Planning a trip to the beach this summer or trying to get away for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend? Don’t forget to inspect your vehicle before vacations to ensure safer travel and to put your mind at ease. The Car Care Council suggests not only gassing up your vehicle, but giving it a full inspection in order to fix any necessary changes before your road trip.

Here are some tips for inspecting your vehicle from the Car Care Council to help avoid breaking down miles away from home:

• Scheduling a tune-up before your trip to help the engine deliver the optimal balance of power and fuel economy, while also producing the lowest level of emissions.
• Check the break system and the battery.
• Inspect filters and fluids, including: engine oil, antifreeze/coolant, windshield washer and power steering, brake and transmission fluids.
• Hoses and belts need to be replaced if they happen to be broken, fragile, loose or show signs of excessive wear. These are essential to correct performance of the electrical system, air conditioning, power steering and the cooling system.
• Check tires, as well as tire pressure and tread; uneven wear can signal a need for wheel alignment.

Car Care Council offers a free personalized schedule and e-mail reminder service that’s an accessible resource intended to help you drive smart, save money, while making better decisions. In order to ensure safer road trips this summer visit www.carcare.org for more information, as well as the council’s Car Care Guide.

Full disclosure: We love buyers who research cars online. You are the reason we are in business. But would you believe that 10% of shoppers buy a car without ever driving it?

No matter how much information you find about a car online, there are things that have to be experienced. Factors like comfort, visibility, and driving style will vary from person to person, and those are things you simply can’t evaluate online.

Factors to consider on a test drive:

Oh say, can you see? Identify the car’s blind spots, and make sure you can adjust the mirrors correctly to parallel park, reverse out of driveways, change lanes, and perform other driving operations safely.

Junk in your trunk. If you routinely haul items in your trunk, take them with you to the dealership. Don’t get your new vehicle home to discover that your double stroller, your golf clubs, or dog crate, or other important cargo won’t fit.

Have a seat. Most of your time will probably be spent behind the wheel, so make sure it’s a good fit. Make sure all power-adjust features work correctly and all necessary controls are within reach. If you have a family or carpool or regularly transport any other passengers, you’ll want them to be comfortable as well. Climb in to check out rear legroom. See how easy the seats are to adjust. If there are removable or fold-flat seats, see how easy they are to operate.
 
Hit the road. Don’t just cruise around the block. If possible, take the car on varied terrain to evaluate performance on different surfaces and in different traffic conditions. Make sure the car can take you where you want to go by testing the highway acceleration, parking garage maneuverability, hill-climbing capabilities, or whatever your case may be

Having said all that, we invite you to browse CarLocate.com for the car of your dreams. Then, to avoid future nightmares, make sure to contact the dealership and go take it for a spin!

If you’re shopping for a car, chances are you’re researching prices. We’d all like to think there is no such thing as a budget, but if you need a new car for not a lot of cash, we can help.

The 2014 Nissan Versa is currently at the top of the list of least expensive cars in the U.S. With a starting MSRP of $12,780 (including the $790 destination fee), the 2014 Versa brings 109 hp and 107 lb-ft of torque. With the standard 5-speed manual transmission, the new Versa will also be easy on your wallet at the gas pump, with estimated fuel economy of 27 mpg city and 36 mpg highway.

Also on the list of affordable new car options is the Chevy Spark. Starting at $12,185 (plus additional fees and taxes) the tiny Spark offers 84 hp and 83 lb-ft of torque.  With the five-speed manual transmission, the 2013 Spark achieves 32 mpg city and 38 mpg highway, or 28 mpg city and 37 mpg highway with the automatic transmission option.

Another choice for drivers on a budget is the Ford Fiesta. The 2013 Fiesta S offers 120 hp and 112 lb-ft of torque, with fuel economy estimated at 29 mpg city and 39 mpg highway. With a base price of $13,200, it’s also a sporty bargain.

Less money does not have to mean less quality or driving satisfaction. Let this be your starting point, and explore many other options on Carlocate.com.