Do You Know How To Get The Best Trade In Value For Your Vehicle?

Do you know the value of your vehilce? Knowledge is power. Before you head to a car dealership you should research the value of your current vehicle using a tool like Kelley Blue Book. Knowing your trade-in value will let you know if the dealer’s offer is fair. Make sure you shop around. You should get at least three estimates from competing dealers. This can help ensure you get top dollar for your old car. You can trade in a vehicle if you owe money, but it’s important to know that debt still comes out of your pocket. This means you’ll ultimately get less cash from your trade. Owe more than your car’s worth? Expect that negative equity to get rolled into your next loan. A deep clean and a record of repairs can make your car more marketable, and possibly fetch you a higher trade-in price. So keep that extra paperwork for some added bargaining power. You’ll need to negotiate. Just because a dealer makes a trade-in offer doesn’t mean you have to accept it. Following the above tips, like getting multiple offers and knowing your car’s trade-in value, can be powerful negotiating tools. Car-Lotta reminds you that following these tips can help increase the value of your trade-in, getting you into a new vehicle for less cash. Once you get the keys to your dream vehicle, you’ll need to make sure it’s protected.

Would You Know How To Avoid Hitting A Deer?

The fall season is beautiful, but it also introduces a few different driving hazards… deer collisions being one of them. From October to December, mating and hunting season make deer go on the move. For drivers, that means you’re more likely to hit one. According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, deer-vehicle collisions are the top animal-related claim in the U.S. Before you get too worried, here are some helpful tips on how to avoid hitting a deer… and how to handle things if you end up hitting one despite your best efforts. HOW TO AVOID HITTING A DEER Know where the deer are likely to be. Areas with high deer populations are normally marked with a bright yellow sign. Deer also tend to graze in wooded areas or open fields. When driving your usual route to work, be attentive to areas where you’ve seen deer in the past – they are likely to cross there again. Be alert at sunrise and sunset. Deer are more active during dawn and dusk hours. Use your high beams. When possible, use your high beams for better visibility. The extra light will help make it easier to spot a deer, or other animals, lurking alongside the road. Don’t rely on deer gadgets. Whether it’s a deer whistle, deer fence or other type of product to scare away the deer… don’t rely solely on them to keep deer away. Research isn’t exact on whether or not these products truly work. When you see one… you’ll probably see more. Deer travel in groups. If one comes across your path, proceed with caution in case there are more. Don’t swerve. Swerving isn’t always the safest option. Hitting a deer might often cause less damage than swerving to avoid it… and then hitting a more dangerous obstacle, like a vehicle in oncoming traffic. Car-Lotta reminds you to wear your seat belt. If you do hit a deer, wearing a seat belt decreases your chances of injury.

Do You Test Your Lights?

Now that the days are getting shorter, you may find yourself driving home from work at dusk. When the sun is beginning to set, your lights need to be turned on. If you haven’t already, check that all of your lights are in good working order – including your headlights, side lights, brake lights, and signals. Ask a friend or neighbor to help you check them all. If any are dim or burnt out, replace them immediately. You will need these lights to see and be seen on the roads this fall. While you’re at it, wipe down the exterior of the vehicle so that there are no smudges on the headlights that can distort the light. Car-Lotta reminds you to drive safe!!

Do You Drive For The Weather?

Fall is officially here!! Rainfall increases during fall. When it is raining or it has been raining, increase your following distance between your car and the vehicle in front of you. This can make the difference of having ample time to mitigate or avoid an accident. Inclement weather also causes slippery driving conditions that increase the risk of hydroplaning if you’re going too fast on wet roads. Even if you know the roads well or have no other cars around you, slow down. Car-Lotta remonds you to drive save in all weather conditions

Did You Know That This week is National Child Passenger Safety Awareness Week?

When it comes to child safety, Car-Lotta reminds you that it is better to be safe than sorry. Child Passenger Safety Awareness Week highlights the importance of ensuring that all children are properly secured in an appropriate car seat or seatbelt. A child’s age, weight, and height can all play a factor when determining proper safety harnesses, so it’s important to keep up-to-date with all current regulations and suggestions. September 20-26 is dedicated to all things related to child passenger safety. HOW TO OBSERVE ​CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK Attend a child restraint inspection event Get your vehicle and car seats inspected to ensure that you are staying current with all safety recommendations. Talk about Child Passenger Safety Awareness Week on social media Highlight child passenger safety on your social media accounts. By spreading the word, you might very well save the life of a child. Donate a car seat Before parents can even bring their newest bundle of joy home from the hospital, they need to have a car seat ready to go. Consider donating a new one to a local charity in order to help families in need.

Have You Checked Your Tires Lately??

Tires perform better on rainy surfaces if they have enough tread. And they stop faster and steer better on dry ones. Also, proper tire pressure helps keep you rolling smoothly and safely. Expect your tires to drop at least 1 pound per square inch (PSI) of pressure each month, no matter the weather. When the air cools in the fall, that accelerates. Tires will drop another pound per square inch of pressure for every 10 degrees of temperature drop. Check tire pressure with a good handheld gauge from an auto parts store when the car's been sitting two or three hours. Correct pressure will be noted on a decal pasted on the driver's side door jamb or the door itself and in the owner's manual. The pressure inscribed on the tire sidewall itself is a maximum and not the recommended inflation — though it might coincidentally match the recommended PSI for your car.

What are you doing for Labor Day?

Labor Day is celebrated by most Americans as the symbolic end of the summer. In high society, Labor Day is (or was) considered the last day of the year when it is fashionable for women to wear white. Labor Day marks the beginning of the NFL and college football seasons. NCAA teams usually play their first games the week before Labor Day, with the NFL traditionally playing their first game the Thursday following Labor Day. Most school districts that started summer vacation in mid June will resume school near this day. The first Labor Day in the United States was observed on September 5, 1882, in Boston, by the Central Labor Union of New York, the nation's first integrated major trade union. It became a federal holiday in 1894. Singed into law as a National Holiday by Grover Cleveland. All Car-Lotta Credit locations will be closed Monday, September 7th in observance of the holiday. We will re open on Tuesday, September 8th at 9:00 am