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☆ As new vehicles become more like computers, what car shoppers need to know about protecting their data
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-30 | by ( Ana Teresa Solá | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

New cars today are loaded with high-tech features for car shoppers, from their own operating systems to navigation and remote unlock. Almost every new vehicle collects different types of details about you — and they will share and sell that data, according to a September report by Mozilla, a data privacy advocate, which looked at the privacy practices of 25 different car brands. Only two car brands currently allow users to delete their personal data, Mozilla found: Renault and Dacia. "This is still kind of the 'Wild, Wild West' of data collection and aggregation," said Theresa Payton, the founder, president and chief executive officer of Fortalice Solutions, a cybersecurity advisory firm. While it remains to be difficult to do your own research, there are three steps car shoppers can take as they assess potential new cars, experts say.

Persons: Ivan Drury, Theresa Payton, Tom McParland, Said Drury Organizations: Mozilla, Finance, Renault, Dacia, Fortalice Solutions, Automatch Consulting Locations: Edmunds, West

☆ Sparse inventory drives prices for new, used vehicles higher. 3 things to do when car shopping
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Ana Teresa Solá | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Moreover, the strike might only affect a relatively small number of vehicles when compared to the auto market as a whole. Car shoppers hardly saw similar end-of-summer sales last year either because of a chip shortage that reduced production levels, added Caldwell. "It is absolutely a great time to look into the EV market, both for new and pre-owned," he said. Additionally, recurring price cuts from Tesla this year might also soften prices in the EV market as a whole, added Caldwell. Shopping tips for a low-inventory car market

Persons: Adam Gault, Jessica Caldwell, Edmunds, Gen Z, We're, They're, Caldwell, Tom McParland, There's, Kelley, EVs Organizations: Finance, Workers, United Auto Workers, Automatch Consulting, EV Locations: Edmunds

Now, given the current high car costs and interest rates, drivers are shifting their focus to less expensive models. That shift shows in so-called "days to turn" numbers, which measure how long cars are in dealer inventory before being sold. "People have stopped going for top-of-the-line cars and are going for mid-trim cars," he added, "That's where we're starting to see the shift." Paul Waatti industry analyst at AutoPacificFive years ago, there were 12 vehicles selling for an average price of more than $100,000. Know your budget — really Most car buyers use monthly payments to conceptualize how expensive a car is.

Persons: Patrick T, Joseph Yoon, homebuyers, Yoon, Edmunds, Brian Moody, Kelley, Moody, Paul Waatti, Waatti, they're, Tom McParland Organizations: Fallon, Bloomberg, Getty, Finance, Mitsubishi Mirage, Consumers, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Fiat, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru, Toyota, Volkswagen —, Auto, AutoPacific, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Royce, Automatch Consulting Locations: Autonation, Carvana, Buffalo , New York, Edmunds

Consider this: In July, just one car model — the Mitsubishi Mirage — had an average new-vehicle transaction price below $20,000, according to Kelley Blue Book data. The $20,000-or-below barometer is a sort of unofficial price threshold for an affordable new car, said Brian Moody, executive editor for Kelley Blue Book. Five years ago, there were 12 vehicles selling for an average price of more than $100,000. The average new-vehicle purchase price today is about $48,000, up from about $30,000 in 2012, according to Kelley Blue Book. Know your budget — really Most car buyers use monthly payments to conceptualize how expensive a car is.

Persons: Kelley, Brian Moody, Moody, Tom McParland, Paul Waatti, Waatti, Joseph Yoon, they're, Yoon, McParland Organizations: Mitsubishi, Manufacturers, Kia, Hyundai, Nissan, Mitsubishi —, Automatch Consulting, Consumers, Edmunds, Auto, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Royce

☆ Here's what to do if you could only afford a used vehicle and are saddled with high interest rates
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( Ana Teresa Solá | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

I Love Images | Cultura | Getty ImagesRising interest rates are pushing auto loan rates upwards for both new and used cars across the U.S. "If you have good credit, you get lower interest rates," he said. "If you have poor credit, you're going to get higher interest rates." Interest rates on used cars currently are the highest in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, South Carolina and West Virginia. The longevity risk associated with used cars is yet another factor driving up interest rates for car shoppers, Yoon said.

Persons: Edmunds, Joseph Yoon, Tom McParland, McParland, Here's, Yoon Organizations: Getty, U.S, Automatch Consulting, WalletHub, Finance, AAA Locations: Alabama , Georgia, Louisiana , Mississippi , Nevada , New Mexico , Ohio, South Carolina, West Virginia, Ohio, New Mexico, Massachusetts

☆ Truck purchases are driving up the average cost of car payments. Some buyers pay over $1,000 a month
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( Ana Teresa Solá | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV RST all-electric pickup truck on display at the International Auto Show at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York on April 13, 2022. Tight inventory and sky-high prices have kept interested truck buyers on the sidelines, but as the market cools, shoppers are coming across better deals. Pickup trucks have larger fuel tanks, allowing these vehicles to have longer ranges. Additionally, pickup trucks are beneficial for the work many people do in these areas, such as farming, ranching and energy production. Thus, owning a pickup truck can be key in regions with lots of heavy-duty, hands-on work, Waatti said.

Persons: Jacob Javits, Tom McParland, Paul Waatti, they've, Waatti, you've Organizations: Silverado EV RST, International, Jacob Javits Convention, China News Service, Buyers, Automatch Consulting, Cowboys, Silverado, ZR2 Bison, Texas, Automatch Locations: New York, Texas, Wyoming

☆ As interest rates, inventory issues keep car costs high, what drivers are doing to make ownership possible
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Ana Teresa Solá | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Westend61 | Westend61 | Getty ImagesInterest rates, inventory issues add to costsThe overall cost of purchasing a car is increasing in part due to interest rates, said Tom McParland, contributing writer for automotive website Jalopnik and operator of vehicle-buying service Automatch Consulting. The average rate on a new car loan is 7.2%, according to Edmunds. While some car manufacturers are improving their supply deliveries, inventory wrinkles are still far from being ironed out, experts say. Yet, a longer loan is not always ideal. Between the pricing and inventory issues, people who have the luxury or the patience to wait it out are "definitely" doing so, said Yoon.

Persons: Tom McParland, Joseph Yoon, Edmunds, Yoon, Ivan Drury Organizations: Westend61, Getty, Automatch Consulting, Consumers, Automatch, Santander Locations: Edmunds

☆ What to know about buying a used electric vehicle as more hit the auto sales market
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-21 | by ( Joe D'Allegro | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Electric vehicle sales keep growing, too. As recently as 2021, total battery-powered electric vehicle sales in the U.S. were under 450,000, but Kelley Blue Book says sales surpassed 800,000 in 2022 and are expected to top one million this year. While the used EV market is still very small, the growth trajectory of EV sales means shopping for a used electric vehicle will become more common and get easier over time, and encompass more make and model choices. In many ways, shopping for a used electric vehicle is the same as looking for any other used car or truck. Electric vehicles lose value faster, but upkeep is lessEVs generally depreciate faster than ICE vehicles, according to Kelley Blue Book.

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