New Crash Test Ratings for 2011 Vehicles
Talk about a crash course in crash testing! The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is about to do away with 30 years of testing, launching a new program that will make it tougher to earn five stars in crash worthiness.
The key change is that cars will be rated against each other rather than against a standard performance level. Under the current system, so many cars get top scores that they all look alike. The new rating system will better identify top performers.
The stricter criteria include tougher crash tests, a single overall safety score, and information on crash avoidance technologies - to help consumers find cars with technology aimed at avoiding a crash in the first place.
These stricter ratings will give manufacturers an incentive to raise the bar when designing cars.
The first vehicles to be evaluated under the new system include models such as the Chevrolet Cruze, Ford Fiesta, Honda Odyssey, and Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Once the tests are completed, the new ratings will be posted on safercar.gov.
3 Steps Every Car Buyer Needs to Take to Save Maximum Money
The key to getting the best deal is to gather price or lease bids from as many local dealers as possible. Then shop that best price around until no one can beat it. Here are the steps:Step 1 Get Prices From My Trusted Network
Select the vehicle you're interested in to see if there are local dealers in my network who will provide you with their best upfront price. You will get direct access to an internet sales manager who you can further negotiate with online (no need to visit dealership).Step 2 Get Prices From TrueCar / CarsDirect
TrueCar, and CarsDirect are my top 2 online price quote recommendations. These services show you pre-negotiated prices from dealers closest to you - and the deals are usually pretty decent. But remember, you can still negotiate further.Step 3 Complete my Checklist
Follow this up with my checklist to make sure you squeeze out every last bit of savings.- Gregg Fidan
Each week, I'll keep you up-to-date on the latest car deals and news that might affect your purchase. This includes...
- Best Rebates, Incentives, and Lease Deals
- Latest Car Buying Scams and Tricks
- The Best & Worst Time to Buy a Car
- Which Cars You Should Avoid
About The Author
Gregg Fidan is the founder of RealCarTips. After being ripped off on his first car purchase, he devoted several years to figuring out the best ways to avoid scams and negotiate
the best car deals. He has written hundreds of articles on the subject of car buying and taught thousands of car shoppers how to get the best deals.
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