Cash for Cars Selling Tips

Gasoline Now a Product to Study and Savor

Not too long ago it was hard to imagine a day when motorists would study gasoline and its pros and cons much like they research products such as milk or skin care products.

But that day has come, and it has been here for quite a few months.

Aside from price shopping – four dollars-plus per gallon will do that – car owners want to know which gas or additive will make their car run better, and which types may be damaging to a vehicle or the environment.

Marketing for Gas?

A cute Chevron carGas companies and refineries understand this well, and have even tied the value of their product into their marketing campaigns. Read more

Kissing Astra – Saturn’s, that is

Are automakers taking a cue from new-home sellers, by offering some of the strangest contests or incentives imaginable?

For months homebuilders have worked diligently to attract potential buyers and boost traffic in their models, by giving away gas cards, free tickets to amusement attractions, and the like.

A woman blowing a kissSome have had contests for no mortgage payments for a year; others have pitched contests for rooms full of Disney furniture.

Saturn is Pulling Away

A recent media release by Saturn puts them to shame.

The General Motors division has launched a national photo contest, called “Kiss My Astra.” Read more

Southern California: Land of the Cars

Southern California is arguably the land of the cars, a land of more automobiles, freeways and roadways than one can count.

The lack of a strong public transit system certainly contributes to our need for cars.

But it’s fascinating to look at which types of cars are popular in certain areas of Greater Los Angeles or the sprawling San Diego County.

Something Different for Every Californian

A woman in a bikini on the beachFor example, in family-heavy east Ventura County, the minivans heyday through the 1990s crowded roads with them in Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks and Moorpark. Read more

Marketing the Crossover to Cure the SUV Blues

It reminds me of the OP shorts boom of the early 80s. Once California teen-agers made them must-have, the race was on among surf short designers to come up with something even gnarlier.

Same goes for smaller cars today. It’s been written ad nauseum that American motorists are turning toward smaller cars and away from the beastly sport utility vehicles and trucks of the turn of the century.

Small, But Gets the Job Done

Op ShortsThe term crossover is being loosely applied to a variety of vehicles, a new marketing tool for car sellers. Consider it the corduroy shorts of the OP shorts era. Read more

Unforeseen Consequences of Hands-Free Law

August 1, 2008

California’s new hands-free mobile phone law has been in effect a month now, and media reports outline some interesting consequences.

First, there’s the cheaters. “I looked to my left, and there was a dark-haired woman driving a gray SUV with a towel draped over her head”, wrote a Bakersfield Californian columnist on July 30.

She was talking on a cell phone, trying to hide from authorities.

The Text Messaging Phenomenon

A man texting while driving“I’ve learned one thing: It may be time to change my service plan”, the same columnist wrote. “I’m making 90 percent fewer phone calls. I am, however, texting like a high school girl.” Read more

Hell Freezes Over – Selling a Truck

It wasn’t long ago that truck owners were attached to their vehicles like a best buddy, favorite T-shirt, or long-trusted putter. Nicknames were not uncommon, and owners personalized them with window stickers and fancy accessories.

Parting with their truck was a rare occasion. Unless an owner had his or her eyes on a larger or fancier model.

Times Have Changed for the Pickup Truck

A Piss on Ford StickerImage from Up North Promo
Pickup truck owners stuck with their brands fiercely, even mocking other truck-makers with rude rear-window stickers.

Women also got into the act, driving around in a mid-size or even full-size truck as if they owned the road – mocking their male counterparts. Read more

...