License Plate Search – How to Trace License Plate Numbers Online

[ad_1]

Do you have a license plate or license tag number and you need to find out the name and address of the owner of the vehicle? If so, you might have already realized that there is no free online database of license plate numbers.

Don’t worry. There is still hope. If you need to conduct a reverse license plate number search online, below are several methods to accomplish your goal.

  • The first method is to hire a private investigator. Find your local phone book and turn to the private investigation pages. Start calling and get prices for how much they charge to run a license plate trace. You can expect to pay $150 to $300 to get this service completed in your local area.
  • The next method is to use a large online private investigation service like Abika.com or BestPeopleSearch.com. These services will charge you $79 or more to search by license plate number. You will normally get back a combination of the following information: the first and last Name, address, registration and expiration date, make and model of vehicle, VIN number, title number, lien holder name. These services can normally get information for most states in the United States as Canadian Provinces. License plate data for additional countries are also available depending on the service.
  • The third option is to join a private investigation tools membership service where you have access to databases and resources used by private investigators. These memberships normally start at $29 to $59 per year and give you access to all sorts of people search databases used by private investigators. This is a good choice if you’re willing to do the work yourself and you want to save a little money. The downside to this option is there is no guarantee that you will be successful in your search.

As you can see from the options above, there is no such thing as a free reverse license plate search. About the only way you can get it done for free is if you know a law enforcement officer who will conduct the search for you (they have access to all of the databases).

[ad_2]

Source by Kirk Randolph

The Importance of Ambulance Services in Society

[ad_1]

Certain situations in life require immediate medical care and a fraction of a second delay can drastically change somebody’s life. The ambulance service and paramedics are very important in society as they save hundreds of lives daily by responding to emergency calls. They operate from ambulance stations located in various areas with control centres that respond to emergency calls and dispatch them when needed. Whether the patient is in rural retreats, busy seaside resorts or large urban conurbations, they reach the emergency scene within minutes of the call.

The emergency ambulance service crew includes a technician and a paramedic. Once the paramedics arrive at the emergency scene they evaluate the situation and the condition of the casualty and decide whether to take them to the hospital or just treat them there. One of the important roles of the ambulance crew is to stabilize and treat patients quickly to prevent any mishap before the patient reaches the hospital.

They provide immediate and effective life-saving care in a safe and clinical working environment with maximum mobility. They are well trained in first aid skills to be able to deal with profuse bleeding, crush and fall injuries, cardiac arrests, road accidents, and much more.

During earlier times they were used to transport patients after the doctor or fire department rescue squad applied simple first aid. Mostly the patient would ride alone however, in some cases the doctor rode along in the ambulance. Today, ambulances come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes equipped with a huge range of essential pre-hospital emergency machines including heart defibrillators, intravenous drips, splints, oxygen, drugs and much more. All ambulances have radios installed in them. Many times ambulances also transport non-emergency patients that might be transferring to another hospital or treatment centre.

In some cases patients may be transported in an air ambulance which is basically an aircraft specially designed for providing emergency medical assistance in critical medical situations. An air ambulance is used when the patient has to be transported over a long distance or terrain or if the patient has to be quickly transported to a treatment centre. Air ambulances are equipped with basic equipment like ECG monitors, ventilators, medication and stretchers.

For more information regarding ambulance services in the UK refer to SearchMe4 online business directory.

[ad_2]

Source by Malik Afzal Asif

"I Need to Get the Bird Droppings Off My Convertible Top" She Said

[ad_1]

Is your car going to the birds? Are your local tweets putting droppings on your car’s convertible top day after day? Don’t despair, let me explain to you how to clean it off. You see, many people who have convertible tops just cringe when they see bird droppings on top, but I always remind them it’s a good thing that the convertible top was up, because had been down that bird crap would have been on their seats, dashboard, center console, and floorboards.

Worse, they might come back and find the car now has a nest which has been built under their seat. Still, you should never let the birds ruin a perfectly good day. And luckily, there are a couple tricks of the trade for cleaning bird droppings off the convertible tops.

Also, you should realize that it’s a lot easier clean bird droppings off of the convertible top, then off of the paint of your car, once those bird poops have dried on. Below are a few tips to clean it off all by your lonesome without taking it to a professional car wash or auto detail shop;

– First, you must loosen up the bird droppings and make them moist so that they come off without damaging the fabric. I know you are saying “Oh yuk,” but hang with me for a moment while I explain this. To make the bird crap moist, I recommend a garden hose with a spray nozzle and some warm soapy water in a bucket.

– Next, take a dishwashing sponge, those little small kinds that have the abrasive on one side and a sponge on the other. Use the soft side of the sponge first and try to get most of it to wash away, then flip it over and without applying too much pressure move the abrasive side of the sponge back and forth over the bird dropping along with the grain of the fabric.

– You will note that this gets most of it off, sometimes all of it. If not, repeat this step several times. Do not get inpatient and use too much pressure to scrape it off, as you can permanently damage or put scars in the fabric.

This is how the top auto detailers do it, and some of them have foam sprays which help dissolve the bird droppings. However, this technique amounts to the same thing, and generally it works every time. Please consider all this.

[ad_2]

Source by Lance Winslow

Tuning Diesels: Simple Modifications to Improve Diesel Car Performance

[ad_1]

This is a quick guide to modifications to get more from any diesel engined car. While it is possible to go to much further, most of these diesel tuning suggestions are relatively cheap, quick and simple.

Engine Upgrades

As diesel engines use compression ignition, the two main areas we are looking at for diesel tuning is the injection system and air intake. Adding a tuning chip or external tuning box allows you to get more from your engine. Diesel engines often come in several performance variants, and are tuned to run on a wide range of fuel qualities.

Modern diesel tuning systems – either the external diesel tuning box or internal chip remapping will adjust the engine parameters dynamically to give better power at all rev ranges. As a bonus, since you have more power available, you will often find you use less fuel overall – unless you have a very heavy right foot.

Choosing between a external tuning box and diesel remapping is largely a matter of preference. Costs are similar – normally around £300-£500 for a quality system. Diesel tuning boxes can often be installed at home, while engine remapping will require a visit to a workshop, or a mobile workshop visit. The external tuning boxes also have the advantage that they can be removed if the car is going to a main dealer for servicing, or you want to transfer it to a new vehicle.

Some older systems for tuning diesel engines just ‘fooled’ the ECU into think it was colder, causing smoking and idling problems, but modern tuning boxes and tuning chips are much more complex, varying the adjustments they make depending on the engine requirements. These modern diesel tuning systems are probably the single biggest upgrade available to most people, with up to 35% more power promised, depending on your make and model.

A replacement air filter will give increased air flow, so giving more potential power. Almost all modern diesel engines will automatically allow the for increased air flow, giving a small boost of a handful of percent. Even replacing your current filter with a new standard filter will help, as they do become clogged over time.

See BHP Plus for a range of Diesel Tuning Boxes and Air Filters.

Tyre Upgrades

Surprisingly, tyres can give a significant boost to performance – although perhaps not straight line acceleration. Sports tyres give better grip (generally at the cost of reduced lifespan), which will improve cornering and braking.

Switching to a lower profile type tyre improves handling by reducing the amount the tyres distort under heavy cornering. They do, however, generally give a harsher, noisier ride quality.

Sport and low profile tyres are more expensive than regular tyres, but the only way to see if the gains are worth is is to try them, or try two identical vehicles with and without them fitted.

One other tyre upgrade worth mentioning is winter tyres. With a rubber compound that stays softer at lower temperatures, and tread designed to cope with water, snow, slush and ice, winter tyres will give significantly better grip that standard all year tyres. This will allow you to drive faster and more confidently when you would otherwise have to be very cautious. These are especially useful for higher performance or tuned diesel engined vehicles, as the large amount of torque available can easily lead to unwanted wheel spin in icy conditions.

Body Upgrades

Contrary to what some believe, there are very few body upgrades that will have any beneficial effect on a cars performance. Add on wings, body kits and similar only add to the cars weight, and have a negligible effect on handling – some may even make it worse!

However, one body upgrade, that is worth considering is shock absorbers. Especially if your originals are more than a few years old, upgraded sport versions can offer better grip and handling. As most diesel engine cars are heavier than their petrol equivalents, firmer shock absorbers can help reduce body roll in corners, and power lost to unnecessary movements.

Driver Upgrades

One element we have not yet mentioned is driver habits. There are a few simple things you can do that will provide benefits on any vehicle.

  • Keep the weight down by not carrying unnecessary weight.
  • Keep the car aerodynamic by keeping windows and sunroofs closed, and not adding external add-ons
  • Keep the car maintained regularly, with oil, filters and general maintenance to get the most from it
  • Go on an advanced driver training course or a track experience day to get some tuition from a professional driver, who can teach you how to drive safely at speed, reading the road ahead, racing lines, handling skids and more.

I hope this has been of use to you – safe motoring!

[ad_2]

Source by Jonathan Elder

Vehicle Lease Takeovers – What Does it Mean?

[ad_1]

A Vehicle Lease Takeover or Vehicle Lease Transfer simply means that an individual with a Vehicle/Car bought on lease wants someone else to take the vehicle/car and balance lease payments off their hands, as they are unable to continue paying the lease for some reason.

Some people may think that a person is trying to get rid of the vehicle/car because of damage or an accident and/or the vehicle/car is not good enough. But this is not the case. There are many reasons why someone who has bought a new vehicle/car from the showroom and used for few days or months, wants to forego the use of his vehicle, and tries to find someone else to takeover the balance lease payments, while bearing the loss of a few thousand dollars in the bargain. The reason could be as simple as losing a job, divorce proceedings, moving house, or financial circumstances and constraints, losses in business, etc, which could force a person to opt for a Vehicle/Car Lease Takeover.

The individual or lessee trying to get rid of the vehicle and balance lease payments, should understand that they will have to bear a loss if they want someone else to takeover the lease, and relieve them from the lease payments. The loss could be the down payments and taxes they have paid, or the expenditure incurred on interiors, or additional gadgets and gizmos installed in the car, etc. The best option is to calculate the cost of the car, expenses incurred, payments made, etc, and try to calculate a figure that you can get, or have to bear a loss. But searching for someone to get the vehicle and lease payments off your hands is not easy. A lucky individual may find a friend or relative to takeover the balance lease payments, but then they have to go through the hassles of transferring the lease payments.

Whatever the reasons for trying to get rid of a vehicle and balance lease payments, looking for someone else to takeover the vehicle and balance lease payments is not an easy task, especially if you are in a hurry and need to get the lease takeovers and lease transfers completed quickly. This is where the Lease Takeover and Lease Transfer companies come in handy. These Lease Takeover and Lease Transfer companies are specialists and knowledgeable about their field of operations and can assist and aid an individual in finding someone to takeover the lease and even assist the individual with the paperwork required for lease transfers.

These Lease takeover and lease transfer companies not only inform the individual about the procedures and paperwork, but they also advice the individual on the options and prices available. You can find the Vehicle/Car of your choice – whether it is a Ford, Chevrolet, Honda, BMW, or whatever make, model, or brand – and within your budget in the listings of the Company. If they do not have the Car of your choice, they will look for one and inform you as soon as it is available. Of course these companies do not work for free and do charge a fee for their services. But the fees are a small percentage or fixed amount and considering the services they provide, it is a small cost when you want to get the vehicle and balance lease payments off your hands – quickly.

[ad_2]

Source by Sunil Punjabi

The Benefits of Chassis Braces

[ad_1]

Today’s cars, even the commuter ones, are designed and tested with tools and concepts that were unavailable even two short decades ago. But even with these advances, designing an automotive chassis is fraught with compromise, as numerous design parameters such as engine placement, cabin space, safety and material considerations and target costs play on what the final design will be. Few laymen or automotive enthusiasts will even care about understanding the forces – such as axial forces, shear forces, bending, torsion, angular deflection and moments of inertia – when they set out to purchase a car. Engineers worry about these things, but as we said, design compromises compel a lot of designs to be compromised in favor of balancing the features of a car towards a certain percentile of the population.

Car guys know that an automotive chassis’ job is to hold the vehicle’s components together while the car is in motion, all while being loaded by forces (such as vertical and lateral loads) that are transferred to it by the suspension, through the wheels. With standard OEM components like the tires, shocks, springs, bushings and a stock drivetrain, whatever loads are transferred to the chassis can be handled by the original design. The problem arises when you add stickier and/or wider tires, stiffer springs and/or shocks, stiffer bushings and more power. You then get unwanted chassis flex that affects the way your car handles. A big no no then. And when you talk about a car that’s been on the road for more than a few years, you can add metal fatigue to the equation.

The best solution for a really stiff chassis would be a carbon fiber tub or a chassis that has been stitch-welded with a roll cage added. Highly impractical for a street/strip car enthusiast who has to juggle a budget or simply wants a good enough solution. Enter chassis braces. Old-timers will at once be intimately familiar with the simplest of these, the strut brace. This, even today, is one of the first add-ons you purchase when you put a chassis brace on your car. When cars were made with a separate ladder frame onto which the body was attached, there was also the subframe connector. Nowadays, you have strut braces for the front and rear, underchassis braces, fender braces, floorpan braces and rear suspension braces for stiffening the mounting points for the rear links.

Obviously, the effect of these braces will be to stiffen the chassis to the extent that tuning the car’s handling will be a much more consistent affair. For those who take to the track, these chassis braces may not result in dramatic time improvements, but the improved confidence through better feel will improve consistency, which will affect the way the driver well, drives. This then, can indirectly lead to improved times. For less than new cars, these braces, as we have said, will stiffen the aging chassis to the extent that the platform will be as rigid, if not more, than when it was new.

[ad_2]

Source by Janus Onbekend

Problems With ANPR

[ad_1]

People are aware of the benefits of Automatic Number Plate Reader technology (ANPR) and how it is used by the police to catch uninsured drivers, criminals whose license plates are on record and people who have cloned license plates from cars. But what often gets overlooked are the problems with ANPR. This article, however, is all about those problems.

The first issue, which has only started emerging, as ANPR technology has become more and more widespread, is that the equipment can bring up false positives. This is caused by the cameras misreading the registration number rather than the plate being read correctly but is misidentified as not having insurance. The most common occurrences of this are when the police perform roadside checks and scan all of the cars that drive past with a portable device. The cars which are identified as uninsured or criminal are then pulled over and the drivers are questioned.

The false positives can arise when the officer operating the camera does not have a good view of the plates as they pass, which can lead to the device identifying some plates incorrectly, for example, reading an “8” as a “B” or not being able to view the whole plate. When this happens, somebody who does have their car fully insured may be pulled over and be asked to prove this. There have been more and more reports of this happening and each time it does, the police have to phone up the insurance companies to check whether the car they have pulled over is insured or not. The vast majority of the time they are, and this therefore wastes the officer’s time, the driver’s time, and the time of the insurance company.

The second problem is with number plate cloning. If a criminal copies your registration number and attaches it to another vehicle and then commits a crime with that vehicle, you may find yourself being stopped by the police for a crime that you didn’t commit. Even if the car the criminal was driving is completely different in every way to the one you are driving, ANPR will identify your car as a car that requires to be pulled over.

The third problem and perhaps the most controversial, is whether ANPR infringes on people’s privacy too much. With some cities and counties wanting to cover all their borders with ANPR cameras, all that would need to happen is for a centralised database to be created, that records where and when number plates have been seen, and anybody who has access to this, could potentially chart all the trips an individual has made across the country.

Whether the benefits of ANPR outweigh these problems, is something that each individual must make their own mind up about, but the authorities seem to think that the benefits do outweigh these problems.

[ad_2]

Source by Jane Henry

Ten Reasons a 20 Year Old Truck Is More Efficient Than a Prius

[ad_1]

Have you ever wondered if you should get rid of your old truck for something smaller and more efficient? Chances are you usually only think about this when you are pumping gas into your truck. Here are ten reasons why you are better off than trading it in for a little gas sipper. If you don’t have a truck, then see below what you are missing out on.

1. No car payment.

That fifty miles per gallon comes with a surcharge of 22,000 dollars for a new Prius. Thanks to their cult-like following used vehicles are commanding nearly the same prices. A 20 year old pickup really, really should be paid off by now. A truck getting 15 mpg will cost 4200 dollars in gas a year; chewing tobacco and cowboy hat are optional.

The Prius uses 1400 dollars worth of gas, and makes a typical monthly payment of 400 for 5 years. (22k + tax + interest / 60 months) My math is terrible and I did not calculate APR, but instead just tacked on interest based on initial loan value, but anyway I digress. Four hundred a month plus gas puts the pick-up cleanly ahead to the tune of 166 dollars a month.

2. Maintenance is cheaper.

I know some of you out there might already be getting defensive and saying that my math will never work because at some point the Prius will be paid off. The current economy has changed things slightly but in my experiences as a mechanic, once the car is out of warranty most drivers will run to the dealer to trade in a vehicle before paying costly repairs. But even if the Prius was paid off, the cost of batteries and labor to repair the vehicle is substantially higher than the truck.

The 20 year old parts are plentiful at the local auto parts store, and are typically much cheaper. A new engine: 600 dollars, new transmission: 400 dollars: differential: 300 dollars. Take care of the engine with proper maintenance and get 200k miles. Replace the transmission every 100k or so, sooner if required. The rear end is good for 400k. The rest of the truck consists of parts that cost less than 100 dollars each.

3. Trucks last forever

Toyota likes to claim that its cars last forever. How many mid 70’s Toyotas are running around? How many mid 70’s Hondas? How many mid 70’s pickups are still running around and being used daily?

4. Insurance is cheaper

An old truck is paid off and the driver is not required to pay for full coverage. Full coverage would not matter anyhow, as any claim whatsoever would likely total the vehicle. For full coverage on the Prius I estimate the figure approximately 400 every 6 months. The truck’s cost I will roughly estimate at 280 or less.

5. No deliver fees. Ever.

As a proud owner of a truck you will not need to pay for delivery of furniture, or lumber, or anything really. A truck can tow a boat, help the cute neighbor move, and haul rocks and dirt. The Prius can fold down the back seat. A truck can carry a Prius.

6. Your kid can fix your truck

A degree in engineering is not required to fix it yourself. A 20 year old vehicle was made in simpler times. Fixing a twenty year old truck is much easier than fixing anything on a Prius. You can fit the trucks motor, plus two small four cylinder engines under the cavernous hood to keep your V8 company. Even if you don’t fix your vehicles yourself, repairs are faster, and cheaper. See number two for parts.

7. Trucks look great

I can appreciate that not everyone loves the look of a truck. I usually don’t consider those people normal, but that isn’t relevant at this point. This is America and people can buy whatever they want. But reason number seven is because the truck has a timeless classic design. The Prius has a timeless interrupted design. Does it look pinched off to anyone else?

8. Traffic

Traffic is easier to navigate with a truck. Sure in the city the Prius will find parking spots easier, and is more maneuverable around tight spots. But the age old rule of bigger is better definitely works with a truck. The added benefit of an old truck is that 20 years worth of rust and dents lend a “I do not have insurance” appearance to the vehicle, thereby causing the smaller vehicles to yield.

9. No Depreciation

A 20 year old truck will never be upside down. It will not depreciate. A 1975 Chevrolet bought today for 2000 dollars will be worth 2000 dollars when you sell it. A Prius also has good resale value due to the cult-like following, but a Prius will still suffer depreciation at some point.

10. Camping

Camping is not only possible in a truck, but there is an entire industry built around the notion. Load up the truck with firewood, beer chest, lawn chairs, spare change of clothes, and some food and meet your buddy at the lake. The same buddy that drove alone in his Prius without wood, lawn chairs, or food, or beer.

*Bonus*

In case of the end of the world all drivers, while fleeing from nuclear radiation, zombies, foreign armies, or cross-Canadian bird-pig flu, will inevitably flock to the highways. A truck can take the median, the field, the curb, or the sidewalk. A truck can drive out of situations where it is completely buried in dirt, drive through molten lava without issue, and drive down mountain sides without roads (source: Lone Wolf McQuade, Dante’s Peak, and Commando.)

As you can see a 20 year old truck is clearly superior to a Prius in every way. Not only will you have much more utility with the truck, but it is cheaper to own as well. So I only ask that the next time a Prius blazes down the highway at ludicrous speed, firm in the belief that they are saving the world, take a moment and truly think how much more awesome and efficient your truck is.

[ad_2]

Source by Matthew Fuchs

Importance of Turbocharger in a Vehicle

[ad_1]

A good running vehicle is what most car owners would like to have especially if it is needed for their job. Police cars are examples of vehicles that need to be fast and always in great condition so they can catch criminals and respond to calls the fastest possible time. Now, for this reason, there are many vehicle accessories that can help speed up your unit, add more power and make it run more smoothly. A turbocharger is one of the most important accessories for your vehicle. Turbochargers can increase your engine power as much as 35% compared to having no turbocharger.

All vehicles whether it is run by diesel or gasoline must have a turbocharger in their engine. The turbocharger helps increase engine horsepower. Usually, a single turbocharger is used for diesel engine while two turbochargers are used for gasoline engine and it commonly referred to as twin turbo.

The main function of turbocharger is to increase the amount of air intake needed by the engine for better fuel combustion. It is actually connected on the exhaust manifold of the unit which is made of two kinds of impeller separated by a chamber. As the exhaust manifold releases air, it actually rotates the impeller of the turbo charger in the exhaust manifold side and since the two impeller of the turbo is directly coupled together, the impeller on the other end which is directly connected to the intake manifold would eventually turn itself adding air in the combustion process.

Turbocharger impellers rotate almost 3000 rpm and because of this it is prone to overheat just like the engine itself. There are two cooling processes done for turbo chargers to prevent overheat, the first is by using oil lubricants and the second one is through combination of water and oil lubricants. In oil lubricants, the turbo charger is regularly fed by engine oil through a steel pipe directly connected to the main engine. It cools down the turbo charger by lubricating its rotating parts which is the impellers and because of this it easily cools down itself. The combination of water and oil, it is usually used on large turbo charger, because engine oil is sometime not enough to cool down the turbo. A connection directly connected to the water passage way of the engine is connected and passes through the turbo to cool it.

One way of maintaining the good condition of your turbo charger is by ensuring that there clean engine oil is always present. You should also regularly check for any leak or damage in its connection. Avoid engine revolution especially when you have just started your engine. Owners have experienced turbo charger problem when they turn on their engine and run their car without allowing it to heat up especially on a cold weather. The usual turbo damage is mostly in the impeller itself because it is usually broke down into pieces when damaged. Now the most important thing to maintain the turbo in good condition besides checking its cooling system is by avoiding early engine revolution. It is also best to start the engine and wait until it reaches a designated temperature before running your vehicle.

[ad_2]

Source by Thomas Glickman

Can You Sue a Car Dealer For Excessive Hard Credit Inquiries?

[ad_1]

I came across this question, “Can I sue a car dealer for excessive hard credit inquiries?” when reviewing search terms on my blog and thought this is a good topic for further discussion.

First Of All, What Is A Hard Inquiry?

There are two types of credit inquiries, hard and soft.

A hard inquiry is a credit inquiry pulled for the purpose of obtaining credit. These types of inquiries are usually pulled for things such as a home, auto or personal loan. Landlords and tenant screen services credit inquiries are also considered hard inquiries.

A soft inquiry is a credit inquiry requested for informational purposes. If you request your own credit through a site such as AnnualCreditReport.com, this is considered a soft inquiry and does not deduct points off your score. Additionally, creditors whom you currently do business with can pull a soft inquiry to do an account review and evaluate your current credit worthiness. Offers for “pre-approved credit are not counted as hard inquiries. Credit inquiries for insurance and employment also fall into this category, as they are not made for the purpose of granting you credit.

How Many Points Can Be Deducted For A Credit Inquiry?

o Each “hard” credit inquiry (meaning the consumer has applied for some form of credit, prompting the creditor to check the credit report or score) that is counted normally subtracts no more than five points from a person’s score.

Auto Loan Inquiries

Auto loan and home loan inquiries are treated a little differently since 2004. Due to the fact that most folks like to shop around for both home and auto loans, the credit bureaus recognized the fact that each inquiry was having a negative impact on credit scores because of the multiple pulls. This practice was hurting the consumer’s credit score and not allowing the consumer to shop around for the best rates and terms.

So, Fair Isaac changed the rules a bit for Auto and Home Loan credit inquiries:

o The credit-scoring model recognizes that many consumers shop around for the best interest rates before buying a car or home and that their searching may cause multiple lenders to request their credit report. To compensate for this, multiple auto or mortgage inquiries in any 14-day period are counted as one inquiry.

o In the newest formula used to calculate FICO scores, that 14-day period has been expanded to any 45-day period. This means consumers can shop around for an auto loan for up to 45 days without affecting their scores. But the old 14-day rule might still apply at some lenders that aren’t using the new version.

o The newest FICO version went online at all three credit agencies — TransUnion, Equifax and Experian — in 2004, Typically it takes lenders months to adjust their processes so they can accommodate revised formulas — and some lenders never adjust.

o The FICO score ignores all mortgage and auto inquiries made in the 30 days before scoring. If you find a loan within 30 days, the inquiries won’t affect your score while you’re rate-shopping.

How To Avoid Multiple Hard Auto Inquiries

If you want to avoid multiple hits to your credit while you’re shopping for an auto loan, you’ll need to set aside a two week period to completely concentrate on getting your financing in place.

o Find Out What Your Credit Score Is:

In order to shop for a loan without being dinged for multiple credit inquiries, you’ll need to know what your credit scores are. This will also help you to determine whether you are “bankable” or if you’re going to have some difficulty getting financing.

You can get an estimate of your FICO Score to give you an idea of the current range of your scores, or you can purchase a 3-in-1 Report with FICO in one easy to read report for just $39.95 so you’ll know exactly what your credit scores are.

o Get Pre-Approved At A Bank:

Now that you know what your credit scores are, call around to local banks in your area and ask, “What is the minimum credit score one needs to have to be pre-approved for an auto loan?”

If you know that your credit scores fall into their “approval guidelines”, then ask what are their interest rates and terms, such as how much down payment are they going to require.

Once you’ve determined the lender with the most favorable terms, go into that bank and apply. Some banks even have an 800 Phone Loan Center or on-line application process available so you don’t have to go anywhere.

Once you have been pre-approved by the lender of your choice, you normally have 30 days before the pre-approval expires.

If you decide to go this route, not only are you getting the best interest rate around without generating multiple credit inquiries, but you’ll also find out how much you’re approved for, which will make shopping for an auto easier in the long run.

o Getting Auto Financing If You’re Not “Bankable”

If your credit scores fall below what you’ve found to be “bankable”, you’re going to need to find financing elsewhere. There are several ways you can do this.

1. You can go through an on-line Vehicle Financing Network. These networks have access to multiple lenders and their guidelines. They will have to pull your credit in order to find out what your scores are themselves, but then they have access to many auto loan financing companies specializing in consumers with “less than perfect credit”. Once they’ve determined which lender you have the greatest chance of being approved with, they’ll forward your application along.

2. Go auto shopping and when you find the car you want, the dealership will be more than happy to submit your loan application to multiple lenders. Remember, if you decide to go this route, you have 14 days of unlimited credit pulls to count as 1 pull.

If you continue to do this month after month, you’re going to see about 5 points deducted off your score every time your credit is pulled.

The Answer To The Original Question – “Can You Sue A Car Dealer For Excessive Hard Inquiries?”

Civil liability for knowing noncompliance: “Any person who obtains a consumer report from a consumer reporting agency under false pretenses or knowingly without a permissible purpose shall be liable to the consumer reporting agency for actual damages sustained by the consumer reporting agency or $1,000, whichever is greater.”

What this boils down to is…..READ WHAT YOU SIGN! If you applied for financing with a car dealership, then you must have filled out a loan application. Did the paperwork that you signed say that they would submit your application to multiple lenders?

If you did not grant them permission to pull your credit, then you may have a case to sue for $1,000, but in my view, it’s going to be way more hassle than it’s worth. The easiest way to handle the situation to your benefit, is to dispute the inquiries with the credit bureaus that are reporting them.

If the creditors that pulled your credit cannot prove “permissible purpose”, then the credit reporting agencies will remove these inquiries. If the creditors come back stating they had permissible purpose, you have every right to ask them for the documentation to prove it. Again, if they cannot come up with that documentation, the credit reporting agencies will have to remove the inquiry.

Once the inquiry or multiple inquiries are removed, you should see an increase in your credit scores. It’s a tiny bit of work on your part, but way easier than trying to sue for $1000.00.

[ad_2]

Source by Taylor McKenzie