Alpharetta deploys car with plate reader

Alpharetta deployed a police car last week with a new piece of technology that some in the department are thinking could completely revolutionize the way they do business.

It's called the Mobile Plate Hunter 900, and it does the work of 1,500 police officers a minute. Mounted strategically on the body of a police car, the $22,000 computer and infrared camera system scans every license plate in every direction of the car and runs them through updated criminal databases. It can do the aforementioned 1,500 license plates in a minute.

When it gets a hit in one of five national databases -- stolen vehicles, wanted persons, suspended driver's license, suspended tag registration and no insurance -- it alerts the officer by popping up on his in-car laptop, who can then pull the person over.


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More than one way to buy a car

Even in these slow economic times, we still have to spend money. The washing machine gives out, our clothes become out of date (or too small), or the clunker we've been driving for nearly a decade needs to be replaced.

With the price of just about everything going up and credit harder to come by, this might not be the best time for a big-ticket purchase. But sometimes it makes more financial sense to buy a new car when maintenance on the old one is getting out of hand.

But now more than ever you need to do your homework.

With just about every car manufacturer seeing diminished profits, there's a big push right now to sell. Dealers are offering lots of incentives such as cash back and financing options.

One deal that may sound appealing, but can get many of us in trouble, is the 84-month car loan.


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AFS Trinity, Ricardo Announce Joint Extreme Fleet Program to Slash Gasoline and Diesel Use by Car, SUV and Truck ...

EDITOR'S NOTE: This page contains 3 different videos about AFS Trinity. Please scroll down the page to watch each.

SEATTLE and LONDON, May 2 -- AFS Trinity Power Corporation and Ricardo plc today announced creation of Extreme Fleet(TM), a joint program to offer Extreme Hybrid fleet vehicles that use no gasoline at all on most days without sacrificing vehicle size or power.

Many fleet operators are expected not only to save up to 75% of what they are now paying for gasoline and diesel, but also to dramatically reduce fleet maintenance costs.

On Sunday, May 4, fleet managers from around the country will be introduced in person to the Extreme Hybrid at the 2008 NAFA Institute and Expo in Salt Lake City, Utah. On Monday, May 5, they will be able to drive the first Extreme Hybrid prototypes-two XH-150s -- as part of a NAFA Green Ride and Drive event.


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Better to buy or lease new car?

As the summer driving season nears, many people are no doubt thinking about getting a new vehicle, which raises the old question: Should you lease or buy? Many online tools can help you with that decision, but as Consumer Reports Money Adviser points out, those calculators often don't factor in such costs as insurance, acquisition and "drive-off" fees, and upfront sales taxes. So CRMA's Money Lab ran the numbers using a 2008 Honda Accord and discovered that buying a car actually beats closed-end leasing in total costs over five years.

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Getting a Great Deal on a New Car

Whether you're aiming for luxury -- or a base model -- the process of buying a new car can seem like more hassle than it's worth.

But whether you're a born negotiator or not -- we've got some tips that will hopefully turn negotiating from an art into a science -- courtesy of the Federal Citizen Information CenterWhat do you need to say to get the price you deserve?

Start by being confident -- something that may be easier over the phone -- and compare five or six different dealerships.

Talk directly with managers -- they have the most authority to give you a deal.

But how do you know what price is a good price?

Ask dealers to give you their offers in relation to the factory invoice price, and not the MSRP -- or manufacturer's suggested retail price.


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Sales decline for April at GM, Ford, Chrysler

Sales at Ford and General Motors fell in April as record U.S. gasoline prices drove consumers to Toyota's fuel-efficient cars and away from big trucks and sport-utility vehicles.

Ford's 12 percent decline was led by the F-Series pickup, while falling demand for the Chevrolet Silverado led to a 16 percent reduction at GM. Japan's Toyota reported gains on increased demand for small cars such as the Yaris and Prius. Honda Motor Co. and Nissan Motor Co. also rose.

All sales figures are compared with April last year.

Chrysler's sales dropped 23 percent to 141,751 vehicles, primarily because of slowing trucks and SUV sales. Chrysler, now owned by Cerberus Capital Management, depends on truck sales for about 75 percent of its monthly total.

Gasoline costs and a slowing U.S.


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Car-buying services shop for you

Are you thinking about buying a new car, but dreading the dealer haggles that come with the purchase? There are a number of car-buying services that say they'll do the negotiating dirty work for you, and save you thousands of dollars in the process.

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