Do you spend lots of time planning routes and checking maps on road. You don't have any more with a Magellan RoadMate.

I work in film industry, scouting locations for possible shooting. These can be in built-up urban areas and remote locations all over California.

I often had problems finding my way, even with detailed instructions. I spent as much time parked and reading maps than I did driving.

Then I bought a RoadMate and within hours I felt I would never get lost again. The RoadMate works right out box, no complicated set-up and no downloading information - perfect for a technophobe like me!

Now I don't waste time scribbling instructions. I switch unit on when I get into car and within seconds it has a fix on my position (even in car port).

I have my contact give me address or even a landmark close by, and type it into RoadMate. Just like that, it finds my destination. And if I'm going to be going to that destination again I can save it in memory for future use.

If you are unlucky enough to be trading in your old vehicle, brace yourself because it is going to be ugly. The price dealers offer to pay is always painfully low. Don't be fooled by minimum trade promotions, they will just charge you more for new car to cover their losses. The only way to get a fair price for your trade is to sell it yourself. Here are a few good web sites to sell your automobile for a small fee.

traderonline.com dealsonwheels.com autotrader.com ebay.com

If you must trade in your old car, you can always find an independent appraisal online for free. I recommend looking up a few so that you can estimate a price range before you head out to make trade. In addition to appraising your trade in, these sites provide estimates of how much you could expect to receive if you were to end up selling it yourself.

nadaguides.com kbb.com edmunds.com

A fairly new subject to address when preparing to purchase your next new automobile is rebate, incentive, bonus cash, special offer or whatever they are calling sale this week. The rebates are a popular tool used most frequently by American auto makers. For consumer, an advantage of incentives can be that banks are willing to loan retail price and even a little more. The sale price often ends up thousands of dollars less than retail price. So if you owe slightly more than your car is worth, you may be able to roll that negative equity over into a shiny new car. I have seen rebates as high as $7000 on GM trucks and $5500 on GM cars. Whether you are upside down in your current vehicle or not, rebate can save you money. Don't wait until you get to your local car dealer to ask about it. I found dealers reluctant to admit how big rebate should have been on my last truck. The most accurate and up to date rebate information can be found on manufacturer web sites.