Diary of a First-Time Car Buyer – Entry #1
Dear Diary,
I have officially decided the time is here and now to finally buy a car. That’s right. I want to scream it to the world…I’M GOING TO BUY A CAR! I mean don’t get me wrong, I love Betsy, a.k.a. my forever-lasting, Oldsmobile Alero which I’ve had since I was 16, but I need to move on to bigger, better (and more reliable) things. I just graduated college and landed my first “real job” in Chicago, however Betsy won’t even make it to the nearest Starbucks let alone two and a half hours away. And, even though I love my timeworn car, I decided I not only want, but absolutely NEED a more reliable car if I’m going anywhere.
So, now that I’ve made a “big girl” decision and the easy part is over with, I have to figure out how to actually buy the thing. I’ve never bought a car in my life and I’m literally clueless on what to do, where to start or if I even want to start because I heard the car buying process is a nightmare. People have literally told me they’d rather get a root canal than buy a car. A root canal, really?! I always thought buying a car was exciting, a ticket to new found freedom. I guess the “new car scent” isn’t as addicting anymore now that it’s sold as a car freshener.
Though I don’t know anything about buying a car, I do know that I won’t be going through this process alone. I’m going to make sure I have a lot of help and support through each step from friends, family and of course the internet. Safety in numbers, right?
Uncategorized | No comment
Hyundai Renewal for 2013
We’re pleased to share Hyundai’s press release on their renewal of our partnership for 2013. We look forward to another great year of helping consumers reach their goal of a vehicle purchase and a free $500 definitely helps!
|
|
Hyundai Motor America 3200 Park Center Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 TEL: 714-965-3000 FAX: 714-378-1008 MEDIA WEBSITE: HyundaiNews.com CORPORATE WEBSITE: Hyundai.com |
|
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
Contact:
Lori Scholz
(714) 965-3890
lscholz@hmausa.com
SOCIAL SAVINGS WEBSITE MOTOZUMA EXTENDS HYUNDAI PARTNERSHIP
Up to $500 Purchase Incentive on a New Hyundai Exclusively on Motozuma.com
COSTA MESA, Calif., Jan. 28, 2013 – Saving for a new Hyundai has never been easier with Motozuma.com, the first-of-its-kind automotive social savings website. On the success of selling more than 1,500 new Hyundais in 2012, Hyundai will continue to offer a dollar-for-dollar matching incentive up to $500 for a consumer that buys a new 2012 – 2014 Hyundai using their Motozuma account funds as a down payment. Hyundai matches the dollars and Motozuma acts as the facilitator of the down payment at the dealership.
Motozuma.com allows prospective car buyers to set up a free, personalized account to save for a vehicle down payment and use social media to share and grow savings. Motozuma users can save their own money or money they are gifted by family and friends.
“We are excited to have Hyundai continue their partnership for a third consecutive year,” said John Morgan, CEO, Motozuma. “We have been able to bring them younger, first-time car buyers and they have seen value in our turnkey redemption platform at their dealerships. The positive testimonials we receive from our savers who have bought a new Hyundai tells us their vehicle lineup is a perfect fit for our audience and that being rewarded when they purchase leaves them with a greater sense of satisfaction about their vehicle purchase.”
Motozuma users are primarily younger, first-time car buyers. The site provides them with valuable educational and online tools to help them through the car buying process. Users can select the Hyundai they are saving for, create a personalized profile, set a savings goal and crowdfund towards it using the Motozuma platform’s social media tools.
“Younger car buyers require a different sales approach and Motozuma.com allows them to access their social networks for more simplified savings,” said Dave Zuchowski, executive vice president, National Sales, Hyundai Motor America. “In 2012, Elantra, Veloster and Sonata were the leading Hyundais sold on Motozuma.com and we look forward to continuing to provide first-time car buyers with stylish, fuel efficient and technology rich options through this innovative platform.”
MOTOZUMA
Motozuma.com is the first-of-its-kind automotive social savings website where prospective car buyers can set up a free, personalized account to save for a vehicle down payment and use social media to share and grow savings. It’s as easy as Click. Save. Drive. Motozuma users may fund their account through regular savings contributions and by receiving monetary gifts from family and friends. Motozuma rewards buyers – and increases savings – by providing exclusive partner purchase incentives including a dollar-for-dollar match of up to $500 on any new Hyundai vehicle and up to $200 on any used vehicle purchase at a Motozuma Preferred Used Car Dealer. Motozuma was founded in 2009 and is headquartered in Naperville, Ill.
HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA
Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Costa Mesa, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through more than 820 dealerships nationwide. All Hyundai vehicles sold in the U.S. are covered by the Hyundai Assurance program, which includes the 5-year/60,000-mile fully transferable new vehicle warranty, Hyundai’s 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, and five years of complimentary Roadside Assistance.
For more details on Hyundai Assurance, please visit www.HyundaiAssurance.com
Please visit our media website at www.hyundainews.com and our blog at www.hyundailikesunday.com
Hyundai Motor America on Twitter | YouTube | Facebook
Cars for a Cause
We are excited to announce our Cars for a Cause program – helping those in need of reliable transportation. During this holiday season we will highlight deserving families, groups or charities that have a demonstrable need for a vehicle. For each deserving entity, we will create a Motozuma.com fundraising page, help them spread the word for donations, contribute $500 ourselves to their goal and assist them in purchasing and taking delivery of the vehicle they need.
So how can you help? First, if you know a charity, group or family that has a vehicle need – either to replace an existing vehicle or to provide a vehicle where one doesn’t exist – please nominate them or let them know to nominate themselves by sending an email to cause@motozuma.com. Email nominations should include information about who the vehicle is for, the current need and why this is a worthy candidate.
Second, after we’ve selected candidates, you can help us promote and raise awareness of them to help increase their donations. Access to reliable transportation is so important to so many people, the more we can help, the better.
If you would like to assist in this program or have any questions, please contact us at 877-504-9862 or cause@motozuma.com – Let’s make a difference this holiday season.
Uncategorized | No comment
Hurricane Help
Our thoughts and prayers are with all of those affected by this terrible storm. We can only imagine how difficult of a time this must be and we’re hopeful we can help in some small way. If you need to replace your vehicle because of Hurricane Sandy, we at Motozuma are here for you. You can use Motozuma.com to share your story and raise money to help replace your vehicle – completely free. We will highlight the vehicle needs of all affected by the storm and help spread the word to raise money for each of you. When you are ready to purchase, we will help you find a vehicle, find a dealership and make sure your buying experience is simple and easy.
In times like this we all need to pull together and work together for the common good. Donations of any kind are wonderful, but thousands of our fellow Americans are without transportation because of this devastating storm. Helping them with donations towards something that is so important and so needed, reliable transportation, is one way to help people get back on their feet. At Motozuma, we will start by pledging $250 to the vehicle fund of every person affected by the storm who is raising funds on Motozuma.com. We will work with dealerships and manufacturers partners to bring additional pledges to each vehicle purchase to help in this recovery effort. We believe in the best of America and want to lend our support and help to all those affected. Please join the effort by contacting us at recovery@motozuma.com, 877-504-9862 or @motozuma. We are better together.
Uncategorized | No comment
Help is on the way!
There is always a first time for everything; taking our first step, the first time we rode our bike without training wheels, or the first time we drove a car (legally). These accomplishments were a big deal to our parents, and the ones we can actually remember, were a big deal to us. But, now that we are considered “adults” and we must “take things seriously,” first times have become more important. First times now start off intimidating, become completely terrifying, and end up in hoping if what we did was the right decision. No one knows this better than someone on their own, someone who is about to make a big purchase, someone like you and me…first-time car buyers.
I know it probably feels like you’re a tiny fish in a big ocean. That’s completely normal. There are tons and tons of car shopping sites that pull you in all different directions. One article explains how to haggle the right price for a vehicle, while another explains how to barter the cheapest financing. Who knew buying a car was like a scene out of the Hunger Games? Not to mention the articles are so confusing and about a billion pages long of boring material. Half of the articles aren’t even written by first-time car buyers and they have no idea what we are going through. Before we know it, it’s been hours and we’re still in the same intimidated, anxiety-ridden state we were before. No wonder everyone keeps saying that our generation doesn’t want to buy cars anymore!
It’s okay, though. Unclench your fists, take a deep breath and stop worrying. The struggle is ending right here, right now. There is going to be a breakthrough for all first-time car buying information out there. Motozuma will be producing a First-Time Car Buyer’s Guide; one that is written for first-time car buyers and written by first-time car buyers, like you and me. There will be no need to look anywhere else for any information. All you need to know will be in one place, with specific steps and written in a short, entertaining and easy way we can all understand…not that crazy “professional” jargon. Purchasing a car will no longer be intimidating or terrifying, and after you bought you will know you made the right decision. So go ahead and be proud you’re a first-time car buyer because remember, there is always a first time for everything.
Uncategorized | No comment
Motozuma Proves There Is Such A Thing As A “Free Lunch”
So the old saying goes “There is no such thing as a free lunch”. This saying has always perplexed me. I’ve eaten a lot of free lunches in my day. As I recall during my childhood, I always thought lunch was free. As I got older I started to realize that not all lunches were free, but I was still treated to the occasional free lunch by a family member or good friend. Even in the “real world” I get a free lunch when it’s a co-workers birthday, when we have some “team building” or when we just need a break from the same old, same old on a dreary Tuesday.
But I’m guessing the saying is supposed to mean that nothing is really free. That there always must be a “catch”. That when something sounds too good to be true, it’s because it is. Well get ready to throw all the old sayings and clichés out the window, because Motozuma.com is poking them all right in the eye. No, Motozuma isn’t buying a free lunch, they’re going one step further, they’re giving you free money when you buy a car. Go ahead, re-read that sentence, look at it again, start looking for the “catch” or the “gotcha, I have to sit through 6 hours of this time share presentation for the free trip-trap. Sorry to disappoint but it’s not there.
Here are the facts – you can save money for a down payment on a car. In fact, you actually need to save money for a down payment on a car. They don’t just let you walk off the dealership lot with a car unless you put some “money down”. It’s not 2007 anymore, it’s pretty essential. So what’s the best way to make sure you have some money for your down payment and a chance to have your own money go even further for you? Use Motozuma.com. The website lets you save your own money to reach a savings goal and also allows you to share your car fund with others, so they can gift you money towards your next car for those special occasions – birthday, holiday, graduation, because I said so, because I want leather and a turbo, etc.
When you’re ready to buy, Motozuma.com has exclusive purchase offers that give you the opportunity to receive free money on your next ride. If you’re buying a used car, Motozuma will give you a dollar-for-dollar match on the money in your Motozuma account, up to $200, towards your down payment on a used car purchased at a Motozuma Preferred Used Car Dealership. If a new car is more your thing, then you can get a dollar for dollar match up to $500 when you buy a new Hyundai. It’s that simple – save some money, match it so it goes further, buy your next ride and smile.
So the next time someone pulls out that old, boring “There is no such thing as a free lunch” line, just tell them to shut it down and check out Motozuma.com. Then tell them they’re buying you lunch for saving them so much money on their next vehicle purchase!
Uncategorized | No comment
Motozuma and Parents Can Work Together to Help Teens Save For A Vehicle
Do you remember when you were 14 and all you could think about was how close you were to getting your driver’s license? Do you also remember that grueling, long story your parents told you about how “money doesn’t grow on trees” and “if they wanted something in their day they had to work hard for it?” Yeah, I think we all have. So, if I didn’t want to humiliate myself by taking the bus to school at 16, then I would have to save up for my own car.
My parents did, however, make me a deal. However much money I saved for my first car, they would match it, dollar-for-dollar. My hard work plus their matching offer would determine what type of first car I could buy. At 14, with zero money in the bank and a dream of driving something cool, I went into the business of mowing lawns in the neighborhood. For the next 2 summers, I gave blood, sweat and tears to those lawns. There was many a time I would have rather been playing with my friends then cutting grass or buying baseball cards or candy with my money instead of putting it in the bank. But I preserved – my baseball collection didn’t grow and I stopped getting cavities, but my bank account grew and my first car was within reach!
Right before my 16th birthday, I had made it to my goal, $1,250. With my parents dollar for dollar match, that gave me $2,500 to spend on a car. I was so proud of my effort and even more grateful to my parents for giving me the incentive to get there. This was the moment of truth. I was a 16-year-old worth $2,500 and a week later I was behind the wheel of a used blue V-8 Chevy Camaro with T-tops (yeah that’s right T-Tops!).
That was a “few” years ago, but now teens of this day and age have another matching incentive to take advantage of, in addition to the forever loved “parent match.” Motozuma, the first-of-its-kind automotive social savings website, offers a unique interface to help car buyers save and tap into rewards. Your teen can set up a free, personalized Motozuma account and begin saving for a car with deposits from an existing checking or savings account. Also, Motozuma makes it easy to spread the word of your teen’s saving goal to family and friends in just a few clicks via Facebook, Twitter, blog posts or e-cards (and we all know they love their social media). Whether it’s a birthday, a holiday, graduation or any other gift giving occasion, family and friends can give monetary gifts to help your teen’s car fund reach its goal.
Now parents…listen up! This is the part where Motozuma will help YOU help your teen. Motozuma.com provides purchase offers to help your teen’s savings go further when they mowed enough lawns and are ready to buy a car. Motozuma offers a dollar-for-dollar match, up to $200, on any used vehicle purchased from a Motozuma Preferred Used Car Dealership. That’s $200 extra of free money your teen will receive on top of your “parent match.” Motozuma understands how hard it is to save money for such a big purchase, and with a little help from you and Motozuma, your teen’s money can go a lot further.
We didn’t forget about the parents though – Motozuma also has a national partnership with Hyundai that offers a dollar-for-dollar match, up to $500, when Motozuma funds are used towards a new Hyundai. That’s $500 of free money on top of your savings, good on any new Hyundai vehicle.
Now that I have kids myself, and even though Motozuma is bringing matching offers (or “free money”) when you purchase, I still make sure my kids hear those ever famous lines of “money doesn’t grow on trees” and “back in my day, if I wanted something I had to work hard for it.” Life lessons, just like a nice match on your hard earned savings, which never go out of style.
Uncategorized | No comment
Used Car Press Release
MOTOZUMA LAUNCHES REWARD PROGRAM FOR USED CAR BUYERS
New Program Offers Used Car Buyers $200 Toward a Down Payment
Naperville, Ill. (September 20, 2012) – Motozuma, the first-of-its-kind automotive social savings website, today launched a new program for used car buyers. Prospective buyers may set up a free Motozuma account, save for a down payment and receive a dollar-for-dollar match of up to $200 on any used vehicle purchased from a Motozuma Preferred Used Car Dealer.
Motozuma’s patent-pending social savings platform offers a unique interface to help car buyers not only save and tap rewards, but also receive monetary gifts from their family and friends. The savings program for used car buyers is a logical progression for Motozuma, which launched in 2009 with an emphasis on new vehicles. The used car program will roll out first at Chicago-area dealers and will immediately expand to include a nationwide network of dealerships.
“Motozuma has already made it possible for thousands of people to harness their social networks to help save for and purchase a new vehicle,” says John Morgan, Founder/CEO, Motozuma. “Now we are excited to offer this $200 reward, which is free money, toward a down payment on a used vehicle.”
Nearly two-thirds of Motozuma’s current users are less than 35 years of age, but the savings platform is open to shoppers of all ages. “The used car savings match offers a tremendous value, whether it’s used toward the purchase of a buyer’s first vehicle or the replacement of an existing vehicle,” says Morgan.
HOW IT WORKS
To participate in the used car savings program, prospective buyers simply set up a free Motozuma account (no new bank account required) and begin fueling savings with deposits from an existing checking or savings account. The site also features tools that make it easy to notify and engage the user’s social network for contributions via Facebook, email blasts and blog posts. When ready to make a purchase, users identify a desired used vehicle at any Motozuma Preferred Used Car Dealer and initiate the transfer of down payment funds to the dealership. Down payment savings and dollar-for-dollar match of up to $200 may be applied to any make and model of used vehicle available at a Motozuma Preferred Used Car Dealer. All Motozuma Preferred Used Car Dealers have been trained on the Motozuma process and are dedicated to providing a smooth transaction and positive experience for Motozuma users.
In addition to the newly launched used vehicle program, Motozuma also offers account holders a purchase offer on new vehicles. Shoppers who use Motozuma account funds for a down payment on a new Hyundai are currently eligible for a dollar-for-dollar matching incentive up to $500. Hyundai’s Motozuma matching purchase incentive is good on all new Hyundai vehicles and may be combined with other offers.
To see a complete list of participating Motozuma Preferred Used Car Dealers and to set up a free, no obligation account to begin saving toward a down payment, visit Motozuma.com
ABOUT MOTOZUMA
Motozuma.com is the first-of-its-kind automotive social savings website where prospective car buyers can set up a free, personalized account to save for a vehicle down payment and use social media to share and grow savings. It’s as easy as Click. Save. Drive. Motozuma users may grow savings by regularly contributing and by collecting monetary contributions from family and friends. Motozuma rewards buyers – and increases savings – by providing purchase offers including a dollar-for-dollar match of up to $500 on any new Hyundai vehicle and up to $200 on any used vehicle purchase at a Motozuma Preferred Used Car Dealer. Motozuma was founded in 2009 and is headquartered in Naperville, Ill.
Uncategorized | No comment
Marketing to Millennials
We came across an article recently from Automotive News! Marketing to millennials: Make it online, fast, easy explains what the Millennial generation is looking for, and what they’re not, when purchasing a vehicle.
Growing up in the world of technology is nothing new for the Millennial generation. Instead of wanting that new set of wheels, they rather have the new iPhone 5. Instead of driving to one of their friends’ houses to hang out, they rather chat with hundreds of friends via Facebook. This technological phase is unlikely to change for these Gen-Y’s and car dealerships better start taking notice if they want to heed this powerful generation into car buying.
Marketing to millennials: Make it online, fast, easy identifies the needs Gen-Y buyers have when purchasing a new vehicle. Unlike past generations, Millennials prefer to begin the buying experience online and they want a fast, tech savvy, barter-free purchase agreement. Most Millennials have already made up their minds before even walking onto the dealership showroom floor due to mobile applications, chats with online salesmen and of course the ever empowering advice from Mom and Dad. The future of car selling has changed fundamentally, and it’s all due to the advancement of this generation.
We have seen this first hand with millennials saving for their car on Motozuma.com. They prefer to have their car buying experience shared with friends and family. Millennials are active on our site sharing their savings goal via Facebook and Twitter and asking for monetary gifts into their Motozuma car fund. No doubt this generation likes things done fast, and we’ve found it paramount to respond quickly to their requests to meet and exceed their expectations. We have tried to make saving with us as easy as sending a text message for this generation.
To find out more about this tech savvy generation’s preferences on car buying visit:
Uncategorized | No comment
Marketing to Millennials
We came across an article recently from Automotive News – Marketing to millennials: Make it online, fast, easy explains what the Millennial generation is looking for, and what they’re not, when purchasing a vehicle.
Growing up in the world of technology is nothing new for the Millennial generation. Instead of wanting that new set of wheels, they rather have the new iPhone 5. Instead of driving to one of their friends’ houses to hang out, they rather chat with hundreds of friends via Facebook. This technological phase is unlikely to change for these Gen-Y’s and car dealerships better start taking notice if they want to heed this powerful generation into car buying.
Marketing to millennials: Make it online, fast, easy identifies the needs Gen-Y buyers have when purchasing a new vehicle. Unlike past generations, Millennials prefer to begin the buying experience online and they want a fast, tech savvy, barter-free purchase agreement. Most Millennials have already made up their minds before even walking onto the dealership showroom floor due to mobile applications, chats with online salesmen and of course the ever empowering advice from Mom and Dad. The future of car selling has changed fundamentally, and it’s all due to the advancement of this generation.
We have seen this first hand with millennials saving for their car on Motozuma.com. They prefer to have their car buying experience shared with friends and family. Millennials are active on our site sharing their savings goal via Facebook and Twitter and asking for monetary gifts into their Motozuma car fund. No doubt this generation likes things done fast, and we’ve found it paramount to respond quickly to their requests to meet and exceed their expectations. We have tried to make saving with us as easy as sending a text message for this generation.
To find out more about this tech savvy generation’s preferences on car buying visit:
http://www.autonews.com/article/20120806/RETAIL07/308069962/1422/marketing-to-millennials-make-it-online-fast-easy
Uncategorized | No comment
Socialize With Us