Vehicle MD - A Driver's Guide to Maintaining a Healthy Car

HELPFUL LINKS

Welcome to Links, a list of some of the many automotive websites we at VehicleMD have come to know and love!

What’s Your Car Worth?

Finding out what your car is worth before selling it or trading it in can be an interesting process. Below are some of the best sites for finding used car values, but don’t take just one site’s word for it! Plus, a couple of the sites require registration so dealers can contact you, which might not be your preference if you’re just wondering what your car is worth. In one informal study, the sites below spit out a range of trade-in values for a specific car that varied by as much as $3,500; the average trade-in value for the car was $11,500, showing just how much leeway a lot of these sites take.

Kelley Blue Book
The “Bible” of used car values, but not always the most driver-friendly. Be sure to average its results with results from other sites.

Edmunds
Good car value calculator, plus a whole lot more.

NADA Guides
In use since 1933, but a part of the National Automobile Dealers Association, so a bit skewed toward dealers. (Though to be fair, in an informal study we conducted NADA Guides did return the highest average trade-in values.)

Cars Direct
Site requires registration, but did return a high average trade-in value.

Intelliprice
Another site that requires registering in order to find out your car’s value, but it does allow you to be VERY specific about your vehicle’s condition and thus might get you closer to a real-world (i.e. lower than you’d like it to be) trade-in value.

Trade-In-Value
Registration required.

Internet Auto Guide
Registration is required for a specific analysis, but it will spit out a range of trade-in values you might expect without having to register.

Taking Care of Your Car

Car Care Council
One of our favorite sites, with an interactive feature that answers questions about almost every component on a vehicle.

Just Answer
Got a question you’d like an automotive expert to answer? This site has a team of certified technicians that will respond to your vehicle-related query.

Sites Especially for Women

These sites are popular with our female staffers—though truth be told we’ve caught some of our manly men surfing them from time to time, as well.

Nice Cars for Women
An independent website that talks about cars popular with women.

Ask Patty
This popular website features automotive advice for women by women.

Family Car
A "Web Magazine" with articles pertinent to family driving, including a section explaining how cars work.

Car Décor
The Girl’s Source for Frivolous and Functional Car Décor.” This site’s tagline says it all.

Edmunds Women & Family Car Guide
Tips and advice from one of the leading automotive websites.

Cars Diva
An insider’s view of the auto industry, from a woman’s perspective.

Recalls and Technical Bulletins

Want to know if your car has been recalled for a safety issue, or whether or not the manufacturer has ever issued a technical service bulletin—a note to dealers to watch out for known problems—for your car? These sites feature searchable databases that will let you check.

NHTSA
The official search engine for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s recall database. If your car has been recalled for any reason, you’ll find it here.

ALLDATA
A searchable database of technical service bulletins (subject only). Subscribers can read the actual bulletin contents, and even gain access to online service manuals.

MyCarStats
Another good place to find technical service bulletins.

TSB Data
Ditto.

Automotive Glossaries

If your mechanic or technician insists on speaking “car”, you can learn the language by visiting a few of these very in-depth sites.

Motorera
More than 20,000 expressions, including ones for bicycles, motorcycles and boats.

AutoTrader
Includes financing and banking terms, as well.

Edmunds Glossary
Succinct glossary, but very informative.

Miscellaneous Links

Websites we couldn’t put under any other category, but are still pretty darn cool.

Anything On Wheels
News and reviews. Plus, check out the list of celebrity cars.

The Truth About Cars
Blog with auto news, reviews, editorials and podcasts

Edmunds Daily
News and advice for car shoppers and owners.

DMV Websites
A list of states’ DMV websites.

Car Talk
The Internet home of the “Car Talk” radio show on NPR.