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Cheap Car Insurance in Utah

By on August 23, 2011 in Insurance by Market

Utah is one of the fastest growing states in the country. With its friendly business tax rates, sunny climate, relatively affordable housing, and abundance of outdoor recreation, Utah’s population has swelled significantly over the past several decades. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Utah was the third fastest growing state in the U.S. between 2000 and 2010. Its population increased by 23.1% to nearly 2.8 million residents.

Don’t Prioritize Convenience

Since car insurance laws vary by state, an increasing number of people are looking to buy cheap car insurance in Utah. While it may be easy to stop by your local auto insurance agent and buy a policy, we would not usually advise this. Most insurance agents sell only one company and thus it is very likely you are not paying the lowest car insurance rates.

This is especially true if you have multiple vehicles and other items you wish to insure as your home. While quality service and prompt claims assistance is important, you could literally be spending more than $500 per year for the convenience of meeting with a nearby insurance agent.

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Utah Car Insurance Laws

If you live in Utah, there are some basic insurance requirements drivers must follow. Utah drivers must have at least $25,000 per person/$65,000 per accident in bodily injury liability coverage, $15,000 per accident for property damage, and no-fault personal injury protection (PIP) coverage of $3,000. These minimum limits are the same whether you have a car, pick-up truck, van, or SUV.

PIP covers “reasonable and necessary” medical bills, a portion of lost wages, funeral expenses, and loss of essential services damages regardless of fault. Utah car insurance shoppers should strongly consider purchasing optional higher PIP limits to have more coverage as $3,000 is very little, in light of how expensive medical care is.

Optional Coverage

Other optional coverage types in Utah include: Uninsured/Underinsured motorist coverage, towing reimbursement, rental car coverage, collision and comprehensive, and gap insurance. Collision and comprehensive and gap may be required coverage types if your auto loan terms specify this.

Utah Drivers Can Pay Less

The good news for Utah drivers is that according to a study conducted by Insure.com, Utah is the 9th cheapest state in the country for car insurance. The study showed the average Utah driver pays $1,272 per year for auto insurance. In comparison, California drivers paid on average $1,991 per year for car insurance, which was the 6th highest rate among the 50 states and District of Columbia.

However, Utah drivers can save even more by comparing rates from multiple companies. That is why it is a good idea to use our Web site’s free, no obligation quote service to find low cost Utah Car Insurance or find your lowest rate for whatever your state is.

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Top 10 Sports Cars

By on August 22, 2011 in car buying

People love sports car. There is nothing cooler than driving around in a car that has awesome performance and really stands out from others on the road. This is especially true when the sun is out and the weather is warm. With a top sports car, you can become a star on the merits of your car alone. In today’s trying economic times, you’ve got to dare to dream, right?

In this light, we make our picks for the top ten sports cars under $250,000 for 2012. We kept it at this price as honestly anyone who spends more than this on a car than this really needs to reassess their priorities and donate amounts above this to charity.

Our top 10 sports car picks by alphabetic order are:

1. Aston Martin V12 Vantage – The brand made famous by James Bond. This model is a sleek, stylish British coupe that has an MSRP of about $185,000. Its offers a seven-speed auto-clutch manual transmission with a 5.9-lter 490 horsepower V12 engine.

The model is also offered with a significantly less expensive V8 engine that produces 420-430 horsepower. However, even at this price point, a navigation system is optional.

photo credit: Ryan Tir

photo credit: Hertj94

2. Audi R8 – This $200,000 all-wheel drive (AWD) Audi super sports car is offered with a 5.2-liter V-10 engine that produces a massive 560 horsepower. Bargain hunters will want to go with the 420 horsepower V8 model that starts at about $120,000.

This model is the Audi’s ultimate driving machine and with its AWD set up, is even well suited for the snow with the right tires. And since Volkswagen owns Lamborghini, Audi, and Bentley and shares parts among the brands, it is a relative bargain.

3. Ferrari 458 Italia – Truly a model that defines exotic sports cars. The 458 Italia has modern supercar styling with Ferrari’s classic 4.5-liter 557 horsepower V8 engine that goes from 0-60 in 3 seconds. This coupe starts at a price of $230,325.

photo credit: Ed Callow [ torquespeak ]

photo credit: Hertj94

4. Ferrari California – The cheapest Ferrari with a starting price of about $196,000. Not their best offering but if you need a Ferrari hardtop convertible go with this model.

5. Lamborghini Gallardo – Lamborghini continues to push Ferrari for defining the look of an exotic car. This model features essentially the same engine V10 that is found in the Audi A8. It offers buyers a range options including a convertible model and all-wheel drive at a price ranging from $194,000 to $253,000.

photo credit: Evolize

photo credit: Ed Callow [ torquespeak ]

6. Maserati GranTurismo – The model, which is offered as a coupe and convertible, has a Ferrari sourced V8 that produces more than 400 horsepower. It has a price range of about $122,000 to $145,000.

7. McLaren MP4-12C – The new super car in town. This model’s high-revving engine is based on a design intended for Indy Car racing. Its twin-turbo-charged V8 produces a massive 592 horsepower. This coupe model starts at a price of $231,400.

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8. Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG – Now offered as both a coupe and convertible. The model has a 6.2-liter 563 horsepower V-8 engine and costs up to $225,000.

9. Nissan GT-R – Super car performance at the relatively bargain price of about $95,000. This AWD model, which won Motor Trend’s 2009 Car of the Year Award, now features a 3.8-liter twin-turbo-charged V-6 engine that produces a massive 530 horsepower. This model is also the most fuel efficient of the group with fuel economy of 16-mpg city and 23-mpg highway.

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photo credit: 1:43

10. Porsche 911 – What best sports car list is complete without a Porsche? The 911 is all-new for 2012. The model is offered with a range of engine options. Its top engine produces 530 horsepower and has a 0-60 time of less than 3 seconds. The model’s price ranges from about $80,000 to nearly $250,000.

If you own one of these top 10 sports cars, you will undoubtedly attract a lot of onlookers and be the envy of many. If you must spend more than this, buyers can choose from the awesome $393,000 Lamborghini Aventador, which is a new model that replaces the Murcielago, the all-new Lexus LFA, the Ferrari FF (a new four-seat hatchback model starting at $300,000), the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano, and the Bugatti Veyron.

photo credit: Salon de Genève 2011 – Yahoo! Auto

photo credit: prayitno

The convertible Veyron is for the super rich with super egos (Simon Cowell owns one) and has a price of nearly $2 million. Its 8.0-liter 987 horsepower quad-turbo W16 engine is ridiculously fast with a top speed of 252 mph and even up to 224 mph with the top down. Consider this, the Nissan GT-R also has a sub 3 0-60 time but costs 1/20 the price of the Veyron.

You don’t have to spend between $100,000 and $250,000 to get a great sports car. There are several great used high performance sports cars for under $25,000, we featured in this post. In the meantime, start saving up by cutting your car insurance costs. Use our site’s free quote system to compare rates from leading insurers and save.

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Hybrid Sedan Comparison

By on August 20, 2011 in car buying

Car buyers performing a hybrid sedan comparison of 2012 models under $30,000 have four models to choose from: the Ford Fusion Hybrid, Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, Kia Optima Hybrid, and Toyota Camry Hybrid. Nissan has decided not to bring the Altima Hybrid back for 2012.

The Kia Optima Hybrid and Hyundai Sonata Hybrid are the newest models in the group, having debuted in 2011. As Hyundai owns Kia, the models have much in common and were built on the same platform. Each uses a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that produces a combined 166 horsepower.

photo credit: theKCB

photo credit: MSVG

The Sonata Hybrid is the most afford midsize 2012 hybrid sedan. It has a manufacturers’ suggested retail price (MSRP) of $25,795, with the Optima Hybrid having an MSRP of $26,500. Both models have modern designs so the choice really comes down to a matter of price and styling preference. The Sonata Hybrid is built in Montgomery, Alabama while the Optima Hybrid is built in Kia’s home country, South Korea.

The Optima Hybrid does get 1-mpg better in city driving at 36-mpg compared to 35-mpg in the Sonata. Both models get 40-mpg highway and have a great powertrain warranty of 10 years or 100,000 miles. Without the hybrid, the Sonata and Optima each have fuel economy ratings of 24/35 with engines that produce more than 30 horsepower more than the hybrid models.

Both the Sonata Hybrid and Optima Hybrid come standard with a six-speed automatic transmission, which is different than the Continuously Variable Transmission offered in the Fusion and Camry Hybrids.

The Toyota Camry Hybrid has the most powerful engine of the group with a 2.4-liter 187 horsepower engine. The 2011 model has an MSRP of $27,050. The model has a fuel economy rating of 31-mpg city and 35-mpg highway, which is the worst of the group.

With Toyota’s great hybrid technology displayed in models such as the Prius, it is surprising the company cannot get more efficiency out of the Camry Hybrid’s engine. A new generation Camry is coming soon, which hopefully will address this.

photo credit: digitizedchaos

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In our opinion, the best hybrid sedan for under $30,000 is the Ford Fusion Hybrid. The model helped bring the Ford Fusion the 2010 Motor Trend car of the Year Award. It is the most efficient hybrid of the group with fuel economy of 41-mpg city and 36-mpg highway. Thus, this model makes the most sense as a commuter car in city driving although Ford claims the model has a range of 700 miles on a full tank of gas. This is why we are choosing it as the winner in this hybrid sedan comparison.

However, the Fusion Hybrid is the most expensive model of the group with a starting MSRP of $28,600. It also has the least powerful engine with a combined output of 156 horsepower. The Fusion Hybrid is built in Mexico.

After being discontinued after the 2010 model year, Chevrolet is offering a hybrid system in its midsize Malibu, although it is a mild hybrid dubbed eAssist. eAssist does boost fuel economy but not nearly as much as a full-hybrid system. Its 2.4-liter 180 horsepower four-cylinder engine is expected to return 26-mpg city and 38-mpg highway.

This hybrid sedan comparison should help shoppers pick the model that is right for them. All of these models have power seats standard with available optional features that include leather seats, sunroof, and navigation.

Buyers on a budget may also wish to consider the more affordable compact Honda Civic Hybrid. Of course, the 2012 Toyota Prius and Honda Insight are both worth checking into if you want a hybrid hatchback model. And if you want luxury, check out our recent luxury hybrid cars article.

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Best Car Brands

By on August 18, 2011 in car buying

The report from the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) evaluation was published for 2011, detailing how auto brands have fared over the past year with customer satisfaction. The evaluation is a national economic indicator and it is important that automakers have a strong ranking. The ACSI uses a 0-100 point scale.

The big news in 2010 was that Lincoln and Buick were the two top car brands in the evaluation, which is the first time that has happened. The study is based on interviews with thousands of customers.

This was a boost for Detroit as Japanese automakers’ numbers waned in light of the fallout from the recall of models from Toyota and Lexus. However, in 2011, the numbers have largely reversed course.

According to the ACSI, the ten best car brands for 2011 (with scores included) were:

- Lexus, 87
- Cadillac, 87
- Toyota, 87
- Lincoln, 86
- Mercedes-Benz, 86
- Buick, 85
- Honda, 85
- Ford, 84
- Nissan, 84
- Volkswagen, 84

photo credit: Ed Callow [ torquespeak ]

photo credit: Hugo90

Thus, while Cadillac has remained strong, Lincoln and Buick slipped for 2011 while Japanese auto brands Lexus and Toyota rose in the ratings. Cadillac, Lexus, and Toyota were the best car brands overall. Among other brands, BMW took a noticeable dip of 3 points to a score of 83, finishing out of the top 10, tied with GMC and Hyundai. 83 was the average score among brands.

Chrysler did not fare well in the ACSI study. The last placed finishers were Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep, respectively. Chrysler finished with just a 76. Mazda was the worst performing Japanese car brand with a score of 79, tied with Jeep.

This survey has been conducted since 1995. The historical scores show that some auto brands have made huge strides during that time. For example, in 1999, Hyundai had a paltry score of 68 while in 2011, it scored an 83, a 15 point rise. Most brands have improved their score over the past 16 years. However, Chrysler’s scores have actually dipped over that time from 82 to 76, making them the worst car brand for customer satisfaction.

Customer satisfaction is very important for automakers as it leads to good word-of-mouth, positive advertising, and repeat sales. Companies with strong customer satisfaction are likely to do well in the sales department.

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Worst Cars of 2012

By on August 18, 2011 in car buying

Car buyers have a lot of great models to choose from for 2012. There are innovative new designs, increased fuel efficiency, excellent standard safety features, and more power in many models. The automotive press will publish their Car of the Year and Ten Best lists, highlighting their top picks for the new model year.

But instead of looking at the many good models to choose from, we take a contrarian’s view and make our picks for the worst cars of 2012.

1. Smart fortwo – The novelty of its unique styling and diminutive size has worn off and reality has set in. This tiny 2-seat coupe’s 1.0-liter 70 horsepower engine gets fuel economy nearly equivalent to many much larger, more powerful, more spacious, and safer models.

If you really need a car this small, consider the new 2012 Scion iQ. It is a little larger than the smart but is smaller than the Mini Cooper.

photo credit: MSVG

photo credit: João Paulo Cars

2. Mitsubishi Galant – This midsize sedan really lags its peers such as the Hyundai Sonata and Honda Accord. If you must buy a Galant, go for the SE trim as it has navigation system, backup camera, and 18-inch alloy wheels.

3. Dodge Caliber – This antiquated compact hatchback is in its sixth model year in 2012. The engine has changed little since that time. The model gets up to 32-mpg highway while many of its competitors reach 40-mpg highway. Even the Chevy Equinox SUV gets 32-mpg highway.

On the positive side, it is expected that Chrysler will replace the Caliber with a new compact model in 2013.

photo credit: NathanF

photo credit: MSVG

4. Mitsubishi Eclipse – This sporty couple and convertible has been around for more than 20 years but 2012 will be its last model year. Mitsubishi is offering a special edition trim to commemorate it. It has smoke-colored rims and unique decals and costs more than $30,000.

The Eclipse’s engine and transmissions let it down. It offers an antiquated four-speed automatic in the base and an inefficient 3.8-liter 265 horsepower V6 engine in higher trim lines.

photo credit: The Central Florida Mills Adventure & Eco Squad

photo credit: FotoSleuth

5. Chevy Impala – The 2012 Impala is the model’s seventh year of its current generation. The Impala is actually significantly better than it was in 2011. It adds a modern V6 engine that massively boosts horsepower by 89 to 300. Steering and suspension are improved and 16” inches wheels are standard.

Unfortunately its rental car styling and weak interior still sink it. A new Impala is expected for the 2014 model year.

This list of the five worst cars of 2012 should provide a starting point for models to avoid. There are much better cars on the market for buyers to choose from.

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Cheap Car Insurance in Utah

Don’t Prioritize Convenience

Utah Car Insurance Laws

Optional Coverage

Utah Drivers Can Pay Less

Top 10 Sports Cars

Hybrid Sedan Comparison

Best Car Brands

Worst Cars of 2012

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