Automotive Today

Future car technologies

2009-04-08T09:11:00.000-07:00

Potential future car technologies include new energy sources and materials, which are being developed in order to make automobiles more sustainable, safer, more energy efficient, or less polluting.

Energy savers
Various technologies have been developed and utilized to increase the energy efficiency of conventional cars or supplement them, resulting in energy savings.

* Regenerative braking recaptures energy that would otherwise be lost as waste heat from the brake pads.
* BMW's Turbosteamer technology to harness the heat generated by conventional internal combustion engines and use it to generate mechanical energy, which can increase in fuel efficiency by 15%.
* Compressed air Hybrid is an engine made by researchers at Brunel University, UK, which forces highly compressed air into the engine, which they claim reduces fuel consumption by 30%.

* Utilization of waste heat from D.W. as useful mechanical energy through exhaust powered steam, stirling engines, thermal diodes, etc..
* Using computational fluid dynamics in the design stage can produce vehicles which take significantly less energy to push through the air, a major consideration at highway speeds. The Volkswagen 1-litre car and Aptera hybrid car are examples of ultra-low-drag vehicles.

* Installing Vortex prevention devices at the back of the roof of a car reduces drag and therefore improve fuel efficiency.

Cargo-Link International Integrates CargoWise NetShipper

2009-03-26T07:48:00.000-07:00

Salt Lake City, UT January 5 2004--Cargo-Link International has integrated CargoWise NetShipper, a world wide web-based solution that allows shippers to interface with Cargo-Link electronically via the internet. Cargo-Link’s NetShipper application will provide shippers with more convenient access to shipping documentation and tracking information.

Cargo-Link has teamed up with CargoWise (www.cargowise.com) to deploy NetShipper, a web-based customer service solution for shippers using Cargo Link International services. The NetShipper tools are available 24 hours a day, via the CargoLink.com website and provide accurate information on demand. Shippers can log on and access shipment booking information and documentation and accurately track their shipments with a few clicks.

Cargo-Link’s move to integrate NetShipper comes as an effort to provide shippers with the most advanced tools available to manage their shipping operations. The ease of use and availability of the NetShipper solution offers shippers a convenient way to access shipment information anywhere with an Internet connection and web-browser. Cargo-Link is pleased to increase the value of its service offerings using NetShipper. To learn more about Cargo Link International’s services please contact Cargo Link at 801.975.9336.

ABOUT CARGO LINK INTERNATIONAL
Since 1976, Cargo-Link has been providing premium services to shippers and consignees in the Intermountain West. From its headquarters, the company provides its customers with a link to a transportation network throughout the United States and the World. With a modern building conveniently located near the Salt Lake City International Airport, Cargo-Link is positioned to respond to transportation requirements. A well trained staff and highly computerized operation makes the handling of shipments efficient and expeditious. The company operates a Customs Bonded Warehouse and its own fleet of vehicles, from van to tractor-trailer, meeting the needs of its diverse customers.

For more information, contact:
Scott Ogden
Cargo Link International
801.975.9336
801.975.9406
sogden@cargolink.com
www.cargolink.com

Big Savings on Gas While you Travel!

2008-08-24T06:34:00.000-07:00

Gas prices are soaring! This has resulted in elevated travel expenses. If you travel by car, YOU have some control over the costs.

Here are some ways to save money on gas:

* Switch to synthetic motor oil. It reduces engine friction and may make your car a little less ravenous at the gas station. (There are brands available claiming 5%-20% increases in fuel economy.)

* Use the manufacturer's recommended grade of oil. Manufacturer specs are based on what is best for your specific vehicle.

* Buy gas with the recommended octane rating. Premium can actually be detrimental to many engines.

* Fill up during the coolest times of day. You get more gas in each gallon, because liquids expand in the heat. The pumps are measuring gallons, not weight.

* Make sure that the gas cap is tight after you fill up. Gas evaporates easily - you can lose an appreciable amount through an improperly seated cap.

* Check your tires before your holiday and inflate them to the manufacturer's recommendations. Underinflated tires create drag and increase gas consumption. Always carry a tire gauge in your glove compartment.

* Never drive on bald tires! Besides being unsafe, they also increase fuel consumption.

* Don't leave your engine idling for long periods of time. This includes pre-warming - one minute is all you need. Start off slowly, then use normal speeds after a couple of minutes.

* Don't continually start and stop your engine. Each start burns about the same amount of gas as one minute of idle time.

* Drive the speed limit on highways - speeding devours gas. Activate your cruise control whenever possible, and when cruise is not engaged remember the 'egg' trick: drive like you have a raw egg between the floorboards and the gas pedal.

* Stop lights in cities are usually set to synchronize with the posted speed limit. Drive the speed limit and you are more likely to hit a long series of green lights. Stopping at red lights increases idle time and gas consumption.

* Drive in a way that entails minimal use of the brakes.

* Don't pack more than you need. The more weight you carry, the more gas you use.

* Decrease wind resistance. A car caked with mud, snow, or ice will cause drag and burn more gas than a sleek, clean vehicle.

* Don't use the air conditioner unless necessary. Vehicle air conditioners increase fuel consumption.

* Pamper your vehicle by ensuring that it goes in for regular tune-ups and maintenance. Slight adjustments can mean dramatic fuel savings. Ask the maintenance people to add fuel injector cleaner whenever the oil is changed.

* Some communities have websites that post fuel prices at local gas stations. Do your research before you leave to find out where the cheapest stations are. Use common sense: driving too far out of your way will gobble up more gas than you save. Try gasbuddy.com (USA and Canada) and your favorite search engines.

* If you own a gas guzzler, try trading with a relative or neighbor for a smaller vehicle while you vacation. (Make sure that insurance policies on both vehicles are in order first.)

* Use your feet! Once you get to your destination, walk whenever possible. Walking is how you really get to know an area.

Save money, save the environment - and have more cash to spend on your vacation!

Kathy Steinemann is a webmaster who writes for:

* 111 Travel Directory

* 1000+ Travel Tips

* Adult Escapes

A Good Debut For A Great Car

2008-08-04T07:43:00.001-07:00

Well with the showing that the 2009 camaro had, it's a good thing that GM is going to build the car, the camaro had had a long life with muscle car fans in this country, and it's poised to do it all over again, if GM can stay in business, they seem to be having a rough time along with all the other motor companies.

The camaro came out in 1967, to do battle with the Ford mustang, and a battle it was, either car could win with the right person behind the wheel, the right pilot if you will, and then in 1968 Don Yenko, owner of Yenko Chevrolet, in Canonsburg, PA. This brilliant man would create a monster that would give the camaro name a reputation befitting a king.

The sYc or “Super Yenko Camaro” would propel Don Yenko to super star status in the muscle car world, the cars were very expensive, so in turn not a lot of them were ever produced, 1969 turned out to be the magic year for these cars, in 1969 of the Yenko camaro two even meaner camaros would spawn, 1 known as the COPO or “Central Office Production Order” 9560 and the 9561, the only difference between these two cars was the engine, the 9560 “AKA” ZL1 had an all aluminum 427 CID engine rated by the factory at 425 HP, this of course was a serious under rating, the car actually made about 600 HP.

The 9561 was a cast iron block, so you can imagine the difference in performance between the two cars, the power to weight difference was phenomenal, and only the most experienced drivers could even handle one of these monsters, and Chevrolet is poised to do it again with the 2009 camaro, it’s not the exact same idea, but it is a great step toward Chevy getting their muscle car heritage back in order.

The 2009 Camaro runs a 400 HP LS2 6-Liter V8 engine, and sporting the power train from a Corvette, this car will be awesome, also sporting 22” rear wheels and 21” front wheels in it’s unrevised form, but the spokesman from Chevrolet says that when the car is released it will have 21” rear wheels and 20” front wheels, of course the difference won’t be noticeable to your eye, but it will save some cash for Chevrolet.

This car is a tribute to Chevrolet’s ingenuity and creativity, the one thing that will help to keep them alive in this economy that seems to be horrible for the automotive industry, if anybody can do it Chevrolet can.

I've been in the automotive business for about 20 or 25 years now, and worked in all facets of the automotive industry, from mechanical repair to restoration and parts, for American and import cars.

Muscle car information

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Audi A6 2005 The Weekly Driver

2008-07-26T23:25:00.000-07:00

Swanky automotive manufacturer press trips are common occurrences.
But with the long-anticipated debut of its 2005 line, Audi went to extreme
lengths to introduce its new fleet.

And amid fancy media kits and proclamations, high-end
accommodations, unique cuisine and scenic test drives along the
Northern California coast, one part of the two-day U.S. presentation last
fall in San Francisco remains most vivid: An Audi engineer spent more
than one hour describing in exhaustive detail how he redesigned the
car's new extended front grill.

The engineer's presentation showcased his work pride and marketing
and public relations skills. But it also served as an ideal microcosm of
Audi's well-deserved confidence in its new line.

Maligned for years and slipping in customer satisfaction rankings, the
new A6 instantly helps reverse those woes. It's a classically styled,
powerful and overall impressive vehicle that shouldn't be overlooked by
anyone considering a car in the above-$50,000 price range.

My test drive for the week was the A6, 4.2-liter Quattro AT6, the most
powerful and luxurious model in the line. With the two other A6 models,
the Quattro offers new styling, more room and more power than the
2004 version. It features a DOHC V8 aluminum alloy engine with five
valves per cylinder and a six-speed automatic transmission. The Quattro
designation is Audi's trademarked All-Wheel Drive system.

Combined with the $1,500 sport package option (18-inch alloy wheels,
front sport seats, sport suspension and summer performance tires), the
A6 offers a superior drive. Its acceleration is confidently quick but not
jolting. The ride quality is quiet and smooth, and the steering and
handling is impressive in all driving circumstances. In short, driving or
riding in the A6 is an exercise in comfort and confidence.

Beyond performance, the A6 is equipped with a wide-ranging list of
features, vanity mirrors with regular and magnify glass options to an
electromechanical parking park.

Beginning the latter, the electronic parking brake can throw an
unknowing driver into immediate search mode. The parking brake light
was brightly lit for my first journey in the car. But where was the brake
pedal or handle release? Alas, there wasn't one, rather a lever on the
console that sets or releases the brake with a slight one-finger flick.

The parking brake luxury sets the tone for the rest of the instrumentation,
interior design, myriad appointments and a state-of-the art sound system
($1,300 option).

The navigation system ($1,500 option) is extraordinarily detailed. It's not
a quick study, but the seven-inch screen is highly visible and the
system's functions are superior. Voice responses, for example, are
available in several languages.

The 12-way power front seats have two driver seat memory positions
and the power functions extend from the adjustable steering wheel
sunroof with tilt and slide functionality to folding, heated exterior mirrors.

The vehicle's leather front and rear seats are plush, sturdy and
comfortable. The wooden inlays on the dash, console and doors further
add to the car's interior good looks.

Add Xenon highlights, bluetooth phone availability, the keyless or key
ignition system and Sirius satellite radio, and the new Audi 6
comfortably aligns itself other well-known and highly touted vehicles in
its class — the Acura RL, Lexus LS 430 and the Mercedes Benz E class.
Given the choice of any of the four, it would be hard not to pick the new
Audi A6.

Safety features – Driver and passenger front, side and curtain
airbags; Antilock brakes

Fuel Mileage (estimates) – 17 (city), 23 (highway).

Warranty – Bumper to bumper, 4 years/50,000 miles; Corrosion,
12 years, limited; (24-hour), four-year roadside assistance program via
third-party supplier

Base price – $50,500.00

James Raia is a journalist, author and publisher in Sacramento, Calif.
Read more of his car review columns ,various other sports, fitness and
human-interest articles and subscriibe to his free electronic newsletters
on on his web site: http://www.ByJamesRaia.com

Learn About Sports Cars Before You Buy One

2008-06-25T07:24:00.000-07:00

Nothing beats the exhilaration brought about by speed. Anyone who has ever driven an automobile has at least dreamt of taking the role of Steve McQueen in "Bullitt", getting into a high-speed car chase. If not Bullitt, each driver has dreamt playing Michael Caine's Charlie Cosker in "The Italian Job", driving that gorgeous convertible into the very heart of the gold heist.. Anyone who has ever taken control of the wheel has at least once dreamt of driving not just to get from point A to point B but to go from point A to B in flair. And driving a fantastic sports car fulfills this dream.

In making an automobile or any land vehicle for that matter, a lot of factors are being considered: cost of material, safety, efficiency, and performance are only some of these at play on the drawing board of a car maker. A sports car however, in definition gives priority to performance above all other factors. By performance, speed is usually the first thing that comes to mind. Speed relies heavily on the power of the car's engine.

Most sports cars do have muscle engines which can outrun even the fastest sedans easily. A sports car engineer therefore puts it first on the list of factors that he has to consider: how to travel the distance with the least amount of time possible.

But of course, even if performance is a cut above every other consideration, the other factors are never neglected. Safety cannot be compromised, because even the fastest sports car needs a driver on the wheel at all times, and safe at all times. Besides, everyone wants to drive from start to finish in one piece, after all. So a performance-oriented vehicle must pay attention to the other factors and not rely solely on the car engine's power.

A number of sports cars compensate for a not-so-powerful engine with a light body, paying due respect to the laws of physics: the lighter the mass, the smaller amount of force required to move this mass. This is also the reason why a sports cars usually are smaller, and do not have backseats. If these cars do have backseats, these are not as convenient as a sedan's and is only a throwaway to please the insurance companies. One may also notice that a sports car quite often only has two doors, and it shares the same reason as that of the backseat.

Because it can outperform any of the regular four-seater cars out in the market, sports cars are sold obviously at a higher price. Another reason is because quality materials are almost always being used to withstand the heavier wear and tear in this type of vehicle.
This also explains why purchasing a sports car remains a pipe dream to most car enthusiasts. But it doesn't have to be that way anymore. It is easier to get one's hands on the steering wheel of a sports car than most people think. One just has to have the imagination and acumen to do so.

Buying a sports car does not have to mean going to your nearest car dealer and getting a brand new vehicle off the rack. There are quite a handful of these vehicles beyond the dealer's garage, in very good condition and sold at a lower price. You can always check out car auctions and watch out of sports car models being sold at pancake rates. Pre-owned sports cars are always available on your local car magazine or website; sometimes it just requires you to pay more attention to these ad placements; you'll never know when the sports car of your dreams is right under your nose.

Buying second-hand sports cars maybe the best way to go if one is facing monetary constraints. If a pre-owned sports car is taken cared of properly, it will give one the same excitement that a new one can provide.

There are also private sellers particularly of sports cars. More often than not, owners of these sports cars found themselves short of cash and are willing to dispose of their sports cars at considerably low prices, much to their resistance. Desperation is in a way good for buyers on the look-out: they get their dream vehicles at bargain prices.

And once you have spotted the car of your dreams, it is wise to exercise routine vehicle inspection, the way one does when buying a regular car. Do not forget to visually inspect the engine, the interior and the body. It is a folly to disregard these simple reminders, especially when buying a pre-owned sports car. You as a buyer can easily assess the condition of the car, how well it was maintained by the owner, simply by looking at it. Then, the proof of the pudding is in the eating: do not forget to test-drive your prospect sports vehicle before closing the purchase. Give it a go and see how it feels. If it feels good – and you feel like Steve McQueen in Bullitt – it is time to call that sports car your own.

Lee Dobbins writes for sportscars.unique-articles.com where you can learn more about the sports care and get tips on buying a sports car

Clear Coat Thoughts for Modern Automobiles

2008-06-20T23:31:00.000-07:00

Sunlight problems from ultra violet are getting worse now due to lessening of the Ionisphere from natural pollution, green house or so we have been warned. These UV rays can easily be protected with clear coats, ceramic coatings and a good wax job you car. If you were out in the sun and the skin on your nose started to peel or your eyes were becoming white blinded by the sun you would no doubt put on some sunglasses, a hat and perhaps some sun block. Today’s automobile is ready and able to prevent this thru its clear coating, but it must be cared for to do its job.

Swirl marks are caused by car washes or untrained auto detailers, which are too aggressive for the paint. Such swirl marks are etchings in your cars clear coat. They reveal damage to the paint. If you are waxing a car and wonder if you have damaged the paint there are ways to tell. How can you tell when you have accomplished the task in waxing your car correctly thus saving the paint and creating a mirror finish? Take your watch and tilt it sideways and then upside down and it should look like a movie clip and then a mirror as you spin your watch with no distortion. You should be able to read the time in your paint by the reflection. Another way is to take a fluorescent light and see if it is crisp or if you have any weird wave patterns coming off of the paint in the form of distortion or refraction of the light in any other direction except directly into your line of sight. Before going hog wild on the clear coat with Clay Magic or any other materials, Check the clear coat width. These units are from the old plating industry and used in industry to test thickness of substances. There are small units used by art consultants and engineers;

http://www.qualitest-inc.com/positector6000.htm

but in the auto detailing industry they use little hand hold units to check the number of mils thick a clear coat has left on it after battling elements for sometime. You can find them on eBay cheap. Only serious auto detailers carry these. A good clear coat is 5 mils or more, but most manufacturers use 2-4 mils and the substances are better than before. Color coats are usually 3-5 mils and primer coats are 1-3 mils. Aircraft use more one step paints to save weight and many manufacturers use less paint to save cost and save steps by using multi-step paints, some good and some not. Minor oxidation can decay paint about 1-1.8 mils. Surface scratches and shopping carts can cut through clear coat and half way into color coats, thus a filler wax is needed after treatment is rendered and do not take a buffer with a short wool pad to it either. I hope you learned something here today.

Lance Winslow - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

The Brand New Lexus ES 350

2008-06-17T07:06:00.000-07:00

The brand new 2007 Lexus ES 350 offers a sleek interior design and serves up an exterior to match. Standard 16 inch alloy wheels, with the option of 17 inch alloy or chrome wheels, add to the eye appeal of the new 2007 Lexus ES 350. A power moonroof is also an appealing feature, which is included in select models.

Safety is a large factor in today’s automobile industry, which is why the 2007 Lexus ES 350 features HID Headlamps to help illuminate additional space of the road ahead and also helps to reduce the glare to oncoming traffic. Integrated foglamps, as the name implies, will help to improve visibility when the driver encounters fog. Auto-dimming mirrors and rain-sensing wipers are added safety features found on the 2007 Lexus ES 350.

As passengers climb into the new 2007 Lexus ES 350, they will find wood and leather trim with a sleek metallic-finish instrument panel. The driver, who has audio and display controls located directly on the steering wheel, will be able to find the perfect driving music. Speaking of which, the Mark Levison Premium Audio System is available for those who desire a powerful sound and an experience to match.

As an added feature, the 2007 Lexus ES 350 features a voice-activated DVD navigation system that incorporates satellite technology to help pinpoint the location and provide verbal directions to thousands of destinations throughout the United States and Canada. The driver and passengers may select from up to three routes, including the shortest, the quickest and an alternative. In addition, the navigation system can help to locate specific points of interest, such as nearby hotels, ATM machines and restaurants. The control for this system is conveniently located on the steering wheel and has the capability to understand more than 100 commands.

Rounding out the popular features of the new 2007 Lexus ES 350 is dual climate control, power-adjustable seats, a rearview mirror compass, power rear sunshade and HomeLink remote control, which can open entry gates, a garage door and even turn on the front-door lights.

The new 2007 Lexus ES 350 is now available at local Lexus dealerships.

See more pictures and reviews of 2007 Lexus ES 350 or Lexus RX 2007 and read the latest Lexus news and cars reviews on http://www.autonews24h.com/Auto-Industry/Lexus/

Solar Powered Cars

2008-06-16T06:28:00.000-07:00

The elements of nature have been created for man alone. Every single need can be acquired and it is present in nature around us. Man only needs to travel and explore the hidden treasures of nature and use them for the fulfillment of his basic needs of life. Something that doesn't need any searching shines up above in the sky. The sun is the basic source of life on earth. If there was no sun no life would have been possible.

Sun emits light which is known as the solar energy and you may have heard and studied about solar energy being used for thousands of purposes. This energy has been used for heating systems and thermal power plants are run through solar energy and so on. When you read or hear about these things you simply pass on because this is too common.

When it comes to solar powered cars it is very likely that you stop and think for a while. It is a promising future prospect and you wish you live long enough to see only solar powered cars racing down the streets, no running out gas, no waiting at the filling station, no more paying for the petrol. Imagine how quickly you would be able to increase your standard of living.

Solar powered cars have been in existence since the mid of the 19th century. They have been increasing in number year by year and organizations tend to hold solar powered car racing each year and thousands of people invest their money and bet on their solar powered cars. The mechanism of these cars is very simple. The batteries installed in these light bodied cars charge themselves from the solar energy. Then this energy is converted by them into electrical energy thus it helps the motor run.

Now this prospect is very simple or more likely it sounds very simple and trouble free. The sun shines everyday and there doesn't seem to be any such problem with these cars. But the fact is that the amount of energy stored at a time by these cars enables them to drive at a very slow pace. The road has to be leveled and not steep because that requires even more energy. It will need more powerful batteries and more storage capacity.

Have you never noticed that this is the reason why solar powered cars are small; light weighed, and can carry one person at a time? There are many technical facts that render the concept of these cars as vague.

Jonathon Hardcastle writes articles on many topics including Automotive, Shopping, and Recreation

Kia Amanti 2004 The Weekly Driver Review

2008-06-15T08:01:00.000-07:00

The reaction was immediate. One friend noticed the car in our driveway
and said unsolicited, "It looks like a Mercedes." A few days later, I drove
to a friend's home and his words were nearly identical: "Nice Mercedes.
Oh, wait. That's not a Mercedes. What is it?"

What it is and how it resembles a Mercedes-Benz is why the Kia Amanti,
the new 5-speed automatic, full-sized sedan from the Korean
manufacturer, is getting its share of attention.

I seemingly, yet unintentionally, also fooled a lot of other people with the
24-valve, 3.5 liter, V6, 200-horsepower five-passenger sedan I drove for
my weekly test. In fcact, Around town and on the freeway, I couldn't help
but notice the amount of stares I received.

And my friends and strangers are right. Inside and out, the Amanti looks
surprisingly similar to a Mercedes-Benz S-class sedan. The egg-shaped
headlight and headlamp pattern and the front grill, for example, are not-
too-distant cousins to the same features offered on the Amanti's high-
priced German relative.

And while Mercedes has had a long head start and decades to tweak its
refinement, some of the Amanti's interior features are equally
impressive. The woodgrain-accented dash is well-designed and
handsome. The driver and passenger front seat adjustment controls are
shaped like seats and contoured into the sides of the seat panels. Both
features are among many Mercedes signature offerings. But the Kia also
has several small but important quality nuances, like front seat, side
panel pullout map pockets.

Likewise, the Amanti is generously spacious with 105.6 cubic feet of
interior space, well-positioned seats, easy entry and exit and plenty of
room for five adults. Standard features and options are plentiful,
particularly for a vehicle well under $30,000 with every available option
included.

Consider the $2,750 added installed equipment option: sunroof,
individually heated front seats, leather-trimmed seats, automatic-
dimming inside mirror, two-position memory for driver's seat and outside
mirrors and Infinity AM/FM cassette with six-disc CD.

Standard equipment includes: dual-zone automatic climate control,
eight-way driver seats and four-way passenger seats, cruise control,
three 12V power outlets, leather steering wheel with audio and cruise
remote functions, front fog lamps and front windshield de-icer.

Beyond its comfort, Mercedes-Benz has honed its enduring legacy with
superior handling and driving performance. It's hard to beat at any price.
But the Amanti's refined looks its and generous features are also
complemented by a fine drive. The Kia flagship accelerates well in traffic
and cruises with a nice, quiet ride in highway situations. The power
steering is near effortless and the car maneuvers in and of tight
situations without hesitation.

Kia is owned by Hyundai, and within the two brands, the Amanti is the
most luxurious and most expensive Korean vehicle available.

And while Mercedes has earned its reputation and status in the
marketplace, for a first-year vehicle, the Amanti has done well in its
debut. Its rich cousin would do well to keep a close eye on its half-priced
Korean relative.

2004 Kia Amanti

Safety features -- Dual front, front and rear-mounted and curtain
side airbags.

Fuel Mileage (estimates) -- 17 mpg (city), 25 mpg (highway).

Warranty -- Bumper to bumper (5 years/60,000 miles),
Powertrain (10 years/100,000 miles), corrosion (5 years/100,000 miles),
24-hour roadside assistance (5 years/unlimited miles).

Base price -- $24,995 - $28,260.

James Raia is a syndicated journalist in Sacramento, California, who
writes about sports, fitness, travel and lifestyle topics as well as the car
review colum, The Weekly Driver.

To read more car reviews, visit: The Weekly Driver

Non-Surgical Liposuction for Engines

2008-06-14T23:32:00.000-07:00

Classic symptoms of engine liposuction candidates:

ท Sluggish response

ท Diminished engine performance

ท Decreased mileage per gallon

ท Increased fuel requirements

ท Increased toxic emissions

Perhaps you have faithfully and religiously tried to keep your engine healthy by:

ท Habitual feedings on quality gasoline or diesel fuel

ท Changing oil regularly

ท Meticulously replacing spark plugs

Yet your engine still manifests foreboding symptoms.

Don’t blame yourself! The Fuel Doctor has ferreted out the source and formulated a non-surgical cure!

The source is water and sulfur. I know you would never intentionally feed your engine water, but unfortunately water is always present in both gasoline and diesel fuel. The nature of fuel also has an affinity to solicit water from the atmosphere. Sulfur also intentionally lurks in both gasoline and diesel fuel. When water and sulfur meet, sulfuric acid is conceived. Acidic engines form carbon deposits when not burned off during combustion.

A critical condition evolves when unsightly carbon deposits appear on spark plugs, valves, etc., or are forced into your oil. These lethal carbon deposits progressively obstruct your engine’s ability to properly function. Inevitably, symptoms rear their ugly head, and your engine becomes listed as a prime candidate for liposuction.

When your engine does not function efficiently, toxic exhaust emissions are spewed into the environment. Failed emission test inspections elicit an emergency room visit for immediate engine liposuction.

But don’t despair! Drastic measures are no longer compulsory to eliminate those unsightly carbon deposits in your engine. The Fuel Doctor has formulated a prescription cure called the UBiee Power Pill Fe-3.

Tests performed on this non-surgical liposuction procedure showed:

ท Improved engine performance

ท Increased mileage

ท Reduction in carbon deposits

ท Decreased octane requirements

ท Reduction of harmful carbon monoxide exhaust emissions by 78%

ท Reduction of smoke pollutants by 73%

ท Reduction of hydrocarbon emissions by 23%

The UBiee PowerPill Fe-3 translates into substantial savings and avoidance of expensive engine liposuction surgical procedures.

**Attn Ezine editors / Site owners **

Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your ezine or on your site so long as you leave all links in place, do not modify the content and include the resource box as listed above.

Dee Scrip is a well known and respected published expert author of numerous articles on Home Business, Business Opportunities, Fundraising, VoIP, VoIP Security, and other related VoIP issues.

http://www.ubpill.com

http://www.free-pc-phone.com

Security Release Important Tips For Your Vehicle

2008-06-12T07:05:00.000-07:00

You car is probably one of the most expensive items you have ever purchased. Therefore you must protect it well to help you keep your car and belongings from being stolen or vandalized.

Here are some important tips for the security of your vehicle:

Tip 1: Park in a Well Lit Area

Places which are well lit and have a lot of traffic are the best place to park your car. No sensible thief will steal a vehicle where there are a lot of people around.

Tip 2: Don’t Attract Attention

Attracting attention tells people that you have something valuable in your car. Don’t attract attention by placing high valued items in full view. Hide them away or risk losing the whole vehicle!

Tip 3: Take your Belongings with You

Take everything out of your car. Anything that can call attention probably will, and thieves love to hotwire cars that have expensive things inside. Don't leave in plain view any money, electronic items or expensive items.

Tip 4: Thieves Love Audio Equipment as Much as You do

A good snatch-and-grab man can get a stereo out of a car in seconds, often before passers-by even notice. So to make sure that your equipment is safe, you should make it difficult for the thief. Some companies make accessory frames that bolt your head unit securely to the car's body.

Tip 5: Get an Alarm System

Although an alarm system will not get the police rushing to your vehicle or get passer-bys restraining the thief, it will however lessen the time a thief can work your vehicle. Furthermore, many theirs will not even attempt your vehicle if they see that you have a security system installed.

Tip 6: If You can Help it, Don’t Customize

Tinted windows, custom wheels, fog lights, all these accessories attract thieves. You car will of course look like a powerful vehicle, but that means more thieves would want your car as well. If you really want to add performance accessories to your vehicle, don't tell the whole world about it. Install them where no one can see them. Have your car look like something fresh out of the factory.

Tip 7: Lock at All Times

Last but not least, no matter how long (or how short) you are going to be away from your vehicle, lock your vehicle. Make sure there is no way for anybody to get in, be it passenger doors, the boot or even the sun-roof. That short 2 minutes you don’t lock your vehicle can be costly.

Pete Lance is the founder of http://www.USGasTracker.org, a premier company which helps the consumer save money on gasoline. Thousands or gas stations across the nation are tracked daily to guarantee the lowest prices on gasoline anywhere in the United States.

Researching Vehicles Online

2008-06-11T07:51:00.000-07:00

The purchase of a new car is a serious investment. It is best that you do your homework before purchasing a new vehicle, to avoid ending up with a vehicle thats overpriced or just not right for your needs. Luckily, with the help of the internet, you can do all of your research directly online from the comfort of your home.

Your first goal should be to figure out what type of vehicle is right for your family. Are you looking for a sports car, or do you have children and need a sedan, minivan or SUV? You need to consider how many seats you need and how much storage space for cargo.

With todays rising gas prices, you may want to opt for the most fuel efficient type of vehicle. In other words, carefully compare the difference in gas mileage between two types of vehicles before choosing the one thats right for you. A sedan will likely use much less gas than a minivan, and if you dont need the extra seats or cargo room, you can save a significant ammount of fuel cost over the lifetime of a vehicle. Minivans and SUV's use similar ammounts of gas, depending on the size of the vehicle. A mini SUV may be a good choice over a full size SUV, saving you money every time you fill up at the pumps.

After you know what type of vehicle you are shopping for, you can focus on a make and model. Be sure to read reviews from existing owners, they often times can save you from purchasing something that isnt going to make you happy.

There are many excellent consumer review sites on the internet that have a wealth of information on what owners like and dislike about their vehicles.

Here are a couple of sites to get you started:

http://auto.consumerguide.com

http://www.edmunds.com

Many auto review sites also offer price guides so that you can know in advance what the vehicle of your choice is likely to cost you. Also, auto makers often offer price quotes directly from their sites. You can also find additional information, pictures, and sometimes video at the auto makers sites.

Once you have done all of your research, selected the make an model of the vehicles you are interested in, you can then go to your local dealership armed with all of the information necessary to make an informed buying decision. By researching vehicles online, you can save time, money and gain piece of mind.

Amber Lowery is an online publisher and is responsible for maintaining a network of consumer related sites. For more articles and information on purchasing a new car, visit: New Car Buying, and New Car Resources

Safe Driving Tips For The Holiday Season

2008-06-10T06:26:00.000-07:00

It’s the Holiday party season and Precision Tune Auto Care’s driving ambition is to keep Americans safe on the roads with their 25th annual Safe Driving Tips for the Holidays.

1. Don’t drive under the influence of alcohol and never permit someone else who has been drinking to drive. According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the number of unrestrained and/or alcohol-related traffic deaths from Thanksgiving to New Year's Eve increased in 2004 from more than 2,100 in 2003 to 2,237.

2. Wear a seat belt. It’s more than a law; it’s proven to reduce fatalities. Research by The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has found that lap/shoulder safety belts, when used, reduce the risk of fatal injury to front-seat passenger car occupants by 45 percent and the risk of moderate-to-critical injury by 50 percent. For light truck occupants, safety belts reduce the risk of fatal injury by 60 percent and moderate-to-critical injury by 65 percent.

3. Avoid driving while you are fatigued or taking medication that will make you drowsy. The NHTSA conservatively estimates that 100,000 police-reported crashes are the direct result of driver fatigue each year. This results in an estimated 1,550 deaths, 71,000 injuries, and $12.5 billion in monetary losses. According to the National Sleep Foundation's 2005 Sleep in America poll, 60% of adult drivers – about 168 million people – say they have driven a vehicle while feeling drowsy in the past year, and more than one-third, (37% or 103 million people), have actually fallen asleep at the wheel! In fact, of those who have nodded off, 13% say they have done so at least once a month. Four percent – approximately eleven million drivers – admit they have had an accident or near accident because they dozed off or were too tired to drive.

4. Drive defensively and maintain the speed limit. According to NHTSA, speeding-related crashes resulted in 13,192 fatalities in 2004. (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA, 2005)

5. Anticipate problems before they happen. On the highway, be alert to potential acts that may cause crashes and adjust driving and speed accordingly.

6. Keep an emergency kit in your car, including a call-for-help sign, a flare and a first-aid kit.

7. Practice routine car maintenance to avoid highway breakdowns, including a check on brakes, hoses, belts, horn, windshield solvent, wipers and headlights. Keep your vehicle properly lubricated, tuned and oiled. Never mix radial tires with other types of tires, and make sure your tires, including your spare, are properly inflated as recommended in your owner’s manual.

8. Emergencies occur. Be ready with a charged operable cellular phone, but don’t use the phone while you are driving. According to the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis, drivers talking on their phones are responsible for about 6 percent of U.S. auto accidents each year, killing an estimated 2,600 people and injuring 330,000.

9. For front-wheel skids, wait for the front wheels to grip the road before straightening the car; for rear-wheel skids, just before the rear wheels stop skidding, counter steer until you regain the desired direction.

10. Maintain safe following distance in relation to existing weather conditions. Drive defensively and reduce speed to a safe pace.

Leni Kass has been in marketing and public relations for over 15 years. Previously, she worked with teens, and facilitated a therapy group for adolescents with eating disorders. She is cofounder and CEO of Hey U.G.L.Y., Inc. NFP, a 501c3 nonprofit organization that empowers teens with self-esteem building tools, to help them counter challenges such as eating disorders, bullying, violence, substance abuse and suicide. U.G.L.Y. is an acronym that stands for meaning Unique Gifted Lovable You.

Presentations and Sales Automotive Detailers

2008-06-08T05:49:00.000-07:00

Many auto detailers fall short in their sales presentations. I have often shopped the competition to see what their knowledge base was to gage their worthiness as a formidable competitor in the market place. What I have found is that many auto detailers lack the specific knowledge needed to help their business grow and to present themselves as experienced in their work to the customers.

When a customer asks you about the wax you are using or the best type of wax for their particular car, Shouldn't you know the right and true answer? Well apparently many professional auto detailers do not know the right answer. They just lack the knowledge. In a recent competitor survey, which was done without their knowing it, we casually asked hundreds of detailers while in incognito over a period of six months about the wax they used. Less than 1 in five were able to give us the straight answer without BS'ing their way through it. From the Dry Wash, kerosene like product, to the Teflon save the world crowd all we got was a little memorized line of sales brochures and a trial closes. In my company the Detail Guys, our team does have the knowledge of such things and we really have no desire to BS a customer, especially one which will be with us for years. Two reasons; (1) It is called lying and (2) Double Talk later will be found out.

When a professional detailer embellishes the performance, longevity, finished look before the job, he will have an unhappy customer later on. Perhaps when he is done when the customer is under whelmed for the amount paid or perhaps a month in the future when the "Teflon" Sealant, which was suppose to last 3-years is worn off and was supposedly guaranteed by DuPont? Well maybe on pots and pans baked on at 450 degrees, but there is no such guarantee for their product when used as automotive wax. Dry Wash also is interesting in that the operators say it does not scratch? Maybe if the car is in the garage with dust, but a dirty car, well it really needs a washing first and we have seen where Dry Wash tends to attract dust easily compared to hard shell waxes, of course no one ever tells the customer that. It is important to know your vendors, their products, what those products can do, what they cannot do and which is the best solution for the individual car you are working on.

So what are the types of waxes available and which ones do the best in the professional auto detailing industry use?
Most plants have a thin protective coating of wax.. Most fruit trees and vegetables plants have wax on the fruit and vegetables they produce that we eat. Waxes are also produced by animals, even man makes wax for his ears. Other wax components are found in minerals and petroleum. And the are Polymer or synthetic, manufactured by man waxes. We get waxes from a variety of sources really.

Carnuba wax is on the leaves of the carnuba palm trees. The best Carnuba wax comes from in my opinion the Palm Tress of Brazil. You can tell a good carnuba wax by the water beads. Candelilla wax comes from a plant that grows in parts of Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Guatemala and sometimes in the southwestern United States. It is a brown wax and not only have people used it on cars it is used in phonograph records, floor dressings, and candles. Although it is the major component of candle wax, it is mixed in with other waxes normally in the candles we use in our homes.

Polymer wax includes the very popular Teflon, yes a polymer brand Name used by DuPont. Polymer wax is a chain of compounds made of petroleum sources and now a days from Corn products. Polymers which are strung together are generally applied in specific thick nesses to clear coats on cars and depending on the mixture can be quite incredible indeed. So good in fact that they are often called sealants and some last as long as a year when applied in the right mixtures and thick nesses. The word Polymer is a very vague in this regard since polymers are used to make plastics, coatings and many other products. Generally short chains of ethlenic polymers are the type that are used by professional automotive detailers and auto detailers a like. Many in the aviation industry use it when doing specialized aircraft cleaning. We estimate that 80% of all automotive detailing and aviation aircraft cleaning commercial wax is petroleum based wax. Petroleum wax is chemically inactive in a sense and probably why it is so widely preferred. It is also cheaper to make than to harvest and has tons of uses. You cannot smell it unless cleaners are added which is often the case, but still it will not react to cause odor.

Petroleum wax can also be made hard and then we get a new type of wax. Paraffin; used in paper products, graffiti, petroleum jelly. All Synthetic waxes are compounds of hydrogen, carbon, oxygen, and/or chlorine. Chemists will forever be trying to make the perfect wax for cars, boats, aircraft to protect us from the harsh climates on the surface of this little blue planet. And these chemists are driven by desire and need and the possibilities are endless as new compounds are adding to existing ones to bring up whole new blending ideas, some will revolutionize our industry but most will simply be duds. Some will be hyped even though they do not really solve a problem or fix a need. Never the less, the race goes on to find the best and we should be thinking about what is in that product before we put it on a customers car, boat, aircraft or prize possession. This is what the professional detailer does, this is why we are experts in car care and call our selves auto detailers, rejuvenation specialists and professional auto detailers.

There are so many types of waxes that we know of really. From the organic waxes discussed containing carbon materials, which melt at fairly low temperatures. The chemical and biological make-up of waxes is so diverse and complex as well as consideration for grades, properties, surface uses and life spans that to really understand waxes in depth as they apply to the automotive detailing industry, also to aircraft cleaning, that this short essay may need to be supplemented by proper training.

Remember Knowledge is power. Where can you get training? Check around the Internet to find Auto Detailing Training Centers and companies who sell videos and manuals, this is a good place to start. Most likely you have some practical knowledge, enhance this by learning and knowing your products; what they are and how they work. Think on this.

Lance Winslow

SEMA 2005 Coverage

2008-06-06T07:11:00.000-07:00

Leave it to the city of Las Vegas to draw some of the flashiest vehicles, aftermarket parts, and accessories together for the 2005 Specialty Equipment Marketing Association (SEMA) show.

SEMA is an organization that specializes in aftermarket parts, vehicles, and accessories in the automotive industry and has morphed, over time, into a behemoth of an international trade organization with over 6,466 member companies contributing to a $31 billion a year industry.

The crown jewel of SEMA is, of course, the annual convention that showcases some of the newest, best, and most innovative cars, parts, and accessories in the world. 2005 offered an array of automotive goodness that was so massive in size that not even the gargantuan halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center could contain it. The show boasted over 2 million square feet of exhibit space, two temporary exhibit halls, and numerous outdoor setups.

Every available space was packed full of some of the most beautiful and innovative examples of aftermarket brilliance around. However, the show was so large it almost bordered on chaos. There are random cars scattered throughout the entire show that aren’t always in any particular order or marked with any information about what you’re actually viewing.

But having said that, the SEMA show truly is a unique experience that offers so much stuff to look at it is nearly impossible to see everything. Unfortunately for most of you, the SEMA show is an industry only event, meaning it’s not open to the general public. So we’ll do our best to convey some of the amazing things that went on to you.

Where to begin… There were so many different things to look at that the SEMA show had to be divided into numerous categories including, Vehicle Manufacturers, Performance Tires & Wheels, Racing & Performance, Restoration Marketplace, Restyling & Accessories, Hot Rod Alley, Tools & Equipment, Trucks, SUV’s & Off-Road, and Mobile Electronics & Technology, in an attempt to keep things organized.

We could spend days covering the different types of products, cars, and interesting things that had to be seen to be believed, but for your sake, and because I’d rather not get carpal tunnel syndrome writing this article, we’ll just stick to the highlights:

Some of the major car manufacturers had a huge presence at SEMA. DaimlerChrysler made a its presence known with the not so subtle inclusion of Mopar Alley, a covered walkway connecting two exhibit halls where dozens of modified Vipers, Mustangs, and classic Detroit steel were prominently on display.

Ford also made its mark with a huge display that spanned the width of one of the convention center’s massive buildings. After covering the backdrop of their exhibit with an eye-catching blue fa็ade, the folks at Ford populated the area with plenty of custom versions of some of the company’s most popular models, including the GTX1 and Ford ’40 GT.

The GTX1, in case you were wondering, is the brainchild of Ford’s Special Vehicle Team (SVT) engineering supervisor Kip Ewing. Basically a roadster version of Fords already stellar Ford GT, the GTX1 relies on a unique four panel system that allows it to morph from a coupe, into a targa configuration, to an actual convertible. Top down, the GTX1 is a beautiful car. But it’ll cost you. In addition to the $150,000 Ford GT, the GTX1 conversion will require an additional $38,000. But, given what we’ve seen, it’s worth it.

Ford’s other eye catcher is a beautifully manufactured copper bodied automobile that has been dubbed the Ford ’40 GT. The pristine copper panels, etched with a cool flame pattern, were created in a former Soviet aircraft factory in Poland and then shipped to the United States where they were assembled on a Ford GT frame. Not surprisingly, the ’40 GT shares the same engine as the “real” GT.

Also on display at the Ford exhibit was the new Shelby GT 500, a Ford GT that was sliced down the middle to allow prying eyes inside, and a yellow Mustang used for dynamometer drag runs within the convention center itself.

But wait, there’s more to the SEMA convention than just the cars…

Absurd Items: If we happened to win the jackpot during our time in Las Vegas we’d buy these decadent examples of blatant consumerism. The ultimate in bling, these Asanti wheels aren’t just huge, they’re encrusted with jewels. That’s right, each wheel has 1,100 karats of diamonds and sapphires set in the five spokes and center crest. Price - $1,000,000 for a set of four.

Automotive Icons: All the influential people of the aftermarket world made the journey to Las Vegas to attend SEMA 2005, including Boyd Coddington, Chip Foose, Phillip McGuire, Carol Shelby and many more.

Swag: Webster’s defines “swag” as slang for stolen property or loot. Well it’s not stolen if everyone in sight is giving it away for free. And if it wasn’t free… we’d steal it anyway, because there’s some cool stuff to be had. In a marketing ploy that is widely adopted by almost everyone at SEMA, companies give away tons of free stuff in an effort to attract people to their exhibit booths. After a few days at the SEMA show, we left Las Vegas with bags full of free posters, stickers, key chains, hats and much more.

Models: Aside from swag, it seems that the best way to attract attention to an otherwise boring or useless product seems to be: A) Hire attractive women. B) Dress them in skimpy attire with your company’s name on it. C) Let them stand around your booth and smile at potential customers. This technique, by the way, is also widely adopted.

In-Car TVs: A wise man once said, “You can never have too many TVs.” Okay, so we probably just made that up. But that seems to be the sentiment at SEMA. These guys can cram multiple LCD screens into any vehicle, sometimes with awe-inspiring efficiency and attention to detail that borders on art, and sometimes with ham-fisted brutality to create a sight even Antoni Gaudi would say is, “a bit over the top.” For an example of the former see the Scion xA below.

Honda and Acura were present with the usual slew of tricked out and heavily modified versions of their base models. Acura decided to throw in a new twist however, by creating the first ever RSX Challenge, in which Acura volunteered new RSXs to six different magazines to see who could come up with the best modifications. Final results were tallied after every Acura had completed a series of trials. Kudos goes to Car and Driver for taking top honors.

The Mazdaspeed division of the Japanese manufacturer of the same name also made an appearance featuring some impressively styled versions of the MX-5, Mazda 6, and assorted performance oriented parts.

Volkswagen, Hummer, and others also reared their heads for the SEMA show, though with somewhat less of a presence. Each, as you might expect, sported some sort of aftermarket inspired accessories and special modifications.

With all the speed oriented vehicles littering the Las Vegas Convention Center we probably could have made a killing with an armful of copies of the Nuts for Cars best selling e-book, “How to Fight a Speeding Ticket – And Win Every Time.”

Aside from the major manufacturers were a number of stellar customizations from the minds of well known customizers and other aspiring mechanics looking to make a name for themselves, such as this 1939 Lincoln Zephyr, or “Lead Zephyr,” created and signed by Boyd Coddington that will be featured at the 35th annual Barrett-Jackson Auction in Scottsdale, AZ.

There were other highlights too, such as the all-new Volvo roadster concept, a Pagini Zonda, a Saleen S7, dozens of custom bikes and trucks, superchargers, electronics packages, more scissor doors than you can shake a stick at, a simulated off-road proving ground in the convention center parking lot, speedboats, and countless other things to occupy our dreams for nights to come.

But we digress. As stated earlier we could spend days writing about the SEMA show (hell, it took us that long just to see it all), but there’s just too much stuff to cover in one article. Or in two, or three, or four, or… well you get the idea.

Well, that’s about all we have to share with you, the general public, about SEMA 2005. At this point you’ve pretty much read about all the highlights. Okay, that was a lie… there’s still so much more for you to see. But we can’t possibly convey it all to you, not even the best writer in the world could do that.

If you want to see SEMA first hand, just do what we did. Drum up a little ambition and start your own automotive business (for details see the Nuts for Cars best selling e-book 1001 Ways to Make Money with Your Car Hobby). Then you’ll be considered “in the industry” and a ticket to next years SEMA event is only $50 away, plus airfare. We’ll see you there.

Zack Engel is the Lead Automotive Event Correspondent for The Driver's Seat, the bi-weekly e-zine produced by Nuts for Cars.

Nuts for Cars is a membership organization dedicated to enhancing the automotive hobby by providing information to members about a variety of automotive topics. Nuts for Cars also features the world's largest online automotive event directory. Find a car event near you in just seconds!

For more information visit http://www.nutsforcars.com or e-mail your questions to info@nutsforcars.com.

Repairing Car Damage

2008-06-05T06:33:00.000-07:00

The business of repairing car damage grows as the number of cars grows. This is because of the likelihood of accidents on the road. Thus, if you want a blue-collar job that earns you like a company executive, you may opt to develop yourself from a novice car repairer to a skilled car repairer.

Skilled car damage repairers earn almost four folds of what novice repairer gets. Statistics show that of the 223,000 automotive repairers in 2004, 10% of them, the skilled automotive repairers earn more than $28.45 per hour. This is about four times what the less skilled repairer’s get, which is about $9.42 per hour.

If we then compare it to the median per hour rate of company executives which is about $29.75 per hour, you probably pair enough in take-home money because being in the business of repairing car damage, you do not need to wear a suit and tie, and get stressed to much thinking of how you will run the business. You may also need to worry about the life of all the people in your company. You thus sport a stressful lifestyle, although from a distance, you may look far better than blue-collar workers. You may have the power to command as a company executive but you do not have the coziness of a blue-collar job. You may be more stressed as compared to skilled car damage repairers.

On the other hand, as a skilled car damage repairer, you go to work in noisy body shops with clatters of hammering and whining of power tools. You also will be dirty at the end of the day. You are also working in a condition where there is great possibility of being hurt while repairing car damages.

In addition to this, you will need to have at least 3 to 4 years of hands-on experience in all the paces of automotive repairing before you reach a receive a handsome pay.

Therefore, to ensure that later on, your business of repairing car damages will go up to the level where you will earn like those handsomely dressed company executives, it may help to have yourself certified by the National Institute of Automotive Service Excellence. Once you are certified as an ASE Master Collision Repair and Refinishing Technician, you may already command your price.

However, before you get this far in your business of car damage repairing, you may need continuing education on the modern and technically advanced quality of cars that manufacturers introduce to the market.

Formal training will help you develop your skills and attending seminars sponsored by automotive manufacturers will keep you at the top of your business.

It may also help to understand the government requirements and that of insurance companies so that you will be able to assist your clients well enough.

Your business might be slapped by the total loss assessment of insurance companies. However, this may be masked by the fact that you can buy these total loss cars, study their parts, and even use some of them for your future repairs. Understanding the requirements and the logic behind these requirements will be able to give you an edge in assisting your customers, whether to have their cars repaired or ask the insurance company for a total loss assessment. Being an authority in all the paces of owning a car may help you in your business as well.

Keeping pace with the modernity of today’s automotive industry will keep your business of repairing car damage such a lucrative business.

You may be dirty at the end of the day, but if you are able to provide for the needs of your family, I think repairing car damage is not such a bad idea.

Start by having formal education on automotive repairing and slowly go up to the being skilled in collision repair, straightening bend bodies, removing dents and replacing crumpled parts. Later on, you will be one of the most sought-after Master Collision Repair and Refinishing Technicians, and a booming business, as well.

B.A. in Mathematics and Computer Science - Master in Business administration - Founded DingIT in 2004. dingIt.com The only service that lets car owners receiving detailed estimates for reparing the damage in their cars, over the Internet, from competing body shops in their area. This free online service saves them time and money, and the hassle of going to the body shops. The idea came from a personal experience.

Don't Crash The Car, Well Even If You Do The Car Will Save You

2008-06-04T05:22:00.000-07:00

Have you been drinking and driving? Or perhaps chatting on your mobile while driving? If you are a little careless while you drive and are prone to having a bump here and there you are better off getting your hands on a new set of wheels with active safety technologies. Car manufacturers such as Mercedes are incorporating space age technology into their cars to save lives or rather save us from crashing our buggies when we are simply too careless with our own lives. This might sound science fiction to you but these are some of the technologies Mercedes’s latest S Class has:

Auto cruise control warns you if you are getting too close to the car in front and if you don’t react it applies brakes on its own to maintain a safe driving distance.

Traction control sense when you steer too sharply or lose traction in the wet and cuts engine power and limits the power individually to each wheel to bring you back on track.

Anti Lock Braking System, this has been around for quite some time now. ABS helps in achieving best possible braking performance, it prevent jamming of the wheel which results in skids and loss of vehicle control. The computer senses when the wheels are about to lock and releases the brakes momentarily and then applies them again.

Airbags, as many as 8 airbags protect you in the unlikely event of a crash. Airbags exist for all passengers and are inflated in milliseconds when the care ‘senses’ a crash. Airbags can protect the occupant even at 100mph crashes.

Space Age Safety Technology

Now this is the most impressive of them all, the Mercedes S Class sense when the car is going to meet with a crash using it 360 degree radar and braces for impact. It rolls up windows if they are down, inflates the seat cushions to protect occupants and lowers the steering to save the driver from chest injuries and lowers pedals to prevent foot injuries.

Now that’s some technology, all to save our lives when we lose control. Maybe if Diana was riding this S Class she would have been amongst us. So lets not crash it, for if you do the car will save you but repairing the high tech car will burn your pockets for technology doesn’t come cheap. The fully loaded Mercedes S500 with all the safety features retails at over $1,25,000!

Anil Tandon is a reputed automotive journalist based in India. Anil has written columns for numerous Indian dailies and auto magazines. He is currently working as a consultant to the Indian automotive industry. Anil is also involved with India’s Leading Auto Classifieds Site Indimoto.com http://www.indimoto.com which is also India’s First Carpool Site.

Shopping For Used Cars

2008-06-03T07:59:00.000-07:00

When shopping for used cars, it is important to understand the value for the automobile that you are considering purchasing. One way to determine an accurate value is through Kelly Blue Book (kbb.com) and their extensive pricing system. By entering select data about both new and used cars, consumers will receive instant value estimates. In order to get an accurate value, consumers must know the make and model of the automobile, current mileage, additional features and overall condition.

Selecting from a lot of used cars can be an excellent way to own the automobile that you have always wanted, but could not afford a brand new model. Understandably so, new cars are more expensive than used cars. But, that doesn’t mean there is anything wrong with purchasing used cars. No matter whether new or used, any automobile can develop a problem at any given time. That means that buying a new car does not automatically guarantee the new owner will have a smooth trouble-free ride. In addition, automobile insurance is often less expensive than those for new cars and this is another reason for the ongoing popularity of used cars.

When shopping for used cars, consumers should always take a test drive and also request to take the automobile to a trusted mechanic for further inspection. Under no circumstances should a consumer accept the word of the individual, or company, selling used cars. The only way to make sure that the automobile is in the condition as stated is to take it to a mechanic, who can properly inspect used cars and determine any underlying problems. The majority of used cars are exactly as stated but, when auto safety and a large amount of money is involved, there is no room for error in judgment.

When purchasing used cars, it may be possible to purchase a warranty contract. Not everyone realizes this, but even used cars carry warranties if they are purchased from a licensed automobile dealer. An additional warranty will, however, not generally be included in the original purchase price and may be additional. However, depending on a future problem, the additional cost of a warranty contract may very well be worth the money. Typically, the cost of the extended warranty would be figured into the entire loan amount and would ultimately only affect the monthly payments by a minimal amount.

Used cars can be found at a variety of places, including a local dealership, the classifieds section of a local newspaper, the bulletin board at a local retail or grocery store, word of mouth or even online. In many instances, a licensed dealer can order used cars from another automobile dealer. For example, if a customer wants a specific model and color of a car and knows which out-of-state dealer has that car for sale, they may request that a local dealer obtain the car so that they have the convenience of purchasing locally. This is not at all uncommon and is actually a standard practice among many dealerships offering used cars.

Find more about Kelly Blue Book, NAPA auto parts, O’Reilly auto parts and many other new and used automotive resources on AutoNews24h.com

Selecting The Best Used Car For Your Lifestyle

2008-06-02T05:50:00.000-07:00

When shopping for a used car, it is important to select one that best fits your lifestyle. For example, if you live in an area that is prone to harsh winters with a lot of snow, a 4-wheel-drive will likely be a good choice. However, these automobiles use more gasoline than a compact car. So, if gasoline consumption is at the top of your list for concerns, a smaller automobile may be the best option.

When you purchase a used car, it’s also important to understand the varying cost of insurance. Automobile coverage for an SUV, for example, is more expensive than a smaller vehicle. The same is true of a sports car, which will likely garner an increased cost of insurance.

The next thing to consider is the style of the used car. If you have children, a van or SUV may be the best way to accommodate everyone comfortably and still have plenty of storage space. If you are single and just want to have a reliable mode of transportation, a smaller car will more than suffice.

If you plan to travel often or will be adding a lot of mileage, your best bet would be to find a used car with the lowest mileage possible. Another selection will include the choice of either an automatic or manual transmission. What about doors? Do you a prefer two or four door automobile? This is an option that most people don’t really think about right away, but it is an important one nonetheless. A four door used car is very convenient for loading luggage or groceries and it also makes it really convenient for passengers to climb in and out of.

When it comes to interior, car owners will have the option of selecting from cloth and leather. Each has their benefits and drawbacks, so which one is right for you? Leather is excellent when it comes to cleaning up spills, but fabric interior is more susceptible to stains. Leather is often very hot to the touch on sunny days whereas fabric interior is comfortable even on the warmest day. Both will show tears and require their own method of maintenance.

When searching for the perfect used car to fit your lifestyle, carefully consider the cost before deciding to purchase. Monthly payments can be high even on a used car, so think about the budget and what you can afford prior to signing on the dotted line.

Find more about used cars value market and how to find it using KellyBlueBook as well as tips about how to find used cars in Hillsboro OR.

Selling Your Car - A Few Helpful Tips

2008-06-01T09:14:00.000-07:00

Selling a car one normally feels is a complicated task but the fact remains that what actually is required is proper guidance and a perfect deal. You can either opt to sell your car privately or by having a trade with a car dealer. Following step by step approach would be helpful to sell your car.

1) Place an Advertisement for your car: You need to tell the prospective buyers that you want to sell your car, so the very first step in this direction is to place an advertisement. By placing advertisements you will find more customers for your car and the advertisement should have information like car model, date of manufacture and so on.

2) Set car price: Setting the right price is very important and you need o evaluate so many parameters before setting a price such as condition of the car, region where it is being sold. Normally the approach should be to set a higher price than your asking price, in case even if the buyer bargains you will get the required amount.

3) Give your car curb appeal: To strike the best deal you need to make sure that your car is in proper condition before you sell it, like wash and color the car to make it look more attractive also you can enhance the look by cleaning the tires, mirrors, and brake dust with a special fluid called Armor All. And before placing an advertisement get a mechanic check of the car and issue a report about its functioning.

4) Show the car to your buyer: After placing an advertisement you will start getting the responses and once you start getting buyers you need to make the buyer feel comfortable and answer their questions firmly. Normally you should ask them to take a test-drive of your car. Show them the reports of the condition of the car. If they insist of getting it rechecked by a mechanic, allow them to do the same.

5) Negotiate for the best price: Buyer when convinced with the state of the car then the next thing is that you need to settle n the mutually agreed price and it is quite possible that the buyer puts forward a very low price. This is the time when you have to make yourself firm and try to get the best price. You need to tell him about the positive points of your car. Never make haste decisions as there may be a higher deal waiting just behind.

6) Finalizing the deal: Once the price is also negotiated and settled then you need to check the laws governing the sale of motor vehicles. Depending upon the laws of your state you need to finalize the deal. Once you get the cash from the buyer sign the title over to the buyer. You can also offer them with a sale bill.

Both the ways of selling cars have their own pros and cons. It is up to you to decide which one is the best for you.

To find out more information about selling and buying cars go to our information and resources website.

Sell Your Car For Big Bucks at a Car Auction

2008-05-31T07:53:00.001-07:00

It’s very threads are woven in to the fabric of America, I believe. It starts in even the youngest of kids, but it really takes root around age sixteen. What does every American teenager want to find in the driveway on the morning of that Sweet Sixteen? That’s right. Wheels. And, if they are attached to some sort of vehicle, all the better. Why not consider making Tim or Theresa’s first car a used one? Why not consider letting that son or daughter select for him or herself at a local car auction?

The truth is, we live in a time when obtaining a vehicle may be prohibitively expensive for many, whether parents wanting to equip their youngster with transportation, college students hoping to upgrade from their bike before cold weather, or the individual with some recent misfortune which has deprived him or her of a reliable car. One useful idea to consider when looking for a new-to-you vehicle is that of a car auction. The name is fairly descriptive of the activity, but you might find some detail useful. A car auction is much like the auction of any good or service. An auctioneer accepts bids from members of the assembled crowd, and, at some point, when no higher bids are on offer, the item is sold to the highest bidder present. The competition is limited to those who have chosen to attend, in person or by proxy, and the gratification is immediate. Attendees of the car auction are united with their purchases in very short order, often driving home with their chosen car or truck on the very day of the event.

What sort of cars are available for auction, you may ask. You may not be aware, but just one month ago, before the bankruptcy laws in this country underwent a planned shift in policy, countless individuals chose to declare bankruptcy in America. In some cases, the forfeiture of the vehicles once driven by those individuals became necessary. Those cars, either forfeited in bankruptcy or repossessed from non-paying individuals are often available at a car auctions at greatly reduced rates. Too, it is sometimes possible to obtain vehicles formerly used for government or business purposes. These are quality used cars being auctioned for quick sale, and the savings of the car auction model are passed on to you, the consumer interested in finding a deal.

In addition to the excitement inherent in the auction competition and the immediate gratification of buying your chosen car on the spot, an added benefit is that the cars up for auction most often are available for your personal inspection at the auction site. Kick the tires, look under the hood – do whatever will make you feel secure in the knowledge that you are buying a quality product for yourself or your loved one. You will want to inspect, as it is often auction policy that whatever car you purchase is yours to keep, and that any problem which may occur once the car is in your possession becomes your problem alone. A less than great car or a less than great deal are definite rarities at car auctions, however, and you can feel confident that your purchase will benefit you in its chosen purpose to your high expectations.

Many members of my own family have chosen to buy cars at auction, and all served them well. From the white van once used for utility work to the red truck which a member of the family continues to drive ten years later, we have never been disappointed with the experience of a car auction, or with the results.

Christopher M. Luck has an extensive background in dealing exclusively with both private and public car auctions and is now offering his free professional auction secrets to the public. If you are at all interested in Christopher's auction advice, tips, or secrets, you can visit his car auction blog.

Negotiating Tips On How To Sell Your Own Car

2008-05-31T07:52:00.001-07:00

If you aren't a car salesman by vocation, the whole process of how to sell your own car can be intimidating, but if you follow a few simple guidelines, almost anyone can do it and do just fine. Selling your own car is a wise move as you can often save several thousand dollars over just trading it in instead, as most people do. But you have to be prepared to show what your vehicle is worth and know how to get the price you want. Here are some negotiating tips on how to sell your own car quickly and easily:

* Before you even put your first ad out there, get to know exactly what your current vehicle is worth. This is very important as many buyers are going to try to convince you that your car is worth less than it really is, and that's because they want the best deal possible. But if you have done your homework you will know what a fair price is and you won't have to waste time on insufficient offers. So go to kbb.com and nadaguides.com and find out what they say your car's "Market Value" is, not the trade-in vale. Market value is what you can expect to sell the car for on the open market as a straight sale. It's also a good idea to print out these pages that list the car's market value so you can show them as proof to prospective buyers. This validates your asking price.

* Another great way to build value in your vehicle is to run a Carfax report on it to show the vehicle history and offer outside proof that the odometer has not been tampered with and that it is has not been in a major wreck in the past where it was junked. It's a good idea to also have a copy of this report to provide to each person who test drives the car. This will help the buyer feel more confident in buying your car and all of this available research shows that you know your car very well.

* If someone just wants to steal your car at a value that is ridiculously low, let them walk. Tell them that you have plenty of other people coming to look at the vehicle and them ask them where they got the idea that your car was not worth what you are asking? Obviously you will have proof that your car is worth what you say it is, so it puts you in the position of authority in the situation. You don't have to lose money just because someone tells you that your car isn't worth what your research tells you it is.

* If you have kept maintenance records for the car, it's a good thing to make them available to show that you have been caring for it while you owned it. If you don't have the records themselves, go back and get the receipts from the work you have done instead. All of this shows that you have not just been ignoring the vehicle's maintenance and that can certainly build more confidence and more value in the vehicle in the minds of many buyers.

If you want to sell your own car, it's not as difficult as you may think. Especially if you have done some advance work beforehand, you can bargain from a position of strength and quickly and easily sell your car for a nice profit.

Jim Johnson writes on many consumer related topics including autos. You can find out more about how to sell my car and sell my used car by visiting our Auto Review website.

Preparing Your Car For Warm Weather Driving

2008-05-31T07:51:00.000-07:00

Now that the warm weather has finally arrived, everyone will be anxious to take road trips, scenic drives and just cruise around in the warmth glow of the sun. With that being said, if you fail to prepare your car for the warm weather, you may end up foregoing your nice summer drive for a day filled with car repairs. The best way to avoid this is to get your car ready for driving in warm weather and to help you do that, this article is geared toward providing you with tips to make sure that your summer is one filled with sunny days.

Before you head out of the driveway, take a quick glance around. Everyone thinks to look under the hood for potential car problems, but not everyone thinks to check the surrounding area. If you see oil where you have parked your car, you may have a problem and will want to have your car checked by a professional before taking it out for a drive.

Be sure to check all of your car’s fluid levels. This includes the engine, transmission, cooling system, power steering, brake fluid and washer fluid. When it is time to replace them, be sure to purchase high-quality fluids to help improve the performance and dependability of each function. In addition, regularly changing old fluids will go along way in helping your car to remain weather friendly.

While driving, make sure to watch your temperature gauges so that you will know if your car begins to overheat. This is one of the most common causes of preventable breakdowns during the warm summer months because it is especially easy for a car to overheat during this time. Replace your antifreeze if it’s more than several years old and have a mechanic to inspect your car if the problem continues.

Upgrading your oil to a high-performance synthetic motor oil may help to improve your car’s overall health, so don’t cut any costs when it comes to buying oil for your car.

Make sure that your belts and hoses are inspected after adding fluids. A problematic belt may cause the engine to overheat. A hose may need to be replaced if it has any cracks or corrosion. Always keep an eye out for blistered, hard or spongy hoses and have them replaced immediately.

Always clean battery terminals, hinges and latches. In addition, keep your tires properly inflated by checking the air pressure each time you buy gasoline.

Find more about In-Dash Car Receivers, In-Dash DVD Car Player and many other car accessories on http://www.autonews24h.com/Accessories/

Top 3 Hybrid Cars

2008-05-30T18:12:00.001-07:00

I believe there are three main hybrid cars out there that are the best of the best. The Honda Civic hybrid, Honda Insight, and Toyota Prius are the three main hybrids leading the market to date. Out of those three competing cars I think I have found the best one for the price. It’s a pretty simple decision when you compare price with features.

#3 Honda Insight

Honda’s Insight retails for $20,380 which is the cheapest price of all three hybrid cars but not by much. Now the reason I am rating this one in last place is because of it only being a two-seater and not having the top mpg score. However it does take a 2nd place in that category producing 57 city and 56 highway mpg. Also the Insight averaged a score of only four for the front crash tests. Now the engine only produces 71hp and can do 0-60 in 10.7 seconds. All in all I think the other vehicles were a better deal for the money.

#2 Honda Civic Hybrid

The Honda Civic has been around forever, but the new hybrid is a new trick for an old dog. With an MSRP of $20,900 it is the most expensive of all three cars. Unfortunately for the higher price you don’t get better performance. The fuel economy in the Civic hybrid is the worst of all three cars; it gets 47 city Mpg and 48 highway Mpg. What differs from the Insight is that the car can hold 5 people that make it much more functional in my opinion. The engine produces 93 hp pushing it to 0-60 in 12.1 which is the slowest of all three cars. The Civic scored a 5 on its front crash test rating.

#1 Toyota Prius

The Prius by Toyota is one of the nicest of all three cars I evaluated. The cars manufacturer suggested retail price is $20,875 which is only 25 dollars cheaper than the civic but still cheaper. The Prius has 110 horsepower and can do 0-60 in 10.2 which is the fastest of all three cars. Also the Toyota is not only the fastest and most powerful but it gets 60 mpg city and 51 highway mpg. The car scored an average of 4.5 on its front crash test rating. What sets this apart from the Insight is that it is a mid size car that hold five people comfortably with some trunk room to boot.

About The Author:
Taylor Bamber is a proud owner of a 300zx turbo and belongs to many 300zx clubs in Northern Colorado. Being waist deep in the import world, he knows where to find all the best online JDM deals for fast cars deals for fast cars. He has scoured the web and has found the best sites for your import car needs. Check out his site at JDM-4U.com

Options Available for Automotive Financing

2008-05-30T18:11:00.001-07:00

Buying a new car or truck can be a major undertaking… and a major expense. If you're like most people, you won't be able to pay for your new vehicle out-of-pocket; that's where automotive financing loans come into play.

With an auto financing loan you'll be able to borrow the amount that you need to pay for the car or other vehicle of your dreams, and the purchased vehicle will serve as collateral for the loan meaning that you won't need additional collateral to secure it. The loan is still a major commitment, though, and shouldn't be entered into lightly.

Before deciding on the loan, you should take the time to explore the all of the options that are available to you.

Finance Options in Your Area

By taking the time to consider a variety of financing options, you'll likely find that there are a number of different ways that you can finance a new vehicle in your area. From bank loans and finance companies to dealer financing and online lenders, you should carefully look at each option in order to make sure that you get the best deal that you can on your loan.

Consider all of the following financing methods, investigating those that are available in your area so as to find the lender that's right for your needs.

Bank Financing

The first instinct that many people have when looking for an automotive finance loan is to apply for the loan through the bank where they do most of their other financial business. Banks can be a good source of auto loans, but you should take care not to overlook the other options that are available to you as well.

Finance Companies

One of the more popular alternatives to banks in regards to finding an auto loan is the finance company. These companies exist for the sole purpose of providing loans and financing larger purchases such as automobiles. The interest rates offered by finance companies can vary depending upon the particular company, and may or may not be better than those rates offered by banks.

Despite the occasional higher interest rate, there are advantages to utilizing finance companies… as an example, finance companies do tend to offer loans to individuals who have poor credit, unlike some banks.

Dealer Financing

Another option that may or may not be available depending upon where you live and where you're purchasing your new car or truck from is dealer financing. This financing option is usually done through a third party that the dealer utilizes or via the automobile company itself, and allows you to make payments on your car or truck at the same place where you purchase it. In cases where the financing is done through the company itself, there are often large discounts in interest for the initial payment period… some are even interest free.

Unfortunately, credit is a major qualifier for these introductory interest rates and those individuals with poor credit usually don't qualify and may not qualify for dealer financing at all.

Online Lenders

One final option that many people overlook is online financing. Online lenders operate without much of the overhead that physical lenders have to pay, and can therefore offer competitive interest rates even for individuals who have had credit problems in the past.

Online lenders may have certain requirements that must be met in regards to the vehicle being purchased or where it's being purchased from, so it's important to make sure that you understand exactly what is needed to qualify for online automotive finance loans from the site you choose.

You may freely reprint this article provided the following author's biography (including the live URL link) remains intact:

About The Author

John Mussi is the founder of Direct Online Loans who help homeowners find the best available loans via the http://www.directonlineloans.co.uk website.

Saving Big With Hybrid Cars

2008-05-30T18:09:00.000-07:00

In America, a standard automobile gets an average of 20.4 miles per gallon. With the innovative hybrid technology, consumers can expect to get a lot more mileage for their dollar. According to researchers, the Honda Insight was designed specifically for the purpose of getting the best gas mileage and is said to be the current industry leader in this type of hybrid savings.

Just how much of a difference will consumers see with the Honda Insight hybrid cars? Studies have shown that hybrid cars featuring a manual transmission will get approximately 60 miles per gallon in the city and 66 miles per gallon on the highway. Hybrid cars with an automatic transmission generally provide slightly less than 57 miles per gallon in the city and 56 miles per gallon on the highway.

The brand new 2006 Honda Civic hybrid cars are only manufactured with an automatic transmission and provide an approximate 50 miles per gallon on the highway and/or the city.

As expected, hybrid cars will get better mileage per gallon than that of a hybrid SUVs. The Ford Escape, for example, provides 36 miles per gallon in the city and 31 miles per gallon on the highway. Even with these numbers, the hybrid Escape is rated to provide better gas mileage than the non-hybrid Escape, which is only said to provide 22 miles per gallon in the city and 25 miles per gallon on the highway.

The most popular reason for consumers to purchase hybrid cars is because they are economical. With the recent rise in gasoline prices, consumers were left searching for an automobile that could provide better gas mileage and found just that in hybrid cars. In addition to their fuel friendly design, hybrid cars are no longer confined to one or two cookie cutter designs. In fact, today’s hybrid cars are available in a variety of sizes, colors and are manufactured by a several automobile makers.

With all of the aforementioned benefits, many wonder just how much the convenience of saving money will cost. Surprisingly, hybrid cars are not drastically priced above other non-hybrid automobiles. In fact, hybrid cars & SUVs can be found in prices ranging from $20,000 to $50,000 for standard models, but may cost more depending on chosen upgrades. The new hybrid cars are available in the look of typical highway automobiles or those designed with a unique flair. Either way, the manufacturers of hybrid cars believe that while appearance is important, the most important thing about these new technologically advanced autos is the fact that they are both environmentally and wallet friendly.

Find more about Kelly Blue Book and how to find the cars value and many other automotive news and resources on http://www.autonews24h.com/.

Hyundai Azera, 2006 The Weekly Driver

2008-05-28T11:25:00.000-07:00

As the replacement for the XG350, Hyundai introduced the Azera earlier this year as the Korean manufacturer's most luxurious and most expensive offering to date.

Luxurious and expensive have never been synonymous with Hyundai. And with the Azera only luxurious applies. It's a vehicle that may finally allow Hyundai to infringe on the overwhelmingly popular choices in the midsize class — Honda Accord, Nissan Altima and Toyota Camry.

Even with the name change alone, the high-end Hyundai has a chance. The now-gone XG350 had its upside, but its name seemed more conducive to a robot or a vacuum cleaner, rather than a car.

Although it's hardly a household word, at least Hyundai Azera has a catchy sound. The car's name, in fact, is based on the word azure, the specific shade of the color blue.

But beyond name change, the Azera features a lot as Hyundai's flagship vehicle. And it has been nearly universally praised for its vast standard features list, refinement and overall value.

Available in SE and Limited editions, I tested the latter as my weekly driver. Both offerings included a 3.8-liter, 263-horsepower V6 with a five-speed automatic transmission. It's plenty of engine in every situation — short, quick acceleration bursts to the long-term, steady freeway acceleration. The Limited edition has 17-inch wheels, while the SE offers 16-inch wheels.

During my test, the Azera offered a quick, smooth, confident and quiet ride with the exception of some high-end wind rush. Steering and handling were sufficient, with ABS brakes, an electronic stability control system and a traction control system all standards.

The Azera's mechanical soundness is complemented well by its exterior and interior design. Once criticized for its lack of quality materials and craftsmanship, the Azera's interior is now well-designed, with an upscale feel. The exterior color, Aubergine (dark, rich purple) wasn't particularly appealing. But it did match the two-tone tan (leather seats, carpets and steering) and light black interior (console, door paneling).

The Azera has its share of woodgrain trim from the steering wheel to door handles and the center console to the instrumentation panel. It's all standard, as are: dual front power and heated seats, power rear sunshade, AM/FM/CD/MP3 audio system with steering wheel controls, air conditioning and cruise control.

The Azera (Limited Edition) had only one option, the Premium Package ($1,500). It includes power sunroof and an upgraded Infinity audio system with a 6-disc, in-dash CD Changer.

If there's a downside to the Azera, it's a lack of an available navigation system. But Hyundai has announced the option will be available soon.

Yet the absence of a GPS system is a small issue. The Azera's got plenty going for it, particularly considering its price point. It's more well-known competitors all make fine midsize vehicles, but Hyundai now has a quality "player" in the mix.

The Weekly Driver: 2006 Hyundai Azera

Safety features – Dual front, front and rear seat-mounted and side-impact and roof-mounted side-curtain airbags.

Fuel Mileage (estimates) – 19 mpg (city), 28 mpg (highway).

Warranty – Bumper to bumper, 5 years/36,000 miles; Powertrain, 10 years, 100,000 miles; Corrosion, 7 years/unlimited m miles; (24-hour) roadside assistance program, 5 years/unlimited miles

Base price – $26,835.00

Suzuki Aerio, 2006 The Weekly Driver

2008-05-28T11:24:00.000-07:00

In January, 2004, the automotive industry arrived at another unique plateau. For the first time, the average price of a new car in the United States surpassed $30,000. Ironically, it was also only a few years ago, the same amount designated the minimum amount of a luxury car.

It's also likely a safe assumption that many car buyers still can't afford a $30,000 vehicle. Suppose, for example, a new car buyer has only $15,000 to spend. What's available? And what's a prudent purchase in the price range?

One good choice is the 2006 Suzuki Aerio SX. The 4-door economy wagon has a lot to offer. With every available option, the vehicle's price is only slightly more than half the national average of a new vehicle.

My test drive for the week was the four-cylinder, 155-horsepower Aerio with a five-speed manual transmission. The vehicle's standard features alone warrant a long look for economy shoppers: air conditioning, power windows/locks/mirrors, tilt steering wheel, AM/FM/6-CD changer and split folding rear seats. For the first time in 2006, Antilock brakes (ABS) are standard throughout the line.

But the Aerio offers a lot more -- surprisingly quick acceleration to superior cargo room, substantial head room to an estimated 30 mpg on the freeway.
The Aerio is available in three models and with more than a dozen configurations, the base sedan ($13,999) to the SX with All-Wheel-Drive and a premium option package ($16,999).

My vehicle featured the nice exterior color of Tech Blue Metallic, complemented by a black cloth interior with a silver-toned instrument console. The car zipped around town, shifted smoothly and had a little "attitude" despite its lowly status an entry level wagon.

The SX model has 15-inch alloy wheels as a standard feature, but the larger wheels are an option for the standard 14-inch wheels on other models. The Aerio has a spacious rear cargo area and a surprisingly roomy cabin. The car's wheelbase is only 99.6 inches, among the shortest in the compact vehicle glass. Yet the rear cargo area measures 63.7 cubic feet. That's third largest to the Ford Focus Wagon (73.0) and Chrysler PT Cruiser Wagon (64.2). All Aerois have split rear seatbacks. They lay flat when the headrests are removed and with seat bottoms flipped forward.

The Aerio also has above average steering and handling, a particularly tight turning circle, and its instrumentation console features clearly marked gauges and easy-to-use controls. The automatic climate controls are standard, an unexpected feature for the price range.

The Honda Civic, Mazda 3 and Toyota Matrix are chief rivals and all have good legacies and good value in resale markets.

But the Aerio should not be overlooked as an option. With Suzuki's 7-year, 100,000-mile warranty, the little car with the unique name has more going for it than the half-car status its price indicates.

2006 Suzuki Aerio, The Weekly Driver

Safety features -- Dual front and side impact airbags.

Fuel Mileage (mpg estimates) -- 25 (city), 31 (highway).

Warranty -- Bumper to bumper, 3 years/36,000 miles; Powertrain, 7 years/100,000 miles; Corrosion, 3 years/unlimited mileage; Road side assistance, 3 years/36,000 miles.

Price range -- $15,199.00

James Raia ia s freelance writer, author and publisher in Sacramento, Calif. To read more of his car reviews, visit: http://www.TheWeeklyDriver.com

Nissan Pathfinder, 2006 The Weekly Driver

2008-05-28T11:23:00.000-07:00

A long-distance haul means different things to different drivers. For me on one recent journey, it was a 400-plus mile trek from Redondo Beach, Calif. (South of Los Angeles) to Sacramento.

It was a seven-hour day in the car. The trip included the long climb over the infamous Grapevine in Southern California and plenty of flat and high-speed miles along Interstate 5.

The 2006 Nissan Pathfinder was my transportation and the mid-sized SUV, now on the market for two decades, performed well. My test vehicle was the four-wheel drive LE model (with navigation system), the most expensive of the four available models.

Several top manufacturers' current SUV models are seemingly interchangeable, and that includes Pathfinder and its top competitors, the Ford Explorer, Toyota Highlander and Honda Pilot.

I drove my test vehicle nearly 700 miles, including the climb on the steady grade that connects Southern California to the mid-state agricultural valley. And although I never engaged the four-wheel drive feature or carried a heavy load, those are two attributes that distinguish the Pathfinder from rivals.

In addition to mega-interstate miles, I nimbly maneuvered the vehicle through city streets. Parking lots, narrow driveways and U-turns in tight quarters were all handled easily. The vehicle never felt cumbersome. The LE is the only member of the fleet with full-time all-wheel drive, and it can be left engaged on dry pavement. The Pathfinder also has a 6,000-pound towing capacity.

Each of the four Pathfinder models includes a 4.0-liter, 270-horsepower V6. During my trek, the vehicle advanced adequately even while ascending the most difficult climbs. But it did take a heavy throttle to get the job done, and that didn't do much for the one major downfall of most SUVs -- lousy gas mileage.

The Pathfinder is rated at 16 mpg (city) and 23 mpg (highway), but I averaged just under 20 mpg on my trip. Nissan recommends premium fuel, further adding to the not-so-thrifty costs.

The Pathfinder was redesigned in 2005, and both the interior and exterior changes were nicely accomplished, including added width, height and length. The interior has well-placed, cleanly designed gauges and the console and instrument panel are handsome and smartly positioned.

Unlike other SUVs, the Pathfinder has a standard third-row seat. Without removing headrests, the rear row folds level, and the folding front-passenger seatback further builds the cargo room to 79.2 cubic feet. That's among the best in the class.

The Pathfinder LE model has standard 17-inch wheels; other models have 16-inch wheels. The LE also features standard front-side and side curtain airbags (they're optional on other models).

Regardless of model, the Pathfinder's standard equipment list is impressive. It ranges from illuminated visor mirrors to the AM/FM radio with in-dash, six-disc CD/MP3 changer and heated power mirrors and sunroof to a memory system for the driver seat, mirror and pedals.

My test vehicle also included five option packages ranging from the navigation and rear-seat entertainment system to leather and heated front seats. The various options added nearly $8,000 to the vehicle's base price.

The result is a finely equipped SUV that can certainly ease the ordeal of a 400-mile drive and also provide an equally enjoyable ride around town.

The Weekly Driver: 2006 Nissan Pathfinder

Safety features –- Dual front airbags (standard); front and side curtain airbags.

Fuel Mileage (estimates) -– 16 mpg (city), 23 mpg (highway).

Warranty -- Bumper to bumper, 3 years/36,000 miles; Powertrain, 5 years/60,000 miles, Corrosion, 5 years/unlimited mileage; (24-hour) roadside assistance program, 3 years/36,000 miles.

Base price -- $35,550.

Reduce Costs And Pollution With Hybrid Car

2008-05-27T07:54:00.001-07:00

Buying a new car is spending a considerable amount of money for most people, and with the ever rising oil price it is becoming a more and more expensive affair to own your own car too. With an oil price that works in a way so that a rain in north America raises the price people in Finland pays for gasoline from Russia, it is not strange that the market is eager to be offered more economical cars.

As if that were not enough, we are today well aware that the large scale use of fossil fuel like oil is very bad for the environment. Burning up things that have taken hundreds fo thousands of years to accumulate within a couple of hundred years is obviously not a very good idea.

All of the above has resulted in a new breed of cars being rapidly developed. These cars combine the best features of the electric cars with that of conventional, gasoline powered cars. These type of cars are called hybrid cars, and you are likely to hear a lot about them in the very near future.

An electric car with a twist

The electric car first sounded like a great idea, since it has an engine that doesn't actually burn up fuel. However, this is only partially true as how clean this can be considered depends on how the electricity for the electric car is produced - if it comes from a coal plant for example, it isn't very clean at all.

Furthermore, the storage of large amounts of electricity is problematic at best and in practise turns electric cars to pure bread city cars. Storing large ammounts of electricity is unfortunately a rather clumsy affair.

Hybrid cars combine an electric engine with a gasoline powered one, which means the use of gasoline isn't totally out of the picture but it can be greatly reduced. The dual engines also allow for smaller engines to be used, and they take advantage of things like regenerative breaking.

Naturally the hybrid cars are also extremely lightweight and aerodynamically well designed, all to reduce the energy needed to run them. In slow city traffic the conventional engine is automatically shut of completely, producing no emissions whatsoever. When more speed and power is needed, the conventional engine is allowed to seamlessly kick in partially or fully.

You could own a hybrid car tomorrow

Like much of the car market today, it is the Japanese who have been a leading force to develop attractive looking hybrid vehicles, such as the hybrid powered Honda Accord and Toyota Prius. Contrary to what one might believe, these cars have also gotten a warm reception on the market.

Saving money AND the environment seems to be an attractive proposition.

Most well established North American manufacturers are also expected to jump on the bandwagon of this lucrative market very soon. Many of them, including Ford, Chevrolet and Mercury have in fact already launched hybrid powered version of some of their models.

As this is a quickly expanding market, you can expect to see many of these cars appearing more commonly at local car dealers. As this is considered cutting edge technology, one can expect the initial prices to be rather high though. But then again, a hybrid car will mean considerable savings on buying gas. As the competition will no doubt be stiff, it will be interesting to see how the pricing of these cars develop during the next few years.

While the best thing for the environment would be to cease using any kinds of fossil fuels, hybrid cars represent one of the best alternatives one can choose right now - combining the cleanliness of the electric engine with the mileage of a conventional combustion engine. Hybrid cars are certainly not to be considered unorthodox or overly futuristic - they are here NOW.

Learn more about hybrid cars at the Know more about network.

Automotive Detail Shop Considerations

2008-05-27T07:53:00.000-07:00

If you own a mobile car wash or auto detailing business on consideration would be to move up in the world and get your own detailing shop. There are many Automotive Detail Shop Considerations. First you need to ask yourself why are you wishing to have a detail shop? Is it to stay out of the weather and have a climate-controlled place to work? Are you doing it for prestige?

Are you needing to secure a location and get a shop to park your vehicles at night and also a place to do wholesale detailing? For location based detail shops there are many things to consider;

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There are many articles on Auto Detailing, auto detail shop considerations, mobile car washing on the Internet. One place to look is at EzineArticles.com for instance. There is equipment available at DetailPlus and other specialty equipment companies. Before you go out and sign a 5 to 10 year lease understand what you are doing and make sure it fits your future plans and represents close proximity to your highest volume customers and an adequate labor supply. Think it thru as you are going to be increasing costs and need to make those rent payments, which means you must maintain higher volumes as well. Think on this.

Lance Winslow - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

Chrysler Town Country 2006 The Weekly Driver

2008-05-27T07:52:00.000-07:00

The mini-van market is among the most competitive segments of the
automotive industry. The Dodge Caravan, Honda Odyssey and Toyota
Sienna all have loyal owners. But with the upscale 2006 Chrysler Town
and Country in the mix, buyers have an even more difficult choice.

The Town and Country offers high-end prestige in the mini-van
category, plus an inviting, efficient and spacious configuration of second
and third-row seats. Add a sleek, new design and a stylish front grill and
the Town and Country also gets best-of-class marks for its handsome
looks.

It's logical to assume mini-van buyers purchase their vehicles to
transport numerous passengers or for larger cargo needs, and that's
perhaps the Town & Country's best quality.

Seven passengers fit easily. With the third row of seats folded, the rear
cargo area is cavernous. If the second and third-rows are folded down
(flush with the floor), the available space could be rented out as a
moveable storage shed. The back liftgate has an automatic opening and
closing option, further adding to the vehicle's cargo-carrying qualities.

My test drive for the week was the Limited, the most advanced and most
expensive of four Town & Country models.

It featured a 3.8-liter, V6 and a four-speed automatic transmission. As
the manufacturer's top-of-the-line mini-van, the Limited's dark-gray
leather seats and dark, wood-like console perfectly complemented the
dark gray exterior color called "Brilliant Black Crystal."

The vehicle looks great on the open road and its ride quality, nicely
appointed controls and overall comfort are all impressive. As one
example, during non-daylight hours, the instrumentation panel is backlit
a soft light green. It's a nice touch.

Driving the mini-van is comfortable and the front-window, near-
panoramic view is a plus. Steering is satisfactory, and the vehicle has a
commanding presence.

That leaves only two questionable areas — less-than peppy
acceleration and average fuel mileage that didn't quite meet the
advertised city and highway numbers.

Standard features in the Limited edition are vast. All key functions —
windows to doors, eight-way seats to the sliding rear doors — are
automatic. The Limited edition includes a rear-obstacle detection
system, interior air filter, heated front seats, six-disc CD/DVD player, a
removable center console, automatic driver-side and rearview mirrors,
automatic headlights, roof rack, fog lights and 16-inch chrome alloy
wheels.

My weekly driver also featured an optional custom preferred package. It
included power sunroof ($1,005), Sirius satellite radio with one-year's
service ($195) and a rear-seat video system ($990) featuring a second-
row seven-inch overhead screen, wireless headphones and remote
control.

With a destination charge of $730, the Limited's total price reached
$37,900. That's a lot, but then again the Limited is a lot of mini-van.

2006 Town & Country Limited: The Weekly Driver

Safety features -- Dual front, driver's knee and side curtain
airbags (all three rows).

Fuel Mileage (estimates) -- 18 mpg (city), 25 mpg (highway).

Warranty -- Bumper to bumper, 3 years/36,000 miles;
Powertrain, 7 years/70,000 miles; Corrosion, 5 years/100,000 miles;
Roadside assistance, 3 years/36,000 miles.

Base price -- $33,325.

Buying a Used Car Avoiding the Scams

2008-05-26T05:44:00.001-07:00

There are a few things that you should always look for if you are buying a used car. Here are the tips that you will need not to get a lemon.

1. Warranty Facts

You can sometimes get a car that is still under warranty. If this is the case, check with the warranty (perhaps call the number in the warranty book) to ask if there is anything that you need to do to keep the warranty when you buy the car. This often just involves sending out a letter with the purchase information to the dealership.

If you buy from a car dealership, you can often get warranties on used cars. If you want peace of mind when purchasing, consider this option for sure.

2. Warning Signs

If the odometer reading doesn’t match the wear and tear of the car, then you should definitely ask for some records.

If there is any vagueness about getting the service records for the car, you might want to walk away.

3. Getting a Good Price

Because the cost of new cars is going up, there is more of a demand for used cars. This means that some dealerships believe that they can take more money than the car is worth. There are a few things that you need to do to get a good price.

Do your research; check online and in used car guides (often available at the local library) to find out what the prices of cars listed online to sell are. If you are uncertain about buying a car online, then don’t. Often purchasing a car online means that it will come from a long distance, and as such, you will have to pay exorbitant shipping or delivery costs, which will not be worth the money that you are saving off the sticker price.

4. Making the Payments

Instead of getting a car loan from the dealership and paying the dealer or the seller monthly payments, consider taking out a loan from the bank. You will often get better interest (or financing, as it is called with cars) rates. Go to a bank or credit union before you go shopping for your car. Salespeople will try to talk you into going with the dealership’s rates; you will be better off if you already have your financing set up. Credit unions can sometimes offer even better rates than banks on loans and are an often-overlooked choice.

5. The Information to Get

In Ontario, and in some states, you can ask to get the used vehicle information package. This will have the details of the previous maintenance and ownership history of the car.

Always do a complete visual inspection of a car. Even if you are buying a car from the internet, buy one from your province or state so that you can go and check it out first. Alternatively, agree with the seller that you have the right to return the car for a full refund (including shipping) if it does not meet your standards.

6. What not to Trust

Don’t judge the use of a car by it’s brakes; a dealer can buy new brake pads for less than $10, which is often an easy fix for a car.

If a car has rear-door-hinges that are very worn, it might have been used as a taxi, and you should probably find another one. Check the roof of the car to see if there have been any holes filled in; this could have been a sign for a delivery vehicle. They also often have been used a lot.

Be careful if a car looks like it has been freshly painted. This could mean that it has been in an accident that is trying to be covered up.

7. And finally…

Buying a used car can be a great deal for you. You can save money on the car itself, and you can get a safe means to travel. Remember, the condition of the car is more important than if it has had multiple owners, or even the odometer reading. Good luck shopping!

For information on how to get a loan for a used car, visit http://www.theguideto-carloans.com/used_car_loans/ The Guide to Car Loans. The more you know in advance could save you more money when you buy!

How To Buy A New Car Without Being Taken For A Ride

2008-05-26T05:43:00.000-07:00

Many people get taken advantage of when they go to buy a new car, truck or SUV. This can be avoided by taking some simple precautions and being prepared ahead of time. Take a look at these suggestions and commit them to memory so that you don't get taken to the cleaners on your next automotive purchase.

First off, do you research and don't go into a dealership half cocked with little knowledge. You want to be armed with the cost of the vehicle you are interested in, the value of your vehicle if you are trading it, financing terms and interest rates, and be on guard against sales tactics. Never buy a car impulsively, think it over.

The internet had millions of pages of research and content available about vehicles, financing, and anything else you may care to know about the car buying process. There is absolutely no reason for anyone not to take the time to get the information they need to be able to have a positive car buying experience.

The best way by far to deal with financing your vehicle purchase is to get pre-approved by your personal bank or credit union. This will give you a position of power to negotiate from. When you go into the dealership you are now basically walking in with cash and the ability to do business immediately should you so desire. Another thing it gives you is the ability to play the lenders against each other to get a better rate. Many times the dealer may offer you a better rate by as much as two percent just because of the volume of business they do.

Remember this sentence is you remember nothing else, "The salesperson is not your friend". They will try to make you think they are on your side, they are trained to do that. It is all part of the psychology. Don't buy into it, they are paid a commission based on the profit of the vehicle in most cases, so the more you pay for the car, the more they make.

Many times there are bonuses on particular vehicles as well. You may go to a dealership on a Saturday morning and see three salespeople trying to sell the exact same car. The reason, unknown to the potential buyer is probably because the sales manager has offered a $500 bonus for selling that particular car. If a salesman is trying to push you on a particular car, beware, there is a reason the car hasn't sold and for the dealer to offer a bonus to get rid of it.

Gregg Hall is an author and internet marketing consultant living in Navarre Florida. Find more articles about cars and car care products at http://www.5starshine.com

New Chevy Racing Campaign During Daytona 500

2008-05-26T05:32:00.000-07:00

As the stars of NASCAR are revving their engines for the 2006 racing season, Chevy Racing will be celebrating it’s success on the track with a new advertising campaign set to kick off during the televised Daytona 500 race. Boasting about their 25 wins in the last 33 Manufacturer’s Cup Championships, Chevy racing plans to focus on the fact that they have won more than any other automobile manufacturer while dominating one of the most popular sports in America.

The new Chevy Racing campaign unveils “Team Chevy,” which is an exclusive club consisting of some of NASCAR’s brightest stars and their participation using the Chevy Monte Carlo SS racing machine. While retaining it’s “American Revolution” tag line, Chevy also plans to incorporate a touch of humor with it’s new campaign.

During the first commercial ad spot, fans will see “Toast.” This promo features Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart as they enjoy celebrating recent Team Chevy victories. As these superstars relive their wins, they incorporate NASCAR’s victory celebration into the crowd. As they spray champagne into the crowd of cheering fans, they also pour their champagne over the heads. The latter is customary for the victor in a NASCAR race, but Chevy decided to add a twist by spraying the fans, as well.

During the second televised spot, titled “Office,” Team Chevy once again showcases their racing dominance as Chevy’s Racing Director, Terry, searches for space to display the latest awards for current NASCAR Champion Tony Stewart. As he searches all around, he finds that every inch of space is already occupied with trophies. But, perhaps there is room somewherel...

"Chevy Racing is all about a passion for racing and winning and that excitement extends to our vehicle lineup, which is now America's No. 1-selling automotive brand," said Ed Peper, Chevrolet General Manager. "Deutsch found a simple, clear way to deliver that message with a couple of great humorous twists."

Chevy and NASCAR fans will get their first glance at the new advertising campaign during the NBC televised Daytona 500 event on February 19, 2006. Ads will appear nationally on both NBC and Fox. Printed ads, in conjunction with those being televised, will appear in USA today and in various racing program guides.

Chevrolet is the bestselling automotive brand in the United States. With the largest dealer network in America, Chevy is the leader in full-size trucks and in the sale of vehicles priced at $35,000 and above. In addition, Chevy offers expressive design, valued pricing and spirited performance with features found only in the more expensive automobiles.

Read all Kurt Busch news, Matt Kenseth news and all other NASCAR news on http://www.sportsnews24h.com/Motorsports/NASCAR/

Mini-Cooper 2005 The Weekly Driver

2008-05-25T07:08:00.001-07:00

Introduced in England in 1959 and first available in the United States
from 1960 to 1967, the Mini-Cooper is back. It's been a unique sight on
American roads for the past three years, thanks to unique BMW
business savvy.

The Mini-Cooper wasn't the top priority when BMW purchased the Rover
Group -- Land Rover, Rover, MG and Mini -- in 1994. BMW was more
interested in the luxury SUV market. But six years later, Rover was sold
to Ford and BMW adjusted its plan.

The new Mini-Cooper is among the results. For 2005 that includes my
test drive for the week, the S-convertible with a six-speed manual
transmission.

Like other retro vehicles in recent years, the Mini-Cooper has found a
market some 40 years after its first success. What drivers enjoyed in the
60s -- an affordable, quick, efficient and fun-to-drive car -- is what they
get now.

I've never driven an original Mini, but friends who have driven both
generations, say the new version is much the same as yesteryear's
model. Yet, it's also quite different.

The Mini Cooper S convertible is a first-time offering for 2005, and the
combination has vast appeal -- and a few less-than ideal
considerations.

Foremost, anyone who likes to drive can appreciate the Mini. One of four
available models -- the Mini-Cooper S has a 16-valve, four-cylinder,
168-horsepower engine. That's substantially more power than its
predecessor.

As such, the car "jumps" from zero to 30 mph, particularly considering its
supercharged, 1.6-liter overhead cam engine. Consumer Guide testers
clocked the S model in the standard 0-60 mph in 7.6 seconds, while the
base model took 9.1 seconds.

Perhaps the Mini's finest attributes are its steering and handling. The
response -- maneuvering through parking lots or zipping along the
freeway -- is impressive. The Mini-Cooper is among the smallest cars in
the United States -- its wheelbase is 97.1 inches and its overall length is
143.1 inches. But driving the car on freeway surprisingly didn't include
any notions of inferiority. It's more like a cocky terrier who can hold his
own among big dogs.

The Mini-Cooper has more than once been called a go-cart for adults.
But its craftsmanship and unique features quickly catapult it into the all-
too-real class.

Beyond its swift acceleration and sturdy handling, the Mini has a good
supply of funky features.

Consider the huge speedometer in the middle of the dash. It's as big as
wall clock, and it's cool, for sure. And there's also a small, digital miles
per hour display above the steering wheel in the center of the
tachometer.

Yet, the large speedometer is the centerpiece of the dash, and it also
features one of the car's instrumentation drawbacks. A small digital clock
is positioned at the bottom of the speedometer and just to the left of the
digital odometer. It's hard to differentiate the time of day from the miles
driven. Also, a swiveling cupholder, positioned to the right of the radio,
just seems to get in the way.

As a petite convertible, there are few other common concerns. Consider:

* The seatbelts are too-snugly positioned and hard to reach.

* The rear aluminum roll hoops drastically obscure the view through the
small, rear glass oval.

* The convertible top, which remained up during my test drive, has
"blindspots" between the front and rear seat side views.

* And even by small-car standards, the Mini-Cooper has a small trunk.

Yet, the Mini has many more positive attributes than issues.

* There's plenty of front seat foot and head room, at least for a 6-foot,
185-test driver.

* The cabin's tubular, metallic trim is sleek and modern, and the
glovebox cover and other interior areas are painted the same color as
the bulk of the exterior, in my instance "Chili Red."

* Windows and other automatic functions are engaged with bullet-style
toggle switches on the dash, They're separated by hip-looking black,
metal rings.

The Mini-Cooper S has a suggested base price of $24,900. Several
individual and packaged options are available, which in my test vehicle
included: 17-inch alloy wheels ($600), white bonnet body striping
($100), interior chrome ($200) and a Harmon-Kardon sound system
($550). Add the $550 destination charge and the final tariff is more than
$27,000.

That's not inexpensive for a vehicle that might not get seen on the
freeway in the side mirrors of an 18-wheeler. And it's not cheap for a car
that can't hold more than a workout bag in its trunk.

But the Mini-Cooper is an enthusiasts' car, and its appeal is its
personality.

Whether the driver is envisioning motoring along on a back-country road
in Britain or Germany or competing in a sports rally in the desert, it's
easy to understand why the Mini-Cooper has retained a loyal following.
It also fares equally well in Anytown, U.S.A.

2005 Mini Cooper: The Weekly Driver

Safety features -- dual front and front-side impact airbags

Fuel Mileage (estimates) -- 25 mpg (city), 32 mpg (highway).

Warranty -- Bumper-to-bumper, 4 years/50,000 miles;
Corrosion, 12 years/unlimited mileage; roadside assistance, 4 years/
50,000 miles.

Base price -- $24,900.00

Environmental Compliance; Mobile Auto Detailing

2008-05-25T07:07:00.001-07:00

There are environmental compliance issues in automotive detailing, but how much does all this really help the environment. In the auto detailing industry we know we must comply and do with these regulations, yet often one has to ask them selves, why are we really doing this? Sometimes one has to think that much of these are not as much about the environment as much as from competitors who use the environment and government as a way to attack the mobile car washes and detailers from taking their business. Some mobile auto detailers think the carwash owners need to do better work and stop pointing fingers. Meanwhile some legitimate rules on the environment do make sense.

A little soap is good for the environment, but we are not allowed to let soap run into a storm drain. While it is true that there are harsh chemicals and detergents that are currently used by industry and homeowners that should never be allowed free to run into our ecosystem, most basic soap won’t hurt anything. As a matter of fact, they actually help break down other unwanted contaminants so they can be further filtered by mother earth’s soil and diluted by her abundant water. Most mobile auto detailer’s soaps are perfectly harmless. Unfortunately, no matter how good or biodegradable these soaps are, the law reads nothing but ‘domestic potable water’ goes into the storm drains.

Non-spray products such as silicon for bumpers, wax, adhesive remover, etc. are major environmental problems because they contain dastardly chemicals. You must realize these chemicals do not go into the environment during the washing of the vehicle; therefore, they do not constitute a pollution discharge. Whatever you do, do not pour out a 55-gallon drum of this type product into the gutter in front of your house.

Here is a sad story of what happens when there is an unscrupulous manufacturer tries to sell a product that is not safe:

A company that touted their product as being safe for the environment sold it to thousands of retailers that had thousands of outlets. It was on shelves all over America for about three years. It was in the garages of over forty million households. It was later discovered by a company that preps boats for painting and stripping that the product killed fish. Fish were floating to the surface dead each day that this product was used. The company cleaning the boats didn’t want to get in trouble, so they switched products and didn’t say anything. The new product worked fine and no more dead fish.

About a year and a half later, the supplier for the new product went out of business and the boat company was forced to switch back to the first product. Guess what? That’s right; more dead fish; even more than before. This time the boat cleaning company told someone. The Fish and Game Department slapped on a lawsuit for one million dollars. The product manufacturer paid but continued to make the product with same formula. Other government agencies and environmental groups caught wind and forced the company to change the formula. The price increase to change the formula cost the company eight cents more per bottle on a retail price of $10.00. The one million dollars was less than eight cents per gallon, so they just paid it. When they finally switched formulas due to the pressure from environmental consumers and the negative media, the bottle said “New and Improved” and “Even More Environmentally Safe Than Before.” The price increased an average of $1.99 retail. The product’s name? I am not writing this article to hurt brand names so we will leave it at that, you can figure it out thru public record.

The point in the matter is there are some chemicals used by auto and boat detailers which are bad for the environment, but for the most part the small amounts of soaps used to wash the cars is insignificant and more of a competitive political move than any effort to help the environment.

Lance Winslow - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

Kia To Open First U.S. Manufacturing Plant In 2009

2008-05-25T07:06:00.000-07:00

In an announcement made on March 2006, Kia Motors Corporation, the maker of Kia cars, announced official plans to build a $1.2 billion assembly and manufacturing plant in the United States. The location has been confirmed as West Point, Georgia and will serve as Kia’s first manufacturing plant in America. The first Kia cars to roll off of the assembly line are said to begin production in 2009.

When operated at it’s maximum capacity, the new Kia cars facility is expected to create approximately 300,000 brand new automobiles every year. In addition, this new construction will provide an additional 2,500 jobs and will be situated on 2,200 acres.

According to president and CEO of Kia Motors America J.H. Lee, "The decision by Kia Motors Corporation to build a manufacturing plant in the United States demonstrates their confidence in our ability to further grow sales in the North American market.” He added, "The plant is an important development to support our sales goals over the next decade."

A dedicated Kia cars corporate campus is currently under construction in Irvine, California. With an anticipated opening date of December 2006, this new facility will feature a 65,000 square-foot design center. Over the past four years, Kia Motors has invested over $300 million in America. Among the results are a state-of-the-art research and development center located in Michigan, along with a custom-built vehicle facility in California.

Since debuting in the American market, Kia cars has expanded to a complete product line of vehicles and have watched their company thrive during the 12 years of consecutive sales records, which continue to this day.

Kia Motors Corporation, the maker of Kia cars, is headquartered in South Korea. However, through the development of Kia Motors America, Kia is able to offer a complete line of automobiles, including Kia cars, through well over 600 United States car dealerships. Said to be one of the fastest growing automakers in the world, Kia was founded in 1944 making it Korea’s oldest manufacturer of motor vehicles. Through the company’s latest release featuring hybrid technology, Kia hopes to become one of the world’s premier automotive brands. With assembly and manufacturing operations in seven countries, Kia produces over 1.1 million vehicles each year, which are then sold through a network of dealers and distributors throughout 160 countries. With more than 32,000 employees and annual revenues topping $15 billion, Kia has found sponsorship to be an important part of it’s success. As a major sponsor to both the Australian Tennis Open and FIFA, the Kia Motors Corporation is planning even more changes in the years to come.

Find more Kia news and Kia cars reviews, including 2006 Kia Sorento, on http://www.autonews24h.com/

Mazda 6, 2006 The Weekly Driver

2008-05-24T07:39:00.001-07:00

Could there be a more generically named group of vehicles than those
lumped together as "midsize cars?"

The Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Chevrolet Malibu and Nissan Altima
are all in the category, and all enjoy a loyal consumer following.

The Mazda 6 is also in the same group. And while not as refined as the
Accord or Camry, the Mazda 6 -- available in 16 configurations -- is a
sporty alternative. In fact, with a wagon, hatchback and turbocharged,
274-horsepower edition among the options, the Mazda 6 greatly
expands the boundaries of the class.

My weekly test drive was Grand Sport model. It has a 3.0-liter, 24-valve,
V6 with 215 horsepower and a five-speed manual transmission. The
sedan is actually a five-door hatchback.

But with its bright exterior (Volcanic Red), black leather seats and solid
black interior, the Mazda 6 looks more like a sports car.

It also performs like it doesn't belong in the midsize class.

The car has impressively strong takeoff speed, with 0-60 mph tests
accomplished in 7.5 seconds, according to Consumer Guide. With its
18-inch tires and alloy wheels, dual exhaust outlets and rear spoiler, the
Mazda even further fits the sports car mode. And with its easy shifting
ability, the Mazda is fun around town or on country roads.

But without getting too carried away, the Mazda 6 is also a versatile
sedan. With its hatchback entry, it's a good choice for a family vehicle
with easy access and a deep cargo area good for plenty of groceries or
any reasonable transporting task.

The Mazda 6 really has few shortcomings. It has good interior space
and straightforward instrumentation design and functionality. The car
maneuvers well in traffic, it's sufficiently quiet and the ride quality, while
not quite as nice as the Accord, is on par with other vehicles in the class.

Standard features include: High intensity discharge headlamps, fog
lights, heated outside mirrors, leather seats, heated front seats, 60/40
split fold-down rear seats, tilt and telescopic steering wheel, rear
window wiper and washer, AM/FM in-dash six-disc CD changer,
automatic climate control and power moonroof.

Two small but convenient features are the side cupholder in the front
door map pocket and the rear seat armrest with additional cupholders.

One criticism is the rear spoiler. The Mazda 6 is about as sporty as a
sedan can get, but the feature hardly seems necessary. Its position
simultaneously obscures the rear window view and annoyingly divides
the remaining driver's rear visibility into two distinct sections.

The Weekly Driver: 2006 Mazda 6

Safety features -- Dual front, side air and side curtain airbags.

Fuel Mileage (estimates) -- 19 mpg (city), 27 mpg (highway).

Warranty -- Bumper to bumper, 4 years/48,00 miles; Corrosion,
5 years/Unlimited miles; 24-hour Roadside Assistance program, 4
years/50,000 miles.

Base price -- $27,710.

Kia Sportage 2005 The Weekly Driver Review

2008-05-24T07:38:00.000-07:00

Introduced a decade ago, the Kia Sportage was the Korean
manufacturer's second style available in the American market. It had its
supporters and critics, and it eventually became the company's
bestseller.

Three years ago, however, when Kia was in the midst of severe financial
difficulties, the Sportage was discontinued.

But behold, the Sportage is back, having undergone a vast makeover. It
has the same name, but perhaps that's the only similarity to yesteryear's
model.

The new Sportage has a completely new and refined interior and
exterior design, and a good supply of standard and optional features. It
also has a few nice, thoughtful, if small, considerations that could allow
the small to well infiltrate the marketplace.

My test vehicle for the week was the Sportage 4x4 EX model, the larger
of the two engine options offered on only one body style, a four-door
SUV. The 173-horsepower, 2.7-liter V6 is equipped with a four-speed
automatic transmission, the only option. The four-cylinder model has
automatic and five-speed manual transmission options.

The vehicle performed well in all driving scenarios. It's not the quickest
SUV on the market, but it's far from sluggish. In several instances, I was
the aggressor into merging lanes. And while the Sportage doesn't
provide any time-warp sensations, the SUV, while categorized as a
truck, accelerated without hesitation as if it were performing with car-like
smooth, steady advances.

Kia's four-wheel drive system is a single-range offering. It's electronically
controlled with a push-button function on the console. It's designed for
all-weather, all-season traction and primarily offered for on-road
situations, not treacherous off-road conditions. The Sportage does have
7.7 inches of clearance and good traction, so off-road trail driving should
certainly not be discounted. While on the road, the Sportage offers a
comfortable, commanding and surprisingly quiet ride.

Equally impressive, the Sportage's interior and exterior design has a
modern contour of near luxury status. The outside of the vehicle has
nicely shaped panel corners and the headlights, roof rails and various
trim are all sturdy yet provide a sleek appearance. It's as if the vehicle
was molded after advancing into strong headwinds.

The interior has the same "feel." The console and other instrumentation
are well-positioned and handsome. My test vehicle had a bright-red
exterior, matched nicely with a black leather interior. Metal trimmings
around the console look simple, yet stylish and surprisingly upscale
considering the vehicle's value-for-cost considerations.

Speaking of cost, the Sportage EX model has a base price of $21,400,
an appealing amount considering the vehicle's standard options that, in
part, include: air conditioning and sunroof, power windows and locks,
heated outside mirrors, AM/FM/cassette/CD/MP3 audio system with six
speakers and cruise control. The EX model's luxury package ($1,300)
includes the aforementioned leather seating, heated front seats,
automatic headlamps and automatic dimming inside mirror and with a
homelink security function.

Further, the Sportage comfortably seats five and the front and rear leg
and headroom is surprisingly spacious.

The Sportage also provides a few, small yet impressive nuances. The
outside mirror adjustment switch, for example, adeptly moves from the
driver to passenger mirror position with secure, precision shift. Likewise,
the radio dials adjust with precise movements, both qualities often found
on considerably higher-priced vehicles.

Additionally, the Sportage's liftgate glass can be opened without
opening the tailgate. A handy storage compartment and tray are
available under the rear cargo area.

With every option available, the Sportage's price is still well under
$24,000. It's a price point that should give the new Sportage best-value
consideration in the small SUV market.

Safety features – Driver and front passenger dual-stage
airbags. Front seat mounted side airbags. Front and rear curtain
airbags. Four-wheel antilock brakes. Electronic Force Distribution
(EBD), Standard Traction Control (STC) and ESP Electronic Stability
Systems.

Fuel Mileage (estimates) – 19 mpg (city), 23 mpg (highway).

Warranty – Bumper to bumper, 5 years/60,000 miles;
Powertrain, 10 years/100,000 miles; Corrosion, 5 years/100,000 miles,
(24-hour) roadside assistance, 5 years/unlimited mileage.

Base price – $21,400.00

James Raia is a Sacramento, Calif., journalist who writes about sports,
travel and lifestyle topics as well as the automotive column, The Weekly
Driver. To read his articles, visit the web site: ByJamesRaia.com

Hybrid Cars

2008-05-24T07:35:00.000-07:00

A regular car uses an internal combustion engine with a fuel-air mixture powering it. A hybrid car on the other hand powers itself not only using the conventional means but it also uses a variety of alternate means like fuel-cells and solar-energy to turn the wheels. That makes it more environment friendly and increases its mileage.

Some people think that hybrid cars are the cars of the future. They say it is what we will be driving in a ten years time. It is true that hybrid cars have many advantages. But we must not forget the shortcomings of the hybrid car.

Gas and oil are non renewable sources of energy. They also cause much damage to the environment. There is a danger they might soon also be depleted from the earth. On the other hand, hybrid cars are environment friendly. They source of energy they use is renewable and therefore they pose much less threat to the world. Hybrid cars are efficient and save money on fueling.

Performance wise, hybrid cars are rubbish. At the stage they currently are, they are more than likely to break down after traveling every few miles. If you buy a hybrid car, leave for office an hour earlier than you used to before, because hybrid cars are much slower than normal cars. Because they have very less energy to run with, they are made with as light bodies as possible. We want to protect the environment to protect our children. But if you're planning to buy them a hybrid car to do so, the chances of them being flattened by some bigger car are far more. So if you want to keep your children safe, why not buy them a Land Rover instead? And then there's the matter of power again. With the amount of power a hybrid can provide, imagine the trouble and time it would take for you to reach a high altitude point with a fairly steep road, that is, if you would ever manage to get up there on that car.

Whether hybrid cars will be the future of the car industry, one cannot say for sure. But one thing is certain, where it stands today is quite for from a point where it will replace the petrol or gas powered cars.

Jonathon Hardcastle writes articles on many topics including Automotive, Shopping, and Sports

Suzuki XL-7 SUV 2005 The Weekly Driver Review

2008-05-23T09:33:00.002-07:00

Traveling east from Sacramento on either Interstate 80 or 50, the capital
of California extends into ever-expanding suburbs. Sierra Nevada
foothill communities soon follow and then respectively the well-known
gambling and recreation meccas of Reno, Nev., and Lake Tahoe, Calif.

Busier freeways exist, but both Northern California thoroughfares have
their share of hectic commuter traffic and every other conceivable
transportation concern.

Both freeways therefore provide perfect arenas for vehicle testing,
particularly the consistent, steady ascents into the foothills and toward
ski resort elevations. There's nothing too steep, but the steady grades
can abruptly help showcase a vehicle's power strengths or weaknesses.

In my recent test drive of the 2005 Suzuki XL-7, the new midsize SUV
offered by the Japanese manufacturer, the latter applied.

The XL-7 has its share of attractive features, including a good price point
and plenty of impressive standard features. But acceleration and overall
engine performance is not the vehicle's strong suit.

On out-of-town journeys on both Interstate 50 and 80, the XL-7 was
noticeable sluggish on the steady climbs out of the flatlands. The XL-7
has a 5-speed automatic transmission and 2.7-liter, 24-valve, 185-
horsepower, V6 engine. Yet, even on solo treks into moderat elevation
locales, in highway passing situations, or in other needed acceleration
scenarios, a foot-to-the-floor effort was required.

The XL-7, however, should not be dismissed It's been introduced as an
extended version of Suzuki's compact Grand Vitara, with a 2.9-inch
longer wheelbase, 22.9 inches of added length and the aforementioned
larger engine.

Nearly a dozen model options are available, from base model, 2WD,
LX-4-door wagon with manual transmission ($19,499) to the 4-WD EX
wagon with automatic transmission and third-row seat ($26,899). My
test vehicle was the 4-WD EX-wagon with automatic transmission. With
standard features including heated front seats, leather front and rear
seats, 6-disc CD and AM/FM audio system with seven speakers, 16-
alloy wheels, power-tilted sun and moonroof and Suzuki's 7-year,
100,000-mile powertrain warranty, the $26,394.00 price point is
appealing.

So, too, are the XL-7's controls and materials, and the vehicle's cargo
space is generous, if not less-than simply designed and orchestrated via
confusing levers.

Like other Suzuki models, the XL 7's instrumentation is simple and
nicely designed. Large control dials offer ease of use and the console
materials are attractive, even the faux wood trim. Likewise, Suzuki has
some innovative ideas for storage cubicles and the cargo areas for
groceries, sports equipment and the like is on par with the available
other vehicles in its category. Seating is comfortable, and from driver's
perspective vision is good and without blind spots.

As a 4-WD drive vehicle, Suzuki offers a push-button, part-time system.
It's convenient and has a low-gear ratio. Unlike other manufacturers,
however, the Suzuki 4-WD option should not be left engaged in dry
pavement.

The XL-7 is Suzuki's offering against the Ford Explorer, GMC Envoy and
Toyota Highlander. All are higher priced and have established niches in
the resale market. The Suzuki doesn't have any history — yet. The XL-7
doesn't get high marks in ride quality, and it certainly isn't quiet on the
road, either. The manufacturer claims 17 mpg gallon in city driving, but
the Consumer Guide testers documented a city average between 13.6
and 15.4 mpg.

There's nothing wrong with a manufacturer having pride its brand name,
either. But the "S" insignia on the front grill is particularly large, and it
can't help remind one of the Superman "S." In short, it's just too large.

Beyond cosmetics, however, the XL-7 has offer a good supply of
standard features for its price. But it's not the best choice in its class and
won't be until it at least gets more horsepower.

Safety features —Driver and front-seat passenger front and side
airbags, Antilock brakes; 24-hour roadside assistance.

Fuel Mileage (manufacturer estimates) —17 mpg (city), 22 mpg
(highway).

Warranty — Bumper to bumper, 3 years/36,000 miles; Powertrain 7
years/100,000 miles; Corrosion, 3 years/unlimited miles.

Base price range — $19,499-26,899.

James Raia is journalist, author and publisher in Sacramento, Calif. To
read more car reviews or other examples of his work, visit his web site: ByJamesRaia.com

Hyundai Closing In On Honda As Their Brand Value Rises

2008-05-23T09:33:00.001-07:00

Hyundai Motor Corp. surprised everyone this year by making the biggest increase in automotive brand value and recognition. Hyundai for the first time ever beat such marques as Porsche, Lexus, and Nissan. Honda and Toyota are now forced to take Hyundai more seriously as it is now closing in on them at a rapid pace. According to J.D. Power and Associates, Hyundai has one of the highest consumer satisfaction ratings of all vehicle manufacturers and its brand value has greatly increases after the introduction of their hot 2006 model lineup.

According to the 2006 Best Global Brands survey Hyundai Motor Company has emerged as one of the worlds leading brands with stellar levels of customer satisfaction that rival the best in the industry. Brandon Yea, Hyundai’s vice president for branding strategy, states “Hyundai represents solid quality and representation at every level now as we have everything from the low end to our new entry into luxury sedans with the Alzerra.” Hyundai is now being seen as a serious player in the automotive industry. While other automakers are worried about profits (GM and Chrysler), Hyundai is thinking about how much more market share it will take this year. The Alzerra was targeted at the Acura and Lexus luxury car markets and has shown great promise so far.

Apparently Hyundai has taken a page from Walmart’s founder Sam Walton – price yourself as aggressive as possible while providing what your customers want and need. Hyundai has out priced their competition and now sits poised to become, perhaps, the major automotive player similar to what Walmart did with its retail stores. According to the Harvard Business Review, Hyundai has the perfect business model and will be the automotive manufacturer to beat in the coming years. Large automotive dealership chains like Hendrick Automotive Group and Sonic are adding Hyundai dealerships as fast as they can be built.

Hyundai isn’t sitting on its laurels with the good news, however. They are investing heavily in research and product development. They are also planning and designing more competitive models. “We have found great success in every product line we have been involved in and will continue to add to this. Our philosophy is similar to MDWholesale.com, one of our business partners – To provide the best value at the best price for our customers,” stated Yea. GM and Chrysler will learn a lot about the car business from Hyundai, they don't have a choice.

David Maillie specializes in automotive safety products and information. He holds numerous patents and awards for his patented headlight cleaner and restorer. For more information, tips, safety and money saving products for your auto please visit http://www.mdwholesale.com

I Drive My Mini Cooper And I'm Feeling Super-Dooper!

2008-05-23T09:32:00.000-07:00

1956. The Suez Crisis plunges Europe into a fuel crisis, petrol is rashioned and sales of new cars plummet.

Germany responds by creating the Gogomobile and three wheeled cars. President of the British Motor Corporation, Sir Leonard Lord is unimpressed and asks his chief designer, Alec Issigonis to create a “proper miniture car”.

To make it more challenging he also sets him strict design restrictions. It has to measure four feet across, four feet high and 10 feet long, provide for four passengers and their luggage and use only existing parts.

Issigonis and his team of eight engineers set to work and four months later Lord gives the go ahead for this new small econonic British car and the Morris Mini Minor is born.

The car used a conventional four-cylinder water-cooled engine but it was mounted transversely and drove the front wheels. This innovation allowed much increased passenger space in a small body. The result was nimble, economical and inexpensive. Almost all small cars built since the 1970s have followed this mechanical layout.

In 1959 the first model rolled off the assembly line for a mere 496 pounds ($1,200).

By 1964 sales were approaching 500,000 and the open top Mini-Moke was released to poor sales apart from the military and Australians who’s beach culture perfectly suited the open top style.

In 1969, The Italian Job, starring Michael Caine, turned the Mini into a star when 3 Mini Coopers were utilised as the perfect getaway cars.

Sales were helped along the likes of the Beatles and Peter Sellers publicly acknowledging their love of them but slowly fell off in the 70’s and 80’s until it seemed the little British Icon was headed for the scap heap.

Rover’s takeover in 1990 lead to a relaunch on the Mini Cooper and in 1999 it was voted the European car of the century by a panel of international journalist.

But the real second coming of the Mini and the Mini Cooper in particular came in 2001 when BMW took over ownership and created the Mini Cooper the world has fallen in love with again today.

The 2003 remake of The Italian Job, this time starring (Marky) Mark Wahlberg, became a massive advert for the new ultra hip Cooper and sales soared again.

Even Madonna featured it in the lyrics to the title song from her 2003 album American Life.

The Mini Cabrio launched in Australia in January 2005, and unlike the Mini Moke of the 60’s, is now primed as a much more luxurious and hip car.

And with an Italian Job 2 (well, 3 for the purists) in the works and sales continuing to soar, it seem the Mini still has a lot of mileage left in it yet.

Peter Shuttlewood is the author of webzine freshread which contains articles on Popular Culture with an Australian slant. freshread - the everyday in a fresh way.

Ford Fusion, 2006 The Weekly Driver

2008-05-22T05:59:00.002-07:00

The longstanding popularity of the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry and
Nissan Altima have prompted other manufacturers to attempt to infiltrate
the midsize sedan market. Few have succeeded, but the Ford Fusion, a
2006 newcomer built in Mexico, could quickly join the major players.

As the replacement for the Taurus, the Fusion is categorized in the
premium midsize class, but its base price of $21,710 and its top-end
$25,650 plateau position the car economically well against the market's
stronghold trio.

My weekly test vehicle was the top-of-the-line SEL, one of three Fusion
models. The V6 has a 3.0 liter, 221-horsepower engine with a six-speed
automatic transmission. The S and SE models offer 160 horsepower
and five-speed automatic or manual transmissions.

The six-speed automatic performed admirably. During my test, I logged
more than 500 miles, primarily in freeway conditions. But I also drove
the Fusion on steep San Francisco hills and on suburban San Jose
streets. Steering to quietness, comfort to ride quality, the Fusion
warranted above-average marks in all scenarios.

Ford claims the Fusion accelerates from 0-60 mph in 8.5 seconds, which
isn't as fast as the claims of some competitors. But the vehicle never
seemed sluggish.

The Honda Accord gets great design and comfort marks to correspond
to its superior performance and resale value. But the Fusion matches
the Honda, at least in my test vehicle, in the former two areas. Its resale
value, of course, is untested.

Way too many vehicles in varying shades of red are on the road these
days. But one fine choice for the Fusion is Dark Blue Pearl matched with
a medium gray interior. The combination works particularly well
considering the angular, handsome body design. In short, the car drew
plenty of attention -- for all the right reasons.

The Fusion's instrumentation is also a plus. The design is understated
with easy-to-read gauges and a thoughtful, simple concept. The
odometer and speedometer dials aren't flush, but presented in
independent circles positioned about a half-inch off the surface. The
style promotes easier reading.

The vehicle's front head and foot room is fine, at least it was for a 6-foot
driver. I didn't have any passengers during my week's trek, but the rear
cabin has a spacious appeal rather than a construction-afterthought
look.

The SEL standard features list is extensive -- 17-inch aluminum wheels
to fog lamps and an attractive, well-positioned analog clock to six
cupholders. Power windows, doors and locks and an AM/FM/MP3/CD
changer, leather-wrapped steering wheel and dual vanity mirrors are
also among the standard equipment.

My Fusion also included a long list of optional equipment that added
more than $3,000 to the price. Leather front and rear seats and the
increasingly popular heated front seats function added nearly $1,200.
An upgraded sound system added $420) and anti-lock brakes added
another $595. The safety and security package (side curtain airbags
and anti-theft alarm) and the premium package (heated mirrors, puddle
lamps and compass) combined for another $990.

As others have discovered, it's difficult to compete against the time-
tested offerings of Honda, Toyota and Nissan. But the Fusion should do
just fine against the mighty trio.

The Weekly Driver: 2006 Ford Fusion

Safety features – Dual front airbags (standard); front and side
curtain airbags (optional)

Fuel Mileage (estimates) – 21 mpg (city), 29 mpg (highway).

Warranty – Bumper to bumper, 3 year/36,000 miles; Corrosion,
5 years/unlimited miles; (24-hour) roadside assistance program, 3
years/36,000 miles.

Base price – $21,710.00

GM Death Watch It Ain't Gonna Happen!

2008-05-22T05:59:00.001-07:00

I have been enjoying reading the news these past few days, perhaps in a perverse sort of way. Pundits and prognosticators are all forecasting the pending doom of the world’s largest automaker as if the approaching layoffs and restructuring are signaling the venerable automaker’s end. Certainly, GM has some problems – big ones – but the company isn’t likely to go away or even file for bankruptcy. The news isn’t all that it seems to be on this subject either…GM will survive and likely thrive in the decades ahead.

Okay, I am not crazy. Could GM go away? Of course, as could any poorly managed company. Yes, executives are overpaid and so are union workers. There…I said it. GM has been taking it on the chin from Asian automakers for three decades now and their U.S. market share continues to dwindle. Still, it isn’t doomsday for the general. Far from it. Here are some things that I believe GM is attempting to do to as they restructure.

Reduced Legacy Costs – GM won an important battle with its unions to force workers and retirees to pony up more money for their share of rising healthcare costs. Before you cry “foul” most Americans are paying heavily for their health insurance, while most autoworkers pay little or nothing. Reportedly, GM’s legacy costs add $1500 to the price of every vehicle. Hardly a way for any company to compete, right?

Divisional Trimming – GM axed Oldsmobile and is, supposedly, looking at whether Pontiac or Buick should go next. Saturn looks safe, primarily because of the division’s excellent dealer network while Chevrolet is the household name for so many car owners and is, therefore, untouchable. Cadillac is once again doing well and is competing effectively against Mercedes, BMW, Lexus, and Infiniti. Cadillac easily outsells rival Lincoln more than 2 to 1.

Captive Imports – I mentioned in a related article that China’s Chery Automotive Company will be importing a line of vehicles to the US commencing in Summer 2007. With a starting price as low as $6995, there is no way that GM can compete with them. Neither can Ford, Toyota, Honda, or Nissan for that matter. So, what is the option? Import one or two ultra low priced lines of cars from Korea via the company’s Daewoo division. Currently, the $9995 Chevy Aveo is the low price king in the US. This Daewoo built model is being overhauled and the new model should arrive in the US in about one year. Expect the price to drop as GM prepares for Chery’s onslaught. Expect GM to pressure their unions for further give backs as American highways are soon flooded with cheap Chinese imports.

Operational Spread -- The US auto market is the most lucrative in the world. Expect GM to strengthen luxury brands including Cadillac and Hummer as many of these vehicles bring in profits of ten thousand dollars or more per vehicle. Gas prices are coming down and America’s thirst for profitable trucks and SUVs has hardly been quenched. Still, look for GM to do a few hybrids, add some more diesels, and continue researching hydrogen production.

Union members should be alarmed by all these looming changes. Cutbacks will happen but they will only be wider and deeper if union opposition remains so strong. Yes, the unions could kill off the general, but that would be suicide for the workers. Better to pick whatever battles you can win and hope for the best.

The general isn’t dead and it hardly is dying despite everything you read and hear [personally, I believe GM is beating the “we’re getting clobbered” drum to squeeze out more give backs from the unions]. Globalism is changing the way business is done and it would do all of us good to wake up to that fact…like it or not.

Copyright 2005 -- Matthew Keegan is The Article Writer who writes on a variety of topics including: advocacy, automobiles, aviation, business, Christian themes, family, news, product reviews, travel, writing, and more. Samples from his portfolio are available right online.

Honda Odyssey 2006 The Weekly Driver

2008-05-22T05:57:00.000-07:00

Since its 1999 debut, the Honda Odyssey has been at the front of the
minivan ranks. It combines superior styling, functionality and versatility.
And it performs like a sedan masquerading as an eight-passenger van.

The 2006 edition further solidifies the vehicle's pedigree.

Much of the Odyssey's current styling and improvements were added in
2005. And there was no reason to mess with a good thing. The
Odyssey's cavernous interior space, its well-designed seat configuration
and overall comfort are hard to beat.

My test vehicle for the week was the Touring edition, one of seven
available Odysseys, and the most expensive. The minivan has a huge
price range, with the LX model offered at $25,195 and the Touring
edition with DVD navigation offered at $38,495.

My weekly test included a frequently visited testing ground -- the 400-
mile round trip from Sacramento to the Monterey Peninsula. The journey
always includes numerous driving scenarios -- wide-open, high-speed
Interstate 5 to the narrow, uneven side streets of Carmel.

Minivans are largely marketed toward families or for small groups. But
for the last three years, I've traveled solo several times for several
hundred miles in minivans. It's hardly the most economically efficient
choice. But with the Odyssey, the journey is pleasant despite the vast
amount of unused space.

Climbing and exploring around and through the vehicle, though, a solo
traveler can get a good sense of things.

The second row of seats, for example, has superior head room and the
bucket seats are adjustable into many positions. They can also be
moved together to form a bench seat that can be slid forward and aft.

The third-row seat folds into the floor, which further extents available
cargo space and alleviates a problem in other similar vehicles. A third
seat not in use in an Odyssey doesn't have to be stored elsewhere. And
iif all rows of seats are in use, there's a deep, rectangular space behind
the third seat for additional cargo space.

Considering the Odyssey's Touring edition is the line's most expensive
offering, the optional features simply enhance the generous offering of
standard features.

The standard feature list on the LX model includes: remote keyless
entry, AM/FM radio with CD player, all-power functions -- locks to mirrors
to windows. Subsequent higher-priced models include myriad offerings
-- power sunroof to navigation system, automatic headlights to power-
sliding side doors.

The Touring edition has refinements like satellite radio, rearview camera
and a rear-seat DVD entertainment system.

I first drove the Odyssey in 2004. That year, the automatic shifting arm
was positioned behind the shorter arm that operated the windshield
wipers. More than once, I reached for the shifting arm and engaged the
windshield wipers or windshield cleaning spray function. The shifting
mechanism is now a short-shifting lever, efficiently positioned at an
angle on the near instrumentation panel.

Driving the Odyssey is pleasant. While never mistaken for a powerful
sedan or a zippy sports car, the 3.5-liter 255-horsepower, V6 engine
fares well -- better than some in either aforementioned class.

The drive to Monterey has winding, steep inclines to stop-and-go
situations. The Odyssey handles itself well and its does so with efficient
steering, good visibility and a strong, quiet ride.

The Odyssey has two small issues. The rear view camera -- visible on a
small screen on the stereo console -- shows the area immediately
behind the vehicle. It's a nice feature, but the view is blurry and there's a
substantial trust factor learning curve -- at least there was for me.

Another issue: Both sliding side doors can open and close automatically
via buttons of the keyless entry fob. But the function hasn't quite been
perfected. There's a delay when opening or close doors, and on more
than one occasion, the doors stopped before completely closing.

Nonetheless, the Odyssey well deserves its position as the minivan
leader. Like other Hondas, it's hard to top in its class, whether used by a
solo driver or a family on vacation.

Of course, if an Odyssey driver has only one passenger, the driver may
spend a lot of time alone. The passenger could easily prefer to spend
time in the comfort of the apartment in the back two seats.

The Weekly Driver: 2006 Honda Odyssey

Safety features -- Dual front, front side and side curtain airbags.

Fuel Mileage (estimates) -- 20 mph (city), 28 mph (highway).

Warranty -- Bumper to bumper, 3 years/36,000 miles; Extended
Power train, 5 years/60,000 miles; Corrosion, 5 years/unlimited mileage;
Roadside assistance, 3 years/36,000 miles.

Price range -- $25,195 to $38,795.

Hyundai XG350 2004 The Weekly Driver Review

2008-05-21T06:10:00.000-07:00

Introduced in September 2000, the Hyundai XG350 is the first vehicle
offered by the Korean manufacturer that approaches the $25,000 price
range.

In each of its four editions, new features have been added as the vehicle
attempts to find a niche among its the high-selling competitors -- the
Honda Accord and Toyota Camry.

My test vehicle for the week showcased the four-door XG350 at its best.
While its primary competition is more popular for good reason, the top-
of-the-line Hyundai has a good list of attractive features. Unfortunately, it
also has a list of needed improvements.

With a new exterior design, including restyled bumpers, headlights,
taillights, and grille, the four-door sedan has a finished, if basic, style.
Car manufacturers seemingly like fancy sounding color names, with my
test vehicle's exterior color no exception, Its color is called Celadon
Green.

Granted, Pale, Yellowish, Blue Green doesn't sound quite right, But by
whatever name, the color works, and it gives the vehicle a more
expensive look than its price.

I drove more than 500 miles in the vehicle, including a round-trip
journey to the Monterey Peninsula from Sacramento. The route included
long, open stretches of freeway, two-lance state routes and around-town
driving in the cities of Monterey and Carmel. The XG350 fared well.

With its 3.5-liter, 24-valve, V6 engine, the automatic transmission vehicle
has ample power and acceleration. It maneuvered through traffic nicely
and didn't hesitate or feel sluggish on steep climbs, even with the air
conditioning on. The car drives smoothly, provides a generally hushed
ride and brakes evenly.

Cruise control, AM/FM/cassette/CD player, digital clock, universal
garage-door opener, full-sized spare (new for '04), trip computer,
automatic headlights and 60-40 rear split seat are the substantial
standard features.

New also for the model is a newly patterned and attractive wood-
grained interior trim. Combined with automatic climate control, straight-
forward instrumentation design, individually heated leather front seats,
power windows, locks and doors and large, and separate digital read
out of the estimated remaining fuel miles, the flagship sedan has plenty
to offer. And with a standard price of 23,999, it's hard to dismiss the car.

Still, there are a few letdowns.

Despite some reviewers' description of "fine front leg room," the general
interior of the vehicle isn't as spacious as its exterior appearance might
suggest. The driver's side foot space was not extensive and the back
seat while appreciably comfortable was snug.

Two adults can ride without issue, but if they're six-feet or taller, the head
and foot room is modest. If comfort is a consideration, a child as a third
back-seat passenger would ride comfortably, but not an adult.

Fuel mileage is not spectacular. The XG350 has 17 mpg (city) and 26
(mpg) ratings, five miles less per gallon in city traffic than the Accord,
three miles less per gallon in the city than the Camry.

Hyundai's generous warranty -- 5 years/60,000 miles bumper to
bumper, 10 years/100,000 miles for the powertrain -- is appealing. As
such, the XG350 should be considered as a nicely appointed, well-
priced sedan alternative to its well-established Japanese competitors.

2004 Hyundai XG350

Safety features -- Driver and front passenger airbags and driver
and front passenger side impact airbags.

Fuel Mileage (estimates) -- 17 mpg (city), 26 mpg (highway).

Warranty -- Bumper to bumper, 5 years/60,000 miles;
Powertrain, 10 years/100,000 miles; Corrosion, 5 years, 60,000 miles;
Roadside assistance, 5 years, unlimited miles.

Base price -- $23,999.

James Raia is a syndicated journalist in Sacramento, California, who
writes about sports, fitness, travel and lifestyle topics as well as the car
review colum, The Weekly Driver.

To read more car reviews, visit: The Weekly Driver

Car Buying What's Your Budget

2008-05-21T06:09:00.000-07:00

When it comes to affording your next new car (used cars too if they are new to you), how closely do you look at your budget? And from what perspective do you evaluate your budgetary parameters?

Based on my years of experience, I would say that many people only have a mild idea of how much car they can afford.

When you’re in the car shopping mode do you think in terms of bottom line cash price or think only of what your monthly payments will be?

Either way, as you take a look at what you can afford, you have to take into consideration all of the extra costs involved in buying/owning a car. Certainly today fuel costs are a major consideration. And there is always going to be your insurance premium, maintenance costs (used cars will be higher), etc.

Once you begin your car shopping, if you only have a ballpark idea of what you can afford… and only a ballpark idea of how much you drive and what your gas expense will be, and if you haven’t nailed down what your insurance premiums will be, you are on a fast path to end paying too much for your vehicle.

You must crunch your budget numbers… and not just your new car price numbers. Start with your take home pay (not gross pay) then start deducting all of your monthly living expenses. If you’ve never worked up a budget before; now is the perfect time to get one started. A simple spreadsheet is a great way to keep track of and illuminate your numbers. If you don’t have one, just stop by my website and download the one there or send me a note and I’ll email one to you.

Everyone’s means to afford their car varies, but by most standards you shouldn’t ear mark more than 15 to 20 percent of your take home income pay for your transportation costs.

It’s important to understand, no matter what your financial means, you’ve got to know your numbers up front and first before you even begin looking for potential vehicles. Don’t even make a preliminary pass at looking at cars before you do this. If you do, you run the risk of ‘falling in love’ with a particular vehicle. As is the case with so many people; when they do this, they begin to justify affording a vehicle they either can’t afford, or have too stretch beyond their comfortable means in order to do so. Doing your budgeting first and knowing what you can afford (and what you can’t) will help take the emotion out of your buying process… in fact, it will probably save you time as well since you won’t be trying to purchase a car that is not within your budget limits. Do your car shopping intelligently and factually. It will save time, money, and quite a bit of stress.

Now once you get your budget all mapped out and ready to go are you now ready to go shopping for your next car?

Nope… Not yet.

Do you know your credit score? Your credit score is a big part of your financing expense; unless of course, you are one of the few people that actually pay cash for their vehicles. So, run your credit score. And you should do this well in advance of getting to the dealership. In fact, you should pull your credit as much as six months in advance. This way if there is outdated or incorrect data on your report, you will have time to get it expunged or corrected. Getting your credit score and your credit in order is whole new continuing topic beyond this article and you can learn more by visiting my website.

In summary, do your kitchen table homework first with your personal financials and the budgeting of them before you even begin considering any type of car. Be sure to consider all the expenses associated with owning a car; especially how many miles you’ll drive each week… fuel expense. Then you can begin narrowing your car search by looking for cars that fit your budget… and not trying to get your budget to fit the car you just picked out.

Jeff Neilan's years as a salesman,
finance manager, new & used car manager, will provide you with insightful tips and car buying advice that will help you save money and frustration on your next car buying experience. Go to getting your best car deal for more of Jeff's articles.

Car Oil Change - Do it Yourself

2008-05-20T06:03:00.002-07:00

Getting your oil changed is something that the pros promise they can do in a jiffy, however, with every three thousand miles you drive, the price can add up quickly. You can save yourself some money by doing it yourself. An oil change is not as hard as you may think!

Prior to changing your oil, you will need to pick up some supplies at you favorite parts store. The first thing you will need is six quarts of oil. If your car manufacturer recommends a certain type, you should stick with that. Otherwise, choose a brand you know and trust. (Note- do not mix oil. If you have a quart or two of one brand already at home, make sure you purchase additional quarts of the same kind.) With every oil change, you should always change your oil filter as well. So, you will also need to pick up an oil filter for your particular car. In addition, you will need an oil pan to empty the old oil into. Your best bet is to purchase one that can seal so that you can easily take it to be recycled. And, if you don’t have one already, you could use an oil filter wrench.

After you purchase the necessary items, you are ready to start the oil change. First, elevate the vehicle off the ground using your car jack, just enough to access the underside of the engine. (Note: For added safety, make sure you are using a jack stand.) Remove the oil fill cap on the engine. Then, get underneath the engine. The oil pan covers the entire bottom of the engine, and this is what you will be draining from. Find the engine pan drain plug, which is shaped hexagonal (six sides). Place the oil pan you bought underneath. Next, use a socket wrench to loosen the drain plug. The oil will start to come out. Let this drain completely. Once drained, replace the plug and tighten.

Next, move the drain pan so it is under the oil filter. Use your oil filter wrench to rotate the filter counter-clockwise until it comes off. Once loosened, you’ll need to unscrew it from the engine with your hands. Once off, place in the oil pan- oil will drip out from the filter. Now, it’s time to put on the new filter. When you remove the new filter from the box, you’ll see a rubber gasket on the base. A good trick for easy removal in the future is to coat the gasket thoroughly with oil. When that’s done, screw the new filter onto the filter pipe tightly.

At this point, you’re done underneath, so you can let the car down. But first, get the oil pan and any tools out from under the vehicle. Next, fill the engine with five quarts of oil and put the cap back on. Then, check the oil level. You should see that it’s one quart high, and this is just because the filter is not yet full. Next, start the car and let the engine idle for about five minutes. This will allow the oil pump to pick up the new oil, and get it circulating. Also, check under the car to make sure the filter is not leaking any oil. Then, you can shut off the car and check the oil level once again. This time it should read, “full.”

You’re done! Just repeat these instructions in 3,000 miles!

Michael Walker is a freelance author providing tips and hints on engine related topics such as JDM motors, used import engines and engine swaps. His articles are a valuable source of information for the auto enthusiast.

Hybrid Cars An Introduction

2008-05-20T06:03:00.001-07:00

Have you been thinking about hybrid cars and maybe wondering what a hybrid is anyway? Well, in this article we will hopefully help you understand them a little better.

A hybrid is very similar to the gasoline powered automobile most people drive today, the big difference is the hybrid also uses batteries as part of their power supply, most hybrid cars on the road right now are gasoline-electric hybrids although, there are some that are diesel-electric, but for the sake of this article we will concentrate on the gasoline-electric powered car.

A gas powered car has a fuel tank, which supplies gasoline to the engine, which turns the transmission, which turns the wheels. The hybrid is a compromise, it attempts to significantly increase mileage and produce fewer emissions than the gas powered car, to be useful for you or me, a hybrid must be able to be refueled quickly and deliver around 300 miles or better between refueling. The fuel tank on a hybrid is very sophisticated. Advanced electronics allow it to act as a motor as well as a generator. It can draw energy from the batteries to accelerate the car, but acting as a generator, can slow the car down and return energy back to the batteries. It takes 1000 pounds of batteries to equal a gallon of gasoline in energy. This combination can and is cutting gasoline consumption substantially. I am sure things will only get better in the future for hybrid cars; they were a long time in coming and will not be for everybody. The cost for the hybrids is not as much as one might think although some do get quite expensive depending on the extras and options added, the same as any new automobile

Here is a list of what is available in gas powered hybrids on the market today and some that will be coming soon,
Honda Accord, Honda Civic, Honda Fit expected in 2008, Honda Insight, Hyundai Accent, expected in 2009, Chevrolet Malibu expected 2007 Lexus GS 450h, Nissan Altman, expected in 2007, Toyota Camry, Toyota Plus,
SUVs & Minivans- Chevrolet Tahoe, expected 2007, Dodge Durango, expected in 2007, Ford Escape SUV, GMC Yukon, expected 2007, Lexus RX400h SUV, Toyota Highlander SUV, Mercury Mariner SUV, and others will be coming in the near future.

Right now there are enough on the market to look at to see if maybe a hybrid automobile is for you. At first, the designs seem a bit different, they do take a little time to get used to, but after awhile though they do seem to fit right in and some will get you looking a second time at the smart design. Take a look and maybe a test drive, I think you will be pleasantly surprised at the ride and concept of the new hybrids. They are different and will take some getting used to, but they are much needed and will do away with some of the other gas guzzling automobiles that are on the road today. I hope after reading this article you will have a better understanding of what a hybrid car is all about, they seem to be here to stay.

Did you know you could be eligible for an irs hybrid rebate? Find out more at http://www.hybrid-rides.com.

How to Pay for Emergency Car Repairs

2008-05-20T06:02:00.000-07:00

Your car has broken down, and now you need to pay for towing, and repairs. Sometimes these repairs cost unexpected hundreds or thousands of dollars. What are your options?

1. Be Prepared

The best way to avoid an emergency is to be prepared for an emergency. If you can set aside a little bit of money each month in case of any emergency (be it medical, automotive, or accident), then you will be able to manage any unexpected situations. However, if the time has come and you haven’t planned ahead, there are still some ways that you can get money.

2. Stay Calm

One of the most common mistakes that is made during emergencies is to lose your cool. If you lose your cool, you might forget to use common sense. Use your common sense to shop around. Even if you need a tow right now, consider calling a few places for quotes before having them send someone over. The ten minutes that it takes you to make some comparisons might save you twenty dollars or more. That makes the use of time well worth your money. Remember, you will be late anyway, so take your time in getting there.

When the tow truck driver arrives, be sure that you know where you want to have your car towed. You should also do some comparison shopping for this. You can even call a friend and have them make some of your phone calls for you. If you don’t know what is wrong with your car, have it taken to a mechanic or dealership that you trust. They will tell you what’s wrong, and you then be able to decide how much (it might be all) of the work you want to have done.

3. Review your Options

When you buy a car, you often get a warranty. You might be signed up for AAA or CAA. Your insurance company might cover some of the repairs needed for your car. Before you go about paying for all of the repairs out of pocket, find out what repairs are covered. Then get approval from the institution that will help you pay. It is easier to get them to pay upfront than to get them to reimburse you.

Consider keeping a membership for CAA or AAA. This means that you will have free towing if you are ever in an accident or if you ever have a breakdown. There is an annual fee, so you would have to weigh the pros and cons of membership. I, personally, find that I have gotten a lot back from my membership, including a peace of mind knowing that I am covered while I travel.

4. What NOT to do

If you need to pay for your emergency repairs, do not get a pay day loan. Pay day loans have exorbitant interest rates and will make it hard for you to get back on top of your debt.

5. Get the best interest

Find out where you will be able to get the best interest rates for the money that you will have to spend. If you take out a loan, then you will be able to pay it back in small pieces throughout the year, rather than taking an upfront loss. This also works if you cannot pay for your car.

If you put the car repairs on your credit card, remember that you will probably be paying a higher interest rate than if you got a car repair loan, or if you went to a bank or credit union. Check the interest rates that varying places offer, including at the dealership if you are having your car repaired there.

6. In the meantime

While your car is in the shop, be smart about how you get around. Don’t take taxis everywhere if you can’t afford them! Ask friends for lifts; they will understand if you are in need because of unexpected car repairs for a few days. Take the bus for a few days. Walk or bike, if possible. Set up a temporary carpool with a co-worker (this could even work for you when you get your car back!). Don’t let the expense of car repairs get larger because you don’t have your car.

To find out how to get the best loan to repay your emergency car repairs, visit The Guide to Car Loans, a site devoted to providing accurate consumer information. You can also find information on financing a new or used car to meet your needs.

Hyundai Sonata 2006 The Weekly Driver Review

2008-05-19T06:51:00.001-07:00

The television commercial touting the 2006 Hyundai Sonata matches it
confidently against the Honda Accord. That's a brash move, considering
the immense popularity of the country's best-selling midsize car.

But after the driving the redesigned Hyundai for a week, the Sonata
represents itself well. The Accord and other well-established vehicles in
the class — Toyota Camry and Chevrolet Malibu — have long histories
and well-proven resale values. Yet, the Sonata is worthy of a carefeul
look, particularly considering its price point, manufacturer's warranty,
standard features and attractive new interior and exterior designs.

My weekly drive was the top-of-the line LX V6 model. The Sonata is also
available in a 4-cylinder model with both automatic and manual
transmission options. But with its bigger engine, the 3.3-liter 235-
horsepower edition, the Sonata is only available in an automatic, and it's
quite impressive. The five-speed automatic is surprisingly quick and
powerful. It zips around slow-moving vehicles and accelerates with
confidence while negotiating freeway entrances or powering up to
interstate cruising mode.

The Sonata maneuvers well and its steering and handling capabilities,
while not exemplary, are certainly above average, particularly since 17-
inch wheels are included. While not extraordinarily quiet, the new
Sonata has improved, lower levels of engine noise and wind rush from
previous editions.

Another reason to consider the Sonata is its laundry list of standard
features: Power windows, locks and mirrors, cruise control, AM/FM MP3
audio system, leather seats and leather-wrapped steering wheel,
heated front seats, keyless entry with alarm, fog lights, and automatic
temperature control, among other items.

Further, the newly designed Sonata is exceedingly comfortable. Its
nicely appointment interior is basic, but spacious. And like the car's
increased horsepower and improved new design, the interior room has
been improved from the 2005 edition with expanded room in several
areas. The trunk, for example, is cavernous, with additional space
available for skis or other long cargo with split back seats are down.

Another nice interior design touch is the teardrop shaped dials on the
instrumentation panel. It gives Sonata a touch of elegance — which is
hardly expected in a vehicle with an out-the-door price of under
$23,000.

The Sonata exterior design update also gives the car a refined look. Its
lines are smartly contoured, resulting in a presence on the road that's
again more dignified than expected from its price category.

And there's one last new item about the much-improved Sonata.
Hyundai will build only the V6 models in the South Korean
manufacturer's new and first U.S. plant in Alabama. The U.S.-based
Hyundai plant is also the manufacturing location for the all-new Santa
Fe, the brand's SUV, which is scheduled for debut in the fall of 2006.

Honda will likely remain the leader of the midsize class and with of
plenty of good reasons. But it's likely the Honda brethren has taken a
look at the Hyundai Sonata. It's a worthy opponent to the longtime
midsize class ruler.

2006 Hyundai Sonata

Safety features – Dual front, front-seat mounted side impact
and roof-mounted side curtain airbags. Antilock brakes.

Fuel Mileage (estimates) – 20 (city), 30 (highway).

Warranty – Bumper to bumper, 5 years/50,000 miles;
Powertrain 10 years/100,000 miles; Corrosion, 5 years/100,000 miles;
Roadside assistance, 5 years/unlimited mileage

Base price – $22,895.00

Japanese Cars - Sporty and Sleek

2008-05-19T06:50:00.001-07:00

If you are thinking of a car that is sleek, sporty, luxurious or cheap then the right choice is to look for a Japanese car model. Japanese cars are the highest selling cars in the world and are very much in demand. If you are looking for the looks then you can find the most beautiful looking cars and if your main concern is the safety then also these cars are amongst the best available cars in the world.

There are different Japanese car manufacturers and amongst the top producers are Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Mitsubishi, Suzuki, Mazda, Lexus, Subaru, Isuzu, and Daihatsu. Amongst all these car manufacturers, Toyota is on the top of the highest car seller list in Japan. It is not far behind if we take the statistics from the world, as Toyota is rated as the second largest car manufacturer in the world. General Motors is in the top slot for the number one car company in the world. Ford is not far behind from Toyota and few months’ back only Ford sales were ahead of Toyota’s. In Japan, Honda and Nissan are also close competitors of Toyota.

Recently Honda Accord was rated as the best selling car in North America. Honda is another very popular company in Japan and is known for its quality. Japanese cars can be easily imported almost anywhere in the world, as the Japanese government has simplified the exporting laws in order to promote their cars. The Japanese cars are the most fuel-efficient cars and the best of facilities available for comfort as well as for safety. Features such as top-notch sound systems, GPS, TV, cameras etc. are now part of the options available on many of these Japanese car models. Most of the Japanese cars if compared to the similar bracket car models are very light in weight and there is even a special group of cars in Japan known as k-cars derived from the word “Kei” that means lightweight. Generally such cars do not exceed 660 cc and are quite popular in Japanese market. These k-cars are available in 5 seater models as well as 2 seater sports models.

Demand of new Japanese cars is on a rise and if we have a look at the demand of used Japanese cars then one would be astonished to see the figures. Recently the car dealers in Asian countries are looking for a lot of small cars less than 1000cc. There is a huge customer base in Asia for Japanese cars, since these cars have a very good design and the condition of these used cars are pretty good. Most of the Japanese car owners get their cars serviced well in time and also keep their cars immaculate. Reports say that the production time spent on each vehicle by the top three Japanese car companies is far less than the production time compared to the top three American companies. Nissan is the fastest in the production time and takes almost 17.25 hours to produce one car where as Honda takes 20.65 hours and Toyota takes 20.69 hours. The American companies take on an average almost 5.5 + hours more than these Japanese car manufacturers. So, one can very well imagine the amount of production taking place for these Japanese cars is greater.

Many Japanese car companies manufacture their cars here in America. Therefore you’re not exporting american jobs by buying many Japanese cars, while by shopping at Wal-Mart or other big chains you are.

All in all, Japanese cars are a very good option for a car owner.

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How To Choose A Quality Mechanic Who Won't Rip You Off

2008-05-19T06:48:00.000-07:00

Everyone knows that proper and regular maintenance is necessary to keep your automobile in good working order. Even though you may have worked on your own cars as a teenager or still consider yourself to be an amateur car repair specialist I recommend that you leave the work to a qualified mechanic who has been trained to do the job properly. This is especially important on higher end vehicle makes such as Mercedes, BMW, and Lexus where the maintenance records play a large part in determining the value of a vehicle when you decide to sell it or trade it.

Deciding on a mechanic to entrust with caring for your vehicle is an important decision and should not be taken lightly. Finding the perfect mechanic isn't rocket science but on the other hand there isn't exactly a manual on how to find a good one either. Here are some things to keep in mind that will help you.

First off, ask the prospective mechanic for some references. Tell him what's in it for him. If you own several vehicles let him know that you will bring all of them to him for regular maintenance and repairs. Tell him that you take the car of your vehicles seriously and that is why you want to be able to speak to some of his customers to see what they have to say. If he is a reputable mechanic he will have no problem with this because he will have a long list of happy and satisfied clients. Another thing you can do along these same lines is ask friends and relatives who they use to take care of their cars and trucks. If you ask enough people you are sure to find a name that comes up often.

The next thing you should be concerned with is his qualifications or certifications. I prefer using a mechanic who is ASE certified as this is the industry standard and insures that the mechanic is proficient in his craft. Don't be afraid to ask the mechanic about this, a good mechanic will be proud of their achievements and will lost likely have them displayed where they can be seen. Don't trust you automobile to a shade tree mechanic.

If you belong to a car club for your particular make of vehicle ask other owners who they use. Most likely you will find that the majority of them use the same person who specializes in your particular vehicle and may even offer a discount to members of your club.

Finding a quality mechanic is important to the life of your car, don't underestimate this and take the time to find a good one.

Gregg Hall is an author and internet marketing consultant living in Navarre Florida. Find more articles about cars and car care products at http://www.5starshine.com

How To Make Sure You Get The Most Money When You Sell Your Car

2008-05-18T04:08:00.001-07:00

So you have decided to sell your car. There are some things that you should know to be sure that you don't leave money on the table when you do sell it. To be sure that you receive the most money possible there are some steps you should take that go past just placing an ad in the local mullet wrapper. Here are some ideas to help you out.

As an internet marketer who makes his living online I have to go here first. The internet is the most complete source you will find for information on any subject and selling your car is definitely no exception to this. You will be able to find online car clubs for just about any type of vehicle and they will usually have forums and message boards you can participate in just by signing up. Don't just register with their boards to sell your car though, these online communities consider such parasitical behavior as spamming.

You can also use the internet to see what vehicles like yours should sell for. One source that has all vehicle values listed with the valuations customized for your particular area is Kelly Blue Book. Another source that I like to use is the online auction giant, eBay. Their eBay Motors Division has the largest online auction source of cars, trucks, SUVs and more. You can see what vehicles in the same condition as yours are currently selling for.

Another great place that you can find locally is a car club for your particular vehicle. If you own a sports car, classic, Jeep, or some other specialty type vehicle you will probably be able to find a club for it in your area. People who belong to these clubs are not only enthusiasts who know everything about the vehicles but most of them also know people who might be looking for a car like yours, especially if it is in really pristine condition or is considered a rare version.

Many of these clubs will have their own newsletters or even magazines that they will sell advertising space in. Placing an advertisement directed at such a targeted audience will get you the best results. Another place to run targeted advertising is in automotive publications such as the Auto Trader. People who read these are in the market to buy a vehicle.

Talk to local mechanics about your car. They are like the local gossip column when it comes to cars. They usually know of people that are looking for particular cars and can give you advice on where to find them. If not they can direct you to more local resources that may be able to help you sell your car.

Finally, before you sell your car invest a hundred bucks or so in having is professionally detailed. This is money well spent. A professional detailer will be able to make your vehicle look like new. Be sure to have the engine compartment steam cleaned as well when you have this done. This one step will drastically increase the amount of money you get for your car.

Gregg Hall is an author and internet marketing consultant living in Navarre Florida. Find more articles about cars and car care products at http://www.5starshine.com

Automotive Training Schools

2008-05-18T04:07:00.000-07:00

Automotive Training Schools prepare students for careers in the auto, diesel, and auto body industry. Students in Automotive Training programs can expect to learn the essentials of maintenance and auto repair procedures from tires and suspension to computers and diagnostics.

Automotive Training programs include combined classroom instruction and hands-on experience. Students of Automotive Training should expect to receive instruction while working on older model as well as newer model vehicles, as it is imperative to be familiar with the early as well as the latest in automotive technology.

Trade and technical Automotive Training Schools offer programs that may last up to a year. Two-year associate degree programs are not uncommon. Community college Automotive Training programs combine automotive instruction with courses in general studies. Certification is available through some programs. Automotive Training curriculums may include customer service and communication skills.

Today electronic systems and complex computers run cars while measuring performance on the road. Automotive Technicians have become high-tech diagnosticians, using electronic diagnostic equipment and computer-based reference materials. The ability to diagnose the source of a problem quickly and accurately can be the most challenging and most rewarding skill for a good Automotive Training student.

Other skills that will serve an Automotive Technician are sound reasoning capabilities and a thorough knowledge of the complex components and interactions of auto bodies and motors.

Automotive Training Schools must continually update their curriculum to keep apace of rapidly changes in technology. Certified Automotive Technicians can expect to be subject to regular review and recertification requisites.

If you are interested in learning more about Automotive Training and programs of study, search our site for more in-depth information and resources

Copyright 2006 - All Rights Reserved
Michael Bustamante, in association with Media Positive Communications, Inc. for SchoolsGalore.com

Notice to Publishers: Please feel free to use this article in your Ezine or on your Website; however, ALL links must remain intact and active.

Michael Bustamante is a staff writer for Media Positive Communications, Inc. in association with SchoolsGalore.com. Find Automotive Training Schools at SchoolsGalore.com; meeting your needs as your educational resource to locate schools.

The Self-Parking Car Drives Into The US

2008-05-18T01:53:00.000-07:00

Someday cars will have no steering wheels, because they will drive themselves. Spooky, huh?

You may think that is just a fantasy, but self-parking cars have been in development for a few years. Now it looks like Toyota may be the first manufacturer to hit the market with a real, no fooling, self-parking car. Even better, it is a hybrid so it will even drive right by gas stations - most of the time.

I can't tell you exactly how the Toyota system works, but the Car Parking Aid system being developed at Roke Manor Research combines information from a number of on-board sensors to help execute parking maneuvers quickly and accurately.

The system uses millimeter wave radar sensors and advanced image processing algorithms. This sensor fusion approach enables parking spaces to be measured more accurately and robustly than would be possible using either technology alone. I don't know exactly what all that means, but then I still can't program my VCR.

Intelligent Parking Assist is an entirely different system. It is the new $2,200 option package for Toyota's Prius gas-electric hybrid car. Now every driver will be able to parallel park blindfolded. Come to think of it, with so many drivers influenced by too much NASCAR TV, driving blindfolded is not such a bad idea.

Intelligent Parking Assist relies on a built-in computer and a steering sensor. A tiny camera is located in the car's rear and a dashboard monitor displays what the camera sees. The driver just pulls up near a parking space and shifts into reverse. Then computerized lines materialize on the camera display monitor. Next to the lines there are arrows pointing up, down, left and right.

The driver uses the arrows, to move the lines around on the display monitor until the lines define exactly where you want the car to be smashed...err, I mean parked. (You better take your blindfold off for this!) Now that all the preliminaries have been taken care of you just push the "set" button.

It is here that the owner's manual says to "Keep your foot lightly on the brake pedal", and the car will start backing up. The steering wheel will move as if the car is being driven by the invisible man. The car will magically ease into the parking space you've chosen with the computer display.

The car's smarty pants computer senses when it's time to turn the car's wheel and the ride is over when you hear a computerized voice say "The assist is over." (Then you can uncross your fingers?)

This new technology has already been available on Toyota hybrid models in Britain and 70 percent of the car buyers paid the $700 for the self-park feature.

In Japan about 80 percent of Prius buyers jumped at the Intelligent Parking Assist option. It's a well known fact that Japan has one trillion people and only 8 parking spaces, so drivers may never get the opportunity to use the new feature.

I love technology. Cars now have automatic climate control. satellite guidance systems, surround sound, security sensors, cruise control and now self-parking. I can hardly wait until my car will be able to make its own monthly payments!

Mark Walters writes about hybrid cars at http://www.HybridVehicleStar.com where he explains many of the hybrid features including the Self-Parking Car

How To Sell Your Car Online Fast

2008-05-17T06:01:00.003-07:00

Back in the old days almost all private sellers placed ads in the local newspaper and maybe even in the auto shopper journals whenever they wanted to sell a car. But the internet has added a whole new dimension to car selling that can help you sell your car on line fast. Of course, you can still use the old print methods too but you really need to consider adding internet advertising too.

It's just simply an established fact that you will make more money if you sell your car yourself rather than trade it in at a car dealer. In fact, if your car is less than 4-5 years old, you can lose several thousands of dollars by trading it into the dealer instead of selling it yourself. And if your car is more than 5 years old, you are really going to take a hit by accepting a car dealer's trade. So the amount of profit that you stand to make by selling your car certainly more than makes the whole process of doing so worthwhile.

If you want to sell your car fast, newspaper advertising is probably not the way to go anymore either as newspapers still charge outrageous amounts for classified ads that have very few words to really be able to describe the car and no pictures at that. Savvy shoppers have come to recognize that if they really want to get as much information as possible about used cars in their area before test driving them, they need to go online where the information on each car can be abundant, even including photos.

So if you want to sell your car on line you have to first set an advertising budget. Very often you can get an ad on one of the most popular car classified sites for about $20-25 for a month. So if you want to spread your ad around to 3-4 different sites this would be an ad budget of $75-100 for that month. When you compare that cost with most newspaper ads that cost around $35 for just a week you can begin to see why you can often do much better for the money you spend when you sell your car on line instead of through local print.

You also tend to get much faster response times from online ads too, simply because they are reaching a much larger audience than your local newspaper. Buyers that live outside the distribution area of your newspaper may be willing to drive a little extra to get the car they want, and most online car sales sites let visitors search their entire region by a 50-100 mile radius. So your ad will simply be put in front of more people when you sell your car on line than you could expect otherwise, and that usually translates to faster sales.

So if you have been thinking about how to sell your car on line, just make a search for online used car sales sites, and pick a few that you think would be popular in your area. Search through the listings and you will most likely see that lots of folks are coming to realize that selling cars online is the best way to go these days.

Jim Johnson writes on many consumer related topics including autos. You can find out more about how to sell my car and sell my used car by visiting our Auto Review website.

Is A Hybrid Car For You

2008-05-17T06:01:00.001-07:00

You may have seen one zipping past you in the high occupancy lane, a lone driver at the wheel. It's a gasoline-electric hybrid car and driving in the HOV lane is just one of the benefits of ownership in many states. But what is a hybrid? How does it work? Is it the right car for you and your family?

A hybrid car has a both a gasoline engine and a battery. The battery is recharged by energy from the gasoline engine that would normally be lost during braking or decelerating. The car uses either the battery or the gasoline engine depending on several factors including how fast the car is traveling. Sometimes, both will work together to provide an extra boost of power without using too much extra fuel.

The result of this technology is cars that get significantly better gas mileage and produce less carbon dioxide emissions that traditional gasoline powered cars. For example, according to Honda, the 2006 Civic Hybrid gets 50 miles to the gallon on the highway, 14 miles to the gallon better than the 2003 regular Civic. When driven the national average of 12,000 miles, that represents a savings of 69 gallons of gas and 258 pounds of carbon dioxide per year.

In the early days of hybrid cars, there were few models to choose from. People desiring to purchase a hybrid car were stuck in tiny cars with little cargo space. Today, however, manufacturers produce hybrid cars and light trucks in nearly every category including family-sized sedans, sport utility vehicles and minivans. The smallest cars still get the best gas mileage, but larger hybrids consistently outperform their regular siblings in gas mileage and carbon dioxide emissions.

Unfortunately, hybrid cars cost more than regular models. In the case of the 2006 Honda Civic, the hybrid model costs almost $7,000 more than the regular model. Congress passed a law providing tax credits for hybrid car owners that took effect on January 1, 2006 that would save the buyer of a 2006 Civic Hybrid $2,100. It would take several years to break even on the purchase of a hybrid counting gasoline savings alone. However, many hybrid owners are as dedicated to the environmental benefits of driving a hybrid as they are to the money they save.

One of the fears when hybrid cars first became available was that maintenance and insurance costs would be prohibitive. Research has shown that regular maintenance costs for hybrid vehicles are no higher than for regular vehicles. Additionally, hybrid car owners are less likely to be involved in accidents and some insurance companies have begun offering discounts to hybrid car owners.

Kadence Buchanan writes articles on many topics including Automotive, Outdoors, and Recreation.

Save Gas When Driving

2008-05-17T05:59:00.000-07:00

Gas prices are on a rise and it is now becoming a concern for most of the car owners. However, not much as a consumer can be done with the price of the gas but surely something can be done to control the consumption of gas. By choosing your car wisely and driving conservatively, you can save a lot of money at the pump.

If you are concerned about the daily expenditure incurred on the gas for a car then you should give some thought to the type of car you’re getting before buying it. Larger cars obviously consume more fuel than the smaller cars. Before buying a car one should compare the mileage per gallon. Sports cars are pretty good to look at but are not at all fuel-efficient. So, it depends on the priority of the customer as to what he is looking for in the car. Still, smaller and lighter sports cars, like Japanese models, are far more fuel efficient than giant muscle cars.

By just changing the driving style, one can easily increase the fuel efficiency by 25%, especially if the gearbox is manual. In order to save fuel, just try to change the gears without the engine going over 2500 RPM's. This is very important but generally people ignore it to get high speeds and don’t realize that actually they are burning much more fuel. The gears if changed too early will not help in minimizing the fuel efficiency.

Another important aspect to save fuel and thereby save money is avoid using the clutch too often and try to stay away from heavy traffic points. Maintaining an even cruising speed is far more efficient than speeding up and slowing down all the time. It should also be noted, along the same lines, that flooring the gas at every start is going to kill your gas mileage. A nice an easy acceleration, keeping your engine at a low RPM will get you a lot more bang for the buck as far as mileage is concerned.

As they say “A stitch in time saves nine.” Keep your car tuned up, as cars in poor condition definitely use more fuel. Also, avoid putting on the air conditioner if it is not required as if you run air conditioner the mileage of the car can be affected. Once the car gets cool, then you can obviously switch off the air conditioner and let the fan rotate the cool air. On the flip side, closing the windows at high speed can save you gas, as open windows causes extra drag, thereby affecting the car mileage. Consider using the car vents instead. Opening the windows at high speed may consume more fuel than running an air conditioner.

The tires should have the appropriate pressure as fuel efficiency is reduced if the tires are overfilled or under filled with air. Avoid running the car on high speed with low gears, as this will obviously bring the mileage down.

In conclusion, to get the best mileage, one should drive at a proper and constant speed to get the best mileage. When increasing the speed, you should accelerate slowly, as you are not in a racing competition and nobody is going to give you a prize if you come in first. Avoid filling the tank when the prices of gas are high and the most important point is try to purchase a vehicle with good mileage as this would surely save you a lot of money.

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Buying A Used Car The Smart Way - Part 2

2008-05-16T19:51:00.001-07:00

The previous article discussed how to find out the worth of your own car as well as any vehicle that you want to buy, how to find all available vehicles in your area that you want to see, and how to arrange your financing in advance to save you money in the car buying process. Now it is time to actually visit those dealers or private parties that have the cars you want to see. Here are some important things to keep in mind as you do:

If you are visiting a dealer you will most likely be greeted by a friendly car salesperson who will start asking very soon if you have a vehicle to trade in. It's vital that you keep the car buying and car trading segments of the process completely separate if you want to get your best deal and know what you are spending, so just tell the salesperson that you are only interested in a straight sale at this point. Then let then know what vehicles you are here to see, and don't let them steer you away to another model instead.

Be sure to make a thorough visual inspection of each vehicle that meets your criteria and make notes as you do so you can remember what your impressions were about each car that you looked at. It can even be a good idea to make up a checklist of things that you want to inspect on each vehicle in advance, to make sure that you are as thorough as possible about your inspection. Once you have settled on one vehicle that interests you, start the price negotiations as if it were a straight cash sale, since you have your financing already arranged that will give you the cash needed for the purchase. Get as close as possible to the real worth of the vehicle that you have established by doing your advance research online.

Now is when you can ask them to also appraise your vehicle afterward and give you a trade-in figure. Because you kept the sale of the used car and the trade-in of your car totally separate you can now see clearly how good each price is and can negotiate each price to your benefit.

Once you have their best offer, leave and continue shopping elsewhere. Of course, the dealer will not want you to leave and will try to get you to buy right then and there, but it's usually not best to give in to the pressure. Keep shopping until you have 2-3 cars that are good candidates for purchase, and also can be bought in a fair price range. Now begin the final negotiation process on those three cars letting the dealers know that they must compete with other cars that you could be buying soon. Let the bidding war begin and see who wins.

Once you have your best deal, test drive that car thoroughly to make sure that it will indeed meet your needs and then have an independent mechanic inspect it to be sure of it's mechanical condition. If a dealer balks at this, just pass them by as there is usually a reason why they don't want you to know the true condition of that car. Then go to the next best deal on your list and repeat the final inspection process if necessary. Ultimately you will be able to get the car you want at the best price possible, and know that it is a quality vehicle when you buy it.

If you follow these simple suggestions you can usually negotiate the best price for the best cars, and stay in complete control of the whole buying process as you do.

Jim Johnson writes on many consumer related topics including autos. You can find out more about used car buying tips and a used car buying guide by visiting our Auto Review website.

Buying A Used Car The Smart Way - Part 1

2008-05-16T19:50:00.000-07:00

How can you buy a used car and avoid getting ripped off as you do? This is a question that a lot of people ask themselves since more people buy used cars than new cars every single day. Car dealers make a lot of money from people making mistakes that cost them money in the buying process too. So being prepared is essential to buying smart.

Of course, it's only fair that a car dealer make some profit, as they have to in order to stay in business. But for many years the advantage has been mainly in the dealer's hands as car buyers simply didn't have most of the information necessary to stay in control of the buying process. And staying in control as you buy is absolutely vital to getting the best deal possible as you shop.

For instance, getting a clear picture of a car's worth has been fairly difficult in the past, but today it's as easy as making a few clicks online. By going to kbb.com and nadaguides.com you can easily get car pricing information in just a few minutes. This is extremely useful for both cars that you intend to buy and for knowing the value of the car you presently own if you plan on trading it in to the dealer.

Once you know what your car is worth, and what vehicle you want to buy and what it is worth as well, you can start shopping. Using the internet to find all available models that you want to buy within easy driving distance of where you live is a great way to shop. This expands the number of cars to choose from and therefore improves your chances of getting a great deal. Yahoo Auto and Edmunds.com are great places to search for your next car. Once located, narrow down your choices to a handful that seem to be the best buy for you and then arrange time in your schedule to visually inspect them. Be sure to call in advance of your visit to make sure that the car is still available before making the trip though.

Before your actual visit to the dealer or private party, make sure that you have your financing arrangements all taken care of in advance and know exactly how much you can afford to pay. Of course, if you plan on paying cash this is an unnecessary step, but the vast majority of folks will be using a car loan to pay for their next car, so do yourself a favor and save plenty of money over the life of the loan by arranging your own financing in advance with one of the online loan vendors that specialize in making auto loans directly to consumers.

This one simple step can often save you more money than anything else that you do in the buying process, as the success of your car buying deal often hinges on how simple you can keep the buying process. When dealers can introduce financing and monthly payments into the equation, true sales and trade-in figures get much harder to pin down, so having advance financing can keep the deal simple and save you money.

Be sure to read Part 2 of this article where it discusses how to negotiate the deal the smart way.

Jim Johnson writes on many consumer related topics including autos. You can find out more about used car buying tips and a used car buying guide by visiting our Auto Review website.

Automotive CRM Software

2008-05-16T19:44:00.001-07:00

CRM software specifically designed for the automotive industry has many features that auto companies will find useful. Automotive sales are the most demanding when it comes to marketing, service requirements and customer relations. Having software that can consolidate all of the necessary information in one convenient centralized location greatly improves an auto dealer’s relationship with their customers.

The ability for car dealerships to follow up on customers is very important to their overall customer satisfaction. Using automotive CRM software, a dealer has the ability to give their customers a choice of the level of interaction they desire to maintain with the dealer.

This software will design a database for all of the customers a car dealership may have. This allows the dealer to analyze the data they have of their customers, and perhaps predict the needs of other potential customers. The feature that allows the software to create a report by analyzing the data that was entered into the database will allow car dealers to see how their business is doing and what their sales trends are. Knowing these facts are important elements in running a successful business. Being able to adapt and change with the needs of your customers will increase customer satisfaction as well as overall sales.

Software alone will not guarantee that the business will succeed. Ultimately it is up to the senior management to make the necessary decisions to make sure of the company’s success. However, with the aid of CRM software to analyze customer related data, the senior management will have the necessary information to make an intelligent and well-informed decision that will surely benefit the business.

CRM Software provides detailed information on CRM Software, CRM Software Solutions, CRM Software Systems, Automotive CRM Software and more. CRM Software is affiliated with Sales Contact Management Software.

Automotive CRM Software

2008-05-16T19:44:00.000-07:00

A Hybrid Car The Best Of Two Worlds

2008-05-15T07:22:00.001-07:00

If you have followed along with the news lately, you have no doubt noticed the growing interest towards hybrid cars. What is this all about?

After nearly 100 years on the road the combustion engine is slowly becoming an old-timer. The environmental pollution and its unlimited thirst for fuel cause problems from smog to global warming. Furthermore, conventional engines actually become increasingly inefficient as they grow in size. Most cars use at the most one third of the energy present in the fuel, the remainder is lost in the form of heat and sound.

But only if gasoline starts costing way over 3 dollars per gallon, traditional cars will be considered as too thirsty - apart from the fact that they get the environment dirty. But the cleaner electrical technology, as in electrical vehicles, is not the ideal solution either. And hydrogen or gas cells are not fully developed yet. Here the hybrid car has its window of opportunity - a new automobile technology, which unites the best of two worlds: a gasoline and an electric motor.

The results?

The most pollution free motorised vehicle on offer thus far.

The hybrid technology manage to do this by connecting a small petrol engine with a torque-strong electric motor and a battery. And can in this way lower the fuel consumption and have a lower pollution factor.

In fact, some hybrid vehicles produce 50% less emissions than your conventional car. Although this is very good indeed, one has to admit that two power sources under the hood is more complicated, more susceptible to errors and may sound a bit wasteful even.

But if this will allow almost any driver to have 50% of gasoline savings and reduces the emissions by a third, it certainly can't be all wrong. And the best of everything is that these hybrid cars - in the short time the have been on the market - have proven to be very road worthy vehicles as well.

Especially in the USA, where the environment is quickly becoming more and more polluted, hybrid vehicles play an increasingly important role - not least in California, where "Governator" Arnold Schwarzenegger have opted for strict environmental protection guidelines.

For this reason no doubt, we can also see somewhat of a Hybrid car craze in Hollywood right now. During the Academy awards of 2005, the most prestigious way to travel was not the long black limousine, but a hybrid car, which supposedly showed the environmental awareness of the celebrities.

On the other hand, one can also assume that the above phenomenon was a way to show ones status, as hybrid cars where rather rare and expensive at the time. Among the celebrities that where seen arriving in various hybrid cars were Cameron Diaz, Robin Williams Harrison Ford and (surprise, surprise) Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon.

Charles Hawkins is the editor of Knowmoreabout.net, where you can now get a gold of a thoroughly researched guide to hybrid cars that will teach you everything about the technology as well as make up your mind about buying one.

All the Info on the 2005 Nissan Maxima

2008-05-15T07:04:00.000-07:00

Like many cars in the 30K dollar mark, the Maxima is partially a luxury and sport sedan. One thing that Nissan offers that many others don’t is a pretty sweet 6 speed manual transmission for the true sports car fans that want a little more when grabbing the groceries.

The exterior of the car starts out with a re-vamped grill with the huge Nissan logo right in the middle. Near the grill are the sleek head lights, inside are high intensity discharge Xenon lights that turn night into day. The car had a distinct rear end that has a sporty look with 4 chrome tips poking out highlighting the power that lies under the hood. In all the car has very strong lines that give it a tough look that I really like. The interior is a blend of cutting edge technology and comfort. Then the spacious Nissan car redesigned interior and exterior just adds to the confusion of sport or luxury.
One of Nissans most unusual pieces is the center sky view, which is a piece of glass that spans the whole length of the auto. The sky view can be replaced with a standard sun roof if desired. The sky view gives the Maxima a really open feeling and of course has automatic shades if need be. As for the power-train the Nissan has a wonderful 3.5 liter 265 hp DOHC that gets up and goes. It produces 255 foot pounds and had a pretty impressive power band when it’s matched up with the optional 6 speed.

About The Author:
Taylor Bamber is a proud owner of a 300zx turbo and belongs to many 300zx clubs in Northern Colorado. Being waist deep in the import world, he knows where to find all the best online JDM engines deals. He has scoured the web and has found the best sites for your import car needs. Check out his site at JDM-4U.com

2006 Mazda MX-5 Miata -- the Free wheeling Youth of the Sports-Car World Matures

2008-05-15T07:00:00.000-07:00

Mazda has done it again. First, they reinvigorated the sports car market a decade and a half ago with the introduction of the Miata for 1990. Then the company followed that up with a redesigned version that was good enough to make Miata the biggest-selling sports car in history.

Now, for 2006, they've topped that with a third-generation Miata that's as sophisticated as far more expensive sports cars, despite keeping its reasonable low-20-thousand-dollar price tag.

Compared to the two previous versions, the 2006 MX-5 Miata is a little larger in most dimensions, and gains about 50 pounds. It continues with its four-cylinder engine but now it's a 170-hp 2.0-liter instead of a 142-hp 1.8.

Slipping into the interior, it's obvious that Mazda's junior sports car has grown a bit. Instead of the window sills having a sort of elbow-height feeling, you now feel as though you're sitting low in the car, instead of sitting on it. Along with the cabin's extra room comes a more upscale look to the interior. Although still not exactly plush feeling, the new Miata replaces its predecessors' retro spartan style with a somewhat more opulent look. The leather seats are both easy on the eyes and posterior. The convertible top has a cloth surface and a glass rear window, and it folds neatly into a smooth bunch that latches down to form a smooth profile without a separate cover.

Overall, the cabin pleases in both design and execution. There's a subtle, high-quality feel to it that speaks of cars costing far more than our tester's $25,000 sticker price.

Firing the engine up brings forth a sporty purr that's maybe a tad more subdued than Miatas past, but nonetheless satisfying. Once rolling, planting your foot into the gas yields one of the bigger delights of the new Miata. The engine feels somewhat stronger than its power rating might imply, providing gutsy acceleration at low speeds and very nice passing power without downshifting. It never feels high-strung or fussy.

Complementing that pleasure is the shifter. Traditionally a strong suit of Miatas past, the new version continues to be noteworthy. Although not quite as pleasingly mechanical feeling as before, the shifter is precise, with appropriate springing and well-defined gates. Tying it all together are pedals that are well spaced for easy heel-and-toe downshifts.

Once acclimated to the new Miata's basic control personality, it's time to tackle some twisty roads. And you'll quickly find that this aspect of the new car is where the new Miata differs the most from its predecessors.

While the generation-one and -two Miatas were well known for having low handling limits and almost toylike tossability, the new Miata feels heftier, more serious, and obviously more capable. In earlier Miatas the idea of slipping and sliding the rear end was as obvious and basic as putting the top down on a sunny day -- Miata practically begged for such exuberance behind the wheel.

The new Miata responds to such tail-happy shenanigans with all the control and communication of Mazda's earlier little sprites. But now the car just doesn't seem to ask for it with such a strong voice. This version's vastly higher grip and more potent engine instead make it happier with high corner-entry speeds and smooth, even steering-wheel inputs.

Those things said, this Miata is really happy in that environment. Whereas previous Miatas tended to have a wild, freewheeling personality on winding roads, the new version hauls through turns as if locked onto rails, with minimal body lean and very high limits that aren't as easy to upset.

It's still terrific fun. It's just a little different kind of fun.

It's clear that Mazda has once again crafted a true little gem of a sports car. There's not a squeak or rattle to be heard, the engine has a smooth, almost exotic personality, and the driving controls are precise and solid. You find yourself double checking the sticker to see if this is really a $25,000 sports car -- plenty of rivals costing $15k more than Miata don't get these things much (if any) better.

As for how this new Miata design overall compares to its predecessors, picture a guy that was loveable but slightly over-eager in college. Now he's been out in the real world for few years and maybe gotten a graduate degree.

He's not really the same guy anymore, but he commands more respect. And he's still a whole lot of fun to be around.

For more articles on sports cars, along with drive-tests of today’s hottest performance cars, go to http://www.autiv.com/

David Bellm is a seasoned test driver and automotive writer. His work has been featured in a wide variety of online and print publications.

How To Make Money With Used Cars!

2008-05-14T06:25:00.002-07:00

One of the most important purchases consumers make is a car. The average consumer purchases another car every several years. With the High Cost of new cars millions of people are opting to purchase affordable used cars.

There is a Massive opportunity to earn an excellent income. Help fill this high demand for quality used cars at affordable prices. When starting out you should focus on cars under the $4,000 range.

Do some research and find out what the most popular best selling cars in your area are. By staying in the lower price ranges with these popular vehicles you will be in a higher demand market since more people can afford these vehicles than higher priced more expensive cars, this will make it much easer to sell quickly for a profit.

You make your money when you buy, this is an important key to your success. You will need to pay wholesale price or below less the cost of any needed repairs, and other expenses ie: detailing, newspaper ads, etc. Once you know the wholesale price, less repair costs and expenses, you will know how much you can pay for a car. If you buy it right you wll be able to sell it at a profit and still give the buyer a great deal.

One of the most important things you can do to purchase a used cars at bargain prices is to do your homework. You should check your local classified ads and see what the asking price is for the type of vehicle that you are in the market for.

Make sure to get the high and low Blue Book and wholesale prices on the vehicle that you are interested in. Here are some excellent sources for getting pricing:

NADA GUIDES - www.nadaguides.com

KELLEY BLUE BOOK - www.kbb.com

EDMUNDS - www.edmunds.com

Other resources to check with is CARFAX. They can supply you with the vehicle history report. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has a research area to check recall history on cars. We recommend that you have the vehicle you are interested in purchasing be inspected by your own mechanic prior to purchase.

Newspaper Classified Ads are an excellent place to find cars at well below retail prices. Many of these people will be happy to sell their used cars for several hundred dollars more than what was quoted by the dealer and you will end up with an EXCELLENT BUY!

Online Auctions can be a great place to find bargains. You can shop right from the comfort of your own home. Look for auctions with no reserve, these auctions don’t have a minimum price before they will sell.

Public Car Auctions are open to the general public and do not require you to have a Dealer’s License. Public auctions can be an excellent place to purchase cars at wholesale prices. Some of these auctions are: Auction Repossessions of Credit Unions, Banks & Lending Institutions. Some public auctions also auction Police and Local Municipalities, City, State, & County vehicles.

Estate and Bankruptcy Auctions can be a very good place to purchase vehicles at wholesale prices. These auctions are usually advertised in newspaper classified section or handled by Probate Estate Auctioneers.

Government Auctions are an excellent source for bargin vehicles. They include vehicles from DEA drug raid seizures, FBI, IRS, U.S. Customs Auctions, Department of Defense, General Services Auctions, Resolution Trust Corporation, Department of Housing and Urban Development, and U.S. Postal Services.

Rental Car Companies often sell their fleet of cars by auction. They can be a great source of cars. Contact these large companies and inquire.

Dealer Auctions can be one of the best sources to cars at below wholesale prices. Most of these auctions require that you have a dealer’s license. These auctions include lease cars, trade-ins, rentals, and fleet vehicles.

Stay away from used cars that need major mechanical repairs or body work. Look for good, dependable cars, if the pait is a little dull or the rug is dirty, you can detail, polish and wax the car and clean the carpet. Replace the floor mats if needed. By doing a few hours of work, you can make your car worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars more. By having a clean care, inside and out, you will attract more buyers that will be willing to pay you top dollar for your car.

When your car is ready to sell, you can place and ad in your local newspaper's classified section, or you can place your ad on the internet and reach a wider audience. CARS.COM and AUTOBYTEL.COM has a lot of traffic and is enexpensive. Selling cars through online auctions has also become very popular. It has become one of the easiest, fastest, and most cost effective methods to reach your target audience of hundreds and even thousands of people looking at your car. EBAYMOTORS.COM or AUCTIONYOURAUTOS.COM are both online auction sites.

Most states require that you have a Dealer's License when you buy and sell vehicles for profit. Check with your states Department of Motor Vehicles or Department of Public Safety for more information on how to obtain a Dealer's License. It is important to consult with your attorney, insurance agent, accountant, and other government officials to determine what permits, licenses, records, insurance policies, etc., are required.

About The Author

C.L.Spartalis is the publisher of The of How To Turn Used Cars Into Ca$h With Your Computer.
No Inventory Required.
http://www.turnusedcarstocash.com/home.html

Hybrid Cars Save You Money

2008-05-14T06:25:00.001-07:00

If you have been sitting on the fence about deciding to purchase a Hybrid car, you no longer have any excuse to be squeamish. Consumer Reports just released a study this August that confirms that Hybrid cars will in fact save you money over the long run.

The combination of generous tax credits along with the fuel saving nature of these vehicles is what makes them a good long term value. The difference in up front cost between a hybrid and its traditional counterpart is often between $1200 and $7000. Thats a wide gap, and can be enough to leave you wondering if its worth it.

The good news is that if you act fast and purchase your new Hybrid car before the tax credits phase out in 2007, alot of that upfront additional cost will come back to you in the form of a tax credit. Meanwhile, you will enjoy long term savings on fuel costs.

Did you know that as of 2006, Hybrids account for only 1% of new car sales in the US? As gas prices rise, the ratio will likely change as people seek to cut costs out of rising fuel prices. Unfortunately, if you wait too long you will no longer be able to take advantage of the tax credits that are being phased out. If you are considering purchasing a Hybrid car, you are better to do it now.

The study, conducted by Consumer Reports assumes that you keep your Hybrid car for several years, long enough to notice the difference in cost of filling up. Of course, the more you drive to work, school, or on vacation, the faster and greater your savings will add up.

If you are researching Hybrid cars, be sure to check out Hybrid Cars This site lists updated information on all makes and models of Hybrids available and soon to be available.

Amber Lowery is an author and webmaster. You can read more about Hybrid cars by visiting her site: Hybrid Cars or by visiting Hybrid Cars

Gas Prices

2008-05-14T06:23:00.000-07:00

If you are like everyone else here in the U.S. you are concerned with the high gas prices we are paying, and probably feel you can't do anything about them. Well I'm here to tell you, you are wrong.

Have you noticed the traffic on our city streets and highways? Does it seem like anyone has stopped or slowed down on their driving habits? Have YOU? Well there lies the problem, everyone is talking about the high gas prices but no one is doing, or trying to do, anything about them.

Everyone is to busy blaming the oil companies, government, the corner station and anyone else they can think of. Well if they are not to blame who is? You and I are to blame. No, that can't be you say, "I", don't raise the price, "I", don't make a profit, "I", can't do anything about it, "I", can't control it. And the list of "I", "ME" goes on and on.

Well you and I are the only ones who can control it. Just like we see all the vehicles on the road, so does the CEO of Exxon Mobil,and the CEO's of all the other oil companies, Hugo Chavez, the tyrant from Venezuela who controls Citgo sees it, the commodities brokers see it and every time that fool in Iran speaks out they raise the price of crude.

Don't depend on the government to get a handle on it, they can't even get a handle on their own parties without bickering and playing the blame game. They are just a bunch of Morons acting like little kids in a sand box, so don't think they are able,or willing to do anything.

So take the steering wheel and gas pump in your own hands and start making a difference, you can do it. And you will see those gas prices start to drop back down. Now for a few tips.

Start with getting a new mind set, "I can do this." "It's up to me to make a difference". Turn the "ME" attitude into something positive, it's not about "ME it's about us all.

Take your car to a good shop/mechanic and have it tuned up, change the oil and filter, gas filter, air filter, proper air in the tires and every 2-3 fill ups add some good fuel injection cleaner (I prefer Lucas as it cleans better and lasts longer), also use a good synthetic oil as there is less friction and the engine will run quieter and more efficient.

Now for the hard part. Change your driving habits. Try going on less unneeded trips, combine trips, if your in a long line at the bank or drive through shut off your engine. Don't use your A/C as much, the fresh air will do you good. Slow down, try driving 55-60, after you get used to it it's not so bad. Taking a little more time is well worth it when you fill up again at the high gas prices we are paying now.

If we all can do this, and I believe we can, we will start to see the gas prices drop back because we all together with our little sacrifices will be able to save millions of gallons of gas with our efforts. You will feel better for doing it and the country will be better off from our efforts, and the gas prices will go as low as we want to have them.

Sacrifice is no a dirty word, our parents and grand parents done it and so can we.

For more tips on saving gas go to "Gas Prices" at www.jtcbiz.com , and for tips on repairs go to "Save on repairs", at www.jtcbiz.com. To read more articles like this go to "Articles" at www.jtcbiz.com

Feel free to check out the rest of the site, you may find something of interest. And if you have any questions or suggestions you can email me at:

jack@jtcbiz.com

Jack Cooper is the owner of http://www.jtcbiz.com an Automotive web site on Carfacts. For more articles like this and other helpful information check out Carfacts on http://www.jtcbiz.com.

Honda S2000 2005 The Weekly Driver Review

2008-05-13T06:19:00.001-07:00

The 30-mile stretch from Willits to Ft. Bragg along Highway 20 in
Northern California is an ideal place to drive a sports car. The two-lane
road offers tight switchbacks, extended flat stretches and plenty of
climbs and descents.

On a warm, spring day and with a convertible top down, anyone who
enjoys the combination of shifting gears, fresh air and the open road will
thrive on the route. It's a drivers' nirvana tucked among forests of
Redwood trees and rolling hills.

And so it was recently when my wife and I spent a getaway weekend.
We drove the segment twice en route and returning from the Mendocino/
Ft. Bragg coastline to Sacramento in a 2005 Honda S2000.

The two-seat convertible, unchanged from its 2004 debut, is Honda's
only sports car, and it adds a pure-fun component to the popular
manufacturers' line of efficient, well-designed sedans, SUVs, vans and
hybrid vehicles.

For my weekly drive, I had 4-cyclinder, 240-horsepower, 2.2-liter, 16-
valve, six-speed model that includes a power soft top and 17-inch alloy
wheels. With its bright (Rio Yellow Pearl) paint, black top, black interior
and sleekly contoured exterior, the vehicle immediately attracted
attention.

Two fellow gas station patrons offered compliments. The driver of the
identical car and his passenger offered an enthusiastic wave when I
passed them on one afternoon's solo oceanfront drive. And several
other pedestrians and drivers offered praises.

Yet the S2000, while offering a wonderful appearance, also presents a
varying mix of sports-car niceties and disappointments as a practical
vehicle.

The positives are numerous: The six-speed transmission shifts nicely
through gears. Acceleration tests for this year weren't available, but the
2.0-liter model from 2004 was given a 6.7-second mark in its 0-60 mph
test. The tight, conforming seats, small, rigid steering wheel and short-
throw gearbox afford plenty of excitement. The vehicle maneuvers well
through traffic and despite its small size, has great balance and little
body lean or wavering in the proximity of 18-wheelers.

The convertible top works easily. The routine includes unhooking or
hooking two side top latches and engaging one electric console switch.
The top seals tightly and folds well.

The S2000's standard interior and exterior features include: leather-
trimmed seats, AM/FM/CD stereo system, air-conditioning, cruise
control, power window and door locks, remote mounted audio controls,
aluminum pedals, dual exhaust and Xenon HID headlights.

The console is nicely appointed. It's tight on space, but there's a small,
lockable vertical glove box between the seat backs and another push-
button storage area between the front seats.

The trunk will hold two medium, soft-side duffel bags and a few other
small items like a purse and small backpack. But the trunk won't hold
much of anything unless the trunk cover is left behind.

Just like the 2004 model, the current S2000 has a few overt drawbacks.
There's very little interior room, the seating material is less than
comfortable and the car's quietness or lack of quietness is perplexing.

The S2000 is considerably more noisy with the top up than it is with the
top down. And with the top up, there are driver's corner blind spots.
Further, the car's suspension absorbs little; every road bump and can be
felt by driver and passenger. Entering and exiting the S2000 defines
well the "crouch-and-crawl" method.

Still, the S2000 is a formidable offering. Its good looks are eye-catching,
and its shortcomings can be overlooked if their buyer's desire is sports-
car fun, not vehicle practicality.

2005 Honda S2000

Safety features – Driver's and front-seat passenger's airbags.

Fuel Mileage (estimates) – 20 mpg (city), 25 mpg (highway).
Premium gas recommended.

Warranty – Bumper to bumper, 3 years/36,000 miles; Corrosion,
5 years/unlimited mileage.

Base price – $32,950.00.

Buying Used Cars Tips

2008-05-13T06:18:00.000-07:00

If you planed to buy an used car, it is important not only to find the car you like but you may also need to take some precautions like checking the car history, taking a test drive, knowing its book value or taking an extended warranty.

Check the car’s history

An essential factor when car browsing is to learn the car’s history. This entails finding a reliable source as to whether the automobile has ever been flooded or involved in an automobile accident. Before agreeing to buy used cars, consumers may obtain a CarFax report at www.carfax.com or by requesting that their local dealer provide a copy. There is a minimal fee involved in acquiring the report, but the findings are invaluable. For instance, the number of owners and the title status are both included in a CarFax report.

Take a drive test

Generally, used cars buyers will be permitted to take a test drive and also may think about requesting permission to take the automobile to a trusted mechanic for an additional inspection. The best way to confirm that the automobile is in the condition as stated is to take it to a mechanic, who can properly inspect used cars and locate any underlying problems. Even if most used cars are exactly as stated, when auto safety and any amount of money is involved, there is no room for error in judgment.

Know the car value

Before buying any used car, it is important to be familiar with the value of the vehicle. One way to determine an accurate value is through the use of Kelly Blue Book (www.kbb.com) and their extensive pricing system. By entering specific information about an automobile, consumers will receive instant value estimates online. In order to get an accurate value, consumers must know the make and model of the automobile, current mileage, additional features and overall condition.

Ask for an extended warranty

It may also be possible to purchase an extended warranty when you buy an used car. Because the original warranty has already expired on most previously owned vehicles, this option is available for the consumer who wants to make sure their purchase is covered. It is important to realize that the warranty is not automatically included in the sticker. In fact, the consumer should ask the dealer specifically about purchasing an extended warranty. More often than not, an extended warranty can be added into the total cost and may even be included in the financing.

Find more about used cars, Kelly Blue Book and used cars value http://www.autonews24h.com/Buying-Guides/KellyBlueBook.html

Auto Glass Repair vs Replacement

2008-05-13T06:01:00.000-07:00

Whenever there's an accident, the first thing that has a probability of breaking is the windshield. Even a small crack can often spread across your area of vision or it can spread into the inner layer of your windshield, which is a plastic layer sandwiched between the two glass layers. Even a small stone can cause extensive damage.

Whenever such a situation occurs, the first thing that arises in our mind is which option we should choose - repair or replacement. If we go for repair rather than the replacement then certainly we can save some money. Modern windshields have been designed to be repairable. Nowadays special injections are coming into the automobile glass market that contain a special resin which is injected into the damaged area using unique tools that attach directly to the glass.

Some chips or cracks may react successfully to the repair whereas some may not. Windshield repair is like first aid. If you leave a crack and do not fix it, then it may cause more severe damage and the condition of the windshield can get much worse.

If a tiny size chip is just in front of your driving seat, then a quick repair is must as this may hinder your vision. Windshield repair can be quarter sized or up to 3 inches long. But some advance techniques can repair up to 12 inches long cracks. For more than 12-inch cracks, only replacement is suggested.

Major thing that needs to be considered is the location and size of the damage. If damage is at the edge of the windshield then it will spread fast and will destroy the integrity of the glass. If any edge damage is found then repair it soon. It will save the life of your windshield.

Some of current techniques do no repair those cracks that directly come into the view of driver’s line of sight because a small distortion may still left behind. In that case replacement would be a wise decision. Cost of the repair is entirely depending upon the damage of the windshield. If the cracks are quite long or around 12 inches then charges will be higher.

Certainly if you go for replacement then your insurance company may not pay you the entire replacement amount but in case of repair they may pay the total expenditure. So repair is a more economical process.

Windshield repair or replacement is totally depending upon the size and location of the damage and cracks. So, before going for any of these options just consult a glass specialist who can examine your shield and suggest if a repair will work or not. If damage from an accident is quite big then do not compromise your life, as you know better that windshield replacement is a necessity. Just bear in mind that your life is more valuable than anything else.

This article provided by Royal Auto Detailing and CAAutoList.com.

For professional auto glass repair in San Diego, visit Royal Detailing. Services include windshield repair, paint touch-up, and auto detailing. Browse our automotive resource directory for all of your other automotive needs.

All About the Hybrid Car

2008-05-12T07:32:00.001-07:00

Efficient Hybrid cars have engines that run off of rechargeable batteries and gasoline opposed to just gasoline or diesel. Hybrid cars can reduce smog up to 90% and can get much better fuel economy then a normal engine. If it could be possible for everyone to use this fuel efficient transportation they would hardly be worry about rising gas prices and rising concern for pollution related climatic changes.

Hybrid car engines run an electric motor when accelerating during this time the gasoline side of the engine is shut down. When the batteries need to be charged again the gasoline engine wills start again. When the hybrid car brakes it usually will return to the electric motor side because of the lower amount of power needed when braking for an extended amount of time.

Hybrid cars are wonderful for the environment; they can get 55-60 miles per gallon in city driving. That is more than three times better then many SUV’s! Hybrid cars are much better than electric cars because there is no need to recharge them. Electric cars need to be recharged anywhere from 50-100 miles. The hybrid engine can recharge itself with the gas side of it. So long distance travel is never a problem for the fuel efficient auto enthusiasts with today’s hybrid motors. Also another disadvantage of pure electric cars is most of them can only do about 60 miles per hour when the hybrid engine is not limited to lower highway speeds.

If you are looking for more information on these cutting edge cars I would start your research on the internet. On the net you can not only find some of the best information around you can also find some of the best prices on hybrid cars in your neighborhood. With net you browse hundreds of merchants with just a few key strokes.

About The Author:
Taylor Bamber is a proud owner of a 300zx turbo and belongs to many 300zx clubs in Northern Colorado. Being waist deep in the import world, he knows where to find all the best online JDM engines deals. He has scoured the web and has found the best sites for your import car needs. Check out his site at JDM-4U.com

Automotive Tip Before You Replace The Brakes, Check Your Tires

2008-05-12T07:28:00.001-07:00

For months, I had gone from one mechanic to another, seeking to understand why my car was making a scraping sound when I applied pressure to my brakes. The mechanics assured me that the problem was not the brakes. Yet, the problem grew worse.

The scraping sound was like a phantom. It was elusive at best. One moment it was so loud that other drivers would stare as my car moved past them. The next moment, there was no sound at all.

As a woman, I admit that I’m leery of mechanics. We have all been told that mechanics prey on defenseless women often taking us for hundreds of dollars. I don’t know if this is factual, but I believe it improves the odds if you have an idea what is wrong. Maybe this is why I feared being jerked around at first. But, it didn’t make sense. Neither mechanic had a thing to gain by my not getting new brakes.

The culminating event was when I took my son to get his driver's license. The officer at the DMV reprimanded me for the poor condition of my brakes. In fact, he said, “I almost didn’t give your son his driver’s license because your brakes made so much noise. Several times, I came close to telling him to just pull the car over.” How embarrassing was that! I tried to explain the situation but he was emphatic that he had years of experience with cars and it was in fact the brakes.

I was not only perplexed but almost in tears as I could hear the scraping sound while driving and even worse when I put on the brakes. What a colossal headache!

At first, I was determined not to rush to another mechanic. Meanwhile, the scraping sound got worse and worse. I heard that awful sound like an 18-wheeler makes when coming to a stop. It was quite unnerving! I could no longer ignore it.

I took the car once again to my mechanic. He instructed me to back the car up then roll forward as he stood outside and listened. No scraping sound. I did this several times defending the fact that there was a problem. I asked the mechanic to drive the car for himself. He drove the car around the block several times and could not identify the scraping sound that I had complained about.

By this time, I was quite agitated, even more perplexed and embarrassed. I assured the mechanic that there was a problem and suggested that if we continued to drive, maybe we'd trigger it. The mechanic told me to jump in the passenger side and we drove even further. I rolled down my window and listened intently as we drove. After he made a sharp road turn, I heard the sound. Eureka! At first, he could not hear it. But I coached him to keep driving. He finally heard it.

We went back to the automotive repair shop and drove my car onto the lift. He and another mechanic did a variety of tests to recreate the sound and identify its cause. I sat and observed. Despite several tests, he could not recreate the sound. As I needed to get back home, the office arranged transportation for me. I silently prayed that they would identify and fix the problem. And most of all, that it not cost me goo-gobs of money.

A couple of hours passed then I received a call. The mechanic said that the problem was not the brakes -- it was the tires. I couldn’t believe it. My front tires, appearing to be in good condition, were the problem. He explained that the sound only occurred when the tires were in contact with the road. I consented for the mechanic to replace both front tires. The scraping stopped.

Admittedly, I am by no means a mechanic. But I wanted to write this article to caution that you get your tires checked before you spend hundreds of dollars in brake work that you might not need.

Suzette R. Hinton, SAC-I, Certified Life and Mentor Coach, Counselor and Mother. Graduate of CANA, Inc. (http://www.CoachingInstituteofNorthAmerica.com) and Founder of Purposeful Connections (http://www.purposefulconnections.com). Suzette believes that purpose is not only a destination but it is the energy that pushes us toward its fulfillment.

5 Tips To Shopping For Hyundai Cars

2008-05-12T07:26:00.000-07:00

Shopping for Hyundai cars is not significantly different that shopping for any other type of automobile. A little common sense will go a long way in making sure that you get the best car for your buck and for your lifestyle. Below are a few tips to help make your shopping experience a smooth ride.

Hyundai Cars Shopping Tip # 1

First and foremost, consider your budget and how much you can comfortably spend on your new car. Whether you are paying cash or plan on having your new car financed, affordability will have a large impact on which car you ultimately choose. Plan out a realistic budget and stick to it.

Hyundai Cars Shopping Tip # 2

Consider how the car will be used. Are you single or married? Do you have children? Do you travel a lot and, if so, is storage or transportation a major issue? The answers to each of these questions will help you to choose a car that is the right size for your needs. If you are single and plan to use your new car for work, a compact design may be ideal. Less fuel consumption and more wiggle room in parking spaces may be an attractive benefit. If you have a family or do a lot of traveling, whether for business or pleasure, a roomier car may be the better option to ensure that everyone has plenty of space and is comfortable.

Hyundai Cars Shopping Tip # 3

Take the time to speak with your auto insurance agent about the cost of insurance. A sporty car will be higher priced, in both the sale price and insurance, than a family car. The theory is that a sporty car is purchased for the purpose of being driven fast, which is why insurance may be higher. A family car, however, is thought to be used for the family and may not be such a high risk, as far as insurance agents are concerned.

Hyundai Cars Shopping Tip # 4

It’s all about the features and what you want to get out of your car. If you want all of the bells and whistles, you will be paying for them. Optional features on a car will be more expensive than a basic model, which is for the more conservative car owner.

Hyundai Cars Shopping Tip # 5

When shopping for any automobile, including Hyundai cars, it is best to shop with a dealership that is willing to work with you in getting the best deal possible. If you happen to come in contact with a salesperson that simply will not budge on the price, don’t be afraid to walk away. The sticker price is just a bargaining price and is not the lowest price for most reasonable dealerships. As with any number, there is always a little wiggle room. If the salesperson won’t wiggle, then you walk away.

As a final thought to shopping for Hyundai cars, consider the warranty coverage. If you are purchasing a new automobile, you will receive a manufacturer’s warranty included in the price. If you are purchasing a used car, ask the dealer about an extended warranty and whether or not one is available with your choice of Hyundai cars.

Read the latest review of the new 2007 Hyundai Elantra and 2006 Hyundai Tiburon or read the latest Hyundai news on http://www.autonews24h.com/Auto-Industry/Hyundai-News/

Mitsubishi Lancer, 2007 The Weekly Driver

2008-05-11T03:16:00.002-07:00

In recent years, Mitsubishi has touted its sports cars with a series of overproduced television commercials. In one spot, several pretty young women are singing and smiling and zipping around under flashing city lights and through tunnels somehow equipped with multicolored lasers.

The women seemingly don't have a care in the world. They're on the town. They're having a grand time. They're driving really fast and techno-pop tunes are blaring.

Combine that group with young male drivers with the same wont to go fast and a likely desire to catch-up to their female counterparts somewhere at the end of the tunnel and you've got a captive audience ready and willing to buy Mitsubishi's speed demon, the Lancer Evolution.

Now in its ninth edition and commonly called the Evo9, the Evolution is the most expensive of four Lancers available. And the MR edition, my weekly driver, is the most expensive of three Evolution editions.

As if its predecessor didn't perform adequately, the 2006 Evolutions were given a 10-horsepower boost to 286 horsepower, a further jolt for the 2.0-liter, turbocharged, DOHC engine. The speedster has a six-speed manual transmission and all-wheel drive. (Automatic and five-speed manual transmissions are available in other Lancers.)

The Evolution is simply about speed, and in that capacity, it's impressive. Prestigious car publications have described it as the greatest-performing car buy available. And in every situation — open, long, flat roads to sudden acceleration for tight lane changes — driving the MR was tantamount to driving a street-legal race car.

The car is certainly fast, particularly after it has reached the 3,000 RPM threshold. Its handling is agile and it offers road-gripping confidence. Further, the Evolution's weight has been reduced with an overt use of aluminum — forged aluminum suspension, aluminum front fenders, aluminum hood, aluminum roof, aluminum pedals, aluminum carbon fiber brake grip and an aluminum shift knob. All of which, of course, come at a substantial price.

And there are other sports car niceties: Recaro front bucket seats, a carbon-fiber rear spoiler, 17-inch alloy wheels and what one reviewer described perfectly as "shark-tooth-shaped vortex-generator aerodynamic roof add-ons."

Nonetheless, there are issues with Evolution, most notably the spoiler. It annoyingly blocks the rear and side views and more than once it provided me with a split-second thought that another vehicle was very close.

Not many sports cars are known for their smooth rides, but the Lancer Evolution's ride is shockingly rough. And the car is noisy, even during low-performance efforts. Mitsubishi also requires premium fuel for all Evolutions.

There's a community of Evolution-heads around the country who are unabashed in their praise of the car. They boast on Internet sites about zipping past Porsches and Ferraris.

And that's great. The Evolution is a delight for race car franciers, and they likely can't wait for the redesigned 10th Evolution scheduled for 2007. Maybe Mitsubishi will even put those buyers in a commercial.

The Weekly Driver: 2007 Mitsubishi Lancer

Safety Features — Dual front and front side airbags.

Fuel Mileage (estimates) — 18 mpg (city), 24 mpg (highway).

Warranty — Bumper to bumper, 5 years/60,000 miles; Powertrain, 10 years/100,00 miles; Corrosion, 7 years/100,000 miles; Roadside (24-hour) assistance program, 5 years/unlimited miles.

Base Price — $35,189.00

Honda Accord Coupe 2006 The Weekly Driver

2008-05-11T03:16:00.001-07:00

In its 30-year history, the Honda Accord has transistioned from a curiosity to an industry leader. It's now available in more than 30 configurations, the LX 2-door coupe with manual transmission to the hybrid 4-door automatic with a navigation system.

The Accord's base retail price varies more than $12,000, with the least expensive model just under $20,000 and the high-end hybrid now more than $32,000.

In brief, the Accord has come a long way since its pint-sized offerings of the late 1970s.

Yet, with rare exception, the Accord maintains consistent high category ratings throughout its line -- acceleration to fuel economy, steering and handling to quietness.

As it does throughout the industry, automatic transmissions dominate the Accord line. Which is why my test vehicle for the week was an unexpected surprise -- the six-speed manual transmission Accord coupe. It's one only about one-third of the Accords available with manual transmissions.

While maintaining much of the defining characteristics of the Accord sedan -- superior exterior and interior design and well-engineered instrumentation -- the EX V6 coupe and its tight-shifting gearing -- turns the Accord into a near racer. It's quick, maneuvers nimbly and has a sportscar feel while masquerading as a conservative, humble-looking coupe.

Shifting through gears just isn't as popular as it once was among the driving populace, but that's one of the six-speed Accord's best features. The combination of the smooth shifts and the position of the shift box make the Accord fun to drive and particularly zippy with its 240-horsepower engine. Quickly advance through the gears on freeway entrances and use the tight gearing for quick acceleration in any scenario, and the Accord responds comfortably and without hesitation.

My weekly test drive vehicle had a solid white exterior, but the two-tone gray console and tan leather interior perfectly matched the outside. In fact, Honda's color tones and the coordination of exterior and interior colors -- green/tan and red/tan -- are as nice as any color scheme on the market.

The Accord line has a long list of standard features. The EX V6 includes several upgrades, a 3.0-liter engine, traction control, four-way passenger seat and a universal garage door opener. Those features add to the already substantial standards list that includes AM/FM radio with six disc CD changer, steering wheel radio controls, power roof, mirrors and door locks and adjustable lumbar support.

With the exception of two minor annoyances, there's just not much not to like about the Accord. One frustration is the heater has only an automatic function and no manual fan controls. The other disappointment is the absence of a rear window windshield wiper.

These are small squabbles. The Accord has been at the top of vehicle consumer satisfaction lists for many years. And from all categories -- reliability to resale, construction to quietness -- the line's reputation is certainly in no danger.

Fulfil Automotive Desires with Used Auto Loans

2008-05-11T03:15:00.001-07:00

It is absolutely right to say that we should check our pocket whether the loan we are availing fits our pocket or not. In the same manner why to go for a new automobile if we can’t afford it, in such situation we can purchase used automobile. And, in reality an automobile is a necessity, so whether we have a used or new one, it really doesn’t matter. Financial market also supports the person, if he is willing to buy a used automobile through used automobile loan.

Basically there are three common and popular sources through which we can avail used auto loan They are:

• Dealers

• Banks

• Financial institutions

While availing used auto loans from dealers, one should make sure that the dealer to which they are dealing is reputable. But, there is always a need to keep our eye open so that they can’t misguide us.

Practically, these three ways of availing used auto loans are best in their own way.
There is nothing as best loan rather if it matches with our needs, it automatically becomes the cheap and good deal. Generally, it is seen that the lender charges penalty for early repayments etc, which subsequently increases the cost of the used car loan. So, we should make all the clauses and terms clear in advance so as to the lender doesn’t includes any hidden cost in the deal.

There is always a need to compare all the offers of used auto loan made to us as such comparison let us know the competitiveness of the deal. Comparison should not be made only on the basis of interest rate rather each and every aspect of the loan must be considered that is its terms and conditions, costs, etc. And, at the end, that offer must be accepted with low annual percentage rate and annual percentage rate can be defined as the sum of interest rate and the cost of the loan.

Now if we talk about the genuineness of the loan deal that is the cheap and best deal, we can easily get it through:

• Making high down payment

• Adopt online method of applying

• Negotiating with lender in regard to the cost of the loan

• Availing loan through co-signer( if borrower is having poor credit)

• Placing collateral

• Researching

If we follow above rules while applying for used auto loan then definitely the person can easily avail cheap used auto deal.

Michael Wilson is currently working with Consumer Auto Lending.He have recently began to play a strong part in deciding the financial future of general population. He can help you find the auto loans at best interest rates. To find new auto loans, bad credit auto loans, instant auto loans, used auto loans, new auto loans visit www.consumerautolending.com

A Dealer May Be Best for Serious Problems

2008-05-10T05:54:00.000-07:00

It is well known that service departments at auto dealers almost always charge more than small garages for most repairs. That's because in order to run a service department at a dealership, the dealer must pay a fee to the auto maker. Naturally, they pass that cost along to consumers. For basic maintenance and small repairs, going to a local garage will probably save you money. However, for more complex repairs, a dealer's service department may be your best option. Here's why.

The mechanics who work in dealership service departments are highly trained in working with specific makes of cars and some may even specialize by specific model. They are typically extensively trained by the manufacturer and frequently attend refresher training courses. If your car is experiencing a problem that's common to your make of car but not common in others, a service department mechanic trained in working with your specific make and model will have an easier time catching it than a local garage, whose limited training resources must be spent on keeping up to date with many different makes and models.

Also, almost without exception, service departments offer some form of warranty on their work. Obviously, if the car is still covered by the master warranty any repeat repairs will be covered. But most auto dealer service departments warrant their work on cars that are out of warranty. The warranties are usually specific to the repair and may cover parts, labor and rental car expenses. Small garages may also offer warranties, but the advantage of a service department warranty is that it is usually good at any dealer of that make of car.

If the problem you're experiencing is the subject of a manufacturer's recall, a service department mechanic will be more likely to know about it. Service departments at car dealers typically run a check each time you bring your vehicle in for service to determine whether a recall has been issued for that make and model. Also, many car manufacturers require that recall repairs be done by a service department.

Finally, if your car needs to be in the shop for an extended period of time a service department that's located on the same site as an auto dealer can offer you more convenient access to a rental car. Many service departments have their own fleet of rentals. Or, if your car only needs to be in the shop for a day or less, many service departments have a courtesy shuttle.

Kadence Buchanan writes articles on many topics including Automotive, Outdoors, and Recreation

Auto Detailing and Labor Supply Reality Check

2008-05-10T05:47:00.000-07:00

Chances are if you run a mobile car wash, automotive detailing shop or even a mobile auto detail company you realize that having quality and skilled auto detailing technicians is one of the major keys to success. Unfortunately it is hard to find trained skilled labor in this industry, thus you will be forced to do some training on your own and be very careful who you recruit in your small business.

Most regions in the United States unemployment is low and your labor supply is tight and the left overs are generally druggies and/or folks who just do not deserve a job. Please beware of this fact. Certainly you personally as a small business owner do not appear one to condone such, so finding labor will not be easy, but perhaps you can network and get some labor that way. Ask friends and relatives if they know anyone looking for a job.

The classified ads in the newspaper are the wrong place to advertise for employment. You would be better off going to the community college and putting a flyer on the bulletin board or hang-out at an LDS stake center near the basketball courts or ask one of the youth director for some names possible kids who need a job and are athletic, good with people and have an outgoing personality with a strong work ethic. Howard Hughes might have been proud of that advice? Think on this.

Lance Winslow

Automotive Shop Billing Software

2008-05-10T05:45:00.000-07:00

You have a busy automotive shop and not enough time in the day to take care of all your accounting yourself. Sure, you have an accountant, but you don?t even have the time to put together the materials to take to him so that they can do your bookkeeping. Automotive shop billing software is a great way for you to keep your business organized and functioning properly. The more organized the business is, the easier it will be to make a profit.

To find the best automotive shop billing software, you will first need to do your research. Ask other shops which software they like. Look online to find companies that have the software you are looking for. Find product review sites and magazines to see which program has the best reputation. You can also ask questions in forums to see what other people have to say.

In general you will want your automotive billing software to be easy to use yet still get the job done. Your software will need to keep track of your customer information. It will also need to keep track of work orders and be able to print invoices. You will also need to have their auto insurance on file. This is especially handy if you repair their car after an accident.

Once you find the automotive shop billing software that seems the best, you can then begin to comparison shop. Different companies often have completely different prices on their products. You can also consider buying the software used. Used software is much cheaper. However, you run the risk of getting it damaged, and the warranty may either be expired or it won?t transfer when the ownership switches.

Automotive shop billing software can help you manage your business better. Just do your research to make sure you find the program that best meets the needs of your business. Also research to find the best prices. Once you learn and use the program, you will feel much more organized.

Billing Software provides detailed information on Billing Software, VoIP Billing Software, Chiropractic Billing Software, Free Billing Software and more. Billing Software is affiliated with HIPAA Complaint Medical Billing Software.

All U.S. Automakers Share the Same NON-Brand

2008-05-09T08:25:00.001-07:00

They Share the Same Non-Brand

Ford, Pontiac, Chevy, Chrysler, Dodge, and Mercury all share the same bland brand. Sad isn’t’ it that the U.S. automotive industry, once the envy of the world, has begun to see itself relegated to “also ran” status. The truth of the matter is that all of these automakers simply make cars and the customer who purchases them sees no difference in themselves regardless of the “brand” they buy.

This was not always the case. When my Father was young, there was a difference in these brands. A man thought of himself as a FORD man, a CHEVY guy, or a CHRYSLER man and the very idea of buying a different brand seemed like a form of emotional suicide. And it was. Not because the actual automobile was any better or different but because the buyer saw themselves as different.

No Differentiation

This was a REAL brand definition and not the convoluted brand management that rules the automakers today.
They have come to confuse product and corporate identity with brand and, as a result, have left the customer’s self-description completely out of the equation. The have come to believe that the automotive buyer is buying steel and leather (or molded plastic and vinyl as the case may be) and not a brand at all. So, the automakers plow on, selling glitz, shiny paint, and automobile glamour shots and have left the self-description of the buyer out of the formula.

Cars Get Better—Brands Don't

Here is the oddest fact of all. In a world of more and more disposable products and increasingly shoddy workmanship, cars are one of the few categories that experience tells us, has actually improved. Owning a car that lasts a 100,000 miles 20 years ago was room for celebration. Today, it’s a matter of course. Today there is a booming secondary market for cars with 80,000+ miles and the value in this market is still commanding big bucks. Twenty years ago, this “used car” was relegated to become a gift to a nephew who enjoyed “working on cars under the shade tree” rather than as a $10,000 sale.

Even more telling was the cost of maintenance. While we still need to change the oil, replace the brake pads and monitor fluids, the Precision Tunes of the world have had to find another reason d’etre. Too bad they have not re-created their brand because a tune-up is a thing of the past, about as relevant to today’s car owner as the rumble seat. Cars are simply built better, are more reliable, and need less service today than just a few short years ago. The product differentiators are just not there.

Meaningless Tag-Lines

Old trite ideas like “the quality goes in before the name goes on” or “the heartbeat of America” does not resonate anymore because they no longer identify the customer; instead, they are about the manufacturer…making a claim that is today a table stake. Is GM any more American than Ford? Is the VW that is built in the U.S. any less a part of the American heartbeat than a Dodge? Is anyone building poor quality? Hardly.

There is room for REAL brand. The kind of self-identification that once separated the FORD owner from the CHEVY owner is still viable. However, that sort of brand will require leadership from the BIG 3, and brand management that looks far beyond the current structure. To understand the problem, all one need do is ride down an American highway to notice that every car on the road today, regardless of manufacturer, looks like a Honda.

The brands have become fat and lazy and instead of real change, they place the blame of lower sales on the dealerships — the very system that the manufacturers themselves created. Choice, real choice, means that the customer should be able to choose differently and that difference must be a clear self-identification.

How Did This Happen?

Why are the Big 3 in such dire straights? Because they think they know what they are doing and therefore, they look for answers in the same places. The clues to brand are not found in the mind of myopic engineers or on the laptops of traditional automotive brand managers. The clues are to be found in the precepts of the target audience — the beliefs and yearnings of the very customer’s they need to engage. Had these manufacturers developed products and brands based on the beliefs of their customers, they would not have been left holding the bag when the heady days of the SUV passed away. They would have led the revolution rather than reacted to it.

“If you always do what you have always done you will always end up where you have always been” — so says John Wooden, and never was it more true than in the automotive industry today. As long as you have the deep pockets to produce and air generic looking ads selling generic looking speeding cars on generic winding mountain roads — everyday of the year, there is no need to create and manage a compelling and powerful brand.

Brand Strategy

Effective branding can be found in the difference between awareness and important recall. Awareness is the ability to name the brand when asked and important recall is the non-cognitive ability to hold the brand in a place of importance even when you are not in the shopping mode.

The former requires unlimited ad spending and constant repetition because you must have your message in front of the customer when they are in the market to buy. Why? Because the rest of the time the message is seen as unimportant and is filtered out as “so much noise.” When the customer is not shopping it is seen as irrelevant. Important recall happens when the brand is so intrinsic to the customer’s self–description that they maintain an active “hook” in their mind, a hook that compels them to retain the information as important.

What is the latest CHEVY model (they think as models as brands)? Hard to say. Ask a Macintosh owner to tell you the latest computer model — they know what it is because they covet it. Not because they need it, but because the brand speaks to them and reminds them just WHO they are.

Tom Dougherty
CEO, Senior Strategist at Stealing Share, Inc. (http://www.stealingshare.com) Tom began his strategic
marketing and branding career in Saudi Arabia working for the internationally
acclaimed Saatchi & Saatchi. His brand manager at the time referred to Tom
as a “marketing genius,” and Tom demonstrated his talents to clients such as
Ariel detergent, Pampers and many other brands throughout the Middle East
and Northern Africa. After his time overseas, Tom returned to the US where
he worked for brand agencies in New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC.
He continued to prove himself as a unique and strategic brand builder for
global companies. Tom has led efforts for brands such as Procter & Gamble,
Kimberly Clark, Fairmont Hotels, Coldwell Banker, Homewood Suites (of
Hilton), Tetley Tea, Lexus, Sovereign Bank, and McCormick to name a few. Contact Tom at tomd@stealingshare.com.

5 Steps To Buying A Car For Less Online

2008-05-09T08:24:00.001-07:00

The old days of traveling from dealer to dealer and walking through each car lot to find out what models were available and what they cost are increasingly becoming a faded memory, The internet has radically changed the process of locating and buying a car and the advantage is definitely in favor of savvy consumers. If you really want to save money and get the car that fits you best, here are the 5 steps to take to buy a car for less online:

1. Do all of your research online before you even begin to think about actually shopping for a car. Every year the car manufacturers change up their model offerings and you need to be up-to-date with the latest changes so you can make an informed and smart decision about the vehicle you will be buying. Get thoroughly familiar with the models that are available and then decide what kind of car will suit your needs best. There are plenty of models to choose from, but there is no one model that fits everyone, so ask yourself if you need an auto or manual transmission, how much cargo space do you need, is four-wheel drive necessary where you live, and other related questions that help establish what you need and not just what you want.

2. Have a clear idea of how much car you can afford to buy. If you are one of the fortunate few who can afford to pay cash for the vehicle, establish your ceiling price for the vehicle you intend to buy. If you plan on financing as most do, set the acceptable monthly payment range that you can afford. Once you have these figures in mind, make sure that you don't spend in excess of them. This will help you avoid a lot of buyers remorse over letting your emotion rule all of your car buying decisions.

3. Arrange your financing in advance on your own. You will almost always make out much better on a car loan if you deal with a finance company directly and cut out the middleman. The car dealer will of course offer easy loan arrangements but you will usually pay much more for this convenience. The internet has made loan shopping easy and fast, so why not do it yourself and save money?

4. Make a search online for the car model that you want and find out where they are located. When you see that a dealer has the model you want start the negotiation process online. Most savvy car dealers have internet salespeople that are specifically trained to work with the internet shopper and so you can usually get to the rock bottom price that you want much faster by communicating with the dealer internet department directly.

5. Once you have agreed on a fair price with the dealer, make an appointment for a test drive and make sure that you are comfortable not only with the deal that was made but also the condition of the vehicle and the way you are treated at that dealership. If all is to your satisfaction, complete the sale.

By following this simple procedure you can actually save thousands because you become an educated consumer that knows what they want and is not ruled by buying emotions. You also avoid costly middlemen in the buying process and stay in control as you complete the sale. All of this will help you buy a car for much less online.

Jim Johnson writes on many consumer related topics including autos. You can find out more about how to buy used car online and new car buying tips by visiting our Auto Review website.

Chinese Cars Arrival Delayed!

2008-05-09T08:23:00.000-07:00

Over the past year, much has been written about various Chinese automakers and the pending introduction of their vehicles to the U.S. market. Manufacturers such as Chery and Geely have been mentioned most frequently with a few smaller automakers also receiving some press. Originally, it appeared that both manufacturers would import their vehicles some time around the summer of 2007, but that now appears unlikely as several current models have already failed preliminary U.S. safety tests. Regardless, before 2009 hits, at least two Chinese manufacturers will likely be importing cars to the U.S. and at prices starting as low as $8500!

Yes, all that talk of $6600 cars from China have evaporated. Many auto enthusiasts, including yours truly, had been passing around information about cheaply priced, cheaply built cars coming from China that would retail below $7000, some $3000 cheaper than any model now sold in the U.S. Dire predictions of just what this would do to the auto industry were raised. Now it turns out that those predictions were woefully incorrect.

What went wrong?

Well, nothing…and everything. The price mentioned was correct until U.S. automotive safety specialists got a hold of two or three models and put them through the ropes. Each and every model flunked safety tests and I’m not just talking about bumper failure: on at least one model the damage was so extensive that it was determined that the particular model as it is built now would never be approved for the U.S. market. Instead, an updated model incorporating the latest safety standards was suggested.

Despite the setback, the Chinese automakers are planning a U.S. roll out within the next few years pending:

Approval from the Communist Central Planning Committee – Lest anyone forget, the Chinese government is totalitarian and only upper government officials can approve the export of any vehicles to foreign markets. China is finding a great internal demand for their vehicles and if there is no excess capacity to export, the cars won’t be coming until that capacity has been met. Look for new factories to be built for Geely Automotive Company, Chery Automobiles, Ltd., and Diphthong Motors, the current group of leading Chinese automotive manufacturers.

Development of a U.S. Dealer Network – Geely is far into the process of having a dealer network in place thanks to Malcolm Bricklin who created Subaru’s network in 1968. Yes, Bricklin was behind the car that bore his name during the 1970s as well as the ugly Yugo of the 1980s. Older, yet wiser, Bricklin is carefully amassing a dealer network that will be in place in all fifty states and parts of Canada by 2008, just months before the first of five Geely models arrive.

Passage of Stringent Government Safety Tests – While the current models flunked, that doesn’t mean they won’t be sold in the U.S. Remember the $6600 price tag? Well, it’ll take between $1500 to $2000 per vehicle to ensure that each one passes the current U.S. safety and emissions requirements, thus the higher price tag. Any model that flunks will never be imported; instead, look for one or two acceptable models to enter first followed by updated versions of other models within the following two or three years.

At prices starting at $8500, the Chinese cars pose less of a threat to the market than cars that would have been priced below $7000. Still, the thought of buying fairly well equipped cars for less than $10,000 has many intrigued, something that the importers of the Chinese brands hope isn’t lost on you.

Copyright 2006 – Matt Keegan is a full time freelance writer covering car topics and business issues. Get the most out of your current ride and only buy genuine automotive parts and accessories from quality retailers like the Discount Auto Parts superstore.

Finding the Right Mazda Dealer

2008-05-08T07:49:00.000-07:00

How do I find a Mazda dealer that is reliable and located in my area? We all have our preferences, and mine is Mazda vehicles. So for my next car, I want to visit the best Mazda dealer I can to get what I need. However, I need to figure out what the best way to locate one is. Turns out, there are several things you can do to find a Mazda dealer in your area without just driving around aimlessly.

The first place to start a search is in the yellow pages. If you go to your local yellow pages and open it up to automobiles you will likely find it is a huge section. Generally the dealers are listed in the section based on alphabetical listings by dealership. Mazda dealers will be in the “M” section. If you live in a larger metro area, there will likely be several Mazda dealers, so write down phone numbers and contact information. You can also go to your local yellow pages online and type in a search f “Mazda dealer.”

Another way to find a Mazda dealer in your area is to check out the Mazda website. Most car manufacturers list affiliate dealers on their site along with contact information. The good thing about this method is that you can probably browse some of the vehicles on line before heading out to the Mazda dealer. When you have an idea what you are looking for, shopping for almost anything becomes easier.

You can also find a Mazda dealer through word of mouth. As people you know who have a Mazda where they got it. Also, ask them about their experience so that you will know if it a dealer that you would enjoy dealing with.

Finding out which Mazda dealers are reputable and easy to work with is also important. As people you know have worked with them for their opinion of the service, experience, and people who work at that Mazda dealer. The other way to check out the reputation of the dealership is to check out consumer websites online. There are consumer sites that will review the actual Mazda cars, Mazda dealers, or sometimes even specific managers. Do your research to make sure that your Mazda dealership experience will be one you enjoy, not one you look back on with spite.

Once you have found the Mazda dealers in your area, and once you have checked out their reputations online and with friends and acquaintances, you are ready to make a decision. Choose your Mazda dealer for what you find important and with what seems like will work best for you. If you do that, you should end up happy with your results.

Most everyone has their own car preferences in terms of manufacturer. If Mazda is your favorite, there are some steps you should take to make sure you find the right Mazda dealer for you. First off, take some time to find out who is in your area with the yellow pages either print or online. From there, ask around about the Mazda dealers you are considering. Do they have a good reputation? Then, simply make a decision that you feel like makes the best sense for you.

If you would like to find more of my personal articles on car dealers please check out my automotive website!

Honda Element 2005 The Weekly Driver

2008-05-08T07:48:00.000-07:00

Three years into its legacy, the Honda Element is still getting its share of
unusual stares and snide comments. It's been called a toaster, a
pumpkin and a box on wheels. And then there are those who don't like
the vehicle.

But for those who've taken a closer look, the Element has distinguished
itself. It's another in the ever-expanding series of innovative vehicles
from Honda, and there may not be a better combination of value and
versatility on the road today.

Introduced in 2003, the Element was primarily expected to appeal to
younger buyers seeking the cargo space of a pick-up truck but in an
enclosed space. The vehicle has done well in that demographic, but its
popularity has spread across diverse user groups.

As soccer moms to competitive cyclists and garage sale junkies to
sportsmen have discovered, the Element is an ideal utilitarian vehicle
with a wide range of style and equipment options at an appealing price
point. Its 2005 least inexpensive base model is $16,100, and its highest-
priced offering with every available option is $21,350.

Described by one consumer guide as a "motorized gear tote for active
lifestyle types," the Element is based on Honda's CR-V utility wagon. But
it has plenty of its own style, not the least of which is its center-opening
side doors. The back side doors won't open independently without first
opening the front side doors. And when both doors are fully open, the
interior space between the front and rear seat is cavernous. Add the
myriad storage compartments throughout the vehicle, and the Element
is easily defined. It's a "pack-rat's" dream.

The Element's various nicknames as a "box" derive from its tall stature.
Combined with efficient front and back seat positions and its unique
door configurations, the vehicle offers an incredible amount of interior
space. The area behind the split rear bench seat is 25 cubic feet. And
plenty of other manufacturer claims seem realistic — like room for a 10-
foot surfboard or the capacity for two six-foot occupants to sleep
comfortably with the rear hatch closed.

Spaciousness aside, the Element offers a unique drive. My weekly test
vehicle was the All-Wheel Drive, automatic EX-model, the highest-
priced of 16 available Element configurations.

For 2005, it includes antilock, four-wheel disc brakes, cruise control,
power mirrors, remote keyless entry, map lights, visor mirrors, alloy
wheels, manual rear sunroof, all-wheel drive, standard front side
airbags and an impressive audio and electronic system. An MP3 media
jack is also included and, for the first time, there's XM satellite radio.

Considering its body type, the Element has a mixed bag of performance
characteristics. Its turning radius, for example, is remarkably short and
the vehicle fits comfortably in compact-only parking spaces. Its steering
and handling are adequate and its acceleration (the Element has a 2.4-
liter, 160-horsepower, 16-valve engine) is better than the rather low
grades it received from various consumer publications.

But the Element is far from quiet, particularly on the freeway, and rear
passengers are in for a bumpy ride even when the vehicle encounters
only slight bumps in the road.

The Element also has water-resistant upholstery and rubberlike floor
coverings. One urban legend has owners hosing out the interior. I
haven't tried that test, nor have I witnessed anyone else's self-service
interior Element car wash.

But even without such experiments, the Element still gets plenty of
attention. Passersby are curious and owners' glowing testimonials have
overtly nullified detractors' opinions.

2005 Honda Element

Safety features — Driver and front passenger dual-stage front
and side airbags; Antilock brakes

Fuel Mileage (estimates) — 21 (city), 24 (highway).

Warranty — Bumper to bumper, 3 years/36,000 miles;
Powertrain, 3 years/36,000 miles; Corrosion, 5 years/unlimited miles.

Base price — $16,100.

James Raia is a journalist, author and publisher in Sacramento, Calif.
Read more of his car reviews, various of sports, fitness and human-
interest articles and subscribe to his free newsletter on his web site:
http://www.ByJamesRaia.com

Chrysler 300C 2006 The Weekly Driver.txt

2008-05-08T07:47:00.000-07:00

Among the most discussed and highly praised new vehicles on the
road, the Chrysler 300 offers sedan fanciers sophistication, power and a
lot of luxury -- all packaged about as nicely as feasible. It's as if the
heavy-duty tankers of yesteryear have been given a modern-day
makeover.

Gone is the sluggish, gas-guzzling reputation of cruiser sedans. Instead,
the new Chrysler has gone upscale and elegant as if the terms sleek
and sturdy and dutiful and cruising family sedan are no longer mutually
exclusive.

My test drive for the week was the 300C. It featured a 340-hp, 5.7-liter
Hemi V8 with a five-speed, automatic transmission. The combination is
frighteningly powerful, which I embarrassingly discovered on a few
occasions.

At one intersection after a city traffic, low-speed errand run, I stopped at
a stoplight. When the light changed, I barely touched the accelerator
and off I jettisoned, tires screeching.

On other occasion, I equally quickly bolted through heavy traffic on the
freeway. Chrysler claims the vehicle has the 9.0-second results in the
standard 0-60 test, and there's little to question the claim.

The Chrysler 300 is available in four options with my 300C model,
second only to the SRT8 in standard and optional features, size and
performance pedigree. With its 20-inch wheels and 6.1-liter engine, for
example, the SRT8 boasts of a 0-60 mph in 5.0 seconds.

The point: The Chrysler 300 -- whether the base, AWD Touring, 300C or
the flagship SRT8 model -- will get you to where you want to go, and it
will do so with a quick bolt of speed and then quietly cruise down the
freeway at ease.

The Chrysler 300C will also get you where want in extreme comfort. The
front and back seats are spacious, and the leather-trimmed seats are
handsomely coordinated with the silver-colored instrumentation and
wood grain panel trim and console. In my instance, the presentation was
further enhanced by a distinguished-looking Satin Jade Pearl (think
charcoal gray) exterior and interior.

At night, the simply designed, stylish instrument control faces are backlit
an attractive light green. Additionally, the dual-material steering wheel --
it's light tortoise shell with a leather-covered bottom half -- all add up to
give the driver and passengers a serene, luxurious experience.

The ride quality further complements the high praise, including a Best
Buy recommendation from Consumer Guide. My vehicle did have
increased wind rush at higher speeds. But it's a small issue, particularly
considering the vast standard and optional features.

Among the standard features: Halogen projector headlamps, fog lamps,
heated front seats, tilted power steering wheel with radio controls, tire
pressure monitoring system and rain-sensitive windshield wipers.

More than a dozen option packages are available, with my test drive
featuring the Sound Group II ($635). It included AM/FM radio with
cassette with a six-CD changer, 368-watt amplifier and seven Boston
Acoustics speakers. The high-intensity headlamps and headlamp
washer added another $695, a rear-seat video system (untested)
contributed another $695 and SIRIUS satellite radio with one-year of
service added another $195. With a destination charge of $675, the
300C's total price is just under $37,000.

That amount puts the Chrysler 300 into the mix with a good cross
selection of vehicles. For its combination of power, comfort and style, it
would be hard to argue against it as a top choice.

2006 Chrysler 300: The Weekly Driver

Safety features -- Dual front airbags (other airbags available)

Fuel Mileage (estimates)-- 17 mpg (city), 25 mpg (highway).

Warranty -- Bumper to bumper, 3 years/36,000 miles;
Powertrain, 7 years/70,000 miles; Corrosion, 5 years/100,000 miles;
Roadside assistance, 3 years/36,000 miles.

Base price -- $33,325.

James Raia is a freelance writer, author and publisher in Sacramento,
Calif. To read more examples of his car review column, The Weekly
Driver, visit his web site, http://www.ByJamesRaia.com

Seven Things You Can Do To Prolong The Life Of Your Car

2008-05-07T07:48:00.001-07:00

Keep on top of oil changes: Have the oil in your car changed every 3,000 miles. This is the single most important part of routine maintenance for your car. Find a dependable mechanic who can give your car a checkup when it is in for the oil change. The checkup should include taking a look at the overall condition of your engine, checking belts, hoses and fluid levels of your transmission and brakes, and checking your air cleaner and the condition of your tires.

Learn to listen to your car: If you hear an unusual noise, notice a change in it's performance or handling take it to your mechanic.

Keep a copy of your car's service record with you: Keep a log of oil changes and maintenance, along with your service receipts, in the glove compartment in case your mechanic needs to see what maintenance has been done.

Try to stay with one mechanic: Knowing your car's history can go a long way towards helping to diagnose and fix a problem.

Be prepared to describe the problem to the mechanic: If you do have a problem with the car, take note of when the problem occurs - whether the car is cold, or after it warms up? Does it happen when you're at an idle or when you are accelerating?

Warm up your car on cold mornings: The oil will not lubricate the engine properly if it is too cold.

Accelerate gently: Zero-to-sixty in nothing flat will put undo strain on the engine, especially on smaller cars.

For more information and automotive-service discount cards, please visit

www.carolinapromos.com.

Honda Civic (Hybrid), 2006 The Weekly Driver

2008-05-07T07:47:00.000-07:00

Now in its fifth year, the Honda Civic Hybrid is no longer a curiosity. With its redesign for 2006, the hybrid has joined its gas version sibling to further improve the already hard-to-beat and now 33-year-old Civic line.

The gas Civic was named this year's Car of the Year by several national publications. But it would be hard to argue against the inclusion of the hybrid edition or even a reverse designation.

Why not give the Civic hybrid Car of the Year honors and also give the gas version accolades -- just for good measure?

Half-joking aside, my weekly test vehicle was the hybrid four-door sedan with navigation system, the higher-priced of two available models.

The upgrades for '06 -- a new chrome front grille, angular front headlamps, a slanted near-panoramic front window and expanded body width and length -- do wonders. The Civic no longer looks staid; Instead, it's a sporty, full-sized sedan that comfortably seats five passengers.

The hybrid is equipped with a 110-horsepower, 1.3-liter engine that features two relatively new engine features and automotive acronyms, IMA (Integrated Motor Assist) and CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission). A five-speed manual transmission was previously available, but now the hybrid is only offered with an automatic transmission.

The IMA feature allows a vehicle to operate solely on electric power in certain situations. The CVT feature replaces conventional gears with a belt-and-pully system that continuously and automatically adjusts to provide a more efficient and nearly unlimited number of drive ratios.

As such, like previous hybrid editions, the '06 offering is efficient and refreshingly quiet, regardless of its engine mode.

Some critics have categorized the hybrid Civic as underpowered, and its acceleration is slower than any of the 18 available gas Civic models. But that doesn't make the hybrid slow.

On the contrary, in several situations, mostly notably while merging during tight traffic, I accelerated ahead of other vehicles with ease.

The new slope-angled front windshield and small triangle-shaped front side windows are a fine addition. The combined design provides better viewing and gives the Civic a more spacious feel.

The futuristic-looking, upper portion of the split-level instrumentation panel provides a unique visual. The digital speedometer, gas and temperature cluster panel is narrow, horizontal and contoured for the driver's vision just over the curved top of the steering wheel. It's a unique look, and it works.

The entire Honda line is known for its long list of standard features, and the Civic doesn't stray from the manufacturer's reputation. The standard fare includes: 160-watt AM/FM/CD audio system with six speakers, steering wheel audio controls, power windows and locks, front map lights, cruise control, exterior temperature gauge and a navigation system with voice recognition.

The Civic hybrid also has automatic climate control and mirror-mounted turn signals features not available in other Civic models.

The only potential issue with the Civic hybrid is its lack of folding rear seats. The vehicle's sizable battery is located behind the rear seats, so they can't be folded.

Non-folding rear seats are rare in four-door sedans but the consolation is small considering the hybrid's vast attributes -- economy to design, functionality to comfort.

The Weekly Driver: 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid

Safety features – Dual front, side and side curtain airbags.

Fuel Mileage (estimates) – 49 mpg (city), 51 mpg (highway).

Warranty – Bumper to bumper, 3 years/36,000 miles; Powertrain, 10 years/100,000 miles, Corrosion, 5 years/unlimited miles.

Base price – $23,350.

Extended Car Warranty

2008-05-07T07:46:00.000-07:00

An extended car warranty is an agreement that is made between you and a car company. In most cases, people will purchase car warranties to protect themselves in the event that their car breaks down due to mechanical problems. The costs involved with repairing automobiles are high, and the prices have continued to increase in recent years. However, it should be noted that a car warranty must never be confused with car insurance. They are completely separate entities. A car warranty is a type of service agreement. The amount of coverage will vary based on the customer.

If you purchase an extended car warranty, this does not mean that it will replace the standard warranty. However, it will give you a certain level of coverage. While the primary purpose of getting an extended warranty is to lower the cost of vehicle repairs, there are a number of additional features that may be added to the agreement. Before you sign the agreement, it is important for you to read and understand it. You should never sign an agreement with a company you're not comfortable. Each brand new car that is sold on the market today will come with a special warranty system. The terms and limits of the warranty are different based on the company that manufactures the vehicle.

If you don't have the warranty information which is related to the vehicle you purchased, the information should be available in the owner's manual that came with the car. If you don't have the owner's manual, you will need to contact the car company to get the warranty information. It is essential for customers to understand the terms of the warranty that is related to their vehicle. If you don't know the terms of the warranty, it may expire at a time when you need it to be in force. When many people hear about extended car warranties, they often wonder if they are paying for dual coverage.

The assumption is often made that it is not necessary to purchase an extended car warranty while they are still using the guarantee of the car company. However, this assumption is not valid. You should purchase an extended car warranty while you are still using the guarantee of the car company. If you do this, you will get a better rate, because your vehicle will have a higher level of coverage. If you wait, this can make it harder for you to get an extended car warranty. In most cases, the coverage can only be extended up to 100,000 miles. There is not standard coverage that is used by all the car companies on the market. The plan you get will vary from one company to the next.

When you are setting up an extended car warranty, you should ask questions about things you don't understand. Remember, this is an agreement that is being made between you and the manufacturer. One term that you may hear is called "bumper to bumper." This is another name for full protection, and it is the highest form of coverage you can get for your vehicle. With this protection, you should be given a list of all the car parts that will be covered.

Michael Colucci is a writer on Car Warranty which is part of the Knowledge Search network

Absorption of Bird Droppings in Automotive Clearcoats

2008-05-06T04:13:00.001-07:00

One of the worst things for the clear coat on your automobile is bird-droppings. Just ask any auto detailer, car washer or automotive refinisher at any body shop and they will tell you all about it.

Bird-droppings need to be cleaned off a car quickly as they can be just as damaging as egg or even brake fluids or battery acid. If you park your car under a tree and there are birds in that tree it makes sense to have a healthy multi-coat wax job on your car to protect it. I recommend waxing your car at least once per month after you have strong base coat consisting of four or five coats already on it. This will insure that the bird droppings can be wiped right off without soaking thru the clear coat.

Sometimes when I look at these bird-droppings and study them; don’t laugh I have spend 27 years in the car washing, aircraft detailing and truck cleaning business; I wonder what on Earth these birds are eating. No wonder they are getting bird flu, as their droppings are so corrosive it is not even funny.

Since it takes a couple of days for most bird droppings to etch the paint of a clear coat it is important to get it off as soon as possible. Other wise those chemicals of the bird droppings will slowly eat into the clear coat and combine with it and once they do it is simply too late as the damage is done permanently. Consider all this in 2006.

Lance Winslow - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

5 Tips on Making Your Car More Fuel Efficient

2008-05-06T04:12:00.000-07:00

With gas prices sky high most individuals who drive are interested in ways they can make their car more fuel efficient and save as much money as possible. While there are no fuel saving tips that will keep your car full of gas without filling up, there are some tips that really can help you save money on fuel over the long run. All of these tips focus on making your car more fuel efficient.

Fuel Efficiency Tip #1 Drive When You Crank Up

This might seem obvious, but as soon as you crank up your car you should drive off. However, many people crank up and leave the car idling for a while. Instead of this, when you crank up drive off and only keep your car running when it is absolutely necessary.

Fuel Efficiency Tip #2 Don’t Ride the Break

Many drivers hit the break more often than is necessary. Additionally there are quite a few drivers that slow down for a braking car when they could easily switch lanes. Not riding the break can increase your fuel efficiency by up to 30%, so this is a great tip you should follow.

Fuel Efficiency Tip #3 Turn Off Your Car

If you are going to be stopping for more than 10 minutes you should switch off your car to keep fuel efficiency at its peak and not burn more gas than is necessary.

Fuel Efficiency Tip #4 Don’t Turn Off Your Car
If you are only stopping for a brief moment or less than 5 minutes then don’t turn off your car because the amount of gas used to crank up is more than you would burn in that short period of time.

Fuel Efficiency Tip #5 Inflate Tires Properly

Too many drivers never think of their tires, unless one goes flat. However, having tires that are properly inflated can save fuel and make your car more fuel efficient, saving you money. Because of this, you should check your tire pressure on a regular basis.

While gas prices don’t seem like they will be dipping considerably in the next few months every tip to help you make your car more fuel efficient is helpful. So, follow the above fuel tips and you will see that over time your car really is more fuel efficient.

SearchArticles.net features over ten thousand articles on a variety of subjects including cars and trucks. For more tips for your car, visit http://www.searcharticles.net/auto-trucks.cfm

Electric Car - Bright business in the global warming-high price oil era

2008-05-05T18:04:00.001-07:00

"Tomorrow the price of gasoline will be 0.20 cents more" This wording threatens motorists from time to time.
The rising price of gasoline and consumer goods force people to adopt the self-sufficiency way of life to survive.

Oil price is not rising only in USA but also countries around the world.
The vigorous search for alternative energy to replace oil is obvious everywhere.
Hence, the development of electric car is closely watch as it can reduces the oil consumption and contributes to the cleaner air.

Not only big companies are developing the electric car, small companies also planned to introduce many electric cars this year.
One of them is designed by Steve Fambro, a young American engineer who never thought of producing electric car until
he had to drive 58 kilometers to work everyday in the hectic condition.

He changed the vehicle to motorcycle and hybrid car to save the time and fuel. Finally, he decided to build his own car to
offer the new way to travel safety. more economically and environmental friendly.

Fambro's first electric car is Aptera, in Greece means wingless.Aptera is the three-wheeled, two-passenger car with
two choices - hybrid and all-electric. Its top speed is 150 kilometer per hour. The hybrid type can run up to 480kilometers on one
gallon or about four liters of oil. The all-electric type can run up to 160 kilometers per one 3-6-hour charge.

Other company that has been working on electric car is Tesla Motors based on San Carlos, California. The company planned to launch
the Tesla at the price of US$98,000 early this year.

Mr. Lan Wright, an entrepreneur, also in California works on another model the WrightspeedXI, a sport electric car with the acceleration
rate of 0-60 miles in three seconds. It is the electric car with high acceleration rate second to only the French Bugatti Veyron car.

In regarding to the truck, Phoenix Motorcars based in Ontario is sending the Phoenix, the electric pickup truck, into the market
early this year to test the market.

About the Author :
MisterAuto is an editor at http://automotivetoday.blogspot.com/

Automotive Financing - Benefits To Applying Online

2008-05-05T07:30:00.002-07:00

You can do everything else online, why not acquire an auto loan as well? Some people are hesitant to use the internet for financial transactions or decisions. They don't realize that online auto loans actually have significant advantages to standard auto loans. There are several benefits of applying online for an auto loan.

Lower interest rate

There are several places where one can get a loan. You can get a car loan from the dealership, bank/credit union, home equity, and online. The online resource typically will have the lowest interest rates of all methods. There are even sites in which auto lenders will compete for your business. This creates much lower interest rates than you could ever imagine at a bank or dealership.

No Additional Fees

Another advantage of an online automotive loan application is the absence of extra fees. You do not have to pay an application fee to apply online. You also will not fine any hidden finance fees for new vehicles when applying online. Not only is it cost effective for you to get an auto loan online, but it is cost effective for the lender as well.

Payment calculator

Using the internet provides a significant advantage of loan awareness. Many online lenders have car loan payment calculators right on their sites. This encourages borrowers to be educated on what an interest rate means to their payment, or how a loan duration can affect the total amount paid, etc. Loan payment calculators allow you as the borrower to know how much you can afford to borrow before even applying.

Convenience

Convenience is possibly the biggest benefit of applying online for an automobile loan. You can sit in the comfort of your own home while you compare and apply for various loans. The approvals are also very quick. During business hours, online auto loans can be approved within an hour of application.

The online marketplace has become the place to shop for auto loans. Various benefits including low interest rates, no additional fees, payment calculators, and convenience, have people flocking to these online.

To view our recommended vehicle loan companies, visit this page:
Recommended Vehicle
Finance Companies Online.

Carrie Reeder is the owner of ABC Loan
Guide, an informational website about various types of loans.

Developing Web Presence for Regional Auto Detailing Companies

2008-05-05T07:30:00.001-07:00

Successful auto detail shops and regional mobile car detailing companies know that they must have a strong web presence to maintain credibility with their customer base. There are many relatively inexpensive things an Automotive Detailing Firm can do to insure that their websites are interactive, informative and user friendly. Additionally it makes sense for these companies to sell things on their websites to enhance sales.

For instance it makes sense to put together a simple online catalog to sell products and an order system to schedule detailing. This is fairly simple to do. They also should be selling do it yourself car cleaning kits, clubs, and after market auto accessories. This should be complimented by print catalogs to mail or give to customers during Christmas season.

For regional operations the sales and orders through a catalog or online program coming from a particular shop or territory, by zip code should be credited to the most local store to insure fairness and judge total sales. If the company is a franchise system then the sales should be credited against that particular franchise outlet and their royalties should be reduced a rate of 10% of the purchases.

In the case of a mobile operation all the route unit for that territory should have to do is drop off the catalogs where they clean and detail cars at homes and office buildings. Every time someone in their territory orders their royalties will be reduced, until they are zero and then carry on to next month.

Additionally to help such a system really work well the program should include a partner program for other complimentary type businesses. We developed such a program call the “Team Blue Concept” which mirrored our Automotive Club Group called “Team Yellow” which was a referral network of local automotive shops for tires, brakes, oil changes and stereo installations. By involving other companies the firms can unite for complete and utter regional dominance thru referrals and a strong bond with the online pay website. A percentage can be taken of all products sold to pay for the effort and the competition of each firm is devastated, slammed into the carpet hard.

By properly using the Internet and a strong web presence you can increase sales, develop a network of complimentary regional industry companies to help you destroy your competition and dominate the market place. Every one wins and the customers will love it. Meanwhile the competition will hate you even more as the forced into submission. Think on this in 2006.

Lance Winslow

Why Ford Motor Company Is Losing Market Share Fast To Hyundai

2008-05-05T07:28:00.000-07:00

Hyundai is fast taking over the American automotive landscape. They originally targeted GM and Ford, but now have Honda, Toyota and even luxury automotive names like Lexus and Acura in their sites. Ford has tried to keep up by purchasing Jaguar and reinventing the classic GT40, but it cannot keep up as these are small profit areas and Fords bread and butter was its Taurus in the 80s and early 90s. It lost this market share to Honda and Toyota in the 90s. Ford is trying to reinvent itself and find a new profitable niche, but it appears that the time for its demise is soon approaching.

Ford Motor Co. announced just this last week that it was going to cut another 30,000 or so workers, shut down several plants and cut production by over 20 percent. That is not a good sign. They even announced that they will be giving some dealers the boot. That is an even worse indicator. A cardinal rule of business according to the Harvard Business Review is that you never cut your sales force except to replace them with a more effective sales force. Else all you will do is reduce your sales. While Ford is closing down and circling its wagons, Hyundai is opening more dealers and rewarding and paying its sales staff better than ever.

If you have a good sales staff or organization and you reward them properly they can sell anything to anybody. Look, when Hyundai started selling in America, people were leary, there were new upstarts Kia and Daewoo was going down the drain. People did not trust or even want to consider Hyundai. Even with great incentives and a longer warranty they were not selling well. Then Hyundai revamped things and focused solely on its sales. According to Hyundai Motor America (HMA) President and CEO, Ok Suk (Owen) Koh:

We knew that our sales would make us or break us so we made that our number one issue. We took every thing positive that was being done in the entire industry and brought it all together at Hyundai. From innovation and new technology like Toyota to owner loyalty like Lexus. We knew that if we did this and kept sales as our top priority that we would come out on top.

Basically, Hyundai is gunning for top sales in America and worldwide and companies that cannot keep up, like Ford, are destined to fall unless they take drastic steps or measures.

Instead of cutting its production and, more importantly, its sales staff and dealerships, Ford should focus on fixing the problem. By cutting back you will only make it worse. What Ford needs to do is rekindle itself with the younger generation. It has tried and failed miserably. Expensive ads on American Idol didn’t work, reinventing the mustang has not yielded the results that were expected. It is time to get help. What Ford needs is a new leader. One that could easily revamp their product line and reputation and bring them back from the brink. Lee Iacocca, was the wonder boy of Chrysler. He brought them out of the same identical financial hole. Bill Ford is not and will not ever be capable of this. This is true in most mega rich and entrepreneurial families, the kids will never attain 1 millionth of the accomplishments of their fathers. They don’t have the ability or the drive. It isn’t in them. It isn’t something you are born with, its something you learn through experience. What Ford desperately needs is Steve Jobs.

Steve Jobs has become one of the greatest success stories of all time. In the 70s and 80s he created Apple Computer and dominated the personal computer market. In the 90s he came back and brought Apple back from the brink and then he created and dominated the personal music player industry with the iPod. He also created Pixar animation studios and has dominated that area. Steve Jobs has the uncanny ability to take companies in entirely different fields and make them super successful. Ford and the automotive industry would be a cake walk for him. So, Ford, here is a bonafide guaranteed solution to your problems. Get rid of Mr. Ford and do whatever it takes to get Steve Jobs on board. You will then be able to open plants, increase the number of dealers, and increase jobs. Someone should email this article to Ford before it is too late.

David Maillie specializes in automotive research and safety products. He holds numerous patents and awards for his patented headlight cleaner and restorer. For more great similar research, tips, safety and money saving products for your auto please visit: http://www.mdwholesale.com

Drive a Race Car For One Day

2008-05-04T04:14:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wanted to drive a real race car around a world famous racetrack? Have you ever wanted to experience the speed, the power, the rush? Well, all of this are now possible right next to you! How? Simple: racing courses and racing schools

What are these schools and courses offering?

First, of course Introduction to racing. Your adventure will begin with a short classroom and SkidCar session where you will learn the proper high performance driving techniques required to drive a race car. You will then be supplied with a racing suit, helmet, and gloves. After a brief orientation of the Spec Racer Ford, you will be strapped into your race car for the most exhilarating drive of your life!

When you will go forward to Techniques of racing. You know that the best way to learn racing is to spend lots of time behind the wheel. That’s why these schools maximize your track time during this day program. An ideal way to begin a career in racing or to just spend three days experiencing the thrill of driving a racecar. The Techniques of Racing Course teaches you the skills and gives you the opportunity to improve your speed and performance.

And if you really want to be an expert on racing cars you can get to Advanced Racing. This three-day program adds advanced driving and racing techniques to your basic skills and prepares you to enter your first race. Participation in the course is subject to verification of previous racing experience or graduation from Techniques of Racing Course.

What cars can you drive?

On Jim Russell’s Racing School you can drive:

* Formula Mitsubishi - for Test Drive and Techniques of Racing Course. The car specifics are: Dry Weight 1095 Lbs, Wheelbase 95.5", Bhp 125 @ 5500 rpm,Torque 119 ft. lbs. @ 5500,Height 42.5", engine: 2.0L DOHC 16 Valve Four Cylinder with alloy head and balance shaft and gearbox with 4 speed manual straight cut gears with dog rings

* Formula Russell - for Advanced Racing Courses and Racing Series. Car specifications are: Dry Weight 1150 Lbs, Wheelbase 94.6", Bhp 150 6250 rpm, Torque 148 ft. lbs. @ 5500,Height 42.5; engine: Twin Rotor Rotary Engine with dual ignition and full dry sump lubrication and gearbox with: 5 speed manual straight cut gears with dog rings.

On Bondurant, school for high performance driving you can choose from:

* Chevrolet Corvette C5. Car’s specifications:350-hp 5.7 Liter aluminumV8,375 ft lbs of torque at 4200 rpm,0-60 mph: 4.6 seconds, Lateral Acceleration: .93g, 6 speed Manual Transmission, 17x x 8.5x front, 18x x 9.5x rear aluminum wheels, Magnetic Selective Ride Control with Real Time Damping, Tour and Sport Settings, Active Handling System works with ABS, Traction Control, yaw rate sensor, and lateral accelerometer to assist the driver in maintaining control. Speed-sensitive, power-assisted, magnetic variable effort.

* Cadillac CTS. Car’s specifications: 3.2 liter V6, 24 valve, 220 hp at 6000 rpm, 220 ft-lbs or torque at 3400 rpm, 5 speed manual transmission (automatic are optional), 0-60 mph in 6.9 seconds, Stabilitrak stability enhancement system, Traction Control System in conjunction with ABS, Weight: 3509 lbs, High-intensity discharge (HID) headlamps for excellent light penetration.

* Formula Bondurant. Car’s specifications: 110 HP, 1.6 L Ford Cortina,Custom Jet Hot coated header, Nology ignition system, Crossle 35’s and 50’s, Halon fire suppression system, 1100 Lbs. Hewland 4 speed gearbox, Fuel Safe fuel cell, American Racing 15x7” wheels, Goodyear Eagle GT II tires, Custom Bob Bondurant designed.

Where can you race?

On Bertil Roos racing school you can race on:

* Pocono International Raceway - located in northeastern Pennsylvania, between Scranton and Allentown, three miles south of interstate 80 on State Highway 115.

* Virginia International Raceway: VIR is located in the scenic hills of Virginia, east of Danville and just north of historic Milton, North Carolina. The addition of V.I.R. is also an important step in fulfilling our long-term strategy of providing geographic diversity for our clientele. Due to the uniqueness of our school, we have traditionally drawn students from all over the country. Now our programs will be available a little closer to home for some of our customers.

* Beaver Run Motorsports Complex: located in Big Beaver Borough, Pennsylvania, near Koppel and a few miles west off Wellwood City. It is situated on approximately 384 acres of land strategically located just to the west of route 18, less than three miles north of the Beaver Valley Exit of the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

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