Used Car Motor Mall Blog

With only a few weeks left to enjoy a snow-covered Cedar Springs, we’ve pulled together a roundup of our favorite places to visit before it’s time to think about those beloved West Michigan lake days.

Fred Meier White Pine Trail
The 93 mile rail-to-trail path from Grand Rapids to Cadillac passes through Cedar Springs, providing residents and visitors convenient access to the trail. Even in the winter, it’s the perfect trail for cyclists, runners, walkers, and even snowmobiles. Visitors  Read More

While there are plenty of Rockford activities to keep us busy, sometimes we need to get out of town for the day. Whether it’s a beach day, city walk, or day of shopping you have in mind, Rockford is centrally located, making all of these possibilities only a short drive away. While many things continue to change due to COVID-19 precautions, West Michigan still has much to offer those itching for a day away. We’ve pulled together five day-trips to treat your travel  Read More

Driving can be a liberating experience. For some it’s just about getting from A to B; for others, it’s a relaxing and fun experience they love to do whenever they can.

Whatever kind of driver you are, safety is arguably the most important aspect of driving. From high-speed collisions to being stranded in freezing cold weather, driving brings along with it many potentially fatal dangers. Here’s a list of statistics to put it all into perspective and we’ll also look at how safety can be  Read More

As we finally reach the warm months of summer, we are able to (more readily) enjoy a favorite pastime: ice cream. There are so many great local ice cream shops to visit that it is nearly impossible to go wrong — but we have decided to feature a few in West Michigan that are particularly noteworthy. So, take notes and let’s take a tour of some of the best ice cream shops this part of the state has to offer.  Read More

With summertime on the horizon, it’s about time to find those water inflatables, dust off your hiking boots, or check the expiration dates on your sunscreen. Sure, it’s fun to think of unique places to visit and fun activities for the summer holidays but they all require reliable transportation to attend. You may want to think about now how to properly prepare your car for your spring and summer adventure so that it’ll be ready to go when you are.

Tire InflationFirst, think about checking  Read More

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the average driver’s commute to work lasts about 25 minutes. For those who are tired of hearing endless cycles of radio advertisements and songs on repeat, podcasts offer an excellent opportunity to expand one’s horizons. And, good news: there is no shortage of free, quality podcast content in the world.

Podcasts are audio only broadcasts, prerecorded and edited for audiences rather than presented live. They are easily accessible through simple phone  Read More

Insurance rates in Michigan are over 80% higher than the national average.

One of the jobs of politicians is to legislate, but it is also their job to adapt old legislation when times change and new factors present themselves. Senator Nesbitt is doing just that with Senate Bill No. 1 to amend 1956 PA 218, entitled “The insurance code of 1956.”

Removes Requirement to Double Down on CoverageThe amendment states, among other things, that there will no longer be a redundant requirement for  Read More

Drivers of Uber, Lyft and other rideshare companies must make an important decision — which vehicle to choose for their business.

If you are a new rideshare driver, you must consider selecting a reliable model, as you’re going to be using the car regularly (and as your business), and you will never make any money if your vehicle breaks down frequently or consistently has trouble. Particularly because most rideshare companies allow riders to rate and review their experience with their  Read More

According to an article in Scientific American magazine, studies have shown that long-distance commuters suffer from symptoms that range from headaches and backaches to digestive problems and high blood pressure. There are a number of reasons these symptoms occur, including bad weather, traffic jams and accidents, which all raise stress levels.

The most common indications of commute-related stress are tight muscles throughout your body — particularly in your shoulders, as well as in your  Read More

Of all the possible driving hazards that are present in our four-season Michigan climate, winter presents the greatest number of challenges, especially to a new driver. One of the most feared/dangerous of these is the dreaded black ice. It’s hard to spot, especially if you don’t know what you’re looking for — and can easily be missed if you are distracted by a smartphone or the vehicle’s audio system.

The first place to start in educating someone about the threat black ice poses is to make  Read More

Because we live in an area of the country that accumulates some of the greatest amounts of snowfall each year, the chances that your car, truck, or SUV appears less pristine than usual are great. Roads become covered with salt and dirty snow which mix together and create a film on your vehicle as soon as the thermometer rises above freezing. While washing your vehicle in the middle of winter may seem counterintuitive, because logic argues it will probably just get dirty again as soon as you hit  Read More

1. It’s OK to drive through a yellow traffic light
In a word, no. Michigan Vehicle Code 257.612 states in part, "vehicular traffic facing the signal shall stop before entering the nearest crosswalk at the intersection or at a limit line when marked, but if the stop cannot be made in safety, a vehicle may be driven cautiously through the intersection."
That is to say, unless it is dangerous to pedestrians or oncoming traffic to stop, you must brake when the light turns yellow. The only  Read More

All-Wheel DriveWhether a vehicle is equipped with an electronically-controlled All-Wheel Drive (AWD) system that automatically engages when the vehicle reaches a certain traction threshold, or it is a traditional 4x4 system that relies upon the operator to engage four-wheel drive: the outcome is the same. With all four tires distributing the power of the engine to the ground, especially in wet, icy, and/or snow-covered conditions, you are much less likely to have your vehicle slip or slide when  Read More

Road trips are an ever-popular way for many American families to reunite over the holidays. In fact, over the next two months, the overwhelming majority of American families prefer to skip the airport and instead hop in the car to reach their destinations.

However, although a road trip can be a great bonding experience, too much time together cooped up in a car definitely has its challenges. Younger children are used to short car trips and often get restless sitting in one place through  Read More

Driving in snow, especially in heavy snowfall or a blizzard, takes patience and preparation. A vehicle that is properly prepared for the elements can help you avoid an unplanned road emergency when the weather takes an unexpected turn for the worse.

To ensure that your vehicle is ready for winter driving, we at Used Car Motor Mall recommend that drivers run through our 10-point winter driving check-list before the first snowstorm of the year. Some of these are items you can do yourself,  Read More

Beat the Initial Depreciation
Depreciation is a major cost in vehicle ownership. Understanding how depreciation affects you, you can save a great deal of money on every car that you purchase. Take a brand new car for example. It loses 20% of its value as soon as you drive it off the lot, so your $30,000 car is now worth $24,000 and you haven’t even pulled into your driveway. By the end of the first year, depreciation coupled with mileage along with wear and tear could bring that down another 10% to $21,000. That’s $9,000 of value lost in the first year alone.   Read More

The perception that many people have is that the greatest risk in purchasing a used car is the cost of maintenance and repairs. They think that with a new car they receive a warranty that will cover their vehicle so that their out-of-pocket costs for repairs will be low. The reality is that cars are more reliable, and many manufacturers offer transferable warranties that keep the vehicle covered for many years after its initial sale.

So if repairs are no longer the major cost a consumer can  Read More

We’ve all been in the position where we’ve considered whether it was more advantageous to finance a car or to pull the money out of the bank and pay for it in cash. While most everyone is intrigued by the idea of paying for their new purchase with cash, it isn’t necessarily the right decision for everyone. Here are a few items to  Read More

A few years ago there was a department store that used the Christmas song “It’s the most wonderful time of the year” to promote their back-to-school sales. Of course all parents feel torn when summer ends. On one hand it’s great that the kids are occupied with school and after-school activities, but on the other-hand you’ve just gotten used to having them around the house.

Unfortunately, it’s not our decision as parents as to when the kids return to school - our job is just to facilitate the  Read More

Credit score repair begins with your credit report. If you haven't done so already, request a free copy of your credit report from each of the three credit agencies. Your credit report contains the data used to calculate your credit score and it may contain errors.  Read More