My Personal Finance Blog

If you’re planning a wedding, a prom, or a special night on the town, chances are that you’re thinking of hiring a limousine service for transportation. Limousines are fun, and you’ll feel like a celebrity riding around town, turning heads wherever you go. The array of models available, ranging from the ultramodern to the vintage antique and everything in between, is astounding. Many limo services offer several less common vehicles, allowing you to choose something tailored precisely to your needs and budget as well as your own personal flair.

The classic stretch limo, a modified luxury sedan, is perhaps the most popular option. These cars usually have room for six passengers, while super stretch versions offer more space. While Lincoln Town Car models are quite prevalent, Chrysler 300M versions offer another elegant and readily available choice. Practically any luxury sedan you can think of has been stretched, including Infiniti, Mercedes, BMW, Bentley and many more.

SUV limousines are other frequently requested choices. Some of the ones you might encounter include the distinctive Hummer H2, roomy Lincoln Navigator or head-turning Cadillac Escalade models – all great options that often offer lots of passenger space as well as more head and leg room than sedan-based limos.

If you want something flashier, you might consider a Corvette limousine. Combining the sports car feel with incredible luxury just might make you the envy of onlookers. Other sports cars, like Prowlers and Dodge Chargers, have been converted into limos as well. When cash is no object, and you have time to look around, other exotic cars such as Ferrari and Porsche models have been modified to seat many passengers in style.

For a truly unique, vintage feel, you might opt for an antique limousine model. Some specialty companies offer carefully maintained, well preserved classic cars such as Rolls Royce, Bentley, Packard, Excalibur and others that date from the 1920s through the 60s. You may find classic cars that have been recently modified as well, creating limos with vintage style yet luxurious, modern interiors.

Do you need something even bigger than an SUV? To accommodate a large group of people, a limo bus could be the way to go. Rest assured that this is not a traditional motor coach or tour bus. These huge party buses can carry up to 40 or 50 people and typically offer all of the features of an exclusive nightclub. They often have full standup bars, luxurious lounge seats or couches and plush carpet. Some even offer room for dancing.

The custom features of today’s luxury interiors go way beyond comfortable seats and a mini bar. You can find limos with options like plasma televisions, state-of-the-art sound systems, and even fireplaces. Many limousine services offer customized options, such as top of the line audio systems, fully stocked bars, and special features like fancy lighting and glass roofs for viewing the night sky. Are you in the mood for a swim or hot tub soak as you ride around town? These features are becoming increasingly available as well.

Consider all of the options available to you when hiring a limousine service, and you’ll be sure to find the perfect luxury vehicle for your special event.

Do you take the safety and insurance costs of the car when shopping for a new ride? If no, you definitely should consider it, because the costs associated with auto insurance can be a burden to your family budget if you choose the wrong car. And it could turn out that a relatively cheap car will cost you way more in auto insurance premiums over the years compared to a more expensive auto with low auto insurance quotes. The Highway Loss Data Institute compiles and analyzes the information regarding insurance costs of all car makes and models available on the market today and many insurance companies base their rates on the data provided with this institute’s reports.

But besides the HLDI reports every insurance company runs its own statistics regarding insurance costs of all autos on the road, which strongly influence the final car insurance quotes you will get when shopping around. Insurers analyze the costs of repair, theft, maintenance, damage, injuries and the overall claim history of a particular car model before giving our a rate. And sometimes these factors can make your premiums differ in times for two same-priced cars. Why is that? Because some cars are more likely to be stolen than others, some cars have better safety features and cost less to repair, and some cars just can’t leave the top spots of insurance claim ratings.

So before you decide to buy a car, make sure it doesn’t make part of the most frequently stolen list:

• Honda Accord
• Toyota Camry
• Ford F-150
• Acura Integra
• Nissan Sentra
• Toyota Corolla
• Toyota Pickups

Or the most expensive theft claim list:

• Cadillac Escalade
• Chevrolet Corvette Convertible
• Lincoln Navigator

Cars that are known to cause serious injuries to their drivers or passengers frequently will also cost more to insure than safer car models. So think twice before buying one of the following cars, because your rates will be more expensive:

• Suzuki Esteem
• Kia Rio
• Mitsubishi Mirage
• Kia Spectra

Collision coverage and cost is also analyzed thoroughly and cars having the lowest ratings here will likely have lower insurance rates. So pay attention to the following cars, having the least expensive collision costs if you want your premiums low:

• Ford Excursion
• GMC 2500
• GMC Safari
• GMC Yukon XL

Speaking in general, be cautious when buying sports cars and big engine vehicles as they always have high auto insurance quotes. This is because fast and powerful cars are more risky and usually have high damage and injury cost as well as frequent insurance claims. Luxury cars also have high auto insurance premiums due to the high repair costs and infamous popularity among car thieves. Big SUVs can also turn out to be costly to insure due to high damage costs they are known for.

If you want a car that will be cheap to insure think of a medium sized car that has many safety features installed and just enough power to drive safely without the temptation to race on the highway. For a more detailed information on the car makes and models, visit he HLDI site. Or try getting auto insurance quotes on different models and comparing them online, as it is a very popular and accessible option today. And remember that different companies will have different rates for the same car, so if you have firmly decided on a particular auto, maybe it’s better to see what other insurers have to offer first.