Archive for January, 2008

Car Sharing - A Neglected Solution

With congestion continuing to rise on Britain’s roads a number of solutions have been proposed, raising tax being the main one. However, every day in the UK there are over 10 million empty seats on the roads. Worse still, the vast majority of these empty seats are during the rush hour, with average occupancy for commuting only 1.2. The solution appears to be simple - car sharing. This is further supported by recent research which found that over 50% of commuters would car share on their way to work if they could find someone suitable to share with.

Car sharing has often been talked about but only ever considered to be a small scale solution, unlikely to have a significant effect on congestion levels. Again, the evidence suggests otherwise. A 25% increase in car occupancy levels would result in the number of commuting cars on the road falling by 21%. Put another way, if everyone shared a journey to work just once a week then the effect would be similar. With over 50% of people happy to try car sharing out this could be an attainable target.

So why has car sharing failed to take off in a big way? Put simply, a lack of funding. Without the money to raise awareness of car sharing and the ways to go about finding someone to share with, the concept of car sharing is always going to be doomed to being an insignificant solution.

Why hasn’t the funding been provided by the government, particularly in light of the many reports that have come out over recent years highlighting the potential of car sharing? One can only speculate but to governments the idea of car sharing isn’t so attractive. It generates no additional government revenue and is in fact likely to reduce it, particularly with the decline in fuel consumption. Compared with the prospect of continuing to dramatically increase taxes on motorists, many of whom have no choice but to use their cars, car sharing doesn’t stand a chance.

The benefits of car sharing are also often vastly underestimated. Car sharing does hugely reduce petrol consumption for the individuals involved and if promoted in a large way then congestion and pollution could be reduced significantly. Other benefits include reduced parking problems and the lower mileage done by each car means that they depreciate less rapidly.

However, one statistics that is overlooked is the impact of car sharing on road safety. The number of speeding fines handed out in the UK in 2005 reached the 2 million mark. With road safety being of such apparent importance the statistic that the likelihood of having an accident is reduced by 50% if there are two or more people in the car should make the relevant authorities sit up and take note. The way to increase road safety is to promote car sharing. The added fact that it is also makes driving cheaper for the individual, and reduces congestion and pollution, should encourage people to take car sharing seriously.

Becoming involved in car sharing is very straightforward. Liftshare.org was established in 1997 and now has over 130,000 members one million journeys registered. It’s also free to join, with a simple registration form to complete before you can register a journey and begin searching for travel companions. Whether you’re traveling to work, a festival or a sporting event car sharing is possible.

Charles Cridland founded YourParkingSpace.co.uk, a site where you can earn money through renting a parking space, or find long-term parking spaces for rent.

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admin on January 31st 2008 in Uncategorized

If You Want A Hybrid Vehicle, Get In Line And Wait

As gas prices have gotten higher, so has the demand for Hybrid cars. Used Hybrids are in as great a demand as the new ones. Because of this demand, the dealers are having a difficult time filling all of the requests for them. Large vehicles such as SUVs used to be very popular, but they consume a large amount of fuel and with the high cost of gasoline, the cost to fuel them has made them less desirable. Now, they are being traded in with the hopes that they can be replaced by the fuel friendly Hybrid.

Toyota, the maker of Prius has been working non stop to increase production of the vehicles. They estimate that approximately 22000 are on backorder. During the 2004 calendar year alone, they estimate that there were 36000 Prius cars available and that’s just in the United States. After the car made its way onto the market, that figure has increased to more than $47000.

If you want one of these vehicles, join the crowd. There are long waiting lists for them and those lists are growing. Part of the reason for the demand, is their fuel efficiency. One of the ways it saves on fuel is that it idles less and uses less fuel. It also gets better gas mileage, sometimes as much as 15 more miles to the gallon than their conventional cousins.

Another reason for their popularity is that they are not just fuel efficient but they are also environmentally friendly. They also produce up to 90 percent fewer emissions, which helps to protect air quality. They come in attractive styles and colors that make consumers feel good driving them as well as making a positive contribution to the environment.

Naturally, when a product is in great demand, the cost for them will be higher. It is not uncommon for new Hybrid vehicles to sell for considerably more than their listed price. The same applies for the used ones. Some of their prices have actually surpassed those of the new models.

There are a few tips you can try to get your car at a lower price and maybe even in a less amount of time. If you have always used one dealership, check with them first. Since you have given them business in the past, they might be able to give you preferential treatment. On the same token, different dealerships might have a less waiting time than others, so call around to see if that’s the case.

You should also consider going outside of your area to buy one. Not every area has as high a demand as yours might. Do the research and if it’s cost effective go out your way to obtain one, then definitely consider this option.

Stay flexible when it comes to style and color, if you hope to obtain one quickly. You might have to wait longer if you’re determined to get the exact one that you want.

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about this as well as Car Care Supplies at http://www.carcarewizard.com

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admin on January 30th 2008 in Uncategorized

Owning A Ferrari-Is It Worth It

Driving a Ferrari has always been a dream of mine. I am unfortunate that I remember Danny Wild driving his red Ferrari around Europe in the Persuaders on TV back in the early 70s. But then when you do get to drive one, you realise that they are only designed to be driven one way, and that’s fast.

But of course with speed limit, kids, other drivers on the road you will find that only a very small time can be dedicate to driving a Ferrari as it should be. In fact much of the driving you would do is totally unsuitable for a Ferrari. OK I will be honest with you, I don’t own a Ferrari but I have driven one. I hired a car and drove it around a racetrack as it was designed to do, which a qualified instructor of course. This has totally changed my perception of why people must own a Ferrari.

I cannot now see any reason to own one at all, except as a status symbol. Nothing comes close to driving this super car around at 150mph, so much legal fun it’s amazing, but driving it at 30mph just seems so much of a hassle. Then my driving instructor came up with some facts. He said add up the cost of buying your Ferrari then add on the insurance, add on your yearly running costs in including servicing, tyres etc.

Then he said calculate how many hours you would actually get to drive your car. Then calculate how many hours you would drive the car as it should be driven. In both cases you get a ridiculously high hourly rate to own a car. So much so that to hire one like I did with professional instruction becomes a bargain.

So I have readjusted my dream, I will stick with my comfortable road car but when I fancy, to the racetrack I will go in the full knowledge I am getting a better deal than the rich and famous. There are many track deals around the UK stating from

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admin on January 29th 2008 in Uncategorized

An Engineering Tour De Force

The 1970 Buick GS was one of the wildest of all Buicks on paper. Its 455 cubic inch mill was derived from the earlier 430 cid V8 and produced around 350 HP @ 4600 rpm. The torque output was a very strong 510 ft-lb @ 2800 rpm. It featured a 10:1 compression ratio and a Rochester 4-barrell carburetor; this engine could push the 3800 pound car down the

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admin on January 28th 2008 in Uncategorized

Scams To Look Out For When Buying a Car

  1. Written contract scam: Basically, this is when the finance manager sits you down and begins to write himself into a frenzy, whilst quickly throwing numbers at you until you are so confuddled, you end up paying more than you agreed on.

    This may seem impossible for a person to get away with but believe me - it happens all the time.

    The finance manager is counting on you being confused and desperate to get out of there, so assumes you will simply go along with whatever he says. Most of the time, it works.

    Avoid it by forcing him to slow down and calculate right along with him to make sure that you are getting a fair deal and that you both come up with the same numbers. Waste his time!

  2. Price beating scam: The dealer tells you that they will beat everyone else’s prices or give you $500.

    They ask you to get the price from another dealer and they will beat it. The part they didnt tell you is that other dealers will not just hand over their information for you to take to someone else.

    This deal is almost impossible to get because most dealers sell different makes and models anyway.

    Avoid it by not falling for it at all.

  3. I will not get paid scam: This is when the dealer tells you that he will not get paid if you do not purchase the options package. This is emotional blackmail.

    To avoid this simply tell them that you refuse to buy something you do not want just so that they get paid. If it is that much of a problem they should get another job.

  4. No payments until scam: This is when a dealership advertises that you do not have to pay for 6 months.

    Next thing you know, you buy the car and they tell you that it is due for payment in 2 months. Some will not even be applicable at all.

    They can claim a typographical error or that the deal was a week ago. It is an outright lie, and you should get your deposit back.

    Avoid this by asking the dealer to put that in writing before you purchase the car and make your deposit by credit card so that you can refute it.

  5. The “We’ve Got it scam: This happens when you call a dealership asking for a specific car make, model and color and are told that they have it.

    However, when you get there, you are told that they miraculously sold the only one they had before you arrived. Next they will tell you that they have another car similar to it for only $500 more.

    Avoid this by leaving.

  6. No Cheaper rate scam: This is when a dealership tells you that you cannot find a cheaper price anywhere else on the market.

    Get real!

    Of course, if you have done your research, you already know that the prices do not change on the value of a car.

    Avoid this by simply stating that they must be right, and then leave.

  7. The Phone call scam: This is when you have successfully negotiated a car, and the salesman suddenly gets a phone call with an offer for the car that is lower than the price you agreed on.

    Then he casually lets you hear him state that he will call the man on the phone right back if you opt out of the deal.

    Next, he tries to talk you down from your set upon price to compete with the guy on the phone’s offer.

    Avoid this by telling the salesman that you will understand if he chooses to take the better offer.

http://www.carbuyinghome.com

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admin on January 27th 2008 in Uncategorized

You Just Have To Love That Classic Muscle Car

They’re tough. They’re masculine. They’re high-performance. Those words often come to mind when one speaks of the classic muscle car. These vehicles are considered some of the finest examples of the time when American automobile production had reached its zenith. The classic muscle car, with its trim design and unusual suitability for drag racing, has attained a fame that has earned it a place as one of the signature vehicle design movements of modern automobile history.

The classic muscle car design is one that does not emphasize power over appearance. Instead, the design embraces both the power of the machine and the aesthetics of the design. These cars have larger engines than conventional automobiles, are bigger than the average sports car, and have a toughness of frame that other types of cars don’t have. The typical definition of what a muscle car is tends to exclude any cars made outside Australia and the US, and even then, only cars made in the years between 1964 to 1973. Among some of the more popular models are the Dodge Charger, the Chevrolet El Camino, and the Plymouth Road Runner.

These machines enjoyed the peak of their popularity in the car market almost immediately after being introduced. They cashed in on the growth of the racing trend among the youth market, which was only an emerging market in terms of spending power at the time. Taking advantage of that trend, the manufacturing companies began to design tougher cars that appealed to the sense of aesthetics that the youth market had and combined it with technical and performance statistics that made them suited for street racing. While, initially, the implementation of the new designs and technical upgrades nearly doubled the costs of the car, many companies eventually developed “budget muscle” models that compromised some of the performance and design aspects in favor of reducing costs. In time, both the classic muscle car and budget muscle car designs were accepted into the market and began to drive their way into the American driver’s psyche.

Sadly, politicians caught on to the trend and effectively killed the classic muscle car by pointing out the inherent dangers of such powerful engines in vehicles being targeted to the youth. Some opponents pointed out the fact that the muscle cars did not have the same braking and turning capacity as other cars and stated that it was a major safety risk. Insurance companies also increased their rates and charges on all high-powered models of automobiles, effectively making any prospective buyers turn away because the muscle cars were out of their budget. For the most part, the makes and models were retired, though some were reinvented as luxury cars instead. Environmental concerns also began to wear away at the power of the muscle car era as control over engine emissions was placed ahead of power and performance as the priority for engine design.

However, there have been some attempts at reviving the original classic muscle car. The Mercury Marauder, the Ford Crown Victoria, and even the Pontiac GTO are considered models intended to recapture the magic of the classic muscle car years. While they have not yet come back with the same force they once had when they originally appeared, reports show that there is still a market for them. Despite sharing the same attacks over environmental concerns that the modern SUVs are getting, manufacturers are still producing limited quantities of the modern muscle cars.

For more valuable information on Classic Muscle Car, please visit http://classifieds.itrustmotors.com//cgi-bin/classifieds.cgi?db=classic

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admin on January 26th 2008 in Uncategorized

Keep Your Car Sparkling With Car Cleaning Products

Since we live in a world where cleanliness is becoming of great importance, we do our best to keep our possessions in sanitary & pristine order. Whether it’s our house or our prized vehicles, we want these things to stay nice and well maintained. Most of us tend to take better care of our vehicles than we do ourselves! As odd as that may sound, it could be due to the innumerable car cleaning products at our disposal. Whatever your polishing requirements are, you will definitely find a quality car cleaning product that will do the job for you.

If you venture out to any fine auto store or even Wal-Mart, you will be overwhelmed with car cleaning products. Then comes the picking and choosing. How do you know which ones are the best, and which ones are a better choice for your car? Well, it’s time to turn head online for your research. The Internet can provide you with very useful and relevant feedback on a variety of car cleaning products that have been used by others like yourself. Check and see how each product is rated by them.

In our society there is an ongoing joke regarding the men and their cars. Men often pull out all the stops when it comes to their SUV or sports car. In fact, car cleaning products are no laughing matter. Luckily, these days there is everything from high quality car waxes to get the paint job in perfect condition, to shampoos that will leave the interior of your ride smelling like new.

When it comes to car cleaning products, many like the aesthetic results, but may not consider the preservation aspects. By taking good care of your vehicle, you definitely prolong the life of the car. For example, if you wax your car once a month and give the paint that ultimate protection from the elements, then it will most likely not show as much damage down the road. The nautral elements will have trouble penetrating the shield and protection given by your car wax.

All this is well worth it in the long run. This goes the same for your car’s interior. The sun can be damaging to your dashboard, vinyl or leather. If you keep it clean and protected, it is much less likely to crack. There are a number of car cleaning products that can help you with this feat. No matter the extent of obsession with your vehicle, you don’t have to fight the battle alone. On the internet, you can find car cleaning products galore with specifications to suit your needs, no matter what vehicle you own. The life and beauty of your car is important to you, not to mention if you intend to sell it later. Quality car cleaning products are a must when it comes to owning and caring for a vehicle.

Ernest R. Peterson contributes his commentaries, reviews and write-ups on Cars & Autos-related issues to Cars Directory Guide.

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admin on January 25th 2008 in Uncategorized

Car Floor Mats

Car floor mats are the coverings that are used on car floors to protect the floor carpet from dust, water, insects, soil and other unwanted particles. Car floor mats also prevent snow and water from soaking through the carpet and rusting the car body. They are also a decorative accessory giving the car a tidy look. Car Floor mats are made by cutting the desired materials according to the size of the vehicle. Basic mats can be enhanced with embroidery, ribbing etc. They are then edged with matching bindings. These mats are chemically treated to reduce humidity, enhance color and maintain it .These mats are subject to a lot of wear and tear as they are in a heavy usage area. Hence, checking their condition from time to time is highly recommended.

Car floor mats are of two types. They are carpet floor mats and all weather car floor mats. Carpet floor mats are available in many colors. They protect the car floor and provide presentable interiors to the car. Rubber floor mats are more durable and tough for extreme weather conditions. Rubber car floor mats are available in standard rubber colors like black, tan and grey. Both types are washable.

Car floor mats are either custom made or semi-custom made. Custom floor mats are made to order in the exact size of the car floor. Individuals can specify the design and color and get mats made to order. Such mats will be a perfect fit for the vehicle. Semi-custom made car floor mats are not made specifically for each vehicle. They come in standard sizes and the size closest to the vehicle floor is used. They are about 90-95% accurate. They are available in the stores and individuals can choose the best option out of the mats available. It is common practice to use removable rubber mats over fixed floor mats. This helps in cleaning and maintaining the mats.

Mats provides detailed information on Mats, Floor Mats, Yoga Mats, Car Floor Mats and more. Mats is affiliated with Feather Masks.

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admin on January 24th 2008 in Uncategorized

Selecting a Manhattan Acura Dealer

Purchasing a new or used vehicle is often a fun and exciting process. Many individuals love acquiring a new vehicle. Although the process may be exciting, doing businesses with a bad dealership can cause the excitement to dwindle in a matter of seconds. There are a large number of new and used car dealers in the Manhattan, New York area. If you are interested in purchasing a new or used Acura car there are a number of ways to select a reputable Manhattan Acura dealer to do business with.

One of the best ways to ensure that you doing business with a reputable Manhattan Acura dealer is by doing the proper research. This research can include using the internet or seeking the advice of your friends or relatives. Obtaining feedback from a previous customer of the Manhattan Acura dealer, that you wish to do business with, is a great way to learn about the dealer. The internet can also be used to obtain business reviews. It is highly likely that a past customer would want to warn other potential customers if they were scammed by a particular car dealer. You should use this information wisely. If a large number of individuals offer warnings about a particular dealership you may want to rethinking doing business there.

You should also use your own instincts when trying to determine if a Manhattan Acura dealer is legitimate. You should do this by visiting the dealership and speaking to the sales staff. A reputable dealer will have a kind and polite sales staff. A sales representatives should provide you with all of the information that you request. You should be leery of any dealerships that hesitate when giving you an answer to your questions. If you feel uncomfortable or sense that something is not right with this dealership you should move on. You should never do business with an establishment that makes you feel uncomfortable or uneasy.

For you to visit all of the area Manhattan Acura dealers you will need to know their names and where they are located. There are two main ways to acquire this information. If you live in the Manhattan area you can use a local phone book. You can typically find a large number of car dealerships in the yellow pages of a phone book. If you live outside the Manhattan area you can use the internet to search through an online phone book. These phone books can often be obtained by visiting the website of a company that traditionally supplies the phone books in your area. A benefit to using an online phone book is that you can often get a map to the dealership in a matter of seconds.

Since there are a large number of dealerships in the Manhattan area you will have to find the best Manhattan Acura dealer that will suit all of your needs. Once you find a reputable dealership it is highly likely that you will soon be finding a reliable vehicle.

Justin Ross is a writer for Springfield Acura where you can find information
on choosing a Manhattan Acura Dealer.

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admin on January 23rd 2008 in Uncategorized

Multilingual Interactive Car Manual in Mercedes Benz and Quality Mercedes Benz Parts at Partstrain

A completely new way of bringing the operating instructions of a car to the customer is now available by integrating an interactive manual into the car’s COMAND APS system. The car owner can now consult the operating manual right in the driver’s seat through the personal communications system.

Bowne Global Solutions (BGS) and Daimler Chrysler AG pioneered the system, which equates to a 2000 page hard copy manual. They have started to introduce the product across the German, English, French, Italian and Spanish markets. Bowne’s experience in the localization of interactive projects effected our decision to award them the localization of the interactive COMAND operating instructions for the E-class,” affirmed Guntram B

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admin on January 22nd 2008 in Uncategorized