Eli Kahn asked:




When it has come time for a replacement convertible car top, a first thought will be what fabric to go with. Car lovers can argue for days whether a canvas or vinyl convertible top is the better choice for a vehicle; however, it seems that the decision between the two will actually be based less on the durability or longevity of the two top fabrics and more on personal taste. At the end of the day, a convertible will look great with either material you choose to replace it with, and you will still be able to enjoy the best part of the car: riding with the top down.

To put things in perspective, here are some factors to consider when choosing between a canvas or vinyl convertible top:

1. Look – The canvas convertible top will arguably win in the looks category because it more resembles the classic convertible look. Obviously this depends on the brand used, but the canvas convertible top still maintains that classy look that a lot of car owners are trying to achieve. The vinyl top looks great too, but can’t offer that soft-top appearance of the canvas.

2. Sound – For some car owners, a quiet ride is of utmost importance. This factor may go to canvas as well, because the wind won’t bounce noisily off of it as it may with the vinyl top. However, since many riders will generally ride with the top down as often as possible, this may not be an issue.

3. Cleaning – This can be a main factor when choosing what material is best for your car. The vinyl top is well known as easy to clean. Substances like tree sap or bird droppings, that will generally adhere deep into the canvas fabric, can easily be cleaned off the vinyl surface. Yet with proper maintenance, both tops can be kept looking at their best for many years.

4. Price – The price difference between the two can be upwards of $100, with the canvas having the higher price tag. This can be a main issue for some, but you may find yourself willing to pay the extra money if you feel the canvas is the right look for your car.

5. Environment – The environment the car will be exposed to may end up being a deciding factor as well. If the car will be kept in a garage when not in use, then you will be able to keep a canvas top looking its best for a long time. This isn’t an issue with the vinyl top, which can resist more of the wear and tear the outdoors throws at it. Obviously, the optimum situation for any convertible owner would be to live in a Southern Californian climate, which allows for top down riding all year round, and won’t cause as much wear when the top is up.

Clearly, regardless of which fabric is chosen for your replacement convertible top, you will be able to enjoy the benefits of your car for years to come.

Bryan

Al Bullington asked:




Online tires bypass several of the problems inherent in tire purchasing. Buying tires from online stores allows you to save in several ways. Some of which may not be readily apparent. Here are some of the advantages of buying tires online that may benefit you and your pocket book.

Comparison Shopping Bonanza

Online shopping for tires lets you quickly look at far more tire choices than you could ever hope to see in a local outlet. The whole shopping comparison experience gets done at lightening fast time. Plus you can compare all kinds of test data and get all kinds of recommendations at the touch of a button.

Another plus to the internet tire information includes all the tire owner reviews available at your fingertips. All those reviews can help no matter where you buy the tires.

Minimum Hassle

Eliminate the hassle of driving around looking at tires. Avoid listening to sales people who are trying to sell what they have. Avoid the hassle of making a major purchase with too little information. Get all that behind you with the use of the online tire buying resources.

Cheaper For A Reason

No store locations means less overhead for the online dealers. It also means they don’t get all the related auto business that tire dealers usually enjoy. Online sellers don’t install mufflers, install shocks, do front-end alignment or all the other similar service work.

By just concentrating on tires, wheels and a few related items, the online dealers make money by selling at lower prices and in higher volume. The truth is the online dealers really don’t directly compete with your local tire store. Here’s why…

The Tire Installation Trick

See, tires bought from an online source still must be installed. Guess who the installer is? Why it’s a local tire store.

All the online tire sellers have relationships with local dealers. Will that cause a problem for you? Not likely…

The local installer not only gets paid for installing tires you buy somewhere else, which is a good deal for them. They just got another customer in the door and that opens all kinds of opportunities for the local dealer. If they treat you right, they open up chances to do your service work. Why you may even buy the next set of tires from them.

See, the local installers win even if you buy tires from an online source.

Local Online Too

What’s more, many local dealers now have websites too. That way you can shop all over the Internet and then come right back to a your local dealer site armed with all kinds of information about price, models, quality and whatever information you need. Then just order the tires you want online and arrange for installation when the tires arrive at your local dealer.

Shopping online for tires means more than just skipping local dealers. The information available online makes it far easier to comparison shop and get the best tire for the least money. This also benefits your local dealer as well as the online sellers. It’s a win for everybody.

Hector

Tim Cartwright asked:


Everyone talks about comparing bargains when it comes to buying a new car. For one thing, car salesmen hate comparison shoppers. It’s all the reason you need to do it. The big question about comparison shopping, however, is that most people do not know how to do it all that well.

How exactly do you get your hands on the right information, reliable price quotes you can compare to other dealer’s bids?

The process of buying a car is entirely different from most other forms of buying. It is very different from buying a dishwashing machine or a refrigerator. When you’re buying something like this, you walk into a store, identify what you like, and ask how much it is. There’s a set price, listed very clearly on the product.

If you ask “how much is this one?” on a car lot, you are going to get strange looks from the salesmen within ear-shot. Buying a car is about negotiating. There is no sticker-price, per se. You definitely don’t want to pay the price that the dealer gives to you during the first exchange.

To be a savvy car buyer, you have to have the whole process down. You need to know the games that the dealerships are going to play and what you are going to do to stay in control. To talk prices, you need to know what you are doing.

Set out in your negotiations confidently. Don’t be afraid to cut to the chase and tell your dealer or dealers that you are receiving quotes from other sellers for exactly the car you want. Ideally, you should walk into a dealership with the best price. Most salesmen should be ready and waiting to beat your best price.

Unfortunately, the process of getting prices from dealers can be a little complicated if you don’t go about it the right way. In fact, talking money is a waste of time unless you have a definitive strategy.

Fortunately, there are several strategies you can pick up on quickly. The first actually allows you to do most of your work online. Most dealerships have their own Websites and email so you can reach out to them online to request a quote. By contacting multiple dealerships, you can see how the figures stack up.

If you want to conduct all of your research via AutoBidsOnline, you can determine a price you are willing to pay and submit a “Buy Bid” online. Dealers can then accept or counter the bid. On the other hand, if you contact the dealers directly to conduct your research, you may find that most dealers have automated systems allowing you to inquire about a specific car and receive an automated response explaining the price.

Once you have a few responses from dealers establishing a price for the car you want, you can start to prepare your bid for posting on AutoBidsOnline. The key is to establish that you have done your research and there are dealers out there ready to sell you your car for the price you quote. Politely, you can set about establishing your position. You are ready to give business to the first person who offers you a competitive price given the parameters established by your research.

If you have all of your finances in place, your position is even stronger. There is nothing like comparison shopping when you have your house of cards in order and money ready to spend. It opens the possibility of enticing the very best deals.

Particularly in this strained credit market, the customer with money available represents a much higher return on investment than the customer waiting on approval for their financing. After all, the dealer doesn’t have to spend ages persuading the consumer to take out a loan, to agree to an interest rate, to even commit to buying a car.

With AutoBidsOnline, comparison shopping to find your next new car not only becomes considerably easier, the process itself becomes more effective at keeping dealers in check.

When you’re ready to find your next car, don’t waste any time sitting around at your local showroom. Get online and study the market, post your bid, and shop for your best deal from a position of strength.

Tim Cartwright writes for AutoBidsOnline.com , a place to research car prices, new car comparisons, reviews, and much more. Build your own car specifications and get competitive quotes from car dealers in your area.



Patrick