Believe it or not, most Americans are driving in cars at an average age of 11.5 years,according to IHS Automotive.  With the average age being so high and Fall Car Care Month closing out, we wanted to share a few tips on keeping your car in tip-top shape for the foreseeable future.


First, follow the automaker’s recommended maintenance schedule as close as possible.  This will include the basic oil and filter services, tire rotations, brake checks, etc.  You can find the recommended schedule in the owner’s manual.  If you’ve somehow lost it checkout Edmunds Car Maintenance Guide.

Check all fluids regularly.  If you’re like me, there’s nothing worse than driving down the road with no windshield wiper fluid in the reservoir.  The other fluids you should check are the oil, coolant and brake, power steering, transmission and battery fluids.

Tire pressure is the next thing to watch.  Keeping the proper air pressure in your tires will keep you safe on the road, and improve your fuel economy.  As it gets colder, it’s not uncommon to see the tire pressure light on the dash.  Take your car in immediately and have the tires filled to the maximum pressure recommended by the manufacturer.  Also, don’t forget to check the spare if you still have one.

Belts and hoses are up next.  Whenever a belt or hose is starting to look worn, have it replaced.  Make sure to take a quick peak at your battery cables too.  You want to make sure the terminals are clear of corrosion and have a good connection.  Lifehacker posted a how to clean corroded car battery terminals with Coca Cola.  Check it out and let us know how if it worked for you.

It goes without saying, but pay attention to how your car is driving.  Do you hear a funny noise or something just doesn’t feel right?  Take into your mechanic to have them check it out.  If you can’t find a good one, check out Car Talk’s Mechanic Files.

If you want your car to last longer, go easy on her.  Don’t slam the accelerator and brakes.  This will prevent unneeded wear and tear on the vehicle.  If you see me driving around town, this is more of a do as I say not as I do recommendation.

Last, wash your car.  Mother Nature’s car wash, aka rain, will never do as good of job as at a proper car wash.  So find your local car wash or do it yourself.

Take some pride in your ride and keep her smiling!

Looking for a quick rundown of the 10 hot connected car trends for the year?  Checkout this Jabil infographic from the company’s blog.  We've started working on implementing several of these trends into our custom client solutions.  Contact us to scope out and build your connected car solution.

How are driverless cars going to integrate easily with society?  It's hard to say, but there some challenges we know driverless cars are going to have to overcome before they can be fully integrated.  ClickMechanic put together a great infographic that outlines six challenges facing the autonomous car.  Number 1 on the list is human interaction.  They're talking about pedestrians not drivers.

We are becoming more connected to the Internet more and more everyday.  The latest thing to connect to the Internet is your car.  GM recently made this very easy to do by building in 4G LTE connections.  There is no doubt the connection offers many benefits, but it doesn’t come without security concerns.  A connection to the Internet makes drivers and vehicles vulnerable to hackers.

Recently, two hackers where able to hack into a Jeep Cherokee’s Uconnect system. They were able to control the radio, change the temperature, and unlock the vehicle.  You might be thinking, fine those are just little annoyances of a practical joke.  The hackers, however, went on to control the steering wheel, brakes and throttle of the vehicle.

The hackers weren’t punished for their actions.  Instead, they eventually helped the Uconnect team develop a security patch, though millions of people had to bring their vehicles back to the dealership to update their software.

Theoretically this same scenario could happen to GM vehicles through their new 4G connection.  That’s why they’re asking people to report any security flaws they find on their connected vehicles.  Similar to the Uconnect group, they are going to welcome hackers who report flaws with open arms, and likely ask them to help fix them.  The program is yet to launch, and there hasn’t been a timetable set for it.  But it’s in the final stages of being set up according to the Washington Post.

​This is not a new thing.  We’ve seen this strategy work in the past, and we applaud GM for the strategy they’re implementing.

Parents typically have an uneasy feeling thinking about the day their son or daughter will start driving. They trust their kids, but the number one thing they worry about is safety. Parents should be able to rest a little easier if the keys they hand to their kids start one of the vehicles on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) recommended list of safest used cars for teens.
According to the IIHS website, the recommendations are guided by the following principles:

• Young drivers should stay away from high horsepower. More powerful engines can tempt them to test the limits.
• Bigger, heavier vehicles are safer. They protect better in a crash, and HLDI analyses of insurance data show that teen drivers are less likely to crash them in the first place. There are no minicars or small cars on the recommended list. Small SUVs are included because their weight is similar to that of a midsize car.
• Electronic stability control (ESC) is a must. This feature, which helps a driver maintain control of the vehicle on curves and slippery roads, reduces risk on a level comparable to safety belts.
• Vehicles should have the best safety ratings possible. At a minimum, that means good ratings in the IIHS moderate overlap front test, acceptable ratings in the IIHS side crash test and four or five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The list of what the IIHS calls Best Choices contains 80 vehicles in total. If you want a newer model vehicle, we can break the list of 80 down to find the top-10 most recent models you should consider:

• Mazda 6 - 2014 and newer $15,100
• Jeep Patriot - 2014 and newer - $13,700
• Mitsubishi Outlander - 2014 and newer - $14,400
• Nissan Rogue (except Select) - 2014 and newer - $18,500
• Jeep Cherokee - 2014 and newer - $17,500
• Nissan Altima - 2013 and newer - $12,200
• Ford Escape - 2013 and newer - $14,000
• Mazda CX-5 - 2013 and newer - $14,800
• Buick Encore - 2013 and newer - $15,500
• Toyota RAV4 - 2013 and newer - $17,600

If you’re looking for something a little cheaper, here are the 10 least expensive vehicles that made the list:

• Volvo XC90 - 2005 and newer - $4,600
• Volkswagen Jetta sedan and wagon - 2007 and newer - $5,800
• Subaru Tribeca/B9 Tribeca - 2006 and newer - $6,000
• Honda Element - 2007-11 - $6,700
• Volvo C30 - 2008 and newer - $7,000
• Volkswagen Passat sedan - 2009 and newer - $7,300
• Mercury Milan - 2010-11; built after April 2010; 2010 Milans built before May meet “good choice” criteria - $7,400
• Ford Fusion - 2010 and newer; built after April 2010; 2010 Fusions built before May meet “good choice” criteria - $7,400
• Volkswagen Tiguan - 2009 and newer - $7,900

If you have a teen starting to drive, we wish you all the best and hope these lists will help you find the your teen’s perfect first ride!

Younger buyers are buying used cars more often than new cars.  According to a study completed by Edmunds.com, 78% of Millennials car purchases in the last year were used car purchases.  Contrary how they might be portrayed in the press, Millennials are actually quite frugal.

Part of their frugalness is likely driven by the fact they were hit hardest by the latest recession.  Many are still looking for jobs, while their student loan debt carries a high monthly payment.  Thus, when they’re shopping for cars they seek to find the perfect balance between fitting their lifestyle and price.  The cars they’re finding to do this might surprise you.


While several of us remember these as duds of the automotive industry, Millennials are breathing new life into the following out-of-production models: Dodge Magnum, Chrysler Pacifica and Pontiac Aztek.  All of these large crossover vehicles have very unique and distinct styling, and are not the most popular looking vehicles on the road.  Millennials, however, are looking beyond skin-deep to find the beauty in each of them.

• Pontiac Aztek, thought to by many to be the ugliest vehicle of all time, “has since maintained a top-ten Millennial share in four of the last five years,” according to Edmunds.com.  This past stigma has likely helped keep the price more affordable.  Additionally, there is no doubt it is gained popularity from a halo-effect of hit show Breaking Bad.
• Dodge Magnum, the quirky mean looking cross over offers plenty of cargo room to carry everything young people need people and their gear.  With average consumer reviews of 4.5 out 5.0 on Edmunds.com and most priced under $10,000, it’s easy to see why this is becoming a popular vehicle among Millennials.
• Chrysler Pacifica is for Millennials who are looking for a more upscale vehicle.  The Pacifica offers a more luxurious feel on the interior without skimping on the cargo space.  It ranked the 2nd in share of vehicles sold to Millennials from Jan to June 2015.

​It will be interesting to see how long this frugal bunch stays in these cars.  Will they quickly ditch them for shiny new one packed with more technology or will they hold true to their thriftiness?

In the wake of the diesel scandal rocking Volkswagen, used prices of Volkswagen diesel vehicles fell 13% or $1,7000 since middle September according to several sources citing Kelley Blue Book.

The price decline is being driven by two factors.  Volkswagen Credit is holding off on selling any vehicles coming off lease until vehicles can be fixed.  This in turn is making dealers hesitant to buy Volkswagen diesels at auctions across the nation.

All this news is urging owners to understand the value of their Volkswagen diesel.  Private seller activity for Volkswagen diesel vehicles is up 19% on KBB.com and Autotrader.com from last week, compared to 1% for Volkswagen as a whole.
Owners are now questioning what their next move is going to be.  Some owners have taken the next step to list their vehicle for sale, Volkswagen diesel listings were up 1% over last week, but others are going to are questioning who is going to want to buy to buy it before it's fixed.  Volkswagen is stepping up and trying to help owners, offering $2,000 to owners who turn in a Volkswagen and stick with the brand.
​
So if you're in this situation, what should you do?  We agree with Eric Ibara, director of residual values for Kelley Blue Book, who said, "While early readings suggest that TDI vehicles are being affected by the news, it is possible that they could return to normal levels within a year.  This will depend on how Volkswagen handles this crisis and what they announce the fix will be for the U.S. market."  Be calm, be patient, and wait to see how this is all going to play out before making any drastic moves.

There have been millions of vehicle recalls over the past year.  Many of those vehicles have not returned to the shop for repair.  There are several reasons why the vehicles are not repaired.  Parts are not available. People don’t have time to go to the garage.  The recalls don’t require people to stop driving.  This isn’t the scary part though.  What happens when these vehicles return to the market for resale?

You may not know this, but automotive dealers currently do not have to repair recalls on used cars before selling them.  That could all change if Congress has anything to say about it.

On April 13 2015, Senator Richard Blumenthal introduced the Used Car Safety Recall Repair Act.  If passed, auto dealers will need to fix outstanding safety recalls before selling or leasing used passenger vehicles.

Some dealers are pushing back against the bill.  They say it will not make the roads or consumers safer.  Further, they believe it will suppress consumer trade-in values; unless consumers complete the repairs.

The nation’s largest car retailer, Auto Nation, sees it different.  Last month, they pledged to no longer sell or lease used vehicles with recalls until fixed. 

​Currently, the Act is only requiring dealers to comply.  So if you’re selling your vehicle privately, it doesn’t affect you. Yet, our friends at MotorLister encourage you to repair all outstanding recalls.  Every listing on MotorLister provides you with all outstanding vehicle recalls and service bulletins.  So whether you’re a buyer or seller, please take a look at this information before finalizing the deal.

Buying a car is one of the most important financial decisions you will make during your lifetime.  In fact, it likely ranks 3rd on the list of the most expensive items you'll buy, next to purchasing a home and your education.  The crazy part is you'll make this purchase more than ten times and you'll spend between $25,000 and $30,000 each time you make this purchase!  Given you're going to be spending a lot of money on caow do you ensure you're making good decisions with each time you buy a new car and sell or trade in your old one?  You need to understand the concept of retention values. 

What is retention value?  Retention value is the value an asset is expected to retain over a period of time.  Retention values will vary by vehicles due to a wide range of factors including vehicle age, the number of miles, overproduction and high incentives among others.  By understanding retention values before you purchase, you can get an idea of how much your car will be worth in the future.  

So what vehicle segments and vehicles are retaining their value?  Well, the National Automotive Dealers Association (NADA) Used Car Guide recently published retention values in their February and March Editions of NADA Perspective.  Here's a quick look at look at the top-10 truck and car retention values: 

To get the full list of retentions values and to better understand how NADA calculates these numbers please check out the February and/or March Editions of NADA Perspective.

What if you could test drive a vehicle all by yourself?  That's right, no seller in the passenger seat with you.  Just you, the road and the vehicle.

Think about how you shop for a car.  You spend countless hours researching vehicle features you would like to have and features you cannot live without.  Once you narrowed down the feature set, you spend more time searching for that perfect car.  Now, there is only one thing left to do, take it for a spin.

But to do this, you have to meet with sellers.  So you set up appointments.  You arrive at the appointments, and during your conversations you learn you know more about the vehicle than they do.  Argh, how frustrating!  By now, you're thinking just give me the keys!  

Wait, though, there are a few more hoops you have to jump through before you get the keys.  At a minimum, you give them your driver's license, though often it's also your insurance card and a credit card too.  After what seems like an eternity, you finally have the keys in hand and you can hit the road.  As you put it into drive you hear, "Hi, before we take off..."  In all your excitement, you didn't notice the salesman slipped into the passenger seat.  It finally dawns on you and you ask yourself, how many more times am I going to have to do this before I purchase a new car?

What if you could register for a service where you schedule a test drive online, arrive at the vehicle, find the keys, and hop in?  No salesman sitting next to you.  Well, we're almost there!  

Check out this video and let us with know what you think by filling out the survey below the video.  

With your help we can make this vision become reality!  Let's get started...

Staying connected with your car is something the Vinsnap team takes quite seriously.  Our co-founder, Chris wanted to share a personal story of why he wants to stay connected to his family's cars.

When my grandparents were younger they loved to go on road trips.  They hopped in their car and took off on new adventures every year.  Eventually they completed their goal of visiting all of The Continental United States in their vehicle.

Not much changed, as they got older, though as they aged the family started to worry about them.  You see, both of my grandparents suffered from dementia, but that didn't stop them from hopping in the car.  

Likely egged on by my grandma, they would arrive unannounced at family members' houses after long drives. Though often, they didn't reach their final destination.  They arrived in their destination city, but got lost because they couldn't remember the final details of the directions.  

While on one of these trips, their car broke down on the side of the interstate. Luckily, a Good Samaritan stopped to make sure they were ok.  He realized they were distressed and didn't really know what was going on.  He called a tow truck and took them back to their house.

The family heard about the story a couple days later when grandpa said, "Well, we lost the Cadillac!"  Needless, to say we were in shock.  We all tried to get more details from my grandparents, but due to their health they couldn't remember anything.  This led us on a two-month search to find the family Cadillac and unravel the true story.  

My grandparents could have easily been your son, your daughter or your parents.  This is why we're actively working on a connected car solution.  We want you to rest easy when your loved ones are in the car.  We want you to know their vehicle is operating safely, they're driving with in the rules you set and they're arriving at their destinations safe and sound.

In the case of my grandparents, our connected car solution would have alerted us when my grandparents started the car, left the city where they lived, when and why their car broke down, and where their car was located at any point in time.

Do you have a similar story? Or are you passionate about staying connected to your family's cars?  Share your stories with us in the comments section below, and join us by pre-ordering your connected car device today! 

Staying connected with your car is something that vinsnap’s team takes quite seriously.   We know what it’s like to lose your car, or even have it stolen.  In fact, one of our co-founders had his car stolen when he was living in Washington, DC.
 
Over the course of four days, Marc took it upon himself to go find his car.   He teamed up with a friend to drive through popular “drop zones” where stolen vehicles are often recovered.   He took to his bike to start his stakeouts.  
 
Convinced that his car was too nice to just chop up, his bet was the thieves would go cruising.  Luck was with him.   The car came back within 7 blocks of where it was stolen.   Unfortunately, Marc was on his bike, and couldn’t keep up with the car.  
 
Marc was ready the next time. On his second stakeout (this time using a borrowed  truck), he tailed the culprits.   Four days after losing the car, and one drawn out police chase later, he had his car back and the suspects in custody.
 
We all have different reasons for wanting to stay connected to your car.   Maybe it’s to keep track of a loved one, whether the loved one is the person in the vehicle or the vehicle itself.
 
Marc’s adventure makes for a great story, and you can find the full version at www.pontiacparisienne.net.   However, even Marc would prefer to not have to go through such an ordeal again.  
 
Vinsnap is working on making it easier than ever to stay connected with your car, and soon you won't have to do your own stakeouts.

Check back with us here on the blog or follow us on twitter to stay up to date on our connected car progress and to hear more stories on why we take connecting to your car to heart.  If you're interested in pre-ordering a device, you can do so here.  

With the industry firing on all cylinders, the North American International Auto in Detroit is revving with a positive fun environment that hasn't been seen in recent years.  The stronger industry has led to stronger financial results, freeing the automakers to invest in new and exciting products.  We can't wait to see today's stars of the show, mainly sports cars and luxury vehicles, on the road soon!

All Photos Courtesy of NAIAS.com

The first press day at the North American International Auto Show is like Christmas morning for kids long awaiting their presents for auto buffs around the world.  The day is filled with dramatic reveals and worldwide debuts of new cars, trucks and utility vehicles, most of which will be on the road soon. Today's reveals did not disappoint and we wanted to share some of the highlights with you.

All Photos Courtesy of NAIAS.com

After the polar vortex of 2014, the Midwest is heating up with this week’s North American International Auto Show in Detroit. 

Automakers from around the globe are onsite to introduce over 50 never before seen vehicles, all of them hoping to entice buyers with a vision of the future. This year, with the economy showing signs of improvement and the 25th anniversary of the world class event, manufacturers are ready to inspire buyers with imaginative new designs and cars that will hit the market soon.

Detroit’s auto show has a history that spans over one hundred years. From 1907 to 1989, the show was a regional event hosted by the local dealers to showcase domestic and foreign cars. According to Automotive News, it would have remained that way until one of those Detroit dealers visited London and his cab driver asked a simple question--why doesn’t Detroit have a big, international auto show? Inspired, upon his return home the dealer cast a vision of a world-class show where automakers would make news by introducing their latest cars; that dream became a reality in 1989. At that year’s event, renamed the North American International Auto Show, the national and foreign press came in droves and the luxury car market saw two new entrants, as Toyota introduced the Lexus brand and Nissan introduced Infiniti. 

The NAIAS remains the longest running show in the United States and the most significant in the worldwide automotive industry. The annual event features a dedicated press day, with thousands of members of the media, black tie events for industry insiders and opportunities for the general public to see the automakers’ prized new vehicles. 

Vinsnap users who plan to visit the NAIAS will find ticket information and a map below. The show will be open to the general public from Saturday, January 18 to Sunday, January 26 from 9.00 am to 10.00 pm, except Sunday when the show closes at 7.00 pm. We look forward to seeing you onsite. 

Ticket Pricing

• Adults: $13 per person
  
• eTickets: $13 per person
  
• Seniors: $7 (65 and older)
  
• Children: $7 (7-12 years old; 6 and under free with a parent or guardian)

Purchase your tickets here on NAIAS.com