17 Weird And Wonderful Car Facts You Need In Your Life

1. The world's first speeding ticket was issued in 1902

How fast was the offending motorist traveling? A scandalous 45 MPH!

2. 1 in 4 cars on the UK’s road were made in China

Which is a lot, given that there are around 35 million cars in the UK.

3. A modern Formula 1 car can drive upside down in a tunnel at 120mph

F1 cars produce around 3.5G while cornering, meaning they’ve enough aerodynamic downforce to drive upside down in a tunnel.

4. 60 million cars are produced every year

That’s 165,000 a day, 6,875 an hour and 115 a minute — crazy right?

5. 1 billion cars are currently in use around the world

Compared to the world’s population, that’s around one car for every seven people on Earth.

6. The average British driver will spend around 99 days of their life stuck in traffic

Sorry to be depressing, but it’s true. Our advice is to try not to think about it.

7. It would take less than a month to get to the moon by car

That’s right — drive straight up at an average of 60mph, and you could get to the moon in under a month.

8. The average car contains over 30,000 unique parts

When you think about it, it’s a miracle they don’t break down more often.

9. 75% of all cars produced by Rolls Royce are still on the road

It seems Rolls Royce owners really love their cars.

10. Volkswagen owns twelve well-known car brands from 7 European countries

Including Volkswagen Passenger Cars, Audi, Seat, Skoda, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Porsche, Ducati, Volkswagen Commerical Vehicles, Scania and MAN.

11. The first ever car accident occurred in 1891

This prompted the introduction of better safety equipment for drivers.

12. The largest speeding fine ever produced was €1,000,000

This was levelled at a man in Sweden, who was clocked doing 180mph. In Sweden, speeding fines are proportionate to the amount someone earns.

13. The world record for removing and replacing a car engine is 42 seconds

This record was set by mechanics working on a Ford Escort on 21 November, 1985.

14. The odds of dying in a car accident are around 1 in 5,000

Compare that to the odds of dying in a plane crash (1 in 11 million), and driving sounds pretty dangerous!

15. The man who invented cruise control was blind

His name was Ralph Teetor, and he was inspired to invent cruise control by his lawyer, who was apparently a very poor driver.

16. The highest total mileage clocked by a single car is 2,850,000 million miles

That’s equivalent to driving around the Earth 100 times.

17. The Hennessey Venom GT is the world’s fastest production car

Its top speed is 270.49mph, making it faster than the Bugatti Veyron by around 0.8 of a second.

Credit: www.hotsauto.com

Hit the road on an epic road trip - keep a few of these tips in mind:

1. - Decide on a destination. It is a good idea to choose a destination that is not too far away for your first road trip.

A road trip can span only one day. For example, choose a city a couple of hours away for your first road trip.

You will enjoy a nice drive to your destination, spend some time in a new place, and drive back home all in one day.

2. - Choose a route. Many people who take road trips like to take the scenic route to their chosen destination.

You can use a map or the internet to plan a route. Some drivers prefer to take a back roads rather than interstate highways when they go on road trips.

Although it may take longer to reach your destination on these roads, the views will be much more interesting.

3. - Consider your vehicle. Some vehicles simply are not made for long trips.

Cars that are especially suited to road trips are convertibles, sports cars, cars that get great gas mileage, and small crossover SUVs.

SUVs and minivans are also good road trip vehicles if you are traveling with several people or your family.

Vehicles that might not be great choices for road trips are large trucks, large SUVs, and vans.

Make sure that you will have plenty of room for your passengers since you will be spending several hours inside the vehicle.

Also try to choose a vehicle that gets great gas mileage to reduce the cost of your trip.

4. - Get a tune up. If you are planning on driving your car over a long distance for several days, it is a great idea to let a mechanic check for problems before you depart.

Get your oil changed, refill your windshield wiper fluid, and make sure all lights are in working order.

These steps will reduce the chance of becoming stranded or experiencing mechanical issues during your road trip.

5. - Plan for stops. It is reasonable to estimate that you will need to take a break from traveling every two or three hours.

If there is an interesting city, park, store, or restaurant that you would like to see on your road trip, schedule stops accordingly.

It is all part of the road trip experience.

6. - Bring entertainment. Of course, the driver needs to focus his or her attention on the road.

The passengers, however, might want some entertainment along the way.

Portable DVD players with headphones, MP3 players, books, crossword puzzles, magazines, and travel journals are some excellent ideas for passing the time on a road trip.

(Source: https://driving-tests.org/beginner-drivers/how-to-plan-a-road-trip/)

Average Car Loan Interest Rates

What does it all mean?!?

In 2022, new car loan rates range from 2.40% to 14.76% while used car loan rates range from 3.71% to 20.99%.

The difference between a low and high annual percentage rate (APR) is based largely on your credit score.

What Determines Average Car Loan Interest Rates?

The most important factor that decides your car loan interest rates is your credit score.

The better your score, the lower your APR will be.

The best rates are reserved for those with credit scores above 800, but according to Equifax, any score above 670 makes

you a “low-risk borrower” and opens the door to lower average auto loan rates.

To give you an idea of what average auto loan rates you can expect based on your credit score, see the table below.

These outline average auto loan rates for new and used cars based on information from the second quarter 2022 Experian State of the Auto Finance Market report.

You can see that rates change drastically by credit score. This also affects what you pay back to a large degree. Let’s say you took out a $10,000 auto loan with 60-month terms to purchase a new vehicle.

If you have excellent credit and get a rate of 2.40 percent, you would pay an extra $622 in interest. In other words, it costs $606 to take out a loan of $10,000 with that interest rate.

Now, let’s say you have a decent score of 650 and get a rate of 6.70 percent. In this case, you would pay an extra $1,796 in interest on top of the loan.

If a fair score gives you an average auto loan rate of 10.87 percent, you’d pay $3,007 in interest. And if you had a very high rate of 14.76 percent, you’d pay $4,170 in interest on the $10,000 loan. Ouch.

However, your credit score isn’t the only determining factor. Employment status, income, and the type of vehicle you purchase also affect rates. Having a steady income stream and purchasing a newer vehicle will result in better auto loan rate offers.

Credit Score And Car Loan Interest Rates Explained

Your credit score sums up your credit history as a number. To lenders, your score predicts the likelihood that you’ll make on-time payments. People with lower credit scores end up paying higher interest rates because lenders see them posing a higher risk of late payments or default.

On the other hand, people with good credit scores find lower interest rates because lenders see them as good candidates for paying back loans. Life happens, and you may have a low score because of something that happened in the past on your credit report. Unfortunately, the lowest rates are only available to people with the best scores.

Here’s how Experian ranks credit score ranges:

Super prime: 781 to 850

Prime: 661 to 780

Nonprime: 601 to 660

Subprime: 501 to 600

Deep subprime: 300 to 500

Tips For Reducing Average Car Loan Rates

The best way to reduce the average auto loan rates you find is to improve your credit score. This can be done by paying your bills on time and keeping your credit card balances low. Paying your monthly payments in full can also help. Outstanding debts or collection notices can impact your credit score, so paying these off will improve your credit.

However, building your credit score can take time and the advice above may not be practical for everyone, especially those with a limited income struggling to pay minimum balances each month.

There are a few other things that can reduce your auto loan rates:

Have someone cosign: Many lenders allow you to have another person cosign a loan. A cosigner with strong credit can reduce your interest rates.

Buy a new car instead of a used one: While new cars are more expensive, lenders typically offer lower auto loan rates for new car purchases.

Place a bigger down payment: A bigger down payment can reduce your interest rate as well as the amount of time it takes to pay off your loan.

You might also consider trying to pay your loan in a shorter time frame. While this may not reduce your loan interest rate, it will mean that you pay off your loan sooner and will have to pay less interest. However, be sure to read your loan contract language carefully. Some lenders charge a prepayment penalty – an extra fee for paying down your auto loan too early.

Source: https://www.motor1.com/products-services/auto-loans/auto-loan-rates/

TOP 5 BENEFITS OF BUYING A CAR ONLINE

Statistics suggest that two-thirds of consumers are willing to buy a new car online. From the comfort of your home, you can browse through a wide selection of vehicles. Once you make your decision, you can have it delivered to your driveway. Here are the top 5 benefits of buying a car online and having it delivered to your doorstep.

1. FIND THE BEST CAR DEAL

Consumers appreciate the wide range of options they can explore through an online platform. You can find information on the latest cars, including images and customer reviews for the model you prefer.

Once you’ve chosen your make and model, you can narrow down the results to match your preferences. You can find from a long list of new and used vehicles. An online platform has a better selection of cars than a typical dealership.

Perhaps the model you like is only available as a used car. There are benefits to buying a used car online. First, most vehicles could be up to half the price of a new model. Secondly, there are hardly any hidden fees or customization expenses.

Additionally, the online platform has the latest market information on different models. Market reports are valuable for buyers of used cars or when making a trade-in.

2. CUSTOMER SERVICE AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

For many car buyers, online platforms present a straightforward approach to making a purchase. The details are on each posting, and you don’t have to haggle with the salesperson to get relevant information.

But that does not mean you are all on your own. At any time, you can request customer service assistance, which is available 24 hours a day.

You can request a live tour with assistance from a trained representative who will walk you through the virtual showroom. Through a video link, you can get answers to any queries you may have from the comfort of your home.

3. COMPLETE TRANSACTIONS FROM YOUR COUCH

Completing transactions online is another factor that makes it convenient to buy cars online. You can choose from different payment alternatives, such as a trade-in. When you opt to trade your current vehicle, the platform will update the order automatically.

On the Otto Express Purchase platform, a calculator will display the relevant figures, depending on the payment option you choose. That way, you can determine the monthly payments as you make a budget decision before buying a car.

The purchase process is simple and convenient. You can start your order at any time of day or night. If you are unsure midway through the procedure, you can stop and continue later.

While buying your car, you can include protection options, whether you are leasing or purchasing. You may choose to get coverage for your wheels or upgrade your vehicle’s maintenance plan. You can save time and money by bundling all those options in your order.

4. PICK IT UP RIGHT FROM YOUR DRIVEWAY

After you buy a car online and have it delivered and drive it from your driveway.

The online platform offers convenient options for consumers too busy to break away from their day-to-day responsibilities. If you work from home, sit back and wait for the delivery to arrive.

An expert team will provide all information you need to operate your car after the delivery. Test driving the car is essential to determine if it meets your expectation.

You don’t have to go to dealerships in your local area, while a team can deliver the car to your door. Testing from your driveway allows you to examine the vehicle on your terms without any pressure.

5. RESEARCH AND UNDERSTAND YOUR DEALER

When buying a car online, you can take your time to research automobile models, prices, or even the dealer’s background. You can find most of the information on the dealer’s website.

You can also read reviews from other buyers to determine the dealer’s credibility. Finding relevant information is much easier and less stressful than walking into a dealership.

Buying a car is the most crucial decision for most people after purchasing a home. An online platform offers a wide selection of vehicles with relevant details to make an informed decision. From the comfort of your couch, you can request a delivery to your doorstep.

Source: https://www.ottosbmw.com/benefits-of-buying-a-car-online-with-express-purchase/

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