Should You Buy American or Foreign

When it comes to car buying, there are many who want to know, where the car was made, is it American or Foreign. People who want to buy only American are finding it more and more difficult to distinguish if their vehicle was truly made in America. At times they are even surprised to discover that the vehicle they thought was 'foreign' is primarily made in America.

The making of a vehicle can require numerous parts, which could be made all over the world. The vehicle then has to be assembled. And then there is the actual company or corporation who owns the car, one may ask where they are located?

Many vehicles manufactured in the USA are considered "foreign" while vehicles manufactured in Mexico and Canada could be called American or domestic. According to federal regulations, for a car to be domestic or American, it has to be made of at least 75% of domestic parts. US manufacturers can send parts to Mexico or Canada where the cars are built but can promote them as domestic. Toyota, Honda, Nissan, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Hyundai manufacture many cars in the USA, in American plants with American research facilities but are still considered foreign cars due to the parts being foreign. For example, the Ford Fusion is built in Mexico while the Toyota Camry is manufactured in Kentucky.

If this isn't confusing enough, we can look at companies we consider American and see that their holdings include foreign cars. For instance, General Motors owns a percentage of Saab, Suzuki and Isuzu motors. A.G. Ford owns Volvo, Land Rover, Aston Martin and Jaguar.

Maybe your desire to buy an American car isn't about being patriotic but due to the cost of repairs. If this is the case, speak to several mechanics about the brand name you are looking to purchase and ask whether they have a good reputation and whether they are expensive to repair.

In the past, many didn't care about the cost of repairs as they felt foreign cars were better built and lasted longer. Now, even those lines are becoming blurred as Americans are seeing domestic cars becoming more and more reliable. Auto industry analysts are even stating that the performance of American-made cars is now very close to those made in Japan and even Europe. Because the perception is still there, foreign cars still have the advantage in holding their resell value.

Gas efficiency is another concern for those seeking to buy American verses foreign. While foreign vehicles have typically held the market for being the most fuel efficient, American models are starting to catch up.

Last are safety features. There are those who don't care where their vehicle is made as long as it has great safety ratings. While Volvo has held the record for safety, American automakers are starting to recognize the value of safety to auto buyers and are beginning to promote and step up their safety features as well.

Will it continue to be advantageous to buy domestic over foreign? It is hard to tell, it could depend all on what it is you're seeking.

Greg Chapman of Greg Chapman Motors is a knowledgable and leading provider of used cars, trucks, and SUV’s. Since 1959, Chapman motors has supplied reliable used car Austin and the surrounding area. For more information please visit http://www.gregchapmanmotors.com.

Sharpening Your Parallel Parking Skills

For teenagers, when first taking their driving test, parallel parking is often considered the strongest challenge. For adults, this doesn't change much, especially if you aren’t in the practice of parking this way.

What is parallel parking? Parallel parking is a method of parking a vehicle in line with other parked cars. Cars parked in parallel are in one line, parallel to the curb, with the front bumper of each car facing the back bumper of the adjacent one. Parallel parking requires driving the car in reverse gear into the parking space. Roads that facilitate said parking have an extra lane or a large shoulder for parked cars. It is also employed anytime parking facilities are not available - usually in large metropolitan areas where there is a high density of vehicles. Driving forward into a parking space on the side of a road is typically not possible unless two successive parking spaces are empty.


If you have forgotten the rules of parallel parking or it has been a while since you have had to try it, this is how it goes:


1. Make sure the space you are looking to park in is big enough for your vehicle. A large SUV will obviously need more room than a Mini Cooper. Typically you will want to park in a space that is about one and half times longer than your vehicle.
2. Check the traffic beside you and behind you, then signal your wish to pull over and stop. Drive alongside or parallel to the vehicle ahead of the empty space, leaving about a three feet between the vehicles. Stop when your rear bumper is in line with the other vehicle.
3. Look out for the rear corner of the car in the side window. While reversing, begin turning your steering wheel to the right toward the curb when the front of your car passes the rear of the car you are next to.
4. When you can see the outside rear corner of the vehicle in front of your space, straighten your wheels as you continue in reverse.
5. Making sure the nose of your car will clear the car in front of you, begin turning the wheel to the left.
6. Turn the steering wheel fully toward the road to bring your vehicle in line with the curb.
7. If your vehicle is not parallel to the curb, drive forward to straighten.


Once you are properly parked, set the parking brake and put your car into park or if you have a manual transmission, shift it into reverse. Of course you want to check traffic before opening your door.

If this sounds intimidating, try practicing in an empty parking lot with cones or trash cans with flags sticking out of them. Perfect parking takes practice and practicing on cones rather than somebody's vehicle may be the wisest solution.


Greg Chapman of Greg Chapman Motors is a knowledgable and leading provider of used cars, trucks, and SUV’s. Since 1959, Chapman motors has supplied reliable used car Austin and the surrounding area. For more information please visit http://www.gregchapmanmotors.com.

Safe Driving 101 For Women

When it comes to the automobile, both men and women are vulnerable to car accidents but typically, women may be more susceptible to other bad behaviors such as car jacking, being mugged before getting into the car or even road rage.

So what can women do to help protect themselves? Here are a few tips that include how to be safe from predators to just plain driving safely.

1. Don't Engage Road Ragers - If somebody is driving recklessly or in an angry way, don't even let them get your attention. Continue driving, don't honk or even gesticulate as the person with road rage could become even more aggravated. If the person continues to drive aggressively, give them plenty of room to get around you without endangering them or other drivers.

2. Watch for Car Jackers - Most of us know about people who jump into our cars while at stop signs or lights, others tend to forget this is a problem, no matter where you live. To protect yourself from such issues, not only keep your doors locked while driving but your windows raised. Also, keep your sound system at a reasonable volume so you can be alert at all times. Being alert also requires not spacing out or having your eyes on your phone checking for text messages at every light. Carjackers and robbers rely on the element of surprise, so if you're keeping eyes and ears alert to what's going on outside your vehicle, bad guys don't have a chance to sneak up on you. In the case of just getting into your vehicle, such as walking out of a shopping mall, be sure to have all your money put away before going outside. Don't accept help from strangers and have your keys out ready to open your vehicle. Your keys can also serve as a weapon. Don't approach your vehicle if a van or other large vehicle that wasn't there before is parked next to it. If you still feel unsafe about getting into your car at night, ask the store if a security guard is available to escort you.

3. Keep Your Car Well Serviced - Nobody wants to break down along the side of the road, especially at night and especially if you are a woman. Keep your car maintained on a regular basis and have your tires checked as well. If your vehicle does break down and your cell phone is in working order, stay in your car and lock your windows and doors while awaiting help.

4. Don't Stop For Others - We see others who are broke down on the side of the road, it is difficult not to stop for them or help out. If you want to help, make a phone call for the person without stopping. As for hitchhikers, let others to do the job!

5. Fake Police Cars - This is a tricky one but one that is becoming more prominent. Sometimes perpetrators will masquerade as police and pull women over. If you have not been speeding or don't see a reason for why you are being pulled over and are in a dark area with a car that doesn't resemble a cop car, you can call 911 to ask dispatchers if police have reported that they are pulling a car over. While on the phone, if the person walks up to your car, don't lower your car's windows right away, look at the uniform to see if there is any official identification.


These are just a few tips women can practice when getting into their cars, driving their cars and exiting their vehicles. By being aware of the dangers, a woman can prevent herself from being any more susceptible than needed.

Greg Chapman of Greg Chapman Motors is a knowledgable and leading provider of used cars, trucks, and SUV’s. Since 1959, Chapman motors has supplied reliable used car Austin and the surrounding area. For more information please visit http://www.gregchapmanmotors.com.

Understanding the Value of Your Trade In

If it is time to trade in that used car and time for a new one, there are a few things to understand about how the value of your used car is estimated. Having this information will help you also understand how much you can afford in buying another car to replace your used one.

1. Go Prepared With Information - Write down the year, make, mileage, and model of your car before going to the dealership. Most cars come with standard equipment and then there are options that can increase the value of your car. Write down all the options you know your car has such as heated leather seats, sunroof, power windows, etc. Also be sure to clean your car up before taking it in, make it presentable. There are other factors that determine the value of your car. These include at times the day of the month it was built, the product mix the dealer has on the lot and the inventory mix. For example, if a dealer already has five white Camrys on the lot, and you want to trade in a white Camry, they won't give you much for your car. If they're light on that car, or they're one or two cars short of making a bonus, they might be more anxious to offer you a bit more. Also, know how much curb appeal your car has. Does it have dents or dings? Another consideration is, have you been smoking in your car or is the upholstery in good shape? How well have you been taking care of your engine and keeping your fluids up? All of these above items will be considered by the dealer in determining your trade-in value.

2. Weigh out Kelly Blue Book Values - Most people use the Kelly Blue Book to get an idea of what their used car is worth but remember that these estimates are usually high. Many people have the misconception that a dealer can pay a price for a trade-in that is equal to what a consumer would pay. The dealer has other costs to consider such as how long it will take to sell your trade-in, the cost of advertising it or holding it as inventory. Also know that it is possible that your car's value may have dropped in street value, one that the Internet hasn't caught up with yet.

3. Knowing the value of your car helps know what you can afford. When you know your used car's approximate trade in value, you can then determine if you want to go ahead with trading it in or selling it yourself. Another thing to consider is how much you owe on your car or what is the payoff? If you are upside-down on your loan, that is, you owe more than the car is worth, remember that amount has to be rolled into your new car loan. Weigh out this amount so you can determine how much car you can afford or get a loan for before going into the dealership.

Going to a dealership with this information will help you feel more prepared in understanding what the true value of your used vehicle is along with how much of a newer vehicle you can afford.

Greg Chapman of Greg Chapman Motors is a knowledgable and leading provider of used cars, trucks, and SUV’s. Since 1959, Chapman motors has supplied reliable used car Austin and the surrounding area. For more information please visit http://www.gregchapmanmotors.com.