Car dealers have a pretty cloying reputation. Even normal people who sell their own vehicles show a tendency toward a lack of confidence. Internet is also a very insidious place. So when you go to buy or even sell a car online, you are stepping on some pretty shady grounds. Not to mention that you’re about to spend a lot of money on something that – statistically speaking – is very dangerous. So, how do you go through all this darkness and find a decent car from a reliable source at a reasonable price?

Car

Well, it always helps to know something about cars, but suppose you do not know anything to make it more interesting. Apart from that, it helps to know something about how to shop online safely, which is where I think we can help. According to what I can observe, you have two options: you can buy a car from a company whose business is selling cars, or you can buy it from an uncle who posted some pictures of his car on Craigslist. The same thing happens if you’re selling. Carrying out a transaction in real life does not necessarily mean that the transaction is secure. If you are going to buy a car from a company like CarMax, which has moved a lot of your business to the Internet, or Cars.com or Auto Trade, then you are making a pretty safe bet (especially if you are looking for a new car). As far as I know, these companies also buy used cars, fix what has to be fixed, and sell them for a slightly higher price. On a site like Craigslist or eBay, you’re taking more risks, but you’ll also have a better chance of finding better opportunities. So, let’s start with reputable businesses, because it’s easier. If you are determined to buy or even sell a car in an online business, the truth is that there is not so much to worry about. You visit their website, find the car you like, and decide if you want to buy it. From there, you go to where the car is (or where it has been sent) and test it. All transactions – whether you’re buying or selling – will probably take place at the dealership. In fact, this is quite important: carrying out a transaction in real life (instead of online) does not necessarily mean that the transaction is secure (think of Target data leakage and POS attacks ). Take a look at the site. If it seems very untrustworthy, that’s probably because it’s not trustworthy. And you will never want to swipe your credit card for a place that does not give you confidence. Of course, most of us are not going to buy a car with cash, so we probably have to take a loan. This is the part where you really should be ready to buy car cover waterproof all weather. I cannot stop you from buying a terrible car (although I’ve heard that a CarMax report might help), but I can try to keep you from taking a horrible credit. I will not recommend any specifically, but no matter where the credit you are about to sign comes from, check it out through the Better Business Bureau. In fact, you should probably check the dealer with the Better Business Bureau as well (this will not help if you are not from the US, but I’m sure there is also some consumer protection agency in your country). Depending on your credit rating, you will end up paying an interest rate of between five and 15 percent (more or less). If you are asked to pay more than 20%, then either you have a really horrible credit score, or you are being scammed.

The most interesting transactions are those that take place outside of sites like Craigslist or eBay. If you are selling, how can you tell if the buyer is not planning to steal your car? If you are buying, how can you tell if the seller is not planning to steal your money? In both cases, how can you tell if that strange person you have met on the Internet and are about to meet in real life, will not try to kill you? You cannot know, although I must admit that the latter is a bit hyperbolic. Do not give personal information to these people. Be careful when following links in the ads or emails they send, because they may contain malware. In the past, we have recommended installing disposable email accounts for some reason or another. This could be a good time for that. In fact, you might want to read this article about taking a holistic approach to computer security , just to give you a general idea. Never pay a seller through the Internet until you have driven the car you are going to buy. And do not ever give that person money until you really have the car. I’m not telling you to do a hand-to-hand exchange – you give this person the money, while he or she gives you the keys to the car – but at least you should be near the car at the time of the transaction.

Which brings me to the next point, you should never meet a seller or buyer in your house or yours. Gather in a public place, for reasons that I probably do not have to name. It could also be a good idea to take a friend.In this case, you may use a money transfer service such as PayPal to carry out the transaction. This is good because you can stay, discuss the conditions, and then transfer the money from your mobile phone. Of course, you’ll want to make sure you’re transferring the money safely . You’ll also want to make sure – especially if you’re selling – that the money has reached your bank account before you let someone leave with your car.

There is a pretty good article about buying a car online safely on eBay , which also presents many of the observations made here, but is more focused on the part of buying a car and less on the online part. It is also quite focused on buying cars on eBay, but at least read both articles will help you remember these things. Apart from these observations, it simply follows the old saying that if an offer seems too good to be true, then it is probably too good to be true. A 10-year-old car is probably not going to have about 24,000 kilometers. A brand new luxury car will probably cost more than 3,500 Euros (unless something catastrophic has happened to it).

Everything you need to know about the electric car

Yes Yes; around 1832-1839 Robert Anderson invented what was the first electric car in history . It was really a carriage equipped with an electric motor, powered by a non-rechargeable battery that reached 6km / hour. Years later the first rechargeable batteries were invented, and that’s when they began to be manufactured in series. In today’s article we are going to talk about the electric car, and we are sure that we will surprise you with some data that are not very well known. If you are interested in this type of articles you can find more in the curiosities section of our blog.

What is the electric car?

As its name suggests is a vehicle that has one or more motors powered by electricity, unlike the gasoline or diesel engines that have the vast majority of current cars .  One of the main advantages of its use is that it significantly reduces the level of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. Today you can find electric motors of all sizes, which propel from a radio control car to a locomotive. The main virtues of these engines are that they have less weight, size and are technically less complex.

If they are so good, why are not all cars electrically?

By various factors. The electric cars that are being marketed still have little autonomy , they are not cheap and still cannot compete in design with gasoline or diesel cars (although little by little they are getting closer). In addition, there are not enough recharging points and the batteries need hours to be fully charged. Next, let’s see a bit of your story so you can better understand how it all began.

Historical evolution of the electric vehicle

In 1899 there was a milestone in the history of the automotive industry . The electric vehicle “La James Contented”, piloted by Camille Jennets, set a new speed record, reaching 105 km / h . It was not until 1900 when these vehicles were clearly imposed in front of the other means of transport. (In the USA, almost 30% of the cars were electric). In 1911, Thomas Alva Edison invented new models of rechargeable nickel-iron batteries, which would allow greater autonomy and speeds of up to 130km / h. At that time, moment of maximum boom of electric cars, they came to represent 90% of sales. But in 1912, Henry Ford introduced the starter for gasoline cars, which was a great success and quickly began to manufacture in series. But what was the reason for it to triumph so much in front of the electric car? Broadly speaking, this type of car was much more manageable and did not need infrastructures in the cities that made the use of these vehicles possible. This competitive advantage derived in  the black age of the electric car , since it was necessary to wait until 1970 for it to reappear.

Get to know the electric car better: its parts

The reality is that they are not so different and the scheme of operation of both is quite similar, so many of its elements act in the same way. These are the main elements of an electric car: Electric motor: Transforms the electrical energy that comes from the battery in motion. Importantly, these engines are also capable of doing just the opposite, and transform the movement into electricity thanks to the inverter, for example in the slopes down or braking. Without a motor, there is no car! Battery : Stores the electrical energy that will serve to drive the motor . Some models may have an auxiliary battery for auxiliary low consumption systems. Remember that if it is not loaded, the car does not move! Charging port : this is where the car’s battery is recharged. Come on, a plug like any other! Transformers: convert the parameters of electricity from a household outlet into the characteristics necessary for recharging the batteries. They also take care of refrigeration, in order to avoid explosions and spills. Controllers: regulate the input of energy to the battery, thus allowing an adequate recharging thereof and preventing its deterioration.

You already know a bit of history and how electric cars work, but I’m sure you still have a very important unresolved question: Would it be convenient for me to buy an electric car? To answer you we will tell you that the electric car has both defenders and detractors. There are people who focus more on the benefit it produces to the environment, there are others who look more for the economic side of energy, there are others who make large trips for work … As you see, there are opinions of all kinds, therefore We are going to tell you “the good and the bad” of electric vehicles to help you make your decision.

Advantages of the electric car

Reduces noise pollution: the electric motor is much less noisy than gasoline . Surely he has passed an electric taxi by your side and you have not even heard! Nowadays, due to the intense traffic of combustion vehicles, the cities are highly noisy, which also affects the health of the inhabitants. Improves air quality in cities: electric cars do not emit any pollutant into the atmosphere , which significantly reduces the levels of air pollution and improves the health status of citizens. Reduction of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere: by using renewable energies to load vehicles, CO2 emissions are being reduced. If you have a great ecological conscience this factor can make you make your final decision. Equal powerful and more economical engine: an electric motor of the same power as one of combustion is cheaper, compact and even reliable, since it does not need complements that could cause the engine to fail. But do not want to take your foot under, no matter how much you step, it will not run like a gasoline!

More efficiency, less consumption: electric vehicles have an efficiency close to 90% , compared to 30% for conventional cars. This means that it consumes less , therefore, we save more , since it requires less energy to perform the same effort.

Disadvantages of the electric vehicle

At present, “these new cars” still have many disadvantages, which is why they have not proliferated in the cities. Little autonomy: the current batteries cannot assume so much electrical energy as to make large trips without recharging. Also, the time they need to complete the load is inadmissible. If you want to go from Seville to Madrid, think better of another means of transported, you will have to stop 4 or 5 times to recharge your battery! Non-existent recharge network: it is still very difficult to find recharge points , despite the fact that the municipalities and the Ministry of Industry are working hard to solve this problem. Men and women of the towns, the electric vehicle has not arrived yet! Little power: the brands are concerned about solving this, since it is detrimental to the car, which cannot be very large or heavy, and for drivers, who cannot reach the desired speed on certain roads. High price of batteries: they are expensive taking into account that they do not last more than 7 years (in the best of cases). Some brands have chosen to sell cars without batteries, which are rented in exchange for a monthly fee. Yes, you read correctly, renting batteries for cars, incredible!