Buying a Car on Finance

We all want a new car some more than others and for many this means finance with many of us paying too much for the finance as we did not shop about before we purchased the car so here is some useful information to help you save money on your car finance payments.

Before you go and look for a new car set your budget and go window shopping as it is called but never commit to buy at this stage.

Find between 4-6 cars that you like and would purchase if you had the money within budget of course. Also remember that there are millions of cars to choose from so do not be pressured into a sale at this point.

Find out the trade in value being offered for your existing vehicle from the garages you have selected the 4-6 cars from and then check what they are offering against what you can from a website such as we buy any car and compare the difference you may find you will get more from the website than what the garage is offering you which will save you even more money as your deposit will become bigger.

Next look online for the amount you need to borrow as using comparison websites can generally save you money on what the garage will offer you and what your bank will offer you. The difference can be substantial over the term of the loan so it is important to check these things.

Next you need to decide what insurances you need with your new car and these can include

GAP insurance
 
Generally this will cover any difference in the outstanding finance to the car value in the event the car is written off

Car Insurance
 
Always get insurance quotes using comparison websites as this can save you a lot of money each year

Protection Insurance
 
Sometimes called payment protection insurance which will make your finance payments in case you become ill have an accident and can’t work or are made redundant but always check the small print of these types of policies and shop about online if you decide you need this cover.

By following the above you could save hundreds if not thousands of pounds on your new car purchase so it is well worth doing and may be the difference between you changing your new car every 3 years instead of every 5 years because your payments and the amount you are paying back is far less.

Good luck with your new car hunting and happy motoring I hope this has been of some help to you.

Suzuki DR200SE

Learning with Enduro Motorcycles: Suzukis DR 200 SE


Enduro motorcycles make great first motorcycles. The big benefit with learning off road is that you'll usually have no vehicular traffic with which to contend - a big safety thumbs up. And, because riding off road is much more physical, your riding skills sharpen exponentially quicker than strictly street riding.

Suzuki DR200SE

Engine Size: 199cc
Motorcycle Style: Dual Purpose (Enduro)
Good Beginner Motorcycle? Certainly!
Pros: Lowest price, largest fuel capacity among the new models in its class of the big-4 manufacturers.
Cons: Even with the smallest engine, it’s still not the lightest or the shortest model.
Price: $ 3,899 New, 2005 ($50 price increase for 2006 model.)

The Suzuki DR200SE has the smallest engine of the three beginning enduro motorcycles I’ve covered here, but it’s not the lightest and it doesn’t have the lowest seat height either. It is priced competitively, a few hundred dollars or so less than the Yamaha XT and Kawasaki’s expensive KLR. And, the Suzuki does have the largest fuel capacity by a good half-gallon. That right there must be worth 30 miles or so. If you want the best new beginning enduro motorcycle upon which you can get gone and still get back, the DR 200SE may be your bike.

As with the other 2 entry level enduro motorcycles, Suzuki smartly outfitted the DR 200 with a disc brake on the front fork with a drum style brake on the rear wheel.

Riders-to-be looking for good beginning enduro motorcycles who are short and/or small in stature and/or young and inexperienced actually have some decent machines to choose from. If you’d like another option besides Kawasaki’s kickstart-only KLR 250 or the Yamaha XT 225, take a look at this competent Suzuki DR 200SE, a great looking, lightweight, affordable dual purpose cycle.

Adventure Awaits on Enduro Motorcycles!

As an enduro motorcycle, the DR 200 will serve you well on gravel or unimproved roads, fire roads, and APPROVED City/County/State/Federal off road motorized riding areas. Also, you'll be a different kind of motorcyclist if you choose to ride dual purpose machines. Suzukis DRZ400 has been widely acclaimed as a cliff-jumping bike made street legal - I also really like (as do the professional reviewers) Suzukis DL Strom pair of cycles (the 650cc and the 1000cc flavor). A new moniker - Adventure Bike - has been given to dual purpose rides quite recently. The Indiana Jones in you may be the one writing the check when you choose to buy an adventure bike. Life is short; why not have a DP and a regular street bike, too, for the best of both worlds?

Interceptor 700

Interceptor 700: Curious Political Machine Of All Honda Interceptors

In 1984, there were four models of Honda Interceptors available for sale. The 1000, the 750, the 500... and the 700. This tariff-beating 700cc was Honda motorcycles' way of getting around the newly-enacted Danforth Tariffs which placed a disproportionate tax on all imported motorcycles displacing more than 700 cubic centimeters. Harley-Davidson was the intended beneficiary.

Honda Interceptor 700
Engine Size: 698cc
Motorcycle Style: Sport
Good Beginner Motorcycle? Uh, sorry, not on your life.
Pros: One of the best sporting bikes to ever roll off the assembly lines; power delivery is butter.
Cons: The 700 did lose something in the translation from de-stroking.
Price: $3,598 (New, 1984)

If you were involved in motorcycling in the mid-1980's you no doubt recall the Reagan-era tariffs that exacted a stiff toll on imported motorcycles. Those motorcycles with engines larger than 700cc's had a rather large tax slapped on them as they passed through United States customs, and this extra cost was invariably passed on to consumers, as nature intended. Perhaps this tariff was intended only on motorcycles originating in The Land of The Rising Sun...?

The 1983 Honda Interceptor 750 cost $3,498; due to the tariff, the cost jumped up to $4,396 in 1984. Honda's 1000 Interceptor was a scant few hundred dollars more. Honda motors had to reply. In response, Honda destroked a portion of the 750 Interceptors and turned them into Tariff-Busters. All it really took was shortening the 4 connecting rods 3mm or so, and voila! Same cycle, less engine displacement volume, $800 less. What a crazy world.

Now, when all this was going on, I was but a boy of 15 summers and none too savvy of the world's curious balancing of economic subtleties. I read, month after month, in my Cycle magazine subscription issues that the reason for this tariff was to protect one Harley-Davidson, Incorporated, against the onslaught of cough**superior**cough Japanese motorcycles. It was hoped that the playing field would be leveled and help boost Milwuakee's factories sell more of their two-wheeled cars in the face of this onslaught of more efficient metric motorcycles. Due to this belief, I fostered a loathing of all things Harley and vowed to never have anything to do with them or their loud, big, slow, heavy, greasy-bearded motorcycles. I have since tempered my teenage angst - I would gladly accept a V-Rod anyday. But I digress. We're discussing the Honda Interceptor 700.

The Honda Interceptor 750 was first released in 1983 as the VF750 Interceptor. It was unlike any motorcycle seen up till then. It looked like it took a wrong turn off of the pits and found its way onto the Honda dealership floor. The colors, the compactness, the seating position were so revolutionary. And I thought the Nighthawk S was an alien thing.

The 700 Interceptor, like the other Honda Interceptors, featured a 90-degree vee-four liquid-cooled DOHC 4-valves-per-cylinder engine. Transmission hummed through 5 gears. Keeping all this power in check were twin-piston dual-disc brakes on the front wheel and a single disc brake on the rear wheel. The 700 weighed 543 pounds when its 4.8 gallon tank was full. It ran a quarter-mile from 0 to 108 mph in 12.63 seconds, and it churned 66.8 horsepower at 9,500 rpm. The 750 Interceptor did take a cut in power by reducing its 4 connecting rods 3mm. Eh... what's an Island Country of technologically advanced motorcycles to do to save a buck? The Harley Davidson 883 Sportster's quarter-mile runs weren't timed by the use of a stopwatch so much as a calendar. Speed was not the 883's intention.

The Honda Interceptors were made for one thing - cutting through twisty roads like they were straight. I also think they were clearly Honda's answer to Kawasaki's venerable GPz motorcycles. And man, if the Honda Interceptors didn't take a huge bite out of the GPz thunder. Oh, the GPz's competed. But remember, Kawasaki was working at their own drawing board. If the Honda Interceptors brought Kawasaki to the negotiating table, then Kawasaki Ninjas brought Honda back... Suzuki upped the ante with the release of the GSX 1000R in 1986...and then the next-gen Honda CBR Hurricanes in 1987...

The 80's were a fun time to be a motorcyclist!

Honda Rebel

Honda Rebel: Is It The Best Beginner Motorcycle?

The Honda Rebel gets my recommendation as a Best Beginner Motorcycle. If you're thinking about a cruiser motorcycle and you're a beginner, I can't make a better recommendation than this, the Honda Rebel.

CMX250C
Years Available: 1985-Present
Engine Size: 250cc
Motorcycle Style: Cruiser
Appropriate Beginner Motorcycle? THE BEST
The absolute epitome of what a best beginner motorcycle should be
Pros: Very manageable, nimble, confidence-inspiring, lots of accessories
Cons: It's not going to be the most powerful motorcycle you'll ride...but that's not a bad thing
Estimated Used Price Range: $1,000-$3,000 ($3,099 New in 2005)
Quote overheard about this cycle: "Dude, no way that's a 250. It looks too cool."

Originally introduced in 1985, Honda makes this very stylish motorcycle with the motorcycle beginner in mind. The 250cc size is a great engine size at which to begin - not too much power, but enough to get you around comfortably when your skills do improve. My second motorcycle was a 1983 Honda Custom 250, and Honda used the engine from that cycle as the power plant for the Rebel. Talk about a time-tested engine. 234cc of piston displacement, will get you moving confidently at first, making this engine size the best choice for a best beginner motorcycle. Later, you'll appreciate the cycle's ability to carry you at freeway speeds when you are ready for such riding. You can take comfort in knowing that the Honda Rebel is Honda's current longest-running street motorcycle model. Thousands upon thousands of motorcycle beginners got their start on this great cruiser.

A Best Beginner Motorcycle for Cruisers In Training!

For $3,099 you get a very stylish cruiser. Solid engine performance that's decades proven, a very inviting, low slung seat height, killer gas mileage (probably the best mpg motorcycle out there next to Kawasaki's Eliminator 125 which ain't freeway safe). For 2005, you also can have your Rebel in a gorgeous Candy Orange paint that definately doesn't look like everyone else's cruiser motorcycle! And, Honda saw fit to give the Rebel a disk brake on the front wheel. Why is this a notable feature? Disk brakes are much more effective than drum brakes, and you want a disk brake system up front. During braking, weight of the motorcycle and rider transfers up front (that's why cars and cycles dip forward during hard braking) and you want powerful stoppers up front. More weight demands better braking power.

The inclusion of a disk braking system and gorgeous color options make this a choice for best beginner motorcycle, one that you'll enjoy for years to come.

At 306 pounds, the Rebel weighs only 15 more pounds than a bike half its size - the Motorcycle Safety Foundation school trainer workhorse, Kawasaki Eliminator 125. The Rebel is only 2 more pounds than the super-fly-weight canyon carving fun bike extraordinare, the Kawasaki Ninja 250. If you want to spend $400 more for a more stylish V-twin engine, look at the Yamaha Virago 250. The Virago also comes fitted with way cool dual chrome staggered exhaust pipes, but the Virago is only available in black. Honda offers the 2005 Rebel in black and that crazy cool Orange Candy color. For 2006, the Rebel will be available only in black and a Pearl White. If you're crazy about that super-unique orange, hurry down to your Honda dealer and scoop one up before they disappear!

Used Honda Rebels

You'll have no trouble finding a good used Honda Rebel for sale. If you're looking for your second third motorcycle, then have fun shopping. A caveat for beginners, though: I'm not shy in recommending beginners buy new motorcycles only.

You have plenty of stimulation starting out, and having road-worthiness as a concern is too much to worry about. Not to say that all new motorcycles will be 100% trouble free or that used motorcycles are all ticking time-bombs. With a new motorcycle, a warranty comes included and you'll have the peace of mind knowing that yours is the only butt who's sat in your motorcycle's seat.

You'll also know for sure the mechanical history and riding style the bike has operated under. Simply put, there's no previous-rider abuse to worry about and for a new motorcycle rider, that's one less headache. You'll enjoy this best beginner motorcycle as it rolls out off of the dealer's floor brand new, and it will give you great pride and joy for years.

I wouldn't recommend a used Honda Rebel motorcycle to you if you're a beginning rider. If you're getting a Rebel as your third or so motorcycle, then I'd say, Great. Just know that novice motorcycle riders aren't known for their, shall we say, "smooth operating touch."

If You Like the Honda Rebel, You Might also Like:

• Kawasaki Eliminator 125



• Kawasaki Vulcan 500 LTD



• Yamaha Virago 250



• Suzuki GZ 250



• Honda Nighthawk 450

Honda Nighthawk 450

A very popular, versatile, competent and stylish motorcycle for novice motorcyclists, I wish we had more cycles like the 450 around today. Nighthawk 450 motorcycles populated my high school’s parking lot in SoCal, and they made my little 15 year old heart green with envy.

An Ideal Beginning Motorcycle

Yep, I gush over lots of motorcycles - even those I've not had the pleasure of owning. Sue me. The Nighthawk 450 was such a popular bike when I was in high school in the mid-80's. Reviewers gushed over the then littlest Nighthawk, and that's probably more important than my praisings of the bike. It looked and performed more expensive than its $1,698 to $1,998 price, depending on model year. It was truly an ideal starter motorcycle.

Well balanced, solid feel, peppy acceleration, and good brakes were standard on this motorcycle. Experienced riders heaped praise on the 450, claiming its value as a limited range touring cycle was an overlooked benefit at its low price point. In a September ‘85 magazine, a veteran tester was impressed with the ‘hawk’s touring abilities. Winding back roads is where the 450 shone. On the open road, he dubbed it "a smooth operator" (Road Rider, pg. 45.) It simply filled many roles well.

The power wasn’t overwhelming, but I absolutely dug – and continue to dig – the Nighthawk’s styling. Fantastic macho lines, just enough chrome, a seat that stitched in a pattern that indicated Honda actually cared about this motorcycle … In comparison, Honda’s only surviving Nighthawk, the 250, looks unfinished yet costs nearly twice as much.I would love to own a 1985 or 1986 version today. She looks like the girl next door type, the type to whom you don't give enough credit but regret it years later. There are probably a few good samples of the ol’ 450 'hawk around here and there.

"It’s a timeless machine we’ve never needed more than now" (Cycle, December 1986.) Prophetic. Even more true today in my opinion. Current makes and models force you to choose either total cruiser or full-on back-killing sport bike. An affordable, competent, truly “standard” motorcycle is hard to come by today. In the 80’s it seemed easier. At least Honda tried to please all of the people with the Nighthawk 450 with this excellent all-around ride.

What’s out there now that comes close to this classic? Yamaha’s FZ6 ($6,600 new in 2004 but I’ve seen some models around the $5,600 mark recently.) Suzuki's two decent middle-weight do-it-all bikes, the SV650 and Bandit 600. Honda Nighthawk 750 from a few years ago, or the Honda Hornet 599 (which was kinda pricey at $7,100 in 2004, its last year, at least here in the U.S.)

Kawasaki KLR 250

Enduro motorcycles make great first motorcycles. The big benefit with learning off road is that you'll usually have no vehicular traffic with which to contend - a big safety thumbs up. And, because riding off road is much more physical, your riding skills sharpen exponentially quicker than strictly street riding.


Kawasaki KLR 250

Years Available: 1902-current
Engine Size: 249cc
Motorcycle Style: Enduro - Dual Purpose
Good Beginner Motorcycle? YES
As long as you can manage to throw your leg over its high seat!
Pros: Liquid cooled, 6 speed transmission, protective skid plate, attached rear pouch.
Cons: Pricey little number, kick start only, heaviest of the beginning enduro motorcycles
Price: 2005: $4,249.

The Kawasaki has the largest engine of the three beginning enduros (249cc vs Yamahas XT 223cc vs Suzukis DR200SE 198cc.) It is by far the heaviest of the trio (20 full pounds more than the next.) It's the only entry-level model with liquid cooling, which is a great feature, especially if you plan on riding in your share of paved traffic. It does have the best suspension travel, 9.1 inches both front and back.

As with the other 2 entry level enduro motorcycles, Kawasaki outfitted the KLR with a disc brake on the front fork with a drum style brake on the rear wheel.

As an enduro motorcycle, the KLR will serve you well on gravel or unimproved roads, fire roads, and APPROVED City/County/State/Federal off road motorized riding areas. Also, you'll be a different kind of motorcyclist if you choose to ride dual purpose machines. Suzukis DRZ400 has been widely acclaimed as a cliff-jumping bike made street legal - I also really like (as do the professional reviewers) Suzukis DL Strom pair of cycles (the 650cc and the 1000cc flavor). A new moniker - Adventure Bike - has been given to dual purpose rides quite recently. The Indiana Jones in you may be the one writing the check when you choose to buy an adventure bike. Life is short; why not have a DP and a regular street bike, too, for the best of both worlds?

Yamaha RZ350

Motorcycle of the Year Candidate: Yamaha RZ350: 2 Stroke Purist Weapon


Yamaha RZ350

Years Available: As this particular iteration, 1984 only
Engine Size: 350cc
Motorcycle Style: Sport
Appropriate Beginner Motorcycle? NO
(It may have a small engine, but it was a potent racer)
Pros: Incredible replica racer, intensive true sport motorcycle
Cons: Suspension was very sensitive; different engine mechanics and riding strategy compared to 4 stroke sport motorcycles.
Estimated Used Price Range: $1,500 - $4,000 ($2,399 New in 1984)

"We promise you. This motorcycle will never bore you or gently romance you with lulling softness. The RZ is as intense as a medieval call to arms." (Cycle magazine, June 1984, p.71)

The Yamaha RD350 of the 1970's was given a good going over for this new RZ iteration, and it was aimed primarily at enthusiasts, purists of sport riding. First off, know that it is a 2-stroke engine. Engine braking simply does not exist with 2-stroke motorcycles as it does for 4 strokes. Let off the gas with a 4 stroke and the engine will retard its forward momentum. Let off the gas with a 2 stroke, and you'll coast for quite a while. This creates a different riding strategy. "Four stroke riders without two stroke experience will find the RZ amazing and peculiar" (Cycle magazine, June 1984, page 75.) The forward momentum is pretty much all off or all on with these guys. We're told that the Yamaha RZ350 works great on the freeway, but not well at all as a commuter where stop-and-go traffic plays havoc. Engine heat pegs the temperature gauge to the red easily, despite the radiator's best intentions.

One-tenth of Yamaha's production costs went into the exhaust system and mufflers. Two -strokes aren't exactly ecologically the soundest of power sources, and much engineering attention and tinkering was necessary to bring the emissions to 49-state standard (California has not had the pleasure of the RZ350's company, alas.) The RZ doesn't do two-up riding. Passengers aren't allowed despite the seating. And, reviewers have complained about the Yamaha RZ's suspension settings. Very fickle, the shock absorbers need constant tweaking and experimentation depending on what type of riding, and over what type of road conditions you want to ride. The RZ is blessed with excellent brakes - your "safety net" on those hard charging backroad hooligan sessions. And one other small detail - the RZ is kick start only! Another nod to nostalgia-replica-racing, no?

For me, there's just something special about sub-500cc sport bikes that I find ethereal. I've been fond of the replica racer Yamaha FZR400 from the late 1980's and the Honda CB1 400cc naked sport bike. Both earned a spot on my dream garage roster.

See, I'm not a big fan of top speed capabilities of motorcycles. Riding a motorcycle much above 90 mph just isn't my idea of fun. But taking the twistiest (think 25 mph turns) on a lithe, light, maneuverable little fighter is a blast. I had a few motorcycling friends when I was stationed at Kelly AFB in San Antonio. I had my new Kawasaki EX (Ninja) 500, they had a Hurricane 1000 and a new Kawasaki ZX-7 (with a rear tire the size of an SUV's). For sure, they left me behind on the gradual, swooping turns - I wasn't willing to go past 100 mph... But I lost them on the 25 mph turn segment, though. Flick-flick-flick... I like working gears, acceleration, and positioning over all-out speed. (Pay no attention to the Yamaha V-max in my carport.) Plus, the law enforcement response to slower speed fun is less severe than zipping along at three digits.

But what's out there now, if not an RZ 350, FZR 400, or CB1?

The Ninja 250 is. A good choice for beginners, but the littlest Ninja has plenty to offer experienced riders, too. There's plenty of engine exploration on a motorcycle with a redline of 14,000 rpm. The FZR and RZ had neat replica racing styling, though, styling that the Honda CB1 and Ninja 250 just don't have.