“The biggest misconception is we’re loan sharks and we gouge on payment and we gouge on price,” he says.  “Although there are some that do, the vast majority of dealers out there are fulfilling a niche.  And making an honest profit and providing an honest service.”

To read the entire article, click here, or visit Express Auto to see how we are setting high standards for rest of the Buy-Here, Pay-Here industry.

Unlike previous years, where huge SUV’s and gas-guzzlers where the main spectacle, this years show featured smaller more efficient and higher performance vehicles.

From debuts like the 2013 Dodge Dart and the Mercedes-Benz SL 550 roadster, 2013 has many interesting prospects.  You can see all of the upcoming debuts on the review from NY Times.

While many agreed that the proposed standards are “sensible, achievable, and needed,” and saw a future where the regulations could even increase jobs for U.S. automakers and unions, Detroit Automakers had some “suggestions” for the law makers.

One of the major concerns for automakers dealt with whether or not costumers will actually buy these cars. Are they willing to spend more money on better fuel economy? This sort of concern would be addressed with a proposed “mid-term review.”

Sue Cischke, Ford vice president for sustainability, environmental & safety engineering said, “The midterm evaluation is an essential checkpoint to ensure the standards for these models are consistent with evolving market conditions.”

And Jay Wilton, Chrysler vice president of engineering and regulatory compliance agreed, “We believe the midterm review is critical in determining whether the customer is buying, and will continue to buy, the technology packages needed to comply with the standards year-over-year.”

So while automakers support all the differing reasons for the new fuel standards, they want to make sure they won’t be losing money in the process. What do you think?

To read the full article click here, or to find a large inventory of fuel economic cars, visit Express Auto.

• Speaking of blues, what’s more fun then enjoying a locally brewed beer and listening to live music? Bells Brewery in Downtown Kalamazoo offers tasty seasonal drinks accompanied by live bands. What’s better is that tickets are always cheap!

• Although sometimes we all want to curse the snow, many states would give anything to see powder on the ground, so why not celebrate the season! Grand Haven hosts an annual winterfest the last week of January. Here’s what their website says, “Winterfest is a full weekend of winter fun in Grand Haven, Michigan during the last week of January. The snow is upon us and with Michigan’s winters being long and cold, this is a perfect time to get out and be active. There are plenty of activities to keep everyone warm and having a great time. Wintrfest began in 1979 and has grown into a big event along the West Michigan shoreline. This is an interactive festival with many participants getting involved from the very young to the old. Activities are indoors as well as outdoors.” Visit their website to learn more!

• Like sports? Check out Western Michigan University’s Men’s big basketball game against rivals Central Michigan University. Dates and prices are listed on their website along with a whole slew of other sporting events. Go Broncos!Feeling artsy? Watch a Broadway show or attend a concert at Miller Auditorium. This season they will be hosting the Moscow Festival Ballet and shows like “Jersey Boys” and “Young Frankenstein.” Be sure to reserve your tickets soon! 

• If you’re brave enough to venture outside, ichigan offers tons of adrenaline pumping activities! From skiing and snowboarding to snowmobiling and even dog sledding! Check out Pure Michigan’s website to find some locations and sweet deals.

Lastly, if you’re really bored, you can always come visit your friends at Express Auto!

1. 1.       High gas taxes would be bad for the U.S.
2. 2.       Environmental regulations keep oil prices high
3. 3.       High octane gasoline improves mileage and improves “power”
4. 4.       If I use regular gas in a car that says “use premium gas only,” I will damage the engine
5. 5.       Diesel fuel is dirty

Need a car with better fuel economy? Express Auto has a large selection of fuel efficient cars that fit your budget!

Aside from just the price tag, another reason given by AOL’s recent article on the subject says that these tiny sleek cars will not appeal to families. Sure, automakers can “fill up showrooms with tiny, really expensive vehicles.[But]  given that the most popular vehicle in the U.S. has been the Ford F-150 pickup for 34 years in a row, there’s no evidence Americans want tiny cars.”

On the other hand, significant strides to better fuel economy have been made…

“We are seeing more cars topping 40 mpg in highway driving, and 30 mpg in combined city/highway driving, than ever before. The new Ford Explorer is much more fuel efficient than the old one, and is selling much better than the old model did in the last few years. The new Subaru Impreza has jumped from highway mileage in the mid-20s to the mid-30s, using every engineering trick available to hit those numbers.”

Are we as consumers ready to give up heated leather seats and Blu-Ray viewing options in exchange for better fuel economy? It’s a question that we may have to answer sooner rather than later. Because while the 60 MPG dream is still 13 years away, in the year 2016, new federal mandates will require all vehicles to get 34.1 MPG.

In the meantime, automakers and the environmentalists will continue to  fight over what the exact fuel economy of vehicles should be…But here at Express Auto we want to know : What do you think?

After congress passed the Durbin amendment in 2010, with the goal of protecting low-income consumers from high banking fees, the legislation actually left these consumers with lower banking options.

Why? Because in the long run, these costumers lose the banks money. Take the example given in the article:

“Let’s assume each deposit account costs the bank $250 a year to maintain regardless of the balance of the account. Adam deposits $10,000 into his bank account, while Brenda deposits $100. The bank loans out that money at 7 percent interest, making $700 off Adam and $7 off Brenda. They pay each customer an interest rate of 1 percent, meaning that Adam earns $100 in interest, and Brenda earns $1. But since each account costs the bank $250 to maintain, the bank makes $350 off Adam and loses $244 on Brenda.”

Before the recent legislation,  the banks would charge enormous over draft fees knowing that low-balance account holders are more likely to overdraft. And just a few of these mistakes over the  course of the year can eventually make the banks profit.

Now with strict limits on service and overdraft fees, the banks are serving less low-income consumers and the “underserved market is considered on of the fastest growing segments in the United States.”

To read the entire article and find out what the unbanked and underbanked can do about this problem, click here.

Why is this article important to us? Because at Express Auto we never turn anyone down. We work with you and your specific situation to get you back on the road to good credit and back on the road in a great car.

LifeHacker.com (one of the best blogs in the world) has an article on driving and cell phone use. Coming on the heels this week of the NTSB recommending the banning of ALL cell phone use while driving, it seemed appropriate to share.

The National Transportation Safety Board has voted to recommend that states ban the use of cellphones while driving. This controversial decision has some people upset and others pleased, believing that banning the use of cellphones will reduce the risk of accidents. We believe that cellphone use can absolutely pose a risk to safe driving, but that it doesn’t have to. Through a mix of studies, statistics, and often-ignored common sense, we can help you drive safer without giving up the use of your cellphone. Here’s how.

Black ice is the same as regular ice—The only difference is that it is transparent (making the name very misleading). The ice is formed by light freezing rain or snow that melts and then refreezes. Black ice forms without making any bubbles, allowing it to mold to generally any surface and extremely hard to detect.

Know the warning signs of black ice—Black ice usually forms most commonly in the early morning or at night, and just around the freezing point. Black ice also tends to form on roads without much sunshine, like a tunnel or a tree-lined route. Remember that bridges and overpasses are breeding grounds for black ice; the cold air is able to cool both the top of the bridge and under it, freezing the ice faster.

Know how to detect black ice—Black ice always forms in smooth glossy sheets, and in the right light you can detect the difference between the regular road and a part of the road with black ice.

Practice makes perfect—It never hurts to practice driving on slippery surfaces. Take a seasoned winter driver and find a large empty parking lot with ice on it. Practicing starting, breaking, and quick turns gives you the opportunity to see how your car reacts and handles when driving under such conditions.

Know what to do when you hit black ice—while your gut reaction may be to slam on the breaks, the best option is to stay calm, keep the steering wheel straight, and let the car pass over the ice. If you do feel the back of your car sliding left or right, gently turn the wheel in the same direction. Turning against the slide may cause the car to spin out. Also, take your foot completely off the accelerator and shift in to lower gears if possible.

Know what to do if you lose traction or skid—Stay calm. If you have an anti-lock braking system (ABS), simply apply firm pressure to the brakes and the car will pump the brakes during the skid. If you do not have ABS, pump the brakes gently yourself. Always steer the car in the direction you want to go, and if you go off road, try to steer into things like an empty field, yard, or fluffy snow bank—this will result in the least amount of damage.

Know what to do after you hit black ice—Once again, stay calm. Second, you want to get off the road as soon as possible. Ideally, you should head for a rest stop or diner—this will give any road crews time to respond and it will allow you to recover from the accident.

To learn more about this subject click here, or stop in to Express Auto of Southwest Michigan.