New Car Sell Off Blog | News & Updates from New Car Sell Off

“Gone in 60 Seconds” Car Sold for $1.1 Million US Posted on May 17, 2013

The remake of “Gone in 60 Seconds” from 2000, a film starring Nicholas Cage and Angelina Jolie among others, may not have done very well with critics. However, one thing that has never been in doubt is the beauty of the modified 1967 Shelby Mustang GT500 that was used in the film. The car was constructed eleven times for the movie. However, only three of the eleven vehicles were genuine functioning autos. Out of those three, two were wrecked on set, meaning that only one fully functioning vehicle remained. That very vehicle, not a stunt car, was recently bought at auction by a private owner for $1.1 million US dollars. That is a lot of money, but it’s still a long way short of the estimated $90 million US dollars that the film lost.

The auction has given us a good excuse to admire some pictures of the car…

Photos courtesy of www.wheels.ca

Are you in the market for a new car? If so, check out our main search!

Summer Driving Tips Posted on May 10, 2013

We are well into May and driving season is pretty much upon us. The open road has an allure and that allure becomes particularly potent in the summer time. Yet, with more cars on the road, more people outdoors and construction in full flow, there is a need for extra caution in the summer. If winter is all about navigating ice and snow, summer is all about dealing with increased volume.

However, before you even hit the road this summer, it is important to conduct a quick maintenance onceover of your vehicle. For instance:

Make sure that your tires are the right pressure and examine the tread
Make sure your cooling system is functioning properly (you don’t want your car overheating in the hot sun)
Make sure your air conditioning system is functioning properly (you don’t want to overheat)
Check your oil levels
Check the quality/cleanliness of your filters

After you have made those checks, it is time to hit the road. When the roads are busy, it’s even more important than usual to keep frustration, stress and distractions to an absolute minimum. Be mindful and respectful of other road users and obey posted speed limits. Furthermore, the warmer weather means more children playing in the streets, so be extra careful when navigating residential areas. Watch out for children rushing into the street. If you’re taking a road trip or going camping, load your car carefully. The temptation is to pack the car to the rafters, but this can be dangerous as the load can move around, if unsecured, and may block your vision or cause injury. In addition, while driving, take advantage of the bright sunny days and long uninterrupted views to keep an eye on the road ahead. Are you approaching a bend, construction etc.? Just don’t forget your sunglasses!

If you’re looking to hit the road in a new vehicle this summer, check out our main search.

5 of the Fastest Cars in the World Posted on May 3, 2013

You may have recently heard the news about the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport being officially ousted as the world’s quickest production car. If that’s all that you’ve heard, you’re probably excitedly wondering which vehicle broke the previous record. Well, the truth is a little more prosaic. Guinness World Records has concluded that when the Veyron set the limit, it was modified to such an extent that it was no longer a production car. In other words, the version that broke the record was not a version readily available to consumers. As such, the Veyron can no longer claim to be the fastest production car in the world, but which production cars are fastest? In the past, we’ve posted some pictures of our favourite supercars. This week, we’re posting pictures of 5 of the quickest. Here they are in no particular order:

Hennessey Venom GT

Gumpert Apollo

Pagani Zonda Cinque Roadster

Lamborghini Aventador

Koenigsegg Agera R

All pictures courtesy of www.thesupercars.org

Are you in the market for a new car? If so, check out our main search!

5 Good Driving Habits That You Probably Forgot Posted on April 26, 2013

Driving is a skill. When you’re a new driver, you’re diligent, cautious and respectful of the road. You’re thrilled at the prospect of being able to drive and treat it as a privilege rather than a right. That’s generally speaking, anyway. However, over time, many of us lose that initial caution. We become over confident in our driving abilities and we start to develop bad driving habits. To be sure, this doesn’t happen to everyone. Some people drive for 20 years and remain as cautious and respectful of the road and other road users as the day they passed their test. However, most people would probably admit to having developed some kind of bad habit since they started driving. Maybe the bad habit is simply the forgetting of a good habit. With that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of 5 good driving habits that you probably forgot. Here they are in no particular order:

1. Leave a gap between yourself and the vehicle in front.

No matter what speed you are travelling you should leave at least 3 seconds between your car and the one in front. Don’t tailgate!

2. When stationary (for instance, stopped at lights) leave a gap between yourself and the vehicle in front.

Should the vehicle in front of you breakdown, an emergency occur or any number of other possibilities that may occur to bring about your need to drive off before the lights change, this will help you get past the vehicle in front.

3. Turn on your blinker before braking

This one is self-explanatory. Let other road users know what you’re planning!

4. Shoulder check

Again, this one is self-explanatory, but it is vital to safe driving. Check that blind spot!

5. Check your mirrors before braking

This one is a little ironic given point #1 on this list, but before hitting, those brakes check your mirrors. Someone may be tailgating you.

Are you in the market for a new auto? If so, head on over to our main search!

5 DIY Car Maintenance Tips Posted on April 19, 2013

Caring for your car is an essential part of car ownership. While there are some car maintenance necessities that you simply must see a trained automotive mechanic for, there are others that are straightforward enough for non-mechanics to tackle. With that in mind, for this week’s blog post we’re going to look at 5 car maintenance procedures that even non-mechanics can tackle.

Change Your Own Headlight Bulbs

Over time, bulbs burn out. It’s a simple fact of life. You can fix the problem yourself, and save some money in the process, by purchasing the right replacement bulb and installing it yourself. Some vehicles may have sealed beam headlights meaning you’ll need the talents of a trained automotive mechanic. Consult your owner’s manual for details.

Change Your Own Windshield Wipers

Windshield wipers are essential for removing moisture and water from the windshield exterior and ensuring optimal driving visibility. Again, over time windshield wipers deteriorate, nullifying their effectiveness and hampering visibility. Thankfully, changing windshield wipers is quite straightforward.

Replace Your Own Air Filters

Air Filters affect a variety of auto functions, such as mileage, and can become dirty and clogged over time. Fortunately, this is an extremely easy fix and can be done quite quickly. Buy the appropriate filter and swap it out for its dirty and clogged counterpart. Consult your owner’s manual for details.

Conduct Your Own Oil Change

Oil changes are relatively easy to do. When a vehicle has been running oil can get very hot, so be sure to keep that in mind. Conduct the change when the oil is cool (i.e. when the vehicle has been sitting for a few hours.) You’ll need tools such as a wrench, ratchet etc. to conduct this task properly. Consult your owner’s manual for details.

Replace Your Own Fuel Filters

Changing your fuel filter is good for engine cleanliness and performance. When conducting this change, be sure to alleviate the pressure in your fuel system prior to conducting the procedure. Failure to do so may result in injury and damage.

There you have a few relatively straightforward DIY car maintenance tips. Please keep in mind that the info listed above is for illustration purposes only and you should do further research before conducting any work on your vehicle. Contact a trained automotive mechanic for detailed information about your specific problem.

Are you in the market for a new vehicle? If so, cruise over to our main search!

5 of Our Favourite Supercars Posted on April 12, 2013

Yesterday, we posted a link to an article about the “Top 5 Mercedes Supercars” on our Facebook and Twitter. That got us thinking about supercars in general. Let’s face it; supercars are some of the most beautiful automotive creations to grace asphalt. Therefore, with that said, for this week’s blog post, we’re sharing 5 of our favourite supercars with you. For the record, it was really difficult to choose only 5! Here’s the list in no particular order:

Noble M600

Ascari A10

Lamborghini Sesto Elemento

Bugatti Veyron SuperSport

McLaren F1

All images are courtesy of Stirling Matheson at complexmag.ca.

Are you looking for a new car? If so, use our main search!

Dirty Car Art Posted on April 5, 2013

It’s Friday and that means that it is time for another entry in our blog. This week, we thought we’d have a bit of fun and share some dirty car art with you. We’ve all seen a dirty car with “Wash Me” or a similar message etched into its dirt, but we doubt that you’ve seen dirty car art of the like contained in the pictures below. Scott Wade is the talented artist behind these works of art. You can find out more about Scott Wade here.

Mad Hatter’s Tea Party

Mona Lisa / Starry Night

Friend in Need

On the Road

Ronaldinho

Which of the above is your favourite?

Want the dirt on a great deal? Use our main search!

Premium Used Vehicles – New Car Sell Off Posted on March 29, 2013

We have some exciting news for you! Ok, so you know that we are a great resource for new vehicles, but did you know that we are moving into used car territory too? That’s right. We’re now able to help you find your next vehicle, whether it’s new or used.

Buying a vehicle, particularly a used vehicle, can be a daunting task for many. We completely understand, and that’s why we’ve come up with a ranking formula that helps you determine which vehicles are premium used based on a series of important criteria. It’s quite simple, actually. Each vehicle is rated on five different factors and receives a star rating out of five based on its quality.

The five factors are:

Accident Free – A vehicle will receive a star for this criterion if the listing dealer states that it is accident free. If you’d like, you can request a report to confirm the dealer’s claim.

Inspected – A vehicle will receive a star for this criterion if it has been inspected and meets the necessary standards for roadworthiness. Listing dealers, who have a vehicle that has been inspected, will be able to provide you with a copy of the inspection report upon request.

Cosmetically Reconditioned – Vehicles that meet this criterion will have had cosmetic reconditioning work done. Of course, used vehicles are not new, so it’s important to be realistic, but vehicles that meet this criterion should have no cosmetic issues of note.

Warranty – Vehicles that meet this criterion will have some warranty. It may be in the form of factory warranty or extended warranty from the dealership.

Low Kms – This criterion is rather self-explanatory. To meet this criterion, a vehicle must have fewer than 15,000 kms per year on it. This will be calculated as an average. The average is taken from total kms versus the age of the vehicle.

There you have it! The higher the star rating that a vehicle receives the more of the above criteria it has met. Therefore, five star vehicles can be considered as premium used. With that said, if a vehicle is unranked it is still worth checking out. You never know what you might find!

Find out more here.

PICTURES: Calgary International Auto & Truck Show 2013 Posted on March 22, 2013

As we mentioned last week, we were at the Calgary International Auto & Truck Show that ran from March 13^th until March 17^th. Thanks to everyone who stopped by our booth!

As you can imagine, there were many amazing cars on display. With that in mind, for this week’s blog piece, we thought we’d share a few of our favourite pictures from the event with you. Here they are in no particular order…

Lamborghini Aventador LP700

2013 Bentley Continental GTC V8

Audi A7

Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Performante

Ferrari California convertible

Please note: all photos are courtesy of the Calgary Sun.

So there are five of our favourite pictures that were taken at the Calgary International Auto & Truck Show 2013. Which of the above vehicles is your favourite?

If you’re in the market for a new vehicle, use our main search.

Calgary International Auto & Truck Show 2013 Posted on March 15, 2013

We’re at the Calgary International Auto & Truck Show, which is taking place at the BMO Centre in Calgary’s Stampede Park, until Sunday! The show runs from March 13^th until March 17^th and as the show’s website states “The 2013 Calgary International Auto and Truck Show presents one of the largest exhibitions of new cars and trucks in Western Canada and features the absolute latest in automotive technology. Manufacturers unveil stunning new designs and revolutionary technology, featuring some of the fastest, most expensive and most advanced vehicles in the world.” As you can imagine, we’re very excited to be on site as an exhibitor!

There are still tickets available for the show, so come on down and visit New Car Sell Off! We’re at booth 104 in Hall “E”! By the way, we’re offering those that visit our booth a chance to win a FREE iPad!

See you soon!

If you’re in the market for a new vehicle, use our main search.