Archive for April, 2009
Wrong.
It’s true that many cars do look bland and boring, but have you taken a look at the Chrysler range recently? Whereas most mainstream manufacturers seem to always play safe, by designing cars that will offend no one, Chrysler are blazing their own trail, with a range that dares to be different yet still covers all of the main vehicle groups: hatchback, saloon, executive saloon, two-seater sports, and MPV.
Let’s start with the PT Cruiser hatchback, because it really epitomises Chryslers’ gung-ho approach. Although the quirky retro-futuristic design is a few year’s old now, it still looks as fresh as a daisy, and turns heads wherever it goes. The design has recently been refreshed with some judicious resculpting, and there are no fewer than ten variations to choose from, all at sensible prices. With a tall profile that enables a command-of-the-road driving position, plus flexible, versatile interior space, it really lives up to its Read More
There was quite a commotion going on today outside our house. As it is normally so quiet you can hear an Ant’s footsteps I thought perhaps it would be a good idea to see what all the fuss was about, just in case there was some kind of apocalyptic alien invasion or such like. Nope, it was just the bin men who had decided to turn up early and surprise everybody; well I guess they have to amuse themselves somehow. I read the other day that refuse collectors have been told that they are no longer allowed to tie cuddly toys to the front of their lorries (a quaint British tradition) due to some crazy interpretation of health and safety regulations.
Maybe as a protest they thought right we’ll turn up early and laugh as half naked people with towels around their heads clutching bin bags and half eaten slices of toast pursue us down the street. Just to add to the chaos, today is a new collection day as it is normally on a Thursday. Will our lives ever be Read More
As most of you know, just by looking at any of your used car dealerships that the prices of different types of vehicles fluctuate. During times of high gas prices all of the large vehicles such as pickup trucks have been discounted while the compacts and hatchbacks have been marked up. If you’re in the market for a truck it’s the perfect time but if you’re looking for a compact it might be rough.
There are ways that we can take advantage of these economic situations though. If you’ve currently got a compact vehicle it might be the perfect time to sell (to a private seller of course.) If you try to trade your vehicle in you’ll probably get what they used to be worth so stay away from the dealers for selling. After your sale, once you have some cash in your hand, go ahead and browse the Read More
If you have decided to do some repairs on your car perhaps in preparation for painting then you will need to know how to remove the old paint.
To begin with, you will most likely want to use a paint stripper rather than hours of sanding. There are many commercial paint strippers on the market. One thing you must bear in mind is these are chemicals, and most certainly must be treated with respect.
You must put all of the safety precautions in place before you begin to work. First of all, you will want to work in a well ventilated area. The fumes of some of these paint strippers can be pretty strong, and dangerous to breathe for any period of time. Perhaps you may want to consider wearing a mask that is applicable for fumes. In addition don’t bypass the safety goggles, If any of the solution were to splash in your eyes it could cause blindness.
Although there are many commercial strippers on the market, they all will have their own individual Read More
GPS is becoming a very important technology and you can use this great technology while adding value to your car. As well, such a device can be used as an effective security feature. However, a GPS device will be most useful as a navigation assistant to reduce your driving time and to help you avoid road accidents.
Most high end luxury vehicles are equipped with built-in GPS devices. Standard consumer vehicles however do not have built-in GPS devices. You will have to buy an external GPS device and simply use it in your car.
There are lots of advantages you can get if you have a GPS unit in your car. Here are the specific benefits of a vehicle GPS unit:
It Adds Value To Your Vehicle:
When you install a GPS device in your car, you are actually increasing its re-sell value. Your car is not an ordinary vehicle anymore. It now belongs to the elite group of cars employing high technology security and navigation gadgets.
You can consider the installation Read More
A recent TV commercial for the Volkswagen Polo featured a singing dog that was strutting around full of self-confidence whilst it was a passenger in the Polo but as soon as it left the car for different surroundings it became a nervous wreck. The closing caption of the commercial read “Polo Confidence.”
I guess they were conveying the fact that the dog was unhappy when removed from its comfort zone. The same could be said for people too although maybe not to the same degree as the poor old dog. Cars mean a lot to some people and they often feel immersed in their own little world listening to their favourite song and safe from harm.
This feeling can be hard to achieve in a small car but thanks to its solid build quality and good insulation VW has managed this with the Polo.
For many years the Volkswagen Polo set the benchmark by which all other small hatchbacks were measured. Today the competition has just about caught up and if you are Read More
Are hybrid cars, the cars of the future? Only time will tell. I am sure most of you have by now heard about the new hybrid cars in the marketplace today. I’m also sure many of you are saying, “What the heck is a hybrid car anyway?” Well let us see if we as laymen people from the old school of gasoline automobiles can understand these new high tech automobiles.
Firstly we need to know what powers a hybrid. Well a hybrid has a gasoline engine and also a battery powered generator. The gasoline engine in the equation is much the same as the cars most of us are driving today. In most cases it is a bit smaller than the engines in our somewhat larger automobiles we currently drive. The reason for this is because the generator helps power the hybrid car. Both still operate the same as far as having a transmission to drive the wheels. Albeit a much more sophisticated version than what is in the typical gasoline powered vehicle. The difference is when the car begins Read More
If you love sheer power, and you want a car that produces 1,000 bhp, you now have three to choose from – and that is without going to the tuners like Ruf ofr Callaway, who will get this much power from engines that are currently in the 500- 700 bhp range. The tjree in the 1000 bhp club are the Bugatti Veyron 16.4, the Bristol Fighter T, and the Koenigsegg CCXR. Theoretically, these are all good for 250 mph in theory, but not in practice.
First on the scene was the Bugatti Veyron 16.4, the world’s fastest and most powerful exotic car, with a top speed of 248 mph.
Engineering masterpiece
The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 is quite an engineering masterpiece, with a W-16 8.0 liter cylinder engine mid-mounted driving through a seven-speed semi-automatic gearbox to all four wheels – four-wheel drive is definitely a good idea with this amount of power. Not only is it immensely fast, but with four-wheel drives it is very stable. It has ceramic Read More
Before applying for an auto loan it’s better to check how safe the particular model car is. Thousands of people are killed or injured in road traffic accidents every year. How safe is the new or used vehicle you are driving in terms of crash test ratings? Find out more about safety ratings here:
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is an agency of the Executive Branch of the U.S. Government, part of the Department of Transportation. It provides safety information for a large number of vehicles through their New Car Assessment Program (US-NCAP). The purpose of this agency is to save lives, prevent injuries, reduce vehicle-related crashes.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) rates vehicle safety as good, acceptable, marginal, or poor based on performance in Read More
I believe the popular saying goes something like “two things that are guaranteed in life are death and taxes”. I suppose you can’t really argue with that statement and I must admit that when I am feeling a little despondent about the world such a phrase inevitably comes to mind. Then I think to myself hang on, there are a lot of positive things happening as well so like the title of one of my favourite Elvis Costello albums we should all “Get Happy” once in a while.
Let’s face it there is nothing better than a little of bit of harmless escapism to distract us from the seemingly constant barrage of depressing news from around the world, the recent situation in Georgia for instance to name but one. It’s as if there is a happy/sad balance in operation and nowhere reinforces this more than when you switch on the TV news.
Despite talks of a recession in the UK which now seems inevitable and the strong Read More