The investors at the Motley Fool generally focus on stock tips, but in a recent personal finance article, they recommend that visitors consider used cars in New Jersey to save money.

They say that because cars tend to depreciate in value by about 30 percent over the first several years, buying a new car can lose a buyer money almost as soon as it’s driven off the dealer’s lot.

“Survey after survey shows that the best current cars provide longer, more dependable service than ever before,” adds the report, noting that some domestic cars from General Motors and Ford have recently caught up with offerings from Japanese automakers in terms of build quality.

But buyers who are considering used cars in New Jersey because of their value may want to start researching sooner rather than later.

Residents of New York and New Jersey are being driven to dealerships because of the Cash for Clunkers program, and choosing used cars if their previous vehicles don’t qualify for the rebate, reported the Wall Street Journal.

As more motorists consider holding onto used cars in New Jersey, proper maintenance may be needed to ensure that their vehicles last as long as owners desire.

Roughly half the car owners surveyed by Consumer Reports say they are putting off purchase plans for new cars, and the company says that warning signs that occur before major problems can point owners to preventive repair options.

Brake pads are designed to start squealing when they are worn down, but motorists may be put off by the $100 to $200 that replacing each one can cost. Replacing the pads, however, can help to protect the rotors, which can cost up to four times as much to repair.

Similarly, changing one’s oil can cost $20 to $50 depending on the make and model, but regular replacements limit sludge that could cause a $6,000 engine failure.

“Taking immediate action when you hear a noise or feel something wrong can save you thousands of dollars on avoidable repairs,” says David Champion, Consumer Reports Auto Test Center senior director.

One of the upsides of holding onto a used car in New York is that insurance costs are lower than for new cars. The price of buying insurance for a car purchased through a Cash for Clunkers program may actually outweigh the discount, according to industry research.

For example, insuring a used Ford Explorer in New York costs roughly $1,400 per year on average for the 1999 model, while a new Honda Civic costs more than $2,000 even though it is one of the more affordable new cars to insure.

Adding up the cost difference over a five-year period would total $3,500, or the discount offered for such a switch, noted an Insurance.com report.

While insurance may be one reason to consider staying with a used car in New York, another may be the efforts by Republican legislators to nix any more funding for the Cash for Clunkers program.

Conservative senators are not enthusiastic about a bill passed by the House to augment the initiative with an additional $2 billion, and some Democrats say that the funding would create issues by supporting a program that does not help the less affluent, reported Fox News.

Buyers who find themselves in Tennessee this month with their children may want to take in a game featuring the minor league Chattanooga Lookouts if they have been considering used cars in New Jersey.

The baseball team has a variety of promotions, and one begins in the first inning on August 8.

Used Car Night means that one fan each inning will receive a used car as part of a promotion that the Lookouts say is hugely popular.

Families looking for vehicles that comfortable accommodate a bevy of children may not have to travel to the Volunteer State if they look at used Dodge Caravans in New Jersey.

The 2005 model was one of the most affordable minivans in its class, with seating for seven or enough space for 146.7 cubic feet of cargo if the back rows are folded down, noted Cars.com.

To reduce some stress for drivers trying to keep track of younger passengers, the van is more than 15 percent quieter than older models, the website’s editors added.

The VIN is like a social security number or a serial number for one’s vehicle, but it may not be as unique as it should be if owners aren’t careful to protect their used cars in New Jersey.

Scammers may break into used cars to steal documentation and VIN plates of one car. An owner may notice the break-in, but not report it because nothing looks amiss.

The problem occurs when the thieves then steal another car, and put the documentation into the second vehicle. It now appears to be a clean car, with no issues and is often passed off unknowingly to consumers.

“A Cadillac Escalade was stolen out of Canada,” Detective Scott Robideau of the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles told the Kennebec Journal. “There were actually two or three of those vehicles with that VIN registered.”

And while buyers should ask a reputable inspector to check for hidden VIN locations to limit the possibility of buying a cloned car, owners of used cars in New Jersey and other states should report break-ins to limit the need for future interviews from law enforcement, reported the paper.

A tow-truck driver recently found out the hard way that using cell phones while driving can leave one all wet, and drivers of used cars in New York and other states may want to use his experience as a lesson.

Niagara County Sheriff’s deputies said that the 25-year-old driver was reportedly using two cell phones, one to make a call and one for texting, when he collided with another vehicle before continuing through a fence and into a swimming pool, according to the Associated Press.

Police said that the occupants of the car that collided with the truck were in good condition with minor injuries, and that the tow-truck driver was cited for several offenses, including using a cell phone while operating a motor vehicle, the wire service reported.

Although it is against the law in several states, drivers still operate cell phones and increase their risk for causing an accident more than 20 times the rate if they weren’t texting, notes a Virginia Tech Study.

“Texting while driving kills,” said NY attorney Steven J. Schwartzapfel. “Thousands of lives are being irreparably damaged every year as a result of driving distractions and texting is just one more deadly distraction.”

Some used cars in New York can evoke memories of a bygone age because of styling cues or features not found in newer models, and one family is looking to take that retro concept a step further by making a road trip without several modern luxuries.

The Monteiths, including Mom, Dad and four children aged 5 through 9 will attempt to make a road trip through Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey in a van that will not be equipped with a CD player, and without modern road trip accessories like video games or personal music players.

“I have been preparing the kids for the road trips that I grew up taking, which will mean car games instead of game consoles or DVDs,” said mom Vonnette. “They are really excited to experience an old fashioned road trip.”

Once they get midway through, after stops at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and Philadelphia, the family will switch to a more modern van with various accessories including DVD navigation and an integrated entertainment system to compare the two styles of road trips using new and used cars in New York.