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| Option and Package Glossary |
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| Option and Package Glossary |
A-ARM | |
| Suspension frame consisting of two radius arms joined in the shape of an A, for providing lateral location. | |
A-PILLAR | |
| In the side view, the foremost roof support of a vehicle, located in most instances between the outer edge of the windshield and the leading edge of the front door upper. Also known as an A-Post. | |
ACCELERATOR | |
| The pedal on the driver's side floor that controls the amount of fuel delivered to the engine and ultimately the speed of the car. | |
ACQUISITION COST | |
| Term for the total cost of vehicle, plus lessor's markup, minus the lessee's down payment. This is the financed value of the vehicle at the start of the lease. | |
ACQUISITION FEE | |
| A fee, charged to the lessee by the lessor, for acquiring the vehicle and processing the paperwork. | |
ACTUAL CASH VALUE | |
| The amount of money invested in the purchase and repairs of a used vehicle. Also known as ACV, this represents the amount of out of pocket expense a dealer or broker pays towards a car. | |
ADJUSTABLE SEAT | |
| Adjustable seats come in many varieties with adjustments including fore and aft travel, lateral support, thigh cushion height, the angle of the seat back, and lumbar support for the lower back, plus adjustable head restraints. | |
ADJUSTABLE SHOCK ABSORBERS | |
| These shock absorbers allow the driver to vary the ride while the vehicle is in motion. An internal motor in the shocks adjusts the damping valve, allowing the driver to set the ride on ""soft"" or ""firm."" | |
ADVERTISING | |
| An amount of money that is usually part of the dealer invoice price of each vehicle sold. This money is used by the manufacturer to finance its advertising program. Fleet orders are exempt from this fee, as are certain other price programs. | |
ADVERTISING, DEALER | |
| Manufacturers charge a percentage of the total MSRP minus the destination charge for each car the dealership purchases. Most manufacturers also charge a percentage or a flat fee for national advertising to the dealer. This may result in an additional .5% to 1% of MSRP being added to the invoice price. | |
AERODYNAMIC DRAG | |
| The resistance or ""drag"" air exhibits when a vehicle moves through it. The more aerodynamically efficient a vehicle is, the less horsepower it requires to maintain speed. | |
AFTER-MARKET CUSTOM OPTIONS | |
| This equipment does not come from the manufacturer, but are added by a dealer after receipt of a vehicle, or an upfitter after a vehicle's purchase. | |
AIR BAG | |
| The air bag, also known as a Supplemental Inflatable Restraint System, is a passive safety device, supplemental to safety belts, that inflates to provide a cushion to absorb impact forces during moderate to severe frontal collisions. This system can help to lessen the chance of contact with the steering wheel, instrument panel and windshield. The air bag is actuated automatically by sensors located in the front of the vehicle. To maximize effectiveness, seat and shoulder belts must always be used in conjunction with this system. | |
AIR CLEANER | |
| Any device such as a porous paper, wire mesh filter or oil-bath cleaner, that prevents airborne particles from entering air-breathing machinery. | |
AIR DAM | |
| A front spoiler mounted beneath the bumper and shaped to reduce drag created by vehicle underbody and can increase the airflow to radiators. | |
AIR FOIL | |
| An aerodynamic device designed to improve traction by increasing the downforce on the car. The use of airfoils (also called wings) increases the cornering capability and improves stability at speed. | |
AIR INJECTION | |
| Addition of an air stream under pressure into the exhaust ports of the engine for combustion of unburned hydrocarbons in the exhaust gases, thus producing ""cleaner"" exhaust emissions. | |
AIR SCOOP | |
| An aerodynamic device or opening used to conduct air to cool some part of the car | |
| generally the engine, the brakes or the radiator. | |
AIR/FUEL MIX | |
| Ratio by weight of air and fuel in the engine's cylinder. | |
ALG (Automotive Lease Guide) | |
| A collection of residual values for new fleet vehicles created by experts in the automobile industry. | |
ALIGNMENT | |
| Generally refers to wheel alignment, which is the proper adjustment of the car's front and rear suspension for toe, camber, caster and ride height. | |
ALL-WHEEL DRIVE (AWD) | |
| This drive system features four, full-time active drive wheels to reduce wheel slippage and provide greater driver control over the vehicle. All-Wheel Drive automatically splits engine torque between the front and rear wheels as needed, improving on-road traction in unfavorable road conditions. AWD does not require the driver to actively engage the system. It is operational at all times, and requires no switches, lights or visor instructions for system operation. | |
ALLOY WHEELS | |
| A generic term used to describe any non-steel road wheel. The most common alloy wheels are cast aluminum. Technically, an alloy is a mixture of two or more metals. These wheels are know for their light weight and strength. | |
ALTERNATOR | |
| A part of the electrical system which converts mechanical energy from a drive belt into electrical energy. The alternator operates the ignition and electrical accessories, as well as charging the battery. | |
AMORTIZATION | |
| The amount of principal owed on a loan after a payment has been made and interest has been determined. | |
AMPERE | |
| A unit of measurement for electrical current. One ampere corresponds to the flow of 6.28 x 10 to the 18th power electrons per second. | |
ANALOG INSTRUMENTATION | |
| An analog guage uses a needle pointing to a graduated readout. The gauge is read by looking at the value that the needle points to. | |
ANTI-BACKFIRE VALVE | |
| Works with the air injection system during deceleration to prevent the exhaust gases from mixing explosively with fresh air, which would cause a backfire. | |
ANTI-KNOCK AGENTS | |
| Substances (such as ethanol or tetraethyl lead) added to gasoline to raise the octane number and reduce the gasoline's tendency to detonate, which is also known as knock or ping. | |
ANTI-LOCK BRAKES (ABS) | |
| ABS-equipped vehicles have speed sensors which determine when a wheel is decelerating so rapidly that lockup may occur and activate the Electro-Hydraulic Control Unit (EHCU). The EHCU then modulates the brake pressure in the appropriate brake lines and prevents wheel lockup and help the vehicle maintain directional stability during potentially hazardous braking situations. (See also: Rear-Wheel Anti-Lock and Four-Wheel Anti-Lock.) | |
ANTIFREEZE | |
| Any of several substances (typically ethylene glycol) mixed with water and added to the car's cooling systems to prevent freezing of the coolant in winter. It also inhibits formation of rust and other deposits that would tend to clog the radiator and coolant passages, thus reducing cooling efficiency. | |
APPRAISAL | |
| Second and fullest used vehicle evaluation after Valuation. An appraisal would includes Reconditioning costs. | |
APR | |
| (Annual Percentage Rate) The percentage of interest a borrower or lessee can expect to pay yearly on the amount borrowed. The interest is accrued on either the total amount borrowed, or the remaining principal, depending on what method of financing is used. | |
ARCHIVE | |
| A folder used to store out-of-date manufacturer paperwork from a Data Analyst's file. There will be an archive for the current model year, and archives for all previous model years of a vehicle's life cycle. | |
ARGENT FINISH | |
| A silvery, aluminum pigment paint with a color similar to brushed chrome or aluminum. Typically used on wheels or body trim parts. | |
ASPECT RATIO | |
| The ratio of tire height to width. The lower the number, the wider the tire. | |
AUTOMATIC LOCKING FRONT HUBS | |
| Found in some four-wheel drive vehicles, this allows the driver to engage, or ""lock,"" the front axle hubs without leaving the vehicle. | |
AUTOMATIC SEAT BELTS | |
| Typically a two-point restraint belt which pulls into place automatically once the driver or passenger is seated and the vehicle door is closed. | |
AUTOMATIC TEMPERATURE CONTROL | |
| A combined heater/air conditioning system which automatically balances the amount of hot and cold air required to bring and maintain the interior of a car to a preset temperature. | |
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | |
| Transmission system in which gear ratios are selected and engaged automatically, though usually with provision for the driver to manually override the selection. | |
AUXILIARY LIGHTING | |
| This refers to any additional driving, fog or spot lights fitted to the car and used in conjunction with the existing high and low beam headlights. | |
AUXILIARY SPRINGS | |
| Springs of a two-stage design. (Also called Helper Springs). Used to control the roll and sway of vehicles with high bodies, liquid loads, or other loads that might shift. Also used with bodies that have a high center of gravity to handle shifting weight when cornering or when operating on high-crowned roads. Auxiliary springs will come into play only after the regular springs are partially deflected. Common only as part of the rear suspension unit. | |
AXLE | |
| A horizontal theoretical or actual crossbar supporting a vehicle on which one or more wheels are mounted. | |
AXLE RATIO | |
| Overall ratio between the engine revolutions (RPM) and that of the driven wheel. Final drive is determined by dividing the number of teeth on the ring gear by the number of teeth on the pinion gear. | |
AXLES, REAR FULL-FLOATING | |
| The full-floating axle's only purpose is to drive the wheels. The housing supports the entire rear weight through double opposed wheel bearings which also absorb all load and wheel stresses. Should axle shaft breakage occur, the vehicle can be towed since the wheel is supported by the wheel hub and bearings. | |
AXLES, REAR SEMI-FLOATING | |
| The inner shaft is carried on an extension of the differential, and the outer or wheel bearings is carried directly on the axle shaft. This enables the axle shafts and wheel bearings to not only support the total rear weight, but must also transmit driving torque to the wheels and resist stresses due to skidding, turning corners and tractive forces. | |