Government Car Auctions Versus General Auto Auctions
Posted by in Car Auctions on June 25, 2011
If your hunting for a quality used car, whether it be for second car, first car or too replace your old pride and joy you may have considered buying at auction.
Some people would never consider buying at auction, they probably don’t know much about cars and find great comfort in buying from a dealer in the belief that the vehicle is of sound quality, safe and that they have some protection if something with the car should go wrong. And for this they of course pay a premium.
But many other people, who may know and understand cars well, or they may have a limited budget, or may want to get the most value they can will often be quite interested in public auto auctions. This may be you.
There are many different types of car auctions held on a regular basis, so which one is right for you? Some auctions are only open to licensed dealers but the bulk are open to public. Some auctions will be broken into separate sale types, for example ex-corporate cars in one sale, ex-government cars in another, and general vehicles in another sale.
Many people favor the government vehicles due to the fact that they know where the vehicle comes from, its easy to get some idea of what sort of life the vehicle had and they know that it has been under a regular maintenance program.
Most cars in a ex-government sale will not be very old, generally maybe only one to two years with around 70,000 miles, some with less and the odd one with more. Custom modified vehicles, special purpose vehicles or very expensive vehicles may stay in service longer.
These vehicles generally sell for a substantial saving over buying retail via a dealer and in some cases, some vehicles may even have some factory warranty remaining. Read the rest of this entry »
Hagerty Classic Car Insurance – A Review of Their Benefits and Restrictions
Posted by in Classic Car on June 25, 2011
Classic car insurance from a specialty insurance company has a lot of advantages for those of us who own and drive a muscle car, antique car, or other collectible or special interest vehicle. These policies offer much better coverage for less money than a standard auto insurance policy. There is a lot to consider, though, when comparing classic car insurance companies. Each company has its own advantages and disadvantages, and it is important that you find the insurance company that offers the best fit for your situation.
Hagerty Classic Car Insurance has been offering specialty collector vehicle insurance since 1991, and is one of the largest and most well-known collector car insurance companies. They are car collectors themselves, so they understand the insurance needs of other classic car owners. Their policies offer:
- Agreed Value coverage – you receive the full insured amount in the event of a total loss
- A wide range of deductibles, from $0 and up
- Single liability charge, which saves you money on the premium if you have more than one classic vehicle insured
- In-house claims management – most claims are handled at Hagerty by a collector car insurance expert, seven days a week from April through October
- Repair shop of your choice – you get to choose the shop you want to handle any repairs
- Instant new purchase coverage – a new addition to your collection is automatically covered up to $50,000
- Car show medical reimbursement – clients and their family members get pre-determined medical coverage if they are injured at a car show
Hagerty Classic Car Insurance also offers special policies for coverage during an active restoration, for business-use endorsement, coverage during overseas shipping, and foreign liability and property damage if you take your car to an event overseas. You can get additional coverage for your automotive tools and memorabilia, spare parts, and even motorcycle safety equipment coverage. Hagerty also has a car club liability program.
The optional Hagerty Plus program offers even more benefits for its members, including emergency roadside assistance and flatbed towing coverage, a subscription to the Hagerty magazine, and access to the “Ask Hagerty” concierge service. They are active advocates on legislative issues related to the collector car hobby, and a portion of the membership fees go to support The Collectors Foundation, which provides scholarships and grants to organizations working to preserve the hobby through education and other avenues. Read the rest of this entry »
Introducing the 2007 Shelby Cobra GT500
Posted by in Cobra GT500 on June 25, 2011
Well Carroll has done it again! Although this time in a reduced role, the most powerful Mustangs to ever roll off the assembly line will bear the Shelby name. Within in the next few weeks the first 2007 Ford Shelby Cobra GT500′s will arrive at Ford dealers across the nation. To say this is the most anticipated Mustang in recent memory is an understatement. The right to buy the first GT500 manufactured sold at the Barrett Jackson auction for $600,000. Dealers are also regularly finding customers willing to pay upwards of $20,000 over sticker price for the chance to get their hands on one.
One would think with all buzz surrounding this car it would be closely scrutinized, and this one has and does not disappoint. Originally Ford engineers were shooting for 500 horsepower on this new Mustang. They then adjusted the number to 475, but just weeks before its release word leaked that it would be rated at 500 horsepower and 480 ft/lbs of torque, nearly matching Ford’s super car, the GT, which is rated at 550 horsepower.
This new SVT Mustang is much different than the last one, the 2003 Mustang Cobra. The power plant in the ’03 was a supercharged 4.6L rated at 390 horsepower. The 2007 will sport a supercharged 5.4L engine and will be rated at 500 horsepower, matching the total of domestic exotics such as the Dodge Viper and the Corvette Z06 but at a fraction of the price. The engineers began this project with a 5.4L truck engine. The heads were replaced with the aluminum heads from the Ford GT, custom camshafts, a Roots Style supercharger making 9lbs of boost, and a water to air intercooler.
Hiding beneath the supercharger is a new low profile intake manifold, the throttle body from the 6.8L truck engine program, an oversized radiator, increased cooling system and custom exhaust manifolds. The car does use the same transmission as the ’03 Cobra, the T-56.
The suspension is also upgraded from the Mustang GT. The front uses McPherson struts, where as the rear uses a three-link suspension, with a solid rear axle. Many experts have argued that using an obsolete rear suspension takes away from the GT500 being a state of the art performance car. However, SVT President Hau Thai-Tang says this causes no problem. This same rear suspension has been tested in a racing Mustang FR500C and has proven to provide a well balanced ride. The key to the GT500′s three link rear end is the panhard rod, which provides very accurate control of the rear axle. The GT500 does sit lower than the Mustang GT, uses recalibrated front and rear shocks, upgraded front and rear sway bars, and revised rates on the coil springs. Read the rest of this entry »