Auto Trends

Used Cars 4562, originally uploaded by Great Laker

Times are tough. The recession has found its way into just about everyone’s life to some degree. One of the top selling consumer stores this year has been the quintessential dollar store. It is here that consumers find deals on everything from toilet paper to toothpaste, all at the healthy budget price of just $1.

Despite the troubled automotive industry, the deals on new vehicles may have been pretty good overall this summer, but not quite good enough to lure the true econo-shoppers. What many penny pincher buyers are turning to when they need a new vehicle, are used vehicles.

Popularity of Used Vehicles
Auto News reports that used car sales have increased from 36.5 million to 39 million just this year alone, and there does not appear to be any signs of this slowing down. In fact, dealers are running out of used cars and they are clamoring to get their hands on more of them.

Not only are used cars selling like hotcakes, but due to minimal new car sales, there are actually less trade-ins available on the market these days. This brings about the concept of supply and demand. Used vehicles are high demand, they are in minimal supply, so therefore they are becoming an ever increasing hot commodity.

While consumers seem to prefer used cars, many dealers share the same enthusiasm. Dealers can often receive higher profits on popular used vehicles than a modestly priced new ones. What this has caused is a veritable treasure hunt for used cars.

Got a Used Vehicle You Don’t Want… Now Maybe the Time to Sell
Traditionally, vehicle trade-ins at dealerships are not particularly profitable. You can most always get several hundred to thousand dollars more on a personal sale than a trade-in. This has changed a bit however, as dealers are finding the incentive to pay more.

Dealers are selling used vehicles for top dollar (comparative to years past), making them a much more attractive part of the overall “deal”. One might even go as far to say that dealers are desperate for used vehicles. Auto News reports that it is not an uncommon practice today for dealers to scour the classified ads for used consumer vehicles to buy.

What this all means, is if you thought Cash For Clunkers was a great trade-in incentive, you might find better incentives this month (assuming you have a popular used vehicle in reasonably good shape). Sometimes good things come to those who wait, and this might prove to be one of those times!

The retard mobile, originally uploaded by Mil

To be politically correct here, perhaps I should rather say, “interesting”or perhaps even “entertaining” cars. Let’s open this car fest up with one of my favorite vehicles of the year… via People of Walmart.

The resourcefulness of some people just never fails to amaze me.

originally uploaded by Aaron Harpe

originally uploaded by xtopalopaquetl

There isn’t much room in them Beetles, so you’ve got to make the most of them!

originally uploaded by Aaron Harpe

originally uploaded by Leviman2001

Who says a utility truck can’t be cool!

originally uploaded by stits

If you look at it from certain angles it kind of looks like a Ferrari.

originally uploaded by Mazaev

If ever in doubt of the coolness of your ride, put more scoops on it.

 originally uploaded by Jobe Roco

All Photos Originally Uploaded by Cars dot com

The 2010 Mercedes-Benz SLR Sterling Moss Edition is nothing more than a dream for most. It is a tribute to the renowned British race car driver, Stirling Moss, who victoriously won the 1955 Mille Miglia race in Italy, using only his talent, an original Mercedes 300 SLR, and a wee bit of luck. The SLR Sterling started production in June of 2009 and is scheduled to run through December of 2009, producing a total of 75 of these masterpieces.

The Stirling will be blessed with supercharged 5.4-liter V-8, featuring 650 bhp. Its acceleration from 0-60 is expected to be somewhere within the range of 3.5 seconds, with a top speed of 217 mph. The entire body shell will be handmade from carbon fiber sheets, with the remaining components and interior pieces topped off with either a high-quality aluminum, or supple leather. They really spared no expense!

The cost for admission of the Stirling Moss will be $1.05 Million (U.S. Dollars), but there’s a little more to it than that. Only those who have purchased a previous SLR worth $495,000 or greater will even be offered a chance at owning one of these babies. This is strictly a customer loyalty edition, which is sure to weed out most of the ultra elite, and go straight to the ultra-mega-alpha elite.

Take a gander at its specifications:

While the basic styling is decidedly impractical, it will be a lot more functional that it may at first appear. The aero-shaped windscreen and rear wind deflectors have been tested to strategically redirect airflow and bugs away from the driver and passenger’s face and teeth (you’d be grinning when driving this I’d imagine).

A nifty tonneau cover can be installed on the passenger side for a true one-seat, race car, experience. There is also a matching tonneau cover for the drivers side that can be locked into place, helping to keep nosy fingers and rain off its six-figure, supple leather upholstery. Upswing doors, functional air scoops and rollover bars will complete the total million dollar package.

This is one of those times when I wished I would have listened to my Mom and became a doctor, oil tycoon, or Tzar or something. Oh well, it’s free to look at the pictures!