Auto Rental – Cheap Auto Insur Online

From auto repair shop to home bliss, fantastic staircase included

Keith C. Smith — Wed, 23 Nov 2022 13:28:10 +0000

Jim and Ramon live part-time in the Northwestern United States and consider Casa Dos Sueños a getaway. Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatan Magazine

Since a new home in Mérida was a dream come true for both of them, it seemed fitting that Jim Jones and Ramon Alvarez named this ethereal blue beauty “Casa Dos Sueños.”

The dream began in Puerto Vallarta, where the two American residents visited regularly for about 20 years.

“By the time we found ourselves in a place where we could actually afford it, it was beyond our reach,” says Jim. “And after five or 10 years, there’s not much to do there either.”

A fairytale spiral staircase leads to the master bedroom while anchoring the courtyard, which connects the sala and the kitchen. Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatan Magazine

The dream was also to have a place that belonged to both of them. For a while Jim worked in southern Oregon and Ramon was in Spokane, Washington – a distance of about 11 hours. On weekends, they would meet in Portland, Oregon, about halfway between them.

“While we were apart, Ramon was watching HGTV and saw Mérida on one of the ‘House Hunters International’ shows. They weren’t aware of the charms of Yucatán before.

The facade of Calle 60, south of Plaza Grande, before and after the birth of Casa Dos Sueños. Photos: Contribution (inset), Yucatán Magazine

They don’t remember which one sparked the idea of going to check it out, but “downloaded every Mérida-related episode and just binge-watched it.”

The first visit was New Years Eve 2017. They stayed at the Gran Hotel above Starbucks, less than a mile down the street from where they would eventually renovate a property.

“We walked across town in the Centro and fell in love with it,” says Jim. “The architecture, the people. On our second trip, we were walking and said “this is it”.

Renovation may be in their blood, and they had their eye on the potential for a ruin after buying, remodeling and later selling an 1855-1890 Victorian “sort of junkyard” in Connecticut. They also restored an abandoned Craftsman-style house out west, turning it into a rental property.

A Mexican hideaway at Casa Dos Sueños in Mérida, Yucatán. Photos: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatan Magazine

This property was previously used as an automotive air conditioning repair shop. From the comfort of the terrace, Jim points to where there used to be a parking lot, and where two other bedrooms and a bathroom are now unrecognizable.

After overseeing construction here, Jim says his Spanish has improved: “I’m fluent in food and construction.”

The house they built follows traditional lines, with romantic neoclassical elements. Carvings, reliefs and architectural details – such as a giant wall in the front yard finished with the Mayan cross stone technique. The colors are soft and soothing.

The house is south of the Plaza Grande, which loosely delineates the city’s economic divide. Most modern construction takes place in the north, towards the beach. But they are happy with their neighborhood, which they appreciate for its local family businesses, a neighborhood market and for having fewer expats.

“One of the reasons we wanted to move to Mérida is that there are fewer expats than in Puerto Vallarta, so being in a neighborhood that doesn’t have as many is good,” Ramon says. “And so there are no malls, but this house has a garage, and there is a car, so you can travel wherever you want.

And a walk to Santa Lucía takes 20 minutes, tops, to their favorite restaurants.

The couple worked closely with four-year-old Jessica Park Zavala of architecture firm Park Estudio. She arrived that day for a brief “watch party” in the living room for their home segment on Trasmuro, a YouTube channel that delves into what’s “behind the wall” in renovated Yucatán homes. . The show happened to drop on Jim and Ramon’s 27th birthday together, at their new home in Mérida.

Dreams come true, even in pairs.

Automotive deficit in the Latvian market / Article

Keith C. Smith — Mon, 14 Nov 2022 06:15:38 +0000

The loss of purchasing power of citizens is expected this year, so it is important to reduce transport costs. According to the Latvian Automobile Association, the prices of the most popular used car models have increased by 35-40%. New cars are also becoming more expensive. A survey conducted by leasing company Citadele Leasing in October shows how the public is preparing to cut transport costs due to rising prices and inflation.

“They will try to repair various kinds of small damage themselves, just like buying a set of winter tires and also the KASKO insurance policy – these are examples of things that citizens intend to postpone,” said Citadele Leasing CEO Pēteris Plaudis.

“Regular car maintenance, and the least popular was the rust check. Almost half plan to postpone one or the other. I would like to mention winter tires here – that must be the signal the most worrying, because safety comes first, and it is clear that both for yourself and for the safety of other road users, I think it should not be postponed.”

Automobile association president Andris Kulbergs believes that demand in the auto sector now exceeds supply and is affected by both the war in Ukraine and auto supply issues.

“It’s linked to the geopolitical situation, the logistics are cut [..]. So these market changes are pretty bad – people can’t get a new car, so they look for a lightly used or used car, and that again created this next wave in which prices went way up quite significant because these cars are not available in Latvia and are not available in Europe,” Kulbergs said.

“Additionally, Ukraine with the Russian invasion has created a huge demand for cars, as Ukrainians have to move and they are looking for cheap vehicles in our neighboring markets, which has led to rapid sales. About 150,000 cars from the Baltic, the Polish market, have flooded Ukraine. All this has put a lot of pressure on prices, so we see a significant decline in the used car market in recent months. If there is a rise 14% in the new car market, while the used car market has fallen by 29% in recent months.”

The short- and long-term car rental company Sixt is offering a new service this autumn: the possibility of subscribing to a new car or a car from a few years old for a flat rate. The boss of “Sixt” in Latvia, Arnis Jaudzems, said that people’s habits are changing.

“At present, every fifth new car registered in Latvia is part of the rental services – whether it is a long-term rental service or a short-term rental service, or this is a shared car. Every fifth new car entering Latvia is leaving for such car rentals. This means that people really need to use this service. In order to avoid these problems at At present, both with car deliveries and rising prices, costs, etc., a car subscription service is available, which includes all costs, including tires, maintenance, insurance, etc. If anything changes in life, then even if that need ends, the use of a car can be stopped without penalty.

The change in car usage habits is also acknowledged by Andris Kulbergs, president of the Auto Association.

“Three or four years ago, the big car manufacturers preached that sharing services was not possible in cities with less than three million inhabitants, because otherwise it wouldn’t pay off. Now, we see that there is not one. [service] in Riga, but already four, five suppliers and the competition is only increasing. That means the potential is great,” Kulbergs said.

Did you see an error?

Select the text and press Ctrl+Enter to send a suggested correction to the editor

Select the text and press Report an error to send a suggested correction to the editor

Auto collision repair processes continue to be more expensive and take longer

Keith C. Smith — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 21:49:00 +0000

ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, Va. (WHSV) – This is the time of year when deer collisions are more common and the busiest time of year for body shops.

October, November and December are during mating season, which means more deer are on the move.

Getting repairs or buying a new vehicle continues to be more expensive and faster. This is due to ongoing supply chain issues and labor shortages. Parts are harder to find, which drives up the price and takes a bigger toll on your wallet.

Isaac Hall of Autobody Pro Shop in Rockingham County said about 60% of vehicles they see coming in due to deer collisions end up in a total loss.

Hall said his body shop is already booked in 2023.

There are ways to have at least some damage control if you’re put in a situation where you hit a deer.

“Go against your instincts and actually commit to hitting the deer. We see a lot of safety issues as well as more damage when people follow what their instincts say to avoid impact,” Hall said.

Swerving to dodge a crossing deer could create even more problems. This could cause you to hit something or another person on the road.

Since the collision repair process is lengthy, Hall recommends having substantial rental coverage for the add-on you might have with a rental car.

In the event that a car is totaled, the process is also very difficult. Hall said when people total up their vehicles, they usually have to settle for cars they don’t like in today’s market. With new cars not found in parking lots, the only real option is to buy a used vehicle if you want to own something right away.

The key message here is to be careful during deer season because hitting a deer has more consequences than before.

Why your first electric car could be Chinese

Keith C. Smith — Mon, 31 Oct 2022 09:10:48 +0000

Comment

Tesla Inc. would have delivered more cars in the past quarter had it not been for a shortage of boats. It is struggling to find ship capacity from Shanghai. No wonder: China recently overtook Germany as the world’s second-largest auto exporter.

Chinese auto exports grew by more than 50% in the first nine months of this year, shipping more than 2 million vehicles. It’s not just Western automakers that are using China as an export hub; local brands are also finding their place on the global stage. And demand is being driven by Europe, the birthplace of the automobile, where a supply chain crisis, energy crisis and war in Ukraine continue to cripple manufacturers.

The threat is not limited to price. Cars made in China are far superior to those it tried to impose on European consumers more than a decade and a half ago. European automakers are already losing market share in China due to the lack of competitive EVs, and they risk doing so at home too, where Chinese automakers already account for 5% of the EV market.

European politicians need not be naive, but they should be wary of brandishing a big stick: tough new trade barriers against China would raise the cost of electric vehicles while reducing pressure on European automakers to boost their competitiveness.

Chinese automakers are moving forward after spending years preparing to meet growing demand for electric vehicles and the batteries that power them. Automakers around the world are partnering with Chinese battery makers to power their electric vehicle fleets.

Thanks in part to government largesse and an industrial policy that has favored domestic producers, Chinese electric vehicle brands are dominating their rapidly growing local market, where they are seeking to lower prices, which will further boost adoption.

They have also taken a lead in the software and infotainment features that Chinese consumers demand. With the exception of Tesla, Western automakers often failed to keep up.

The opportunity for China is clear: brand loyalty is not yet firmly established in electric vehicles and current battery-powered models are often very expensive. Western automakers have deliberately overlooked the budget end of the European market, believing that high prices, not high sales volumes, will deliver higher profit margins.

Chinese companies are now capitalizing on their economies of scale to ship competitively priced cars to Europe. The scale of China’s ambitions was on full display at the Paris Motor Show in October, where brands such as BYD Co., backed by Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and Great Wall Motor Co. showcased several technically impressive.

However, there is still a lot of work to better establish Chinese brands, dealer networks and service centers. Deals like the one BYD struck in October with German car rental company Sixt SE to buy around 100,000 electric vehicles will help raise consumer awareness.

Unsurprisingly, Western brands acquired by China such as MG and Polestar performed best. (MG is owned by SAIC Motor Corp. while Polestar is financially backed by Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co.).

China’s advance presents a thorny issue for European politicians, who are under pressure to ensure a level playing field. Currently, car imports into China are subject to a 15% customs duty compared to 10% when entering the European Union.

Stellantis NV CEO Carlos Tavares wants Europe to raise tariffs on imported Chinese models. Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron has said buying incentives should depend on local production, as they currently are in the United States following the Cut Inflation Act. Germany, whose auto industry has far more to lose if China retaliates, has so far been more reluctant. German auto executives are part of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s delegation of business leaders visiting China this week.

Europe is already worried about deindustrialization because of its exorbitant energy costs. There are also growing political concerns about the continent’s trade dependence on China, a valuable trading partner but increasingly seen as a strategic rival. The fate of industries such as solar panels – where German consumers have effectively subsidized the rise of Chinese manufacturers and domestic producers have gone bankrupt – shows the dangers of complacency.

While Western automakers have overcome the competitive challenge from Japanese and Korean producers in the past, the threat is greater this time as electric vehicles are a new technology and China is years ahead in batteries and associated supply chains. The European Union reached an agreement last week to ban sales of combustion engine cars from 2035; builders on the continent are therefore caught between a rock and a hard place. It is reasonable to encourage Chinese manufacturers to set up local production as Beijing has done with Western manufacturers. This could help Europe become more competitive and create manufacturing jobs here. Similar compromises have happened before. (Chinese battery makers are already building factories in Europe.)

Stifling Chinese auto imports may be politically popular, but European consumers will end up paying with higher prices and lower quality products. In the end, Europe can choose protectionism or affordability. But unfortunately, he can’t have both.

Uspace Completes $8.2M Series A Led by Taiwan Mobile, Enters Tesla Rental Service

Keith C. Smith — Fri, 28 Oct 2022 07:56:57 +0000

Uspace, a technology company with the sharing economy as its core value, announced on Oct. 27 the closing of an $8.2 million Series A funding round, led by Taiwan Mobile. According to Uspace, the company will leverage Series A to implement faster and more comprehensive strategic expansion into e-commerce, auto insurance, lending and other new markets, and carry out continuous planning. capital. It also aims to go public within the next two years.

Focusing on parking space sharing, Uspace has obtained contracts from well-known commercial buildings and hotels such as Hontai Group Headquarters, Xinyi Exchange Square and ILLUME TAIPEI. So far, the company has cooperated with more than 500 parking lots and 45,000 smart parking spaces, and has accumulated more than 2 million orders and 500,000 members.

Uspace recently launched a high-quality Tesla car rental and home delivery service through UDRIVE that can be called upon arrival within the hour.

UDRIVE makes it easy and convenient to deliver a Tesla where you need it. Moreover, UDRIVE mainly adopts a self-contained business model. Anyone can use their Tesla to profit by taking car rental orders through the UDRIVE platform with an average monthly rental income ranging from $1,800 to $2,500. Meanwhile, UDRIVE establishes cross-industry collaboration with buildings and hotels, to provide one-stop service for Sheraton and other well-known hotel customers.

Don’t get a puncture

Keith C. Smith — Mon, 24 Oct 2022 18:08:54 +0000

I should blame the weather. Or the meteorologist. We were traveling around the southwest of France, enjoying the pleasures of a rental electric Peugeot (e-208) and had spotted an interesting blues concert in a small community of St Michel de Vax.

To the disappointment of everyone who showed up, including us, it was canceled at the last minute, due to rain forecasts that never happened.

And that’s when we made the decision to go somewhere else, and a series of events that led to us being stranded on the side of a small road with a big flat tire, dusk falling and having left papers (and emergency numbers) where we were staying.

Electric cars don’t come with spare tires, not even rental tires, which leaves you vulnerable in situations like this. We walked the 2km to our accommodations in fading light, and tried as best we could when we contacted the rental company and their emergency responders, getting out and replacing the wheel was not an option .

So a truck came to pick up the car, and a day later a taxi to take us back 100kms from the beautifully named (and beautifully located) Saint Antonin Noble Val to Toulouse to pick up a replacement. Everyone was very nice about it and just following the rules it seemed. But it seemed like a monumental waste of time for everyone.

So much the better, then, we had subscribed to a character from the French cartoons of Asterix, Assurancetourix, or full insurance coverage. Always do it. (For Asterix aficionados, Assurancetourix is the French name for the bard known in English versions of the cartoon as Cacofonix or Malacoustix).

Has anyone spotted my cell phone?

It was however the biggest and really the only sore point of our 10 days of driving the electric Peugeot e-208 along the rivers and through the hills of South West France, a beautiful area crossed by rivers Aveyron, Lot and Gascoyne.

It was a last minute decision. Rome and Italy had beckoned me after a brief stay in Germany, but flights and accommodation were very expensive. So we decided on a train to France (a story in itself about deteriorating German efficiency) and wondered if it would be easy to hire an EV in regional France at short notice. Not difficult at all, it turned out.

We arrived in Toulouse by train, ducked around the corner to Sixt and ended up with the e-208. This was particularly interesting to me because the car I had driven for over a decade before going electric with a Tesla Model 3 was a Peugeot 207, and the e-208 could be one of Peugeot’s first electric offerings in Australia of some time in 2023.

My Sydney mechanic thinks the fossil-fuel turbocharged 207 was one of the best cars he’s ever driven, and admittedly it had amazing torque and handling for what our godson dubbed “the boy diesel”. But he got old and grumpy, and started looking more and more like an angry tractor. And its interiors melted away in the Australian sun, but not as quickly as the Model 3.

How different would an electric version of the 208, successor to the 207, be for the driver?

Well, from the outside, not much. Same body shape. And inside, not much change either. The dashboard and instrumentation have evolved over the decade since my 207 was made, but the e-208 isn’t much different from the modern petrol version.

In “eco” and “normal” mode, it doesn’t quite have the excitement that made the fossil-fuel versions of the Peugeot 207 and 208 so coveted, especially in its home market, but in “sport” mode, the -208 causes it to have fizziness.

The thing is, we were on vacation, and in the South West of France, just about every corner you cruise presents another perfect view. It’s best to take things slow and enjoy the ride, the views, and the peace and quiet.

What the electric Peugeot offered was a small size, perfect for small roads and the sometimes steep and narrow roads that lead to hilltop villages and fortified castles, and the peace and quiet to enjoy the peace and the view. And when it came to hitting the highway, as we did when driving the car back to the airport, it had no problem driving at 130 km/h.

Its base stats are: a 50kWh battery for a rated range of around 330km, but in reality probably around 20% less. And it can go from 0 to 100 km/h in about eight seconds, which isn’t bad.

Range was not an issue. We didn’t cover much more than 150km in a day, and it turns out that in the southwest of France, there are charging stations pretty much everywhere, and few other cars use them.

Most of them are not fast or super fast chargers, but AC recharges that can offer between 10 and 20 kWh and at reasonable rates (see above).

Slower charging was no problem. If you’re willing to take a walk to the top of the castle or stop for lunch, it’s just super convenient (and that means parking is free).

And if we were still out of charge when we got back, we simply plugged it into the power socket in our accommodation. (But there were also some local charging options).

Sixt gave us a magnetic card linked to our bank account, so there was no problem downloading new apps every time you encountered another charger. (It would have been difficult anyway because my Iphone fell 110m from the top of one of these castles, in Bruniquel, never to be seen or heard from again).

One thing we know is that it saved us a lot of money. Gasoline prices, like everywhere, are high in France, around 1.6 euros per litre. Electricity prices in France are heavily subsidized (at considerable cost to the government), so using electricity rather than liquid fuels is a major saving.

Our taxi driver, one of the first in the region to opt for a Tesla Model 3, has covered more than 300,000 km in three years of using his car and estimates that he saves €1,000 per month on fuel costs, totaling €36,000 – almost the original cost of the vehicle. This is roughly the same savings ratio I calculate for my Tesla in Australia.

He was going to buy a Mustang, but after a conversation with a friend, he delved into the matter and decided on a Tesla. He negotiates his sale and is about to buy a newer model, maybe a Y.

“Everyone thought I was crazy. They said ‘it’s too rich’, but then they spend that much on a petrol or diesel car,” our taxi driver said. “It’s expensive, but cheap, and I use autopilot a lot, and I still have all my points.”

Read also: Peugeot postpones the Australian launch of the e208 and e-2008, promises an all-electric van

(Note: the author paid the full cost of renting and charging the car).

Giles Parkinson is the founder and editor of The Driven, and also edits and founds the Renew Economy and One Step Off The Grid websites. He has been a journalist for nearly 40 years, is a former economics editor and associate editor of the Australian Financial Review, and owns a Tesla Model 3.

Which car rental companies offer the best hire-purchase programs in Singapore?, Lifestyle News

Keith C. Smith — Fri, 21 Oct 2022 06:50:46 +0000

Car leasing in Singapore is simple. You choose a car, drive it for a contract period (between one and five years or more) and pay a monthly fee for it. However, the car is never yours. You can never sell it to “reduce” the running costs of the car you’ve paid for over the years.

A lease-to-own plan allows drivers a structured path to vehicle ownership in Singapore without the large down payment of vehicle financing, and it does not affect your Total Debt Service Ratio (TDSR).

So how does this “drive now, own later” program work? Once you reach the end of the lease, you will have the option of purchasing the rental car at a special rate or returning it to the car leasing company.

Which car leasing companies can you trust? Keep reading to find out!

KINTO Singapore Pte Ltd

Lease a Toyota or Lexus from KINTO Singapore Pte Ltd with a fixed and transparent monthly price. Its flat rate with a minimum 1-year commitment and $0 upfront payment includes all vehicle maintenance expenses, repair costs, comprehensive auto insurance, annual road tax and unlimited mileage, in plus 24/7 roadside assistance.

Renters can redeem the car at any time during the rental period at the redemption price (price quoted during rental), allowing them to beat COE inflation while still getting a brand new vehicle.

Other benefits of the Kinto One buyback program:

Free monthly concierge service

Unlimited access to an exclusive coworking space

Address: 22 Sin Ming Lane #01-77 Midview City, Singapore (573969)

Opening hours: 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. (Monday – Saturday) 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. (Sunday)

Contact number(s): 9627 4356

Hertz Singapore

PHOTO: CarBuyer" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ce04aa50-1bab-41f4-84c4-d9f44ee6409d" class="lazyload" data-sizes="auto" data-srcset="https://i0.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/camain3.jpg?w=75&resize=75 75w, https://i0.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/camain3.jpg?w=100&resize=100 100w, https://i0.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/camain3.jpg?w=150&resize=150 150w, https://i0.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/camain3.jpg?w=240&resize=240 240w, https://i0.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/camain3.jpg?w=320&resize=320 320w, https://i0.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/camain3.jpg?w=500&resize=500 500w, https://i0.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/camain3.jpg?w=640&resize=640 640w, https://i0.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/camain3.jpg?w=800&resize=800 800w, https://i0.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/camain3.jpg?w=1024&resize=1024 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/camain3.jpg?w=1280&resize=1280 1280w, https://i0.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/camain3.jpg?w=1600&resize=1600 1600w" data-src="https://i0.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/camain3.jpg"/>

Hertz Lite is a fantastic way to drive a brand new car without incurring huge bills from Hertz Singapore. This short term rental program only requires a low upfront payment of $10,000, does not affect your TDSR with flexible rental terms, and road tax, insurance and maintenance all included!

Designed with flexibility in mind, Hertz Lite offers the shortest lease term on the market for a new car. You can choose your firm rental period of 18, 24, 36 or 60 months. It is an up-and-coming rental program that combines both its full rental and rent-to-own business models.

You can choose to own the car, extend the lease or even change to a new car after the locked-in rental period – it’s entirely up to you.

Address: 305 Alexandra Road #03-01 Vantage Automotive Centre, Singapore (159942)

Opening hours: 8:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. (Monday to Friday)

Contact number(s): 8125 0410 / 8533 7217 / 8533 7216 / 8223 0457

Dickson Auto Solutions Pte Ltd

PHOTO: CarBuyer" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a1ade8e3-05c4-4280-bb5d-789efdebb2b2" class="lazyload" data-sizes="auto" data-srcset="https://i1.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/dickson_0.jpg?w=75&resize=75 75w, https://i1.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/dickson_0.jpg?w=100&resize=100 100w, https://i1.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/dickson_0.jpg?w=150&resize=150 150w, https://i1.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/dickson_0.jpg?w=240&resize=240 240w, https://i1.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/dickson_0.jpg?w=320&resize=320 320w, https://i1.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/dickson_0.jpg?w=500&resize=500 500w, https://i1.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/dickson_0.jpg?w=640&resize=640 640w, https://i1.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/dickson_0.jpg?w=800&resize=800 800w, https://i1.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/dickson_0.jpg?w=1024&resize=1024 1024w, https://i1.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/dickson_0.jpg?w=1280&resize=1280 1280w, https://i1.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/dickson_0.jpg?w=1600&resize=1600 1600w" data-src="https://i1.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/dickson_0.jpg"/>

Driving your dream car will no longer be a dream at Dickson Auto Solution Pte Ltd as its hire-purchase program allows you to get behind the wheel of a new car of your choice (Distributor or Parallel Import models) without any down payment, and you can buy the car later without markup.

Depending on your preferred tenure, Dickson Group will establish reasonable monthly rental fees, which can make your dream come true.

Here are the additional benefits of its rent-to-own program:

Free inspection and extended warranty

Low fixed monthly fees

Maintain your existing NCD and build NCD while driving

Delivery in three days

24/7 emergency assistance and breakdown assistance made easy with its new 15-bay service center – Dickson Auto Care Center

Address: 29 Ubi Road 4 Dickson Auto Centre, Singapore (408619)

Opening hours: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. (Monday – Friday) 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. (Saturday and Sunday)

Contact number(s): 8161 7640 / 6668 1166

Car Times Auto-Rent Pte Ltd

PHOTO: CarBuyer" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5785853b-6497-4eab-b021-8bfd34031487" class="lazyload" data-sizes="auto" data-srcset="https://i0.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/camain4_0.jpg?w=75&resize=75 75w, https://i0.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/camain4_0.jpg?w=100&resize=100 100w, https://i0.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/camain4_0.jpg?w=150&resize=150 150w, https://i0.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/camain4_0.jpg?w=240&resize=240 240w, https://i0.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/camain4_0.jpg?w=320&resize=320 320w, https://i0.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/camain4_0.jpg?w=500&resize=500 500w, https://i0.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/camain4_0.jpg?w=640&resize=640 640w, https://i0.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/camain4_0.jpg?w=800&resize=800 800w, https://i0.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/camain4_0.jpg?w=1024&resize=1024 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/camain4_0.jpg?w=1280&resize=1280 1280w, https://i0.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/camain4_0.jpg?w=1600&resize=1600 1600w" data-src="https://i0.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/camain4_0.jpg"/>

SWITCH from CarTimes Auto-Rent Pte Ltd is a flexible car rental and purchase program. The program will be initiated with a three-year lease plan with a minimum one-year commitment.

You will pay a minimum initial payment of $1,000 which includes insurance, road tax, service and maintenance. Once you have completed the minimum commitment period of one year, you will have the option to buy, sell, return or switch vehicles during the program.

The remarkable thing about this plan is that you can buy the car from Car Times at the price set on the lease contract. The price will not change after the end of the leasing contract, even if the COE increases or decreases. If you can sell the car to another party, Car Times will take care of the transaction and any surplus (amount above the price according to the contract) will be returned to you.

Address: 73 Mackenzie Road Level 2 Lot 3/4 Mackenzie Car Mall, Singapore (228729)

Opening hours: 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. (Monday to Friday)

Contact number(s): 6464 5111 / 8811 6616 / 8282 5111

Carz World Pte Ltd

PHOTO: CarBuyer" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="16ba4002-c827-4259-989b-fe071b76c828" class="lazyload" data-sizes="auto" data-srcset="https://i0.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/camain5.jpg?w=75&resize=75 75w, https://i0.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/camain5.jpg?w=100&resize=100 100w, https://i0.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/camain5.jpg?w=150&resize=150 150w, https://i0.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/camain5.jpg?w=240&resize=240 240w, https://i0.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/camain5.jpg?w=320&resize=320 320w, https://i0.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/camain5.jpg?w=500&resize=500 500w, https://i0.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/camain5.jpg?w=640&resize=640 640w, https://i0.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/camain5.jpg?w=800&resize=800 800w, https://i0.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/camain5.jpg?w=1024&resize=1024 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/camain5.jpg?w=1280&resize=1280 1280w, https://i0.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/camain5.jpg?w=1600&resize=1600 1600w" data-src="https://i0.wp.com/news.google.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/camain5.jpg"/>

If you are a Singaporean or PR who wants to own a new car but don’t want to shell out that insane 30-40% down payment, Carz World Pte Ltd (Rental & Leasing) is your answer.

The minimum commitment will be a standard one year with an initial payment of $2,000, which will include insurance, road tax, service and maintenance. After this year, the lessee can buy the car, lease another car, refinance the car with Carz World at the current rate, or even pay off the car in full without a loan!

Address: 33 Ubi Avenue 3 #01-57/58 Vertex, Singapore (408868)

Opening hours: 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. (Monday – Saturday) 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. (Sunday)

Contact number(s): 9178 6185 / 6570 9482

This article first appeared in sgCarMart.

Colorado Springs Sales Tax Collections Continue Strong September Streak | Subscriber Content

Keith C. Smith — Tue, 18 Oct 2022 21:30:00 +0000

There was no fading in September for Colorado Springs sales tax collections.

The city’s 2% tax on purchases of televisions, motor vehicles, appliances, building materials and other items generated nearly $20.5 million in revenue last month, or a 7.9% increase from September 2021, according to a report released this week by the city’s finance department. The September report reflects purchases that took place primarily in August.

The city also raised $20.6 million in August and $22.6 million in July — the first time sales tax revenue topped the $20 million mark for three consecutive months, according to city sales tax reports.

“That’s strong growth,” Charae McDaniel, the city’s chief financial officer, said of the September report. “Last year we kind of got used to these double-digit (percentage) increases. Although this is not double digit growth, it is still considered very strong sales tax growth.

Colorado Springs, which has been listed as a best place to live in some national publications, continues to see healthy population gains, and more people mean more purchases of taxable items, McDaniel said.

Although single-family home construction appears to be slowing, apartment construction remains hot, she said; sales taxes on building material purchases are a major contributor to the city’s overall monthly revenue.

These trends helped offset concerns about an impending recession and runaway inflation. In fact, the higher cost of goods and services means that consumers and businesses pay more in sales taxes.

Revenue from purchases at restaurants and furniture, appliance and electronics stores, for example, posted solid increases in September, McDaniel said.

“These types of things are subject to these inflationary cost adjustments that we’ve seen in stores and so, yes, that would certainly increase the sales tax paid on those (items) as well,” she said.

Local economists are watching the performance of the city’s sales tax closely, using it as a measure of the health of the economy.

At the same time, sales tax collections are a key source of revenue for the city government and pay for more than half of the budget for the city’s general fund which funds parks, public safety and other public services. base.

Other takeaways from the city’s September sales tax report include:

• Since the beginning of the year, sales tax collections have totaled $154.4 million, up 8.8% compared to the same period in 2021.

• The retail sectors that posted the largest percentage increases in sales tax revenues included furniture, appliances and electronics, 39.4%; utilities, 30.7%; department and discount stores, 29.04%; catering, 18.7%; miscellaneous retail, 15.2%; and building materials, 13.9%.

• Industries with the largest percentage declines included business services, 43.9%; medical marijuana, 32%; and auto repair and rental, 27.7%.

• The city use tax, which is levied on purchases of out-of-town equipment and machinery used within city limits, totaled $863,011 in September, an increase of 37.7% year over year and the largest percentage increase of the year. Year-to-date, usage tax revenue totaled $6.9 million, a 9.4% peak over the same period in 2021.

• Revenue from the city’s separate tax on hotel rooms and car rentals totaled nearly $1.1 million in September, down 4.2% year-over-year and the first drop in monthly revenue since a 19.6% plunge in March 2021. Still, September revenue from the hotel and car rental tax rose 20.4% from the same month in the pre-pandemic year of 2019.

Time Creation Corporation is the latest ProaPerks Partner | Business Section

Keith C. Smith — Sun, 16 Oct 2022 16:00:00 +0000

(NMC) — Marine recreation company Time Creation Corporation is the latest company to sign up as a Northern Marianas College ProaPerks partner, joining many other companies and organizations. All NMC ProaPerks cardholders can now enjoy a 10% discount on Managaha boat transfers, marine activities, diving and snorkeling.

Time Creation is located on Middle Road, opposite Megabyte Saipan. More information about the services they offer can be obtained by calling (670) 235-6075.

Time Creation Corporation joins the growing list of ProaPerks partners, such as 153 Restaurant, 360 Restaurant, 4EVER CNMI, Alamo Car Rental, AllStar Sporting Goods, Aqua Connections, Inc., AQUASMITH, Athlete’s Foot, Avis Rent A Car, BAB Korean Restaurant Cup Bab, Beach Garden Hotel & Apartment, Bistro Marianas, Capital Hotel, Chagi Norf Kitchen, Boarderline, Bolis R US 2, Candle J, Caravan of Food, Casa Decor, Casa Urashima, Chelu Alynez Enterprise, Chungi Wa Korean Restaurant, Clear Water Place , Clear Water Residence, Clear Water Villa, Coral Garden Hotel, Cosmos Lounge, D’Chef’s Kitchen, Docomo Pacific, Dollar Days, Enterprise Car Rental, Ete Cafe, Fishing and Sporting Goods, Fork and Spoon, Furusato Restaurant, Garapan Restaurant Cafe & Grill, Gold’s Gym, Grandvrio Resort Saipan, Great Harvest, Boyer Trading Company LLC. dba Ginen Saipan, Hardt Eye Clinic, Inc., Healing Stones Spa, Highway Express Auto Care Center, Herman’s Modern Bakery, Inc., Hertz Rental Car, Hyatt, Hotel Americano, Ina’s Kitchen, International Roller Skates, Isla Shave Ice, Islander Rent A Car, Java Joe’s, JC Cafe, Jhen’s Sweet Corner Cakes, Judy’s Cafe & Restaurant, Junlyn Salon, Kentucky Fried Chicken/Taco Bell, Kiki’s, Korea House Restaurant, Latte Built Gym, Lohas Massage, Lohas Nails, Lucky Store, Lucky II Mart, Magbers Snack Bar, Majesty Restaurant, Mariana Lighthouse, Marianas Creation, MMC & Pacific Labs, LLC, Megabyte, Mermaid Restaurant & Milk tea, Nam Dae Moon, National Car Rental, Natural Nail & Spa, Neni Girl Nails, NMC Bookstore, Ocean Star Restaurant, Pacific Home Appliances, Paradise Dental Spa, Pena House Pizzeria Bar & Grill, Pokiyaki, Residence Lodge, Saipan Computer Services, Salt & Barber Salon, Shirley’s Cafe, Salty’s, Stay Cafe, Summer Snow Cafe & Kids Corner cafe, Summit Automotive repair shop e, Surf Club, Residence e Lodge, Tempura’s Best Restaurant, The Ohala Foundation Clothing, The Pacific Supply, The Shack, Time Creation Corp., Tinian Diamond Hotel, Tom Yum Restaurant, Tribe Marianas and Triple J Motors.

Businesses and other interested organizations who want to be part of the ProaPerks program and benefit from the buying power of thousands of people, including Northern Marianas College alumni, students and employees, can find more information by emailing mail to [email protected]/ .

Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard Review

Keith C. Smith — Tue, 11 Oct 2022 16:48:38 +0000

GOBanking Rates Score

Quick setting: The Barclays AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® may be a mouthful, but it offers a significant amount of easily accessible benefits for a low cost.

How did we calculate this?

Advantages

Good sign-up bonus available with minimal effort
Many American Airlines perks, from priority boarding to free baggage
0% introductory APR

The inconvenients

Benefits are mostly specific to American Airlines
Fees not waived the first year
No lounge access

Introducing the Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard

If you’re looking for American Airlines perks without spending a lot of money on affiliate credit card fees, the Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard might be the solution you need. For a modest $99 a year, the card offers a slew of American Airlines-related perks, not the least of which is the relatively large 50,000-mile sign-up bonus that only requires one purchase to get started. trigger.

Read: This credit score mistake could cost Americans millions

Main characteristics

Although the Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard offers a number of features and benefits, some of them rank higher than others. Here are the prominent features offered by the card:

Fleet size

As American Airlines is the largest airline in the world, there is no shortage of airplanes. Since you’ll want to maximize your chances of rewards with an airline-affiliated credit card, choosing the airline with the most aircraft is a good decision.

Foreign transaction fees

There are no foreign transaction fees with the Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard. That might not seem like a big deal to some, but even if you’re not traveling overseas, other cards will earn you up to 3% even for making a purchase on a foreign website. But the biggest benefit of having no foreign transaction fees is usually for travelers, who are the Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard’s biggest target market.

Registration rate

The ratio of the sign-up bonus you receive – 50,000 AAdvantage miles to the price you pay of $99 per year – is high with the Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard. Many cards with such high sign-up bonuses charge higher annual fees.

Travel benefits

A high number of travel benefits increase the value of the Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard, as you’ll enjoy benefits ranging from free baggage and discounted in-flight purchases to ancillary travel benefits with the map.

How the Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard Stands Out

In addition to the relatively low cost for a feature-rich card, what’s unusual about the Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard is that instead of requiring thousands of dollars in purchases to activate its bonus registration, new cardholders are rewarded with 50,000 AAdvantage Miles after making a single purchase.

But the card’s features are also remarkable for a card with an annual fee of less than $100 per year. Some of the biggest are:

$99 annual companion certificate if you spend $20,000 on the card and your account remains open for 45 days after your birthday
First checked bag free on American Airlines
Priority boarding on AA
0% introductory APR for 15 months on balance transfers
No foreign transaction fees
Travel accident insurance
Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance
Baggage delay insurance
Car Rental Collision Damage Waiver
25% off inflight purchases
$25 annual onboard Wi-Fi credit
2x AAdvantage miles on all US purchases.

See the article

Overall, it’s a relatively unique mix of features that seem more valuable than the $99 annual fee, especially if you’re flying on American Airlines. The only thing this package might be “missing” is some type of lounge access. While full Admirals Club or Priority Pass membership cannot be expected with a $99 annual fee card, some competing cards offer one-time passes at this price point.

Comparable Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard Options

When it comes to American Airlines affiliate credit cards, there are a number of choices in the space, offering various rewards for different annual fees. The Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard currently occupies the mid-tier of available options, with its decent range of benefits and a mid-tier fee of $99. But whether you’re willing to pay for more features or just want a free card that still offers benefits, there are competitive options that may interest you.

Here are some American Airlines-affiliated alternative cards that you might prefer more or less than the Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard:

American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp Card

The American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp Card is an option for those looking for a no-fee airline credit card that still offers benefits. Although the benefits are much more minimal than the top tier cards in the space, you can still get 10,000 AAdvantage miles after spending $500 within the first three months of card ownership, plus a $50 credit. $ on the statement.

You’ll also get the same 25% discount on inflight purchases and 2 X miles on American Airlines as with the Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard. While that’s the limit of the card’s main benefits, there’s also no annual fee, so features and benefits are essentially free.

Citi/AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard

For frequent American Airlines flyers looking to maximize their benefits, the premier Citi/AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard may be an option. The first card has a hefty annual fee of $450, but it also comes with a high level of features and benefits. The most notable is Admirals Club Membership, which can cost up to $650 for a single membership and is therefore heavily discounted just by getting the card.

The sign-up bonus is 80,000 AAdvantage miles, although this also comes with a hefty minimum spend of $5,500 in the first three months. Beyond that, the card offers additional benefits ranging from 4X miles on American Airlines purchases to one free checked bag, $100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit every five years, and check-in and boarding. priority over American.

Overall, the right American Airlines affiliate credit card will depend on your travel habits and preferences.

How to register

Applying for the Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard is simple on the Barclays website. The site will ask for typical financial and personal information, such as:

Your date of birth
Name and address
Social Security number
Employment status
Annual revenue.

Some applications are approved instantly online, while others require 7-10 business days for further verification.

Who is the Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard for?

As with most brand name airline credit cards, the Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard is best suited for frequent flyers of the airline attached to the card – in this case, American Airlines. But even some non-AA fliers could take advantage of some of the card’s short-term benefits, such as the 50,000-mile sign-up bonus, which is usually good for two domestic round trips, and the 15-month introduction to 0% APR on balance transfers. Beyond that, most of the card’s benefits primarily only benefit AA fliers.

Final take

If you’re an American Airlines fan, you could do a lot worse than pay a $99 annual fee for the benefits offered by the Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard. But the card may also appeal to those looking for a promotional rate of 0% for 15 months on a balance transfer. The Companion Certificate, which provides a free flight to a travel partner every year for just $99, can be a huge perk for anyone, but it requires a hefty outlay of $20,000 per year.

Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard FAQs

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about the Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard.

What credit score do you need for the AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard?
- Credit scores required for the Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard are not published by the bank, but you must have a good to excellent score to qualify. This generally means that your credit score should be between approximately 680 and 850.
Is the Red World Elite Mastercard worth it?
- Whether or not the Red World Elite Mastercard is worth it is a personal decision. If you fly frequently with American Airlines, you’ll likely reap rewards that are worth far more than the $99 annual fee. If not, however, the card may not be worth as much after receiving the sign-up bonus.
What is the discount for eligible in-flight purchases for an AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard cardholder?
- Cardholders get a 25% discount on inflight food and beverage purchases, plus a $25 credit each anniversary year for inflight Wi-Fi purchases.
Is there an annual fee for the Mastercard Aviator?
- The card comes with an annual fee of $99.

Editorial note: This content is not provided by any entity covered by this article. Any opinions, analyses, criticisms, evaluations, or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author alone and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or otherwise endorsed by any entity named in this article.