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Government Car Auctions Are Great Source For Car Deals

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It is no secret that government agencies at the local, state and federal levels regularly hold used car auctions. However, most people do not know where to find these kinds of auctions or how to be a participant. The government car auctions can be a wonderful source for getting your hands on a tremendously discounted vehicle. It is well worth the time to learn about them.

Many people are only interested in a government car auto to get a reliable car for the family and save some money in the process. However, there are some people who turn big profits by frequenting these government auctions, snapping up all the deals they can, and then turning around and selling these same vehicles at their used car dealership for twice the price, or more, of what they paid at the auction.

Dealers who buy multiple cars from government car auctions are not bandits. One of the things that many people fail to realize when they first attend one of these auto auctions is that all of the cars are sold without any kind of warranty, or in the “as is” condition, and that all sales are absolutely final.

For the car dealer who uses a government car auction to get a number of cars for his dealership on a regular basis, this means that there will be a percentage of the cars that are in need of a considerable amount of repair work before they can be resold. Most of the time, these dealers have a staff of mechanics that can deal with these problems, so in many ways it can be better that the dealers get these cars that have hidden problems because they can handle these issues more easily than an average consumer can.

For people who have the skills and equipment to work on cars themselves, a government car auction can be the perfect way to get a car at a price that is almost a steal. But, if you don’t know a lot about the mechanical workings of a car, then it might not be quite as wonderful. The car you end up bidding on and winning may be reliable, or it could be a lemon. Just keep in mind that it is the responsibility of the bidder to determine the condition of the vehicle before they start bidding on it. Once you are awarded the winning bid, you are committed and the car is yours.

You will find that you will get the most unbelievable prices at the government car auctions if you attend one that hasn’t been widely publicized, since few people will be there to bid against you. Do some detective work to track down the information on the local government auto auctions, instead of waiting around for ads about the events. If you put in the time to get the car auto auction schedules, then you will probably end up saving a huge amount of money when you are ready to bid and buy.

Add comment October 19th, 2008

Features of Hybrid SUV Models

Hybrid sports utility vehicles (SUVs) are high performance vehicles that are compatible to using two distinct sources of power- the gasoline engine and the electric motor. This provides a fuel efficient source of power.

The ‘milder’ hybrids are dependent primarily on the gas engine. They use a small electric motor/ generator to supplement this. There are also ‘strong’ hybrids in which the electric motor is given a larger role enabling it to propel the car on its own at low speeds.

Hybrid SUV Models

Toyota and Lexus are providers of hybrid SUVs. Honda provides the mild hybrids. These are the ones that rely mainly on the gas engine while using a small electric motor or generator to supplement it. Toyota Prius and Ford Escape Hybrid are examples of strong hybrids which have a larger role ascribed for the electric motor.

Features and Functionalities of Hybrid SUVs

The pathway of energy for the Hybrid SUVs can vary to wide extents. This depends upon various conditions and demands of the driver. Usually it is the electric motor that provides most of the momentum while driving at lower speeds despite the engine revving. The excessive power from the engine is absorbed by the smaller motor or generator and then routed back to the main motor to be used either for providing the energy to move the car or for charging the battery pack.

A simple system is involved in the Hybrid SUV setup. No rotating belt is there as in case of conventional Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). There are simply two electric motors and a gas engine that is permanently linked together using a planetary gear set. The driver can perceive nothing but only a smooth flow of power in spite of the fact that there is a lot of variation in the different modes.

There is a third electric motor or generator in case of the RX400h and Highlander Hybrid 4WD-i – two models of Hybrid SUVs. It is worth noting that the front-wheel-drive Highlanders do not have this motor. These Hybrid SUV models have none of the typical elements present in an all-wheel-drive system, namely, individual drive shafts connecting the front and rear axles and a center differential varying the power split. The independent third electric motor or generator rated for 68 hp and 96 lb-ft of torque is instead built into a rear transaxle.  It is only in times of need like during hard acceleration or starting on a slippery surface that the rear electric motor comes into play. While moving under force of gravity (coasting) and braking, this rear electric motor acts as a generator. In other circumstances the two models work as front drive SUVs.

Add comment October 19th, 2008