Well, recently, Biemme Special Cars has built the most luxurious funeral car ever. And it’s built using a Rolls Royce concept. The Phantom. In fact, this new funeral car is called the Rolls Royce Phantom Hearse.

Don’t worry. It’s not as menacing as it sounds. It’s actually quite attractive.

The Phantom Hearse was built using a 6.75-liter V12 engine. And, yes, you can say “Wow!” On top of that, it sits on a self-leveling air suspension and is built entirely of aluminum. How much luxury can you handle?

Rolls Royce is synonymous with luxury. They don’t make cars that slouch, so you can bet the Phantom Hearse is a funeral car worth financing. Even at $662,000.

There is no substitute for luxury and class. World-class funeral directors know this. And their customers know it too. That’s why Heritage Coach is looking forward to actually seeing the Rolls Royce Phantom Hearse hit the market. Someone somewhere is going to want one, and someone somewhere is going to want to escort their family to the other side with one. They deserve that dignity for the life they lived, and you deserve to be the one to give it to them.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, it could very well be distracting to drivers.

New discussions at the DOT may lead to legislation that requires auto makers to block such technology inside vehicles. But you know as well as we do that in-dash technology isn’t the problem. Many drivers use their cell phones for talking and texting while driving. That is much more harmful than GPS navigation.

Naturally, the automobile industry is challenging the DOTs train of thought. As well it should.

Some in-dash technology can benefit funeral car drivers while conducting their normal business. GPS is one such technology. But what about Internet browsing? What if you have a client ask a question and you want to ensure that the information you provide is accurate? A quick Internet search would solve the problem, right?

We’d caution you against conducting the search while driving, but let’s not blame the technology for the irresponsibility of certain drivers.

Every dime you spend on vehicles for your fleet means less profit for your funeral business. That’s why buying earlier can save you a bundle.

Kelley Blue Book is the go-to source for new and used car values and has provided an excellent service to auto consumers for many years. If they say prices are going up, then I think the wise consumer should believe them. According to KBB, trade-in values for full-size vehicles went up .5% during one week in January 2012 alone.

With used car prices on the rise and gasoline prices on the rise, you’ll have to look for value somewhere in managing a fleet of funeral cars and hearses. You’ll have to look for places to save money to increase your bottom line. You don’t want that to be in maintenance.

Therefore, buy your used funeral car earlier and you’ll save money on the purchase price. That will affect your profits as well.

Well, you can’t do all of that with your iPhone, but you can start your hearse and control some of the functions on your vehicles with your iPhone.

The technology is courtesy a company called Delphi. Using Bluetooth technology, the company has created an app that allows you to remote start your vehicles through your key fob. You can also unlock doors and operate several other vehicle functions remotely.

This is a huge step forward from yesteryear, huh?

As a funeral director, you are always trying to make your processes more efficient and elegant. Your iPhone can now participate and make that happen for you and your business.

The next time you speak to your funeral coach dealer, ask about the iPhone remote control app. Ask if they’ve heard of it. This technology is only bound to get better and that’s something to look forward to.

The Lincoln MKZ was chosen as a best vehicle buy for family cars and the Lincoln MKZ hybrid was selected as one of the best hybrid buys. That’s great news for Lincoln, but why is this important for Heritage Coach?

We consider it bragging rights.

Since Lincoln does make hearses, there is a bit of family pride that wells up whenever a sister vehicle wins a cool prize. This is one of those moments. We’d like to think that if funeral cars were one of the categories in the Consumer Digest best automotive buys contest then a Lincoln would win it. There’d be plenty of reason to expect that a Lincoln funeral car could walk away with the prize. They are sturdy, luxurious and wonderful to drive.

But the best part about driving a Lincoln vehicle is that you have so many vehicle finance options open to you.

Lincoln hearses may not have won any Consumer Digest awards for 2012, but they are still some of the best funeral cars on the road. We’ve staked our reputation on it and we’ll continue to do so.

I’m begging you. Don’t. It’s a scam.

Kelley Blue Book doesn’t have a buyer protection program. And they are a reputable company that allows car owners and dealers a way to judge the true value of a vehicle – new or used – on the market. Let’s not disrespect that.

If you want to purchase a limousine, a coach, or a funeral car, then you need Kelley Blue Book. You need to see if the vehicle you want to purchase is worth what the seller is asking for it. And that’s a valuable service. But being scammed out of your hard earned money isn’t fun. And that’s why it’s important that we warn you.

When you’re ready to purchase your next funeral vehicle, keep your cash in your hand and head to the nearest reputable funeral coach dealer. You’ll be glad you did. And you’ll be glad you avoided the scams.

In a word, it’s not a lot different than buying auto insurance for any other car. Here is a 4-step process to shopping for auto insurance for your hearse:

1. Determine how much insurance you need to carry. You’re likely going to need more than liability, although liability is a must. You’ll be driving your hearse on the public roads and taking your life, your customers’ lives, and other drivers into your hands. But you’ll also need your own vehicle covered as well. Otherwise, an accident could put you out of business.
2. Review your driving record and current policy. If anyone in your funeral company has a bad driving record, and particularly if they’ll be driving your hearse, then that could increase your coverage premiums. You’ll also need to decide what additional coverage you’ll need. For instance, uninsured motorist might be a good idea.
3. Search for discounts. Anything you can do to get the lowest price on your insurance will only be money in your pocket.
4. Compare quotes. Call more than one insurance company. See if you can find an insurer that specializes in hearses. At any rate, you’ll want the cheapest auto insurance with the best coverage. Shop around.

You’re probably aware that insurance claims have gone sky high in the last decade, due in large part to bogus personal injury claims.

Fake personal injury claims are one of the top reasons insurance companies cite for the dramatic increase in insurance premiums over the last decade. That affects insurance for funeral coaches as well. And as a funeral home director, you’ll want to keep the costs of your services lower, which means paying close attention to the coverage for your passengers.

While personal injury claims for auto collisions across the board have risen by 70% over the past 10 years, other reasons for rising insurance premiums include increases in legal costs, expensive foreign car parts, fewer insured motorists, and less trust in young drivers.

When you consider that many drivers have dropped their insurance coverage due to an economy on the brink of collapse, it means that personal injury coverage and uninsured motorist coverage are lot more important for funeral directors who want to maintain their reputations as top-notch professionals. You may feel like you’ve been painted into a corner, but the only way out of that corner is financial responsibility.

For instance, since most electric vehicles are smaller than gas-powered ones and since it is a typical practice for insurance companies to charge higher premiums for smaller vehicles, many insurance companies are charging electric car owners more for their auto insurance. And while not all hybrids are small, they are being bundled in the same category as electric vehicle when it comes to pricing insurance premiums.

While differences are challenging, the similarities are pretty obvious. Both electric vehicle drivers and gas-powered vehicle drivers require liability and full coverage options. Other options such as personal injury, hospital coverage, and uninsured motorist also make insurance comparisons for the different types of vehicles a necessary consideration.

Hybrid and electric vehicles are not yet a mainstream option (though they are approaching the mainstream). For that reason, drivers may find it difficult to find an insurance provider that offers policies for non-gas-powered vehicles. This makes your responsibility as a driver even more difficult. If you are a green-conscious funeral director offering a hybrid funeral car to your clientele, then you’ll likely have to shop around for an insurance provider that covers your vehicle with an appropriate insurance plan, and that is competitive in price. Hopefully, insurance coverage for hybrid vehicles will become more commonplace and more affordable in the future.

According to BankRate, auto financing rates are at a low point. That includes financing funeral coaches and limousines.

In fact, a 48-month auto loan has a current rate of 5.15% on a new car and 5.57% on a used car. These rates represent a 1%-1.5% drop since March of last year, a real significant drop that could result in hundreds or thousands of dollars in interest payments over the life of your loan. A 60-month interest rate is even better.

Financing a funeral coach is easy. Your funeral home can leverage its financial position by financing its coaches and spreading out the purchase price of the vehicle over the life of the coach itself. This helps you, and it helps your clients.

Heritage Coach is committed to providing funeral homes and funeral directors with the best funeral coaches at the best prices, and that includes the best finance rates. If you think you’ll be in the market for a new funeral coach any time in the next year, then start looking now. Pick your coach and finance while the rates are low.