You Don't Need the Luck of The Irish to Make Your "Green"

(NewsUSA) - The Emerald Isle is known for being lush, green and teeming with stout, little leprechauns. While the latter might be just a myth, it's no fairy tale that by taking small steps to make your car go green, not only can you make the earth a little cleaner, but you can also save yourself a pot of gold worth of expenses. Firestone Complete Auto Care offers the following tips to help you make your vehicle a little greener:

* Perform scheduled maintenance. Follow your vehicle's maintenance schedule to keep your vehicle in good working order. By using fresh filters and fluids, as well as making sure your emission control system is working properly, you can minimize your vehicle's impact on the environment.

* Slow down. Vehicles use less fuel the slower they travel. Try dropping your highway speed by 10 mph. You will use less gas and cause fewer emissions. In addition, gradually stepping on the accelerator and gently applying the brakes is more fuel-efficient than sudden stops and gunning the engine.

* Plan ahead. Consolidate several trips into one. Plot out the most efficient route to get to all of your stops. You will use less gas and produce fewer emissions.

* Roll up and remove excess. If you roll up your windows, your vehicle's aerodynamics will be more streamlined, the drag will be reduced and you'll get better mileage. Removing ski racks, bike racks and after-market rooftop cargo carriers can also help improve your vehicle's aerodynamics.

* Don't idle. Don't idle to warm up your vehicle. Prolonged idling creates unnecessary emissions, and idling for more than thirty seconds consumes more fuel than re-starting the engine.

Going green doesn't have to be a hassle, and it certainly doesn't include chasing after rainbows. By taking small steps throughout the year, you can ensure that your vehicle is doing its part to help make the planet a little cleaner.

(NewsUSA) - In light of the recent economic downturn, many auto manufacturers are putting the brakes on car-leasing. This, along with the credit crunch, has left consumers unsure of how they will finance their next car. Instead of asking the question "Should I lease my next car?" many consumers are asking, "Can I lease my next car?"

"Unfortunately, given the current risks associated with leasing and the overall automotive marketplace, leasing a car that has a low monthly payment is likely to disappear for the foreseeable future," said Patrick Olsen, editor-in-chief of Cars.com. "And while some foreign manufacturers are still in the business of leasing cars, they are likely to cut back like many of the domestic manufacturers, or follow Chrysler's lead and get out of the business."

Chrysler is one manufacturer that has said it will no longer financially back leases. Other manufacturers, like Ford and GM, said they will significantly cut back on leasing deals. Foreign automakers are still offering leases, though they may soon follow the domestics. You can also lease through one of the roughly 4,500 independent leasing firms, or through any of the thousands of car dealers who have favorable arrangements with their banks, or through your own financial institution -; bank, credit union or savings and loan.

Although the leasing industry isn't as lucrative as it once was, there are still reasons to lease a car. Maybe you are self-employed and can write off your car payment. Maybe you like driving a new car every two or three years. However, since leases typically offered a lower monthly payment than financing a new car, leasing used to be a way to get a luxury vehicle that you wouldn't otherwise be able to afford. That scenario is likely to change. As the credit crunch continues to take its toll on the economy, leases are likely to get more expensive and harder to find -; thus reserved for the most credit-worthy buyers.

Blame high gas prices for the decline in leasing. Lease payments are based on a formula that includes a car's residual value at the end of the lease term. In other words, when you lease a vehicle, you're paying for the depreciation of the car. As gas prices began to skyrocket, the projected depreciation of popular gas-guzzling SUVs was much worse than manufacturers projected. The difference between predicted and actual SUV residual values this year alone led to a $4.8 billion loss for domestic automakers.

For more information, visit www.cars.com.

     The Great Car Debate: To Buy or to Lease

(NewsUSA) - As the economy continues to rebound, more Americans find themselves strolling the lot of their local car dealership and facing a difficult decision -- whether to buy or lease a new vehicle.

"Both options have their pros and cons," said Joe Wiesenfelder, senior editor at Cars.com. "It really depends on your personal driving habits, the amount of money you're willing to spend and how often you like driving a new car."

Wiesenfelder offers these tips for car shoppers:

Benefits of Leasing

1. Driving a New Car. Leasing allows you to get a new car frequently. While this may not be the best reason to get a car, it does mean you'll always have the latest safety technology and comforts.

2. Affordability. With leasing, you're getting more car for a lower monthly payment.

3. Less Maintenance. Leasing can help you avoid some hefty maintenance and repair bills. With the exception of a few oil changes and filter replacements, there should be no need for any heavy maintenance. Assuming that you've kept the car in good condition and stayed within the mileage limits, when your lease is up, you can simply turn the car in and walk away.

4. Avoid Upside-down Loans. When you lease, you there is no danger of getting stuck in an "upside-down" loan, where you owe more than the car is worth.

Benefits of Buying

1. Ownership of the car. When you buy a car, you own the vehicle and will eventually be free of car payments.

2. Lower Costs in the Long Run.While the monthly payments for buying a car are higher than payments for leasing, you will eventually pay the loan off. Those initial high payments make up for themselves with years of being payment free.

3. No Restrictions. A lease contract contains many restrictions, such as mileage limits, which may be inconvenient and costly in the long run. An owner can sell at any time, while leases usually include hefty penalties for early termination.

4. Rebates and Incentives. Rebates and incentives for new cars are abundant for buyers right now. In some cases, these offers might make buying a significantly less expensive option than leasing.

For many people, the decision to buy or lease comes down to price, says Wiesenfelder. "We encourage people to use our automatic Loan vs. Lease calculator at Cars.com. By entering in the monthly payment you can afford, you'll get an idea of which car you could afford to own, or if leasing is a better option for you."