Why Quality Used Cars in Tulsa are Ideal as First Cars for Teenagers

Every teenager is excited for his or her first car. Driving a car is part of the transition from puberty to young adulthood, and as a parent, it is your duty to support your teen every step of the way. Of course, keeping your children safe must still be one of your priorities. In an article for MSN Autos, Larry Edsall provided guidelines that can help you decide before you go shopping for used cars in Tulsa:

The conventional wisdom has been to find a big, if ancient, American car, one of those so-called Detroit land yachts that provides a thick cocoon of sheet metal around your child. But maybe what you really need is a secondhand Volvo; they always had a reputation for being safe, didn't they? Or what about a sport-utility vehicle? It might be tippy, but it lifts your child above the threat of other vehicles' fenders, doesn't it?

Consider your budget. While it is general knowledge that owning a car is not cheap, buying a car is not the end of it. There are other costs involved in owning a vehicle: maintenance, emergency repairs, fuel prices, and many others. Be sure that your budget can handle all of these. Even if your teen has his or her own savings, your child will still depend on you for most financial matters. So the best option is to buy a quality used car.

Purchasing a used car is more practical than buying a brand-new vehicle. A used car is also cheaper to insure, which is especially valuable when an inexperienced teenager will be using it. In addition, a used vehicle provides more savings in the long run since maintaining and accessorizing a new car will cost more; a used car almost always comes with its own accessories and has been thoroughly prepared by the previous owner to be drive-ready.

Of course, you can’t just buy any used car available. You also have to research and carefully check the prospective purchase. For instance, a heavier vehicle is safer and provides more room for protection. Make sure that the recommended speed of the car is ideal for the roads in your area; you don’t want your teen to be speeding on the road and endangering everyone else. To help you with this, high-quality vehicles are readily available from established Tulsa used cars dealerships such as House of Cars and Cycles.

The responsibility of choosing your teen’s first car should still fall upon you. Always remember that it is more important for your teen to be safe in a quality, time-tested vehicle than to ride the latest cool car.

(Source: Choosing Your Teen’s First Car, MSN Autos)

Used Cars: Get the Model You’ve Always Wanted

People have a natural fondness for cars, especially for sleek models like the Jaguar XJ6, the Subaru SVX, the Volvo P1800, the Porsche 928, and many others. While many Americans would love to get their hands on these beautiful works of art, though, there is one major factor which usually prevents them from purchasing these vehicles: the price tag. The value of these cars, especially the more exquisite variants, often discourages people to get their own. However, there is a viable solution to the issue of cost.

Buying Used Cars in Tulsa: How VINs Can Help You Find A Right Vehicle

If you’re looking to buy one of those rare and hard-to-find used cars from Tulsa dealers like House of Cars and Cycles, make sure to ask for the car's vehicle identification number (VIN).

The 17-character VIN is every vehicle’s unique fingerprint, following a standard format set by the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) in 1981. It was created originally to help authorities track stolen vehicles, but has since been used for other purposes. Barbara Marquand of insurance info website Insure.com decodes the VIN and breaks down the information it represents.

The VIN Anatomy

As an example, below is the VIN of a 2009 Range Rover Sport HSE SUV. The car has traveled 71,210 miles and operates on a 4.4-L V8 gas engine and a six-speed automatic transmission.

SALSK25489A213885

The first digit is an "S," which means this car was made in England. The second digit is an "A," which means it was made by Jaguar. The third digit is an "L," which refers to the manufacturing division or type of the vehicle, which in this example is Land Rover.

The fourth to eighth digits (SK254) originate from the manufacturer, and identify the basic specs of the vehicle: weight and horsepower, platform (sedan, van, pick-up, etc), model-specific code, body type (convertible, 2-door, 4-door, etc), and number of cylinders.

The ninth digit is called a check digit that determines the accuracy of the VIN as provided by the manufacturer. This digit is calculated through a specified formula, and can be anywhere from 0 to 9, or an “X” which is a “10” expressed in a single digit.

The tenth digit identifies the model year, and the "9" in the example stands for 2009. The eleventh digit refers to the plant that made the vehicle.

The last six digits collectively make up the Vehicle Identifier Section, and refers to the vehicle’s sequence in production.  

More Than a History Check

VINs may be used to check a car’s history, a report of which can be purchased for a small fee from the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System. Additionally, insurance companies need the VIN when you buy coverage, and the police will need it to help track down the vehicle in case of theft. Some insurance companies actually offer discounts for cars with the VINs etched on windshields.

So when you see these 12-digit codes on windshields of Tulsa, OK used cars for sale, rest assured they are there to provide added security for the vehicle.

(Source: The secret life of your car's VIN, Insure.com, July 16, 2014)

Anatomy of a Vehicle Indentification Number (VIN)

Smart car buyers consider many different factors when looking for a quality used car. One of the things they wouldn’t miss out on is the vehicle identification number (VIN). The 17-character VIN is every vehicle’s unique fingerprint. It was originally created in the early 80’s to help authorities track stolen vehicles, but has since been used for other purposes.

As an example, below is the VIN of a 2009 Range Rover Sport HSE SUV. The car has traveled 71,210 miles and operates on a 4.4-L V8 gas engine and a six-speed automatic transmission.

SALSK25489A213885

The first digit "S" means this car was made in England. The "A" means it was made by Jaguar. The "L" refers to the manufacturing division or type of the vehicle, which in this example is Land Rover. The fourth to eighth digits (SK254) identify the basic specs of the vehicle: weight and horsepower, platform (sedan, van, pick-up, etc), model-specific code, body type (convertible, 2-door, 4-door, etc), and number of cylinders.

The ninth digit determines the VIN’s accuracy. This digit is calculated through a specified formula, and can be anywhere from 0 to 9, or an “X” which is a “10” expressed in a single digit. The tenth digit identifies the model year, and the "9" in the example stands for 2009. The eleventh digit refers to the plant that made the vehicle. The last six digits collectively make up the Vehicle Identifier Section, and refer to the vehicle’s sequence in production.

Two-Door vs. Four-Door

Stock cars don't have doors; in fact, they aren't exactly built like cars. Believe it or not, the entire frame of a stock car is one big roll cage. Aside from protecting the driver in case the car begins tumbling, the roll cage is built to withstand high-speed impact. Due to its enveloping design, the stock car had to do away with conventional access.

Some fans believe a door doesn't serve any significant purpose in stock car racing. In fact, a car door may come off during the race, putting the safety of other racers at risk. Coupes, however, aren't racecars but normally limit the number of doors to a pair, as opposed to the sedan's two pairs. Is it aerodynamics at work?

When two Toyota AE85/86 variants— one two-door and one hatchback— were compared, it was found out that the hatchback was more aerodynamic. The three-door variant's drag coefficient was at 0.35, 0.02 points lower than the two-door one. Neither variant provided more elbow room than the other.

The two-door design may have stemmed from the coupe's smaller size. With normally less than 33 cubic feet, there may not be enough room to fit extra doors. However, manufacturers have broken this convention by designing "two-door sedans," with an interior volume of more than 33 cubic feet. More or less, they're just the same.