Lemon Law - How To Make A Lemonade From Your Sour Experience.

Lemon Law Background

The term “Lemon-Law” is a nick name derived from other common terms
such as “Lemon-Car”, “Monday-cars” and “Friday-Cars”.

A lemon car is a defective car that, when purchased new or used, is found by the purchaser to have numerous or severe defects not readily apparent before the purchase. Any vehicle with these issues can be termed a "lemon car" and by extension, any product which has major flaws that render it unfit for its purpose can be described as a "lemon product".

New vehicles directly from the factory may contain hidden mechanical flaws or defects in workmanship, usually caused by an error during the build process of the car. These errors can range from parts being installed incorrectly, a tool that was used to build the car not being removed, a batch of materials with structural or chemical flaws or simply bad design.

Usually, a car is labeled a lemon if the same problem occurs 3 times in a row over a short period, and previous attempts at repair have not repaired the problem. In most cases, if you get a lemon, lemon laws will make the company buy back the car or exchange it.

Many of you might remember that during the late eighties the average American consumer almost lost faith completely with the American made cars.
The amount of lemon cars along with the high rate of over the average visits
to the car garages as well as the high repairs and spare parts cost, caused many Americans to switch to Japanese and even European cars.

This was a period of time when Americans were reluctant to go to the dealers garages and preferred to go to oil & lube services only.

At that time Lee Iacocca the CEO of Chrysler Corp identified immediately the problem of mistrust of American consumers in American made cars, Chrysler launched a campaign on national TV promising to provide a bumper-to-bumper warranty coverage for 50,000 miles or five years, which ever comes first! Then GM came with the answer of 60,000 miles or 6 years, which ever comes first! Chrysler returned with the final stroke of 70,000 miles or 7 years which ever comes first.

Few months later I went to the Buick main dealer garage in long Island,
I was seating in the waiting room, next to me was a very nervous guy, I asked him why was he so upset with the garage, he explained to me that even though he had this bumper-to-bumper warranty It doesn't cover labor and the damn car is more than a week in the garage and they don't seems to be able to find what is the problem with the car...

The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act is Known as the "Lemon Law"


The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act is a United States federal law codified
at 15 USC 50. Enacted in 1975, it is the federal statute that governs
warranties on consumer products

The Act was sponsored by Senators Warren G. Magnuson of Washington and Frank Moss of Utah, both Democrats.
State Lemon Laws have some differences like coverage of motorcycles and used vehicles, but there are some basic guidelines that they do share.
(See 50 state by state Lemon Law Summaries at:
http://autopedia.com/html/HotLinks_Lemon2.html).

In passing the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, Congress specified a number of requirements that warrantors must meet. Congress also directed the FTC to adopt rules to cover other requirements.

The FTC adopted three Rules under the Act, the Rule on Disclosure of Written Consumer Product Warranty Terms and Conditions (the Disclosure Rule), the Rule on Pre-Sale Availability of Written Warranty Terms (the Pre-Sale Availability Rule), and the Rule on Informal Dispute Settlement Procedures (the Dispute Resolution Rule). In addition, the FTC has issued an interpretive rule that clarifies certain terms and explains some of the provisions of the Act. This section summarizes all the requirements under the Act and the Rules.

The Act and the Rules establish three basic requirements that may apply to a warrantor or a seller.

A. As a warrantor, you must designate, or title, your written warranty as either "full" or "limited."

B. As warrantor, you must state certain specified information about the coverage of your warranty in a single, clear and easy to read document.

C. As a warrantor or a seller, you must ensure that warranties are available where your warranted consumer products are sold so that consumers can read them before buying.

The laws define what a lemon car is and require that the manufacturer, not the dealer, takes care of the defects. If a number of attempts have been made to repair a defect that significantly impairs the use, value or safety of a car and the car continues to have this defect, the car is than considered to be a "lemon".

Most statutes set up a warranty rights period of either 12 to 24 months or 12,000 to 24,000 miles. The defect(s) must occur sometime during this period.

Many of the state laws contain specific guidelines as to what constitutes a sufficient number of attempts to repair, and whether these attempts entitle the consumer to a refund or replacement. These are:

a. If the defect is a serious safety defect involving brakes and or steering, the manufacturer is granted one attempt to repair.

b. If there is a safety defect that is not considered a serious safety defect, the manufacturer has two attempts to repair.

c. For any other defect, the manufacturer is usually given three or four chances to repair the same defect.

d. If at any time the vehicle is in the shop for a cumulative total of 30 days in a one year period, with at least one of those days occurring the first 12,000 miles.

If any one of these of these guidelines can be satisfied, the consumer is usually given the right to require repurchase or replacement of his/her vehicle.

Most lemon laws do allow an offset for use of the vehicle by the consumer. Oftentimes, a reduction in the consumer's purchase price return is used in relation to the number of miles he/she had put on the car. One law spells out the reduction in refund for use as follows:

(miles at time of refund X purchase price)/100,000

Only about one half of the lemon laws allow the consumer to recover attorney's fees in his/her action. Those states that do allow attorney's fees provide for a greater likelihood of success and representation in warranty disputes.

What the Magnuson-Moss Act – Lemon Law, Does Not Require

First, the Act does not require any business to provide a written warranty. The Act allows businesses to determine whether to warrant their products in writing. However, once a business decides to offer a written warranty on a consumer product, it must comply with the Act.

Second, the Act does not apply to oral warranties. Only written warranties are covered.

Third, the Act does not apply to warranties on services. Only warranties on goods are covered. However, if your warranty covers both the parts provided for a repair and the workmanship in making that repair, the Act does apply to you. (Source: http://www.ftc.gov/index.html).

Finally, the Act does not apply to warranties on products sold for resale or for commercial purposes. The Act covers only warranties on consumer products. This means that only warranties on tangible property normally used for personal, family, or household purposes are covered. (This includes property attached to or installed on real property.) Note that applicability of the Act to a particular product does not, however, depend upon how an individual buyer will use it.



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Sell Your Car Online: Step 5, Making Search Engines Love Your Classified Ad

Car classifieds websites can help you sell your car or truck very quickly. In step 4 of this series, titled “Sell Your Car Online: Step 4, Writing a Compelling Description of Your Automobile“, you learned how to write a powerful description of your car that transforms the viewer of your classified ad from a browser to a buyer.

The fifth step in placing an ad is making your listing search engine friendly. A crash course in search engine optimization is in order. Being “search engine friendly” means the web page in question has all the correct hidden and visible parts that search engines are looking for. A web page must have the following to be considered search engine friendly:

- TITLE tag, which is shown in the title bar of the window (mine shows “Google – Microsoft Internet Explorer” when visiting Google.com).
- META DESCRIPTION tag, which is only visible if you view the source code.
- HEADER tag, which displays text in a larger font than the rest of the page (just like the headline in a printed newspaper).
- Hyperlinks, which are simple text links that allow navigation on the internet.
- Emphasized text, which is text that is bolded, italicized, or underlined.
- Copywriting of at least 200 -250 words on the page (with a minimum number of images).
- An ALT tag for the first 3 images on your page, which displays when the image is not available.
- The ability for the search engine spiders to index the page.
- A URL that is static, not dynamic.

The key to search engine rankings is which keywords you use and where on the page you use them. For proper search engine optimization, your keyword should show up in the TITLE, the META DESCRIPTION, a HEADER, an ALT tag, a hyperlink, and an emphasized portion of text. Also your keyword should show up 2-3 times per 100 words on your page (once per paragraph should do).

Your page must be indexed by a search engine. Search engines have a piece of code called a spider or robot that actively seeks out web pages to “crawl” or index. They follow links from one web page to another trying to find as many web sites and pages as they can. Once they crawl the site, they add the page to the search engine’s database so it will show up in the search results. But there is a problem. Some of the auto classified web sites do not allow their classified listings to be indexed by the search engines.

The URL needs to be static and not dynamic. Pages that are driven by a database usually have dynamic URLs which include “?”, “=”, or “&” as part of the full address of the page (example: www.someclassifiedsite.com/index.php?a=5&b=222). Search engine spiders have problems indexing pages that have dynamic URLs, though they are ever improving. To ensure your page does not have a problem being indexed, it must be a static URL (example: www.someclassifiedsite.com/category5-222.htm).

So, what does all this mean for you? First you should know that when you place an ad in an auto classified site, you only have control over 2-4 of the 9 criteria listed above. That makes it hard for you to give your listing an advantage over other similar listings in regards to search engine rankings. So let’s take a look at the things you do have control over.

The description you write should have the correct keywords in it. For example, if you have a 1996 Pontiac Firebird Formula for sale, you should ad the term “1996 Pontiac Firebird Formula” once every paragraph. Place the term near the beginning of each paragraph. Also, the term should be emphasized (bolded, italicized, or underlined) in the first paragraph, if the web site allows you to add HTML tags to your description. To bold a word, put before it and after it. To italicize a word, put before it and after it. To underline a word, put before it and after it.

Let’s take another look at the sample description from step 4 in this series. Notice the HTML tags used around the keyword “1996 Pontiac Firebird Formula” in the first and last paragraphs. It is important not to emphasize every keyword. Only emphasize the first and last instance of the keyword in your description.

“This 1996 Pontiac Firebird Formula is in great condition. It has alloy wheels, AC, power everything, and a 6-disc changer. The T-tops are a nice addition, especially in hot weather. Even though this Firebird is 10 years old, it looks like it belongs on the showroom floor. It has flawless red paint on the exterior and a super clean black interior. A brand new automatic transmission was installed only 12 months ago, which is still under warranty.

The best feature about this 1996 Pontiac Firebird Formula is the engine. It has a 5.7 Liter HO V8 that has been well maintained. It does 0-60 in a respectable 5.2 seconds and has a top speed just under 160 MPH. Accelerate and you can hear every one of the 305 horses coming through the exhaust. Any sports car enthusiast would enjoy getting behind the wheel of this one.

Don’t miss this 1996 Pontiac Firebird Formula. It’s a good deal on a great car. Call today.”

It is important to choose the right title for your listing, if the classifieds site you are advertising on allows you to write the listing title. The title should be rather short and include only the most important information about your vehicle. A great title should have the keywords in it that people would use to search for your car or truck. A great title should have the year, make, and model in it, for example, “1996 Pontiac Firebird Formula.” If your car is convertible, you should ad the word “Convertible” to your title.

For a list of keywords that people actually search for on the internet, go to inventory.overture.com. Simply enter the make of the vehicle and it returns the most popular keyword combinations that include that keyword as well as how many times they were searched for in the Yahoo! Network. This will give you a good indication of what people are searching for.

So how do you find an auto classified site that allows the search engines to index their classified listings, displays static URLs, allows you to control your TITLE tag, and allows you to emphasize the text in the Description field? Simple, just go to your favorite search engine and search for a popular make and model car for sale. There should be several classified listings near the top of the search results. Those classified sites are the ones that are the most search engine friendly and would be a great place to post your ad.

By properly inserting these nine page elements that are essential for high search engine placement, your listings have the opportunity to be found by potential buyers when searching the internet. This concludes the series “Sell Your Car Online.” I hope you learned some new techniques in online advertising. Try them out today and see how quickly your automobile will sell.

Top 9 Used Car Salesmen Tricks, and How to Avoid Them

One of the biggest moments in many people’s lives is driving off in their brand-spanking-new automobile. It’s an exhilarating feeling. It’s also a big moment because in that very instant, that brand-spanking-new car loses a big chunk of its value—the difference between the retail price you paid and the car’s wholesale value. That’s typically thousands gone in an instant.

That’s why some car buyers choose to shop around for a used car. You save yourself that steep initial drop-off in value. More importantly, you get a car that runs just as well, is just as dependable, and looks and feels as good as that new car—that is, if you play your cards right.

For if there is one pitfall of buying a used car, it’s the risk of buying a lemon, a junker—call it what you want, you get the point: the wrong car. Used car dealers, after all, have nearly as bad a reputation, if not worse, than lawyers do. This holds true for individual people selling their cars through newspapers, Web auctions and classified sites, or with the old-fashioned signs in their car windows. The saying, “Buyer Beware,” no where has more meaning than with cars.

The opposite to that, of course, is that there are some real steals out there in used cars. We’re talking about quality vehicles that will perform beyond your expectations at a low price. Here’s how to find these perfect used vehicles, and avoid the top 10 scams that used car dealers everywhere try to pull on you.

1. Get a second opinion for the hype. Used car dealers will bombard you with every adjective under the book to sell you on a car—sporty, thrifty, fast, and etc. Don’t take their word for it. Instead, find someone you know, whether a neighbor, a colleague, a family member, or a friend, who owns the same make and model of the vehicle, and ask them for their opinion.

2. Do a background check. One of the most unethical, but legal, things someone can do to you is sell you a used car that’s been in a flood (and sort of repaired), or one that’s had 10 previous owners (none of whom repaired it). To be sure you don’t fall victim to this, track down a history report, including a clearance check on the vehicle title. You can even get some of this information from the seller, simply by asking why they are selling it. You’d be surprised what beans people may spill.

3. Examine for past damage. Used car dealers may also try to peddle a vehicle that was wrecked in a major accident. It’s amazing what autobody experts can do to repair a car’s exterior. So don’t go by the outer appearances of a vehicle. Before you buy it, make sure that it does not have serious damage to its frame, which it would have if it was involved in a crash.

4. Call up your trusted mechanic. Used car dealers, especially the big lots, will say they put their used cars through a “100 point inspection,” or something like that. Once again, a second opinion is in order. Get this one from your own mechanic. He’ll be able to tell how good a shape the car actually is in. Also be sure to ask him or her how often the car had been serviced. A good mechanic can even gauge that.

5. Research for recalls. Needless to say, a used car dealer may sell you a car that’s actually under recall in his mad rush to get the car off his lot. So be sure to call the car manufacturer, or visit their Web site, to see if the vehicle has any active recalls.

6. Avoid the leftover lemon. Along with recalled vehicles, dealers may even perpetrate something much worse on you—sell you a lemon. (By definition, a lemon is a car that’s still under warranty, which has such major problems that, warranty or not, it still cannot be fixed in a reasonable way.) The best way to avoid this is to research in Consumer Reports or the various automobile magazines, which all have yearly reviews of every make and model on the market. They’ll tell you whether a kind of car is known for being a lemon and prone to breakdowns.

7. See through the old paint and bait. Along with performing their “100 point inspection,” car dealers may shine and wax a used car—even repaint it—to hide dents, dings, and rust spots. A keen eye, though, can see right through this.

8. Take the test drive. Once you’ve done all your research, homework, extra credit, and everything else called for in the first seven steps, then comes the fun—the test drive. Drive the car for as long as its owner or dealer will allow you. Then you’ll get a better feel for how the vehicle handles, accelerates, brakes, and otherwise suits your tastes (or doesn’t).

9. Be wary of the pushy seller. At any stage of the game—from the moment you first talk to the seller to the test drive—be careful if the seller gets pushy. Any dealer or seller who is in a rush to move a vehicle should set off bells and whistles. Why the rush? Are they hiding something? In some cases the seller may just be excited to sell you the car—and actually happy for you—but in many other cases, they may be up to something. Better be safe than sorry.

Follow these 9 simple steps to avoid the scams and pitfalls of used car deals, and you could get the car of your dreams—for far less than you’d pay if it was brand-new. Plus, you get that same high when you drive your new used car home, without losing thousands of dollars.

Online Car Auctions – 8 Great Reasons To Buy Online

Are you tired of the hassle of trying to buy a car through a dealer? Haggling with the salesman to get what you think is a great price only to find out from your buddy the great price he paid for his car. Or worse yet seeing the same car advertised at a lower price a day later. Have you ever heard of someone getting a car at an incredible price, or wondered what happens to cars seized by the banks, police agencies or government. Are you curious about what happens to t pre-owned government vehicles?

These cars are sold at auction; some at onsite auctions and some at online car auctions. Buyers can get these cars for thousands less then retail and some starting at bids of $100.00. If saving that kind of money isn’t a good enough reason to visit an online car auction then here are six more.

1. Online Car Auctions are Fun

Online car auction can be a lot of fun. First there is the excitement of bidding for that car you’ve always wanted. Then there is the thrill of getting your dream car at a dream price. You could even practice by guessing what the top bid will be and see how close you come. How much would you have saved?

2. Online Car Auctions Are Convenient

What a better place to shop for a car then in the comfort of your own home. Or if you have a laptop then you could bid anywhere. You could bid at your favorite coffee shop, or at the office (during lunch of course). In addition you can be researching your car, the seller, loans, insurance, or surfing your favorite sites while waiting for your winning bid to come through.

3. Online Car Auctions Save Time and Effort

Driving from dealership to dealership, or from private owner to private owner can waste a lot of your precious time and play havoc with your nerves. What if your schedule just doesn’t give you the time to run around? At today’s gas prices who wants to do all that driving. With online car auctions you set your own schedule for research and can bid at home or during coffee break or lunch.

4. Online Car Auctions Make Paperwork Easy

Many online car auction sites provide services to make your buying experience as simple as possible. They have automated forms to allow the processing of your sale to happen as quickly and easily as possible. They provide courses on proper bidding procedures. Online car auction sites provide access to companies that help you with finances and insurance. For your sense of peace many sites offer the ability to check the V.I.N number of the car you wish to purchase. There is a lot of competition out there so they do what they can to provide that great customer service experience.

5. Online Car Auctions Are Where You Get Your Car At A Bargain Price

Online car auctions are one of the best places to get a great car at a bargain price. Thousands of cars, trucks, motorcycles and SUV’s end up in auctions. Many of these vehicles are in prime condition; being either repossessed by banks or law enforcement agencies, or pre-owned government vehicles. Many sites boast cars sold for savings as high as 90% of retail. While this is possible most vehicles go for around wholesale or blue book value. Still a sizeable savings over anything you can get from a dealership.

6. Online Car Auctions Help You Stay On Budget

A major problem faced buy most buyers is letting your emotions influence your buying decision. Something the average car dealer knows how to exploit. Online car auction sites protect you from the heat of bidding by allowing you to place a maximum bid level before starting the auction. This way you can only bid as much as you common sense will allow. That is as long as you don’t let your emotion decide the maximum bid to begin with.

7. Online Car Auctions Offer Great Choice

There is thousands of seized and pre-owned cars at auction. You can find almost any make or model of vehicle at online car auctions. Even if the car is unavailable in your area it may be available in the near future or in a city close to you. Depending on the site they may offer access to vehicles in your immediate area or across the country. There are free online auction sites and sites where you purchase a membership for a small one-time fee. These sites offer instant access to large databases of online and conventional auctions across the United States.

8. Online Car Auction Sites Provide Peace of Mind

It’s very important to online car auction sites to maintain a good reputation. To this end many sites provide services such as vehicle history reports for a small fee, or programs to protect buyers from fraud or misrepresentation. You may even be able to check out the sellers rating if they have sold on that site before. There are also resources on how to purchase a car online and how to bid to your advantage.

Give Online Car Auctions a Try... Kust Remember

Information is your friend. Like any major purchase you should do your homework on the vehicle you plan to purchase. Once that homework is done familiarize yourself with the policies and guarantees offered by the online car auction site. Find out what you can about the vehicle and the seller. Look into insurance and financing options. Prepare well and you should have a very enjoyable experience and own the car of your dreams for thousands less than the guy next door.

Car Insurance. It's Getting Increasingly Expensive When You're Elderly.

There were 550 serious accidents last year where the driver was over aged 70 and where driver was either killed or badly hurt, reports the Institute of Advanced Motoring . That statistic represents 8% of the national total of 7,035 similar accidents. That means that the over 70's's have more, very serious accidents per mile than any other sector of the population. This view is supported by the Association of British Insurers whose research shows that drivers aged over 70 are 13% more likely claim on their insurance than the drivers aged between 40 and 50.

As the number of elderly drivers will double during the next ten years, this represents a problem for elderly drivers and their families - not to mention the insurance industry, police and indeed all of the emergency services!

You can probably predict the response from the insurance industry. Many insurance companies already reckon that drivers over 80 are as high a risk as the under 25's - and charge premiums to match! Some are even progressively loading premiums once the driver reaches 60. Then at 70, you'll find that many insurance simply refuse to offer cover. Norwich Union and Esure won't quote after 70 and by the time the driver reaches 80, the field narrows to specialised insurers who insure elderly drivers. Help the Aged and Age Concern both market policies that have no upper maximum age. Cornhill only accepts new policyholders up to 84 but if you've been insured by them for a few years, there's no upper age limit. RIAS and Saga are also pleased to consider older drivers.

As the price of car insurance is based on historical claims experience, a 75 year old male driver can expect to pay at least 33% more than if he were aged 50. By the time the driver reaches 80 the premiums hit boy racer levels! So if you're in your early 50's keep smiling at the lowest premiums you'll ever experience – they won't last forever!

And the fairer sex fare even worse. Whilst younger women are renowned for their safe driving, they become more accident-prone as they get older. Whereas male drivers improve with age. (Where have we heard that before!) As a result, elderly women drivers pay the highest rates for car insurance.

It's a biological fact that eyesight and reaction times worsen as age creeps on. And with traffic becoming heavier and road networks ever more complex, elderly drivers can more easily become disorientated and confused. Even a fraction of a second's delay can make the difference between an accident and a near miss. Insurers are reacting by insisting that more elderly drivers take a medical before agreeing to provide insurance. The best advice is to build up a no claims record and as soon as possible and buy No Claims Protection. This protection cost a bit more but it's well worth the money. Then make sure you pay for any small bumps yourself.

But there are some simple steps that older drivers, and indeed all drivers, can take to reduce the likelihood of them having an accident and thereby making themselves more insurable. It's often more about those little things and being alert to likely problems. For example, car parks are a breeding ground for small accidents. Knowing that take more care. Before you get back into your car, walk round it to see how much room you've got. Then edge out carefully making sure that other drivers in the car park aren't driving into the area you're moving into. Then, if advancing years has stiffened you neck and all-round visibility is a bit more difficult, take special care at junctions and when reversing. Remember to move you head and swivel your shoulders - that way you'll increase your sweep of vision.

Many of the policies for older motorists contain special provisions designed to assist them. On Saga's policy for example, ex company car drivers can use any no claims record they'd built up and if a couple are insured and the main driver decides to quit driving, then the spouse can take over the no claims record. Other policies also provide full insurance cover for anyone who takes over driving in an emergency. Cornhill will even payout £250 if the DVLA stops you from driving for health isues associated with age.

In moves to diminish the numbers of accidents involving the elderly, the UK Government is investigating the issue of deteriorating health amongst elderly drivers. It seems to be considering the idea of obligatory health checks for elderly motorists. At the same time some local councils are introducing initiatives of their own. Torbay council has launched a scheme to encourage families and GP's to take more responsibility for encouraging elderly drivers who are not really fit drive, to give up. A road safety spokesperson for Torbay council said, ”The problem is that the elderly can't always see themselves when it's really time to give up driving so those closest to them must take responsibility for that.”

In the meantime, a survey carried out by the Institute of Advanced Motorists confirms that older motorists are aware that they represent an increased accident risk. Seven out of ten older drivers surveyed said they would like to take a refresher course for motorway driving skills and six out of ten wanted to improve their performance at junctions and on unlit roads. In response to these issues, the Institute has extended its advanced tests to older non-members to encourage them to improve and build up confidence. The tests also help spot any serious problems that should encourage the driver pack up driving.

How Chris Bangle Saved The World: The 2006 BMW 5 Series

He’s mad, they all said. Then they all started copying the BMW design chief’s ideas. Whether you like his work or loathe it, Chris Bangle is the most influential car designer of the 21st century. His ‘visual energy’ was a hallmark of many of the new cars at the recent Frankfurt and Tokyo motor shows. Before Bangle, premium cars followed the lead of Mercedes and more recently Audi – were organic, clean, simple designs. Modern cars are fussier, busier, multi-angled, sharper edged. That’s the Bangle influence.

Bangle himself won’t comment on his favorite BMW, but claims the new 5-Series “is the most avant-garde product we have ever done.” The previous BMW 5 Series was an elegant car, surmising the evolution of the classic BMW look. However, it was not penetrating the luxury car market. With the changing demographic of China and Asia emerging as major car buyers, BMW needed to do something new, something big. Under Bangle’s tutelage, BMW’s design philosophy has encompassed the modernistic approach: form should always follow function. Such philosophy is not something new to BMW – it has been the brand hallmark since the beginning 90 years ago when the infamous “kidney” grille was introduced at the 1933 Geneva Auto Show.

The essential shape of the 2006 BMW 5 Series, with its long snout and short overhang, is the result of the quest for perfect harmony in design, to achieve an ideal 50:50 weight distribution for better road performance. Even the battery is placed towards the rear to distribute the weight more evenly. Look beneath the surface and you won’t be disappointed. The 2006 BMW 5 Series has an all aluminum front end and suspension, rather than steel. As a result, this spacious 4-door, 5-passenger sedan with an assortment of comfort features weighs just 3428 lbs. (165 lbs. lighter than the previous model). The resulting performance gives better fuel efficiency: 20 mpg city and 30 mpg highway, while offering a degree of athletic agility not usually associated with larger luxury cars.

The unsullied splendor of the 2006 BMW 5 Series is found inside the car. The easily visible dials and the uncluttered cabin enhance the art of driving. The car also features an improved iDrive control panel which has been upgraded for easier personalization of comfort and convenience features. The wheelbase is longer at 113.7 inches (2.3” increase) and length is up by 2.6 inches. This translates into a larger trunk, and a roomier cabin, especially in the rear where two adults can peacefully sit. The two front seats are equally supportive and can be adjusted in 20 directions. The lumbar enhancement and thigh support on both the front passenger and driver seats will keep you comfortably focused as you enjoy the joy of driving.

Passion fuels success in the 2006 BMW 5 Series. The all-new engine is 40% lighter than last year’s model. Made from a magnesium block with hydro-foamed camshaft, it’s equipped with 215 horsepower in 525i and 255 horsepower in the 530i. The resulting 0-60 times are 7.3 seconds and 6.4 seconds for 525i and 530i, respectively. Additionally, the 550i features a 4.8-liter V8 power plant with 360 horsepower. The 550i can cover 0-60 mph in a scant 5.4 seconds. At the top of the BMW 5 Series lineup is the sensational M5, featuring the refined Formula 1, V10 engine with 500 horsepower. The engine is mated to a 7 speed sequential manual transmission producing a gargantuan 409 pound-feet of torque at 6100 rpm, redlining at 8250 rpm.

Going fast is only half the battle; the car must also protect the inhabitants in case of an accident, and maintain its composure in all sorts of road conditions. As such, there are numerous safety innovations integral to the 2006 BMW 5 Series. For example, the Xenon Adaptive headlights automatically swivel to follow the curves of the road. Data from light sensors determine the car’s direction and projects the light so the driver can see the road ahead with less strain. For enhanced handling, BMW’s xDrive™ distributes varying power between the front and rear axles, ensuring agile, neutral and forgiving handling during spirited driving. Additionally, the Dynamic Stability Control™ provides further tenacity on slippery road surfaces.

Sales and profits at Bayerische Motoren Werke AG have grown as the Bangle cars, including the 3 Series, Z4 and the 7 Series, have come on stream. Rival design chiefs, who were once Chris Bangle’s most vociferous critics, have tempered their language. Renault’s Partick Le Quement, possibly the world’s most respected car designer, says: “There are some really strong designs;” Nissan’s Shiro Nakamura prefers BMW 5 Series clear design language: “It’s challenging and unconventional.” The combination of strong visual sensibility, sublime engine technology, a luxurious cabin, and advanced safety features have contributed to making the 2006 BMW 5 Series the benchmark in the mid-luxury market. Of the six iterations of the new 5 Series, the MSRP ranges from $41,800 for the 525i sedan; $51,100 for the 530xi wagon; and $81,200 for M5. Like the madness of a misunderstood artist, Christopher Bangle has indeed improved on BMW’s bottom line.

Tips To Avoid Car Insurance Premium Increases & Becoming Assigned Risk

Below are some tips to reduce your auto insurance bill, prevent substantial premium increases and avoid becoming assigned risk.

Claim Reports: You know about credit reports, you should also know about claim reports. C.L.U.E.® (Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange), is a claim report service provided by ChoicePoint, Inc. ChoicePoint, Inc. states on their web site "C.L.U.E. is a claim history information exchange that enables insurance companies to access prior claim information in the underwriting and rating process. C.L.U.E. Personal Property reports contain up to five years of personal property claims matching the search criteria submitted by the inquiring insurance company. Data provided in C.L.U.E. reports includes policy information such as name, date of birth and policy number, and claim information such as date of loss, type of loss and amounts paid."

Tip: C.L.U.E. reports contain information on claims history by a residence address. Just like credit reports, a C.L.U.E. report may have errors. It is advisable to obtain a copy of your C.L.U.E. report at ChoiceTrust.com to check your report for errors.

Credit reports: Insurance companies are now looking at credit reports to determine future premiums. They have determined that people with better credit scores have fewer claims. Consequently, if you have a poor credit report you may find yourself paying more for car insurance.

Tip: Always make at least the minimum payment for your bills on time, particularly your insurance bill.

Glass Coverage: Most auto insurance salespeople recommend "full" glass coverage for an additional premium, when you purchase collision coverage for your car. They remind you how much it costs to replace all your windows if broken by a vandal. What they do not tell you, and it is unlikely that they would even know (I would only trust the answer from an underwriter, not a sales representative), is whether your insurance company will use a previous glass claim to increase your future premium and whether they will report your glass claims to C.L.U.E.

Some insurance companies will report glass claims to C.L.U.E. and then use these claims to raise your premium or even worse, cancel your car insurance policy making you assigned risk with a substantial premium increase. Allstate notified me that after four claims in less than five years, they terminated my auto insurance policy and then offered to sell me coverage in their Indemnity Company with a shocking premium increase. These claims consisted of two claims for a broken windshield, one for a stolen and recovered car and one accident.

I had a sports car and had to endure a total premium increase over a period of four years of approximately $12,000 and remain claim free before I became eligible for coverage outside of the assigned risk pool. I wrote a letter to the president of Allstate complaining that they should not have considered my glass claims when canceling my car insurance because the glass claims were made under a separate part of the policy for which I paid a separate and additional premium. Allstate responded in a letter stating "Although this claim activity does not indicate that you were directly at fault in each loss, the frequency and severity of the above losses was not within our range of acceptability. After careful review, I regret to inform you that we cannot reverse our original decision regarding the above policy. We have however continued to offer coverage in our Indemnity Company."

Tip: Check with the underwriting department of your insurance company to see if they will consider glass claims when assessing premiums or if they report glass claims to C.L.U.E. If yes, do not make a glass claim. The two windshields which Allstate provided me with were aftermarket windshields which would have cost me less than $300 each. During the last 30 years of my driving history, I have experienced two broken front windshields, one broken rear windshield and two broken side windows. While the financial risk of totaling a car can be substantial, the financial risk of replacing a windshield is comparatively insignificant. It does not make sense to file a glass claim if it will increase your premium. You may even want to decline this coverage altogether and save the premium.

Tip for leased vehicles: Some lease agreements require that the car be returned with an OEM windshield. If you lease a car and replace a front windshield using your "full" glass coverage, insist that the insurance company provide you with an OEM windshield from the manufacturer. If you pay for the windshield yourself, check your lease agreement carefully to see if you must use an OEM windshield from the manufacturer or if you can use an aftermarket windshield. Some people with leased cars who have replaced a windshield with an aftermarket windshield are shocked, when they return their car, to find that the leasing company is charging them $800 for a new OEM windshield, even though the aftermarket windshield is in perfect condition.

Car Rental & Towing Coverage: While it may be a good idea to have this coverage, it is not always a good idea to use it. Some people have realized that this coverage is not just available when an accident has occurred. For instance, some people have used the car rental coverage when their car was in a repair shop or the towing coverage when their car broke down on the road. As with glass coverage, using this coverage may be the same as filing a claim.

Tip: Check with the underwriting department of your insurance company to see if they will consider rental or towing claims when assessing premiums or if they report these claims to C.L.U.E. If yes, do not use car rental or towing coverage unless you have had an accident, in which case it will be part of the accident claim. If you are concerned about towing costs when your car breaks down, you can buy one of the roadside assistance memberships such as the one available from AAA which provides additional benefits not provided by your automobile insurance policy.