.1 cents per mile for this unit!!! This van includes 2 master keys, two keyless remotes, all of the owners manuals, the navigation disc, and two new sets of headphones for the factory RES / DVD system. This is a ”textbook example” of used car value.

The other Honda Odyssey unit is a 2007 EX-L with RES / DVD( vin 5FNRL38797B441591). This Honda Odyssey is also a one owner unit. It has not been smoked in and it was originally titled as a commercial lease. This van is immaculate on the inside and based on the condition of the interior and exterior; many would guess the van to have around 30k miles on it. The Carfax report is accident free and the NADA evaluates this van at $20,250. This 2007 Honda Odyssey van was originally sold in April of 2007 and the MSRP was $32,695.00.  This van has only been on the road for 28 months. The interior still smells new and this 2007 model Odyssey can be purchased for $19,900!!!

At www.accuratecars.comwe are committed in assisting Honda & Acura car buyers in their search for the best used car value in Honda and Acura vehicles. With a service department that consists of a staff of service technicians that were previously employed at several franchised Honda and Acura dealerships in Nashville and the surrounding area of Middle, TN; our dealership provides the best quality pre-owned Honda and Acura units in the market. We invite you to shop our Honda and Acura used car inventory online at www.accuratecars.comor come by in person. We are conveniently located at Exit 64,  off of I-24, just southeast of Nashville, TN. Always expect Certified Quality in all of our Honda and Acura used cars.

The accumulation of unburnt fuel, in the form of hard carbon deposits in the EGR system can drastically decrease the fuel efficiency of your Honda and Acura automobiles.

The EGR system refers to Exhaust Gas Recirculation and it was developed in the 1970s for the purpose of reducing car exhaust emissions.  The operation of the EGR system is simple. By recirculating a small amount of exhaust gas back through the engine,  during acceleration and cruising speeds; the combustion chambers stay at a slightly cooler temperature. This results in the fuel burn being more controlled by preventing the air / fuel mixture from igniting too early,  because of the heat that is produced by the engine.  This complete and controlled fuel burn does two things:

1. First, a fuel burn at the precise time provides the best “bang for the buck”. If the combustion chambers get too hot, the gasoline (especially lower octane gas) can ignite in the combustion chamber too early.  A fuel burn that occurs too early or too late makes an engine very inefficient.
2. Second, an improperly timed, inefficient fuel burn causes a tremendous amount of vehicle emissions that include:

• raw fuel vapor,in the form of hydrocarbons (HC)
• partially consumed fuel in the form of carbon monoxide (CO)
• nitrogen oxide (NO)….. Please do mistake nitrogen oxide for nitrous oxide. While you may be administered nitrous oxide (laughing gas) at your dentist office; nitrogen oxide is a very poisonous gas that is no laughing matter at all.

Back in November of 2008, I wrote a blog (with photos) on the proper way to clean the EGR system and this particular article referenced a 2004 Acura RL.  I invite our readers to go back and review it. http://accuratecars.com/blog/2008/11/25/insufficient-egr-flow-on-honda-and-acura-cars-accurate-automotive-says-save-money-and-do-it-right-the-first-time/

In this November article I referenced that to compete with price, some  Acura dealership service departments and other shops were cutting corners by not removing the intake manifold to properly clean the EGR system.

Just yesterday, our service manager received a phone call from a customer in Nashville that had taken his Acura RL  to an Acura dealership service department a few months ago to have this procedure performed and just a few months and a few thousand miles later, it was clogged again. The Acura RL owner told us that the franchised Acura dealership service department claimed that he was using lower octane fuel and this was causing an accelerated build-up of carbon in the EGR system.

The reason the EGR system is clogged again is likely because it was not properly and completely cleaned a few months ago. To properly and completely clean the EGR system on the 1996 through 2004 Acura RL, the intake manifold must be removed.  For the charge, that this Acura owner says was well over $300; the franchised Acura dealership service department probably did not remove the intake manifold.  Instead, they probably chose to just remove the rear metal EGR flow pipe at the back of the intake manifold and run a piece of wire or pipe cleaner through the rear plate and EGR port.  This would only clean out the area where the pipe cleaner could reach, which is only a small percentage of the area that accumulates the carbon build-up (see photos below).

This is probably why the EGR system clogged again in such a short amount of time.

At Accurate Automotive, we care about our Honda and Acura owners and their expenses. These expenses include the money that is spent and the time that our customers must leave their Honda and Acura vehicles with our service department.  In this case, when we remove the intake manifold and properly clean the EGR system in this Acura RL;

the EGR system should remain clear for at least  80,000 miles. The exhaust gas recirculation flow will then be within the design perameters to keep the combustion chambers cool and the engine operating efficiently.

This Acura owner will see a significant increase in miles per gallon (MPG) and he will be satisfied in knowing that the EGR system was properly cleaned and will not need to be cleaned again for several years.

As with most government programs, instituted by the elite organization known as our elected officials; the Cash for Clunkers program will do more harm to the U.S. economy and will have a direct impact on many American consumers and industries.

When I write the blog articles for www.accuratecars.com I try to stay out of the  cesspool of politics; but this time it will be a challenge.

As you probably know; five days ago, the Cash for Clunkers program was activated to help stimulate the sale of new vehicles.  Our elected officials set aside 1 billion of our tax dollars to buy used cars. Today, the announcement was made that the 1 billion dollars has dried-up and that ”elite organization” of our elected officials are looking to fund it with an additional 2 billion of our taxpayer dollars, to extend the program. In simple terms; the American taxpayer has given the initial down payment for a large number of new vehicles that have been sold in the U.S. in the past 5 days.

“Cash for Clunkers” gives a potential car buyer a taxpayer funded cash incentive up to a $4500 trade-in allowance for their used car, and the trade-in allowance is based on the consumer buying a new car. With the initial 1 billion dollars ( $1,000,000,000 ), having dried-up in the initial 5 days of being activated; at the maximum allowable amount of $4500 per vehicle, that is over 222,222 vehicles that have been cashed-in for this incentive.

To be eligible for this taxpayer funded cash incentive, the consumer takes his vehicle to a franchised car dealership and the dealer then enters the information into a government website. The trade-in vehicle must be a 1984 model or newer. While the initial thought of receiving at least $3500 and up to$4500 in trade-in allowance for an old car sounds great, we must remember that the trade-in allowance is basically a taxpayer-funded subsidy.  Also, while getting a 1984 model piece of junk off the road may also seem like a good thing; how many 1984 model cars are going to be traded in? It seems likely that many of the trade-in vehicles would be mid ’90s model vehicles and those used cars are what many budget minded consumers are looking for…..a cash car.

When the consumer trades in his vehicle for the taxpayer funded incentive; that trade-in vehicle is destroyed. The oil is drained from the car, a sodium based solution is put in the engine crankcase and the engine is then started and runs until it locks-up. Rendering the trade-in vehicle unsellable is the first step in disposing of the vehicle, which is what the Cash for Clunkers program requires.

To sum it up:

• We, as taxpayers are subsidising new car purchases across America. We are buying  trade-in vehicles that we may give as much as $4,500 for and then it is then destroyed and disposed of.
• Many of these trade-in vehicles would be useful to low income families or non-profit organizations, but instead they are destroyed. These are the same low income families that the elected officials say that they are “protecting”….when they are campaigning for office.
• The supply of older, used vehicles gets smaller. This will simply create a market demand that will push vehicle prices even higher.
• Along with the shortage of complete vehicles; anyone needing to replace a major component, such as an engine or transmission would be required to pay more money for the replacement parts. After all, if you destroy a used engine and transmission, then an automotive re-builder has no foundation to rebuild the component from.
• As for state revenue: Every time a vehicle sells (whether new or used), most states collect revenue in the form of state sales tax. If so many used vehicles are destroyed, then there will be less vehicles in the market and less vehicles to collect the sales tax on. Many states across America are already claiming that they are concerned  with their budget finances; this will simply make their annual tax revenue even less.
• And what about the automotive repair industry? Touched on earlier; this is everything from automotive parts and suppliers and trained automotive technicians. With so many cars removed and destroyed, there will be no profit in continuing to manufacturer certain parts for specific cars and there will be no need for the repair technicians to continue working on certain cars.

In short, the Cash for Clunkers program will cost a whole lot more than it produces. On the front-end it is an incentive for a consumer to purchase a new car. But just like throwing a rock into a still pond, there will be sound waves that come out from the impact of the Cash for Clunkers ”splash”.  These waves will be in the form of fewer cars in the market, higher prices for the initial purchase of a vehicle, higher prices to maintain a vehicle and higher prices to repair a vehicle.

Just like the sub-prime Fanny Mae and Freddy Mac loans assisted in “screwing-up” the housing market; the Cash for Clunkers program will assist in “screwing-up” the automotive industry. Regardless of what you think about “buying American”; the  majority of the vehicles being purchased under the Cash for Clunkers program are GM, Ford and Chrysler products; and two of these companies are in bankruptcy and would already be “washed-up and rotting on the beach” if it were not for the American taxpayer. In the next few months, many of these subsidised vehicles will be repossessed and this will cause other like-vehicles to lose value rapidly, leaving many of the good-paying consumers to owing more money on the vehicle than what it is worth….just as the high foreclosure rate caused a similar scenario in the housing market.

In closing: It is always smarter to buy a used car. The only time there are incentives  or cash rebates in the new car industry is when the market is weak and the consumer sees the excessive retail price of a new car.  At www.accuratecars.com we specialize in Honda and Acura automobiles and because of our low overhead, we can acquire, service, clean, and market our Honda and Acura vehicles at a much more efficient pace than our competition. In addition, our vehicles are a better quality and are a direct reflection of the confidence that Honda and Acura vehicle owners have place in our  Service Department for well over a decade.

At www.accuratecars.com always expect certified pre-owned quality in our Honda and Acura vehicles.

Pre-Owned Honda and Acura vehicles have always been on the best quality list, as excellent used cars……And now more than ever.

With the recent bankruptcy of General Motors and Chrysler; many consumers are refusing to purchase a domestic vehicle for obvious reasons. The refusal to “buy American” comes from concerns that warranty problems may not be covered by the manufacturer and that the quality of the domestic vehicle is sub-par to the foreign vehicles that are also assembled here in the U.S. Other notable concerns stem from the  closure of over 700 Chrysler dealers and over 1700 GM dealers, across America.  Consumers recognize that with less dealership support; there could be future problems in obtaining factory parts, as well as professional vehicle repair and maintenance.

In addition to these concerns, many consumers are now in a slowing economy that the U.S. has not seen in over 25 years. Once again, it is fashionable to clip coupons, and to stretch that dollar as far as it will go. When a friend or relative pulls up in a brand new car; it isn’t envy that the street smart consumer feels….it is sadness for the rapid new car depreciation that their friend is experiencing, while they are grinning from ear-to-ear about their new car purchase.  With that said; many of the savvy used car shoppers are seeing a great value in used Acura vehicles.

In 1986, long before Toyota introduced the Lexus line, and before Nissan introduced the Infinity brand;  Honda Motor Company introduced a higher level product and branded it with the Acura name. Acura was to be marketed completely separate from the Honda line; even though they were both designed and manufactured by American Honda Motor Company. When introduced, there were only two makes; the Acura Legend and the Acura Integra. Twenty three years later;  American Honda Motor Company is offering a few additional choices in the Acura line-up. The Acura TSX and the Acura TL are the most popular sedan models, but there is also the Acura RL, which many identify as the “flagship” of Acura. There are the Acura SUV models, which include the Acura MDX and the Acura RDX…..Currently, the least expensive entry-level Acura model is the Acura TSX which retails for just under $30,000.

As with all vehicles; Acura vehicles are not immune to new car depreciation and they do depreciate considerably during the initial 24 to 36 months of ownership. However, the smart shopper has recognized that Acura vehicles are quality vehicles and they have also learned to use that initial depreciation to their advantage. After-all, these vehicles are very expensive when they are brand new and American Honda has to build a quality product that justifies that initial MSRP!!!

The standard factory warranty: American Honda Motor Manufacturing has placed a standard 48 month/ 50,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty on all of their Acura vehicles and also, starting in 2006 they included a 72 month / 70,000 mile power-train warranty. This warranty comes standard with the vehicle and it does not matter if you are the original owner of the vehicle or the 5th owner; if the vehicle is still under the original warranty periods, then it is covered under the original factory warranty terms and conditions.

Fuel Efficiency: Paying $4.00 and $5.00 for a gallon of gas last year left an impression on the American driver, and they are not likely to forget it anytime soon. The question of, “does it come in any other colors?” has been replaced with more important  questions about maintenance costs, and, “what about gas mileage?” .  Honda vehicles have always been associated with dependability as well as fuel efficiency; and the Acura line is no exception. Wisely, American Honda has never produced a production V8, V10, or V12 engine for their North American vehicles. Instead, they obtained all of the power needed from multi-valve 4 cylinder and V6 engines. These engines produce exceptional horsepower and torque, but during constant highway driving, at consistent speeds of around 70 MPH, you will find the Acura RL reaching 26 to 27 MPG ( miles per gallon ), the Acura TL will be around 30 miles per gallon, and even the Acura MDX will be in the low 20s to the gallon. While these vehicles do require 91 octane fuel to obtain this fuel efficiency; the trade-off of paying an extra $.25 per gallon is worth it.

Dependability: As mentioned earlier, Honda has always been recognized as building a product that was dependable. It  started when those first Honda motorcycles took to streets in the early 60s’. Then, in the late 70′s and through the 80′s; while the domestic car manufacturers refused to build something better,  American Honda earned a major market share with the Civic and the Accord. Today, that dependability is still consistent. Here at Accurate, a vast majority of our service department’s customers own later model Honda and Acura vehicles that have over 100,000 miles on them and they perform flawlessly.

Standard Equipment: If you don’t want factory leather interior, a factory sunroof, factory 4-wheel disc brakes, and factory alloy wheels; then don’t buy an Acura used car. All of the equipment listed above comes standard with all Acura used cars…. with exception to a few Acura RSX units that originally had factory cloth seats.

A Great Example is pictured below: Yesterday, we sold this 2005 Acura RL. It is still posted in the sold section of the website and the link to it is: http://www.accuratecars.com/car_listing/497.php

When new, this Acura RL originally had a sticker price of $49,670.00. With 28,915 miles on it, we sold this unit for $25,900. That’s 52.14% of the original MSRP!!!!!

If you want your Honda and Acura automobiles to perform at the best level; to be the most reliable, and to have long life; only use Genuine Honda and Acura fluids. This is one of the key reasons that we have been so successful in the Nashville area of Middle Tennessee. We simply do not compromise on a very strict policy of only using Genuine Honda and Acura fluids in so many applications, which we list in this Blog article.

Economic times continue to tighten the noose on many auto repair shops and service departments….and this includes the franchised dealers in the Nashville area. Some of these franchised dealers have been around for decades; and many of them are trying different schemes in an attempt to increase customer traffic to avoid bankruptcy.

It has been reported that some dealership service departments have offered special pricing on maintenance packages and then simply omitted some of the maintenance items from the service; to adjust for their “special price”.  Some have been accused of quoting estimates that “got their foot in the door”. You know this type of scenario; after they dis-assemble a major part of the vehicle they say, ( “we’ve got it apart and we noticed that your car also needs this other part and that is not included in the original price” ).  Accusations of some franchised dealers using aftermarket, sub-standard parts & supplies to cut their costs, have also been reported; and while all of these practices are deceptive,  some service managers in an act of frustration and desparation, have “taken off the gloves” and resorted to simply telling lies about their competition.

Last week, the 5 days that went from Monday, April 20, 2009 thru Friday, April 24, 2009; our independent and privately owned dealership had three different customers come in and tell us that an employee of a local franchised dealer had told them that he did not think our service department (Accurate Automotive),  was using the Genuine Honda or Acura automatic transmission fluid in our service procedures. We found this ironic, because as the parts & service director for this particular car dealership; this individual had been one of our contact suppliers for the Genuine Honda / Acura transmission fluid just a few years ago. The only thing that we can figure is that he simply thought that because we were no longer buying the fluid from him, that we didn’t use it anymore.  

 Our service department has not stopped using Genuine Honda / Acura automatic transmission fluid and we felt that the two pictures above say it all. Because we are an independent /  non-franchised dealership;  we cannot buy the genuine Honda fluids directly from American Honda. Our inventory of Genuine Honda and Acura fluids must be purchased from a licensed, franchised dealer. This fluid order was purchased from a franchised Acura dealer that is in east Tennessee. One of the ways that we keep our customer’s maintenance costs lower than the franchised dealership service department;  our fluid orders are purchased in large quanities. 

 In an earlier blog post, we ademently expressed our recommendation of only using Genuine Honda ATF,  when servicing the automatic transmissions in all Honda and Acura vehicles. http://accuratecars.com/blog/2008/12/11/the-proper-method-for-flushing-honda-and-acura-automatic-transmissions/  

 At Accurate, our own Service Department uses only Genuine Honda fluids in the following applications:

•   automatic transmission fluid (Honda part # 08200-9001 or Acura Part #08200-9001A)
• Continuously Variable Transmission Fluid (Honda part# 08798-9006, only used in a limited number of Honda vehicles equipped with the CVT transmission)
•  manual transmission fluid ( Honda Part# 08798-9031)
•  VTM-4 Differential Fluid (Honda Part# 08200-9003 or Acura Part# 08200-9003A)
•  Dual Pump fluid (Honda part # 08200-9007)
•  power steering fluid (Honda part# 08206-9002)
•  brake fluid (Honda part# 08798-9008)
•  0W20 Engine Oil (Honda part# 08798-9029, only used in the Honda Insight)
•  engine coolant antifreeze (Honda part# OL999-9011 or Acura part# OL999-9011A)

While we are in no way licensed, by American Honda Motor Company or affiliated with any franchised Honda or Acura dealerships; at Accurate our customers always expect a level of professional expertise that surpasses many franchised dealership service departments. You will find that one of the main reasons, “secrets to the success” of our independently owned / non-franchised dealership service department is that we use  so many factory and OEM service parts in our maintenance and repair procedures. This includes using Genuine Honda or Acura ATF-Z1 fluid. 

Since the opening of our original location on May 25, 1997 (the 3 photos above), we have specialized exclusively in the maintenance and repair of Honda & Acura Cars and Vehicles that are driven in Nashville and the surrounding areas of Middle TN.

Whether you live in Nashville, Franklin, Brentwood, Cool Springs, Murfreesboro, Rivergate, or other areas of Middle Tennessee; come in and see why we are the best place to purchase and service your Honda & Acura vehicles. The photo directly above and below are of our current facility, which was constructed in 2003.