I have been a petrol head for as long as I can remember. Since I was a little girl I have been admiring pretty cars in the street – although the pink girlie cars and retro minis that I loved back then have been replaced with much more technically respectable cars, of course! I remember sitting in my dads car dealers, which was just a little business back then, and playing with all my toy cars whilst my dad got on with selling the real ones.
My favourite car was a blue one. I can’t go into any more depth than that, I am afraid, as there was no brand or name to remember even if I knew what they meant at that age. It was a little metal car, with wheels that were actually made of rubber and which turned. It was painted in the most fabulous blue shade, with a hint of metallic sparkle and, dare I say it, glitter. Even better than the way this pocket sized car looked was the fact that the tiny little doors opened to reveal a miniature set of plastic seats and even a little steering wheel – although I regret to say it didn’t turn!
Playing with this little car no doubt set me off onto a road that led me to where I am today. I would sit and play for hours and hours, driving it up and down the rivets in the carpet of the reception area, and even better was zooming the little blue machine up and down the metal banisters, and sometimes letting it fly off across the dealership, in the throes of gravity! I would even construct multi story car parks out of left over cardboard boxes, and if my dad had some free time he would sit down with me and create something magical. The boxes had windows chopped out, and he used a pair of scissors to create entrances and exits, ramps and pillars, and on one memorable occasion he even gave me a piece of tubing to use as a chute for any cars that wished to leave that way.
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Posted by PeteJ |
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The Swiss Auto Show just ended in Geneva yesterday, with over 287,000 new auto entries. Among these new entries, there were a large number of new models and concept cars for the environmentally, and ecologically minded consumers. Even top notch car manufacturers such as Audi, and Porsche are getting into the act with concept hybrid cars. The concept of a powerful engine sports car which also incorporates alternative energy sources seems to be what some manufacturers were attempting – ‘attempting’ being the operative word.
Many exhibitors such as Honda, Toyota and Nissan already offer production ready gas to electric or purely electric engines. Other companies such as Kia have released their hybrid concept cars at this years show with great interest. All of these manufacturers offerings being marketed to family styled/sedan type vehicles. Consumers in Japan and North America have already seen and tested the hybrids presently on the market through Toyota. In Europe however, the auto industry is wondering when consumers will start buying hybrid and electric cars in large enough numbers to make their production profitable.
It seems the European markets loves the idea of alternative fuel vehicles, but are too concerned about its reliability to actually make a purchase. Consumers believe an electric vehicle is great for a spin around the city for range, but not so for family trips. Also, the cost to their pocketbooks still out weighs the cost to the environment. One manufacturer did design a long distance hybrid to address this concern with the Rinspeed UC. It’s still in its concept stage.
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Posted by PatMunro |
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It is an all-too-common sight: a person pulls up to a dealership in a beat-up old jalopy, walks into the showroom, and immediately starts asking the salesperson about safety features on the intended new car. Then, pending the purchase, the person will continue to drive around in a car that may have bald tires, worn-out brakes, a leaky exhaust pipe, a loose steering assembly, and worn-out shock absorbers. Sound familiar?
This is a typical case of misplaced concern: that person (and there are thousands of such people on roads) is genuinely concerned about safety, but will neglect to maintain the current car sufficiently to ensure even a minimum of safety on our roads.
All of the laboratory crash testing and safety improving in automobile and safety improving in automobile engineering in the world cannot make up for a set of brakes which cannot stop a car in lime, for tires so worn-out that the car could skid at the first sign of rain, or a leaky exhaust pipe that is sending toxic fumes into the passenger compartment. Even the so-claimed safest cars on the road are a time-bomb if not properly maintained.
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Posted by SergeiCaro |
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Just when everyone thought that things are gaining a sort of credibility for the brand Toyota and sales are returning to the beleaguered company, we find that NASA has been asked to investigate sudden acceleration problems in Toyota cars. The US Regulatory authority has requested NASA to crack the puzzle behind sudden acceleration in Toyota cars.
While not much is known as of now, it appears that the US Regulators are leaving nothing to chance. They want to be sure that the cars are indeed free of any potential flaws that could endanger the safety of occupants and people on the road. It appears that the immediate reason to look for assistance from NASA and National Association of Sciences could be to counter Toyota’s claims that the computer and electronic systems of the cars are working fine. It may sound absurd, but Toyota has blamed sudden acceleration on cosmic rays.
Toyota has been maintaining a stand that its cars have no problems. All controls work fine. And there are no problems at all with the computer software that was originally thought to be the source of all unintended acceleration issues. While analysts will dispute Toyota’s claims and many feel that Toyota is unable to fix the problem in software and is therefore trying to divert attention from its own failures.
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Posted by RogerTaylor |
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The question we get asked time after time is “what is the best motorcycle communication systems for bikers?” We always follow this up immediately with another question – “what exactly are you looking for?”
This is because the options are many; from a single rider who just wants to be able to answer his phone whilst riding and perhaps use a Sat Nav, to a group of riders who want to be able to keep in touch with each other whilst on a ride-out.
Throw in there the fact that some riders may want to listen to music and some want all of this, without any wires, and you start to appreciate how complex bike communications can be. There is, therefore, no quick answer to this question. One of the problems we are very much aware of is that it is easy to overload the customer with too much information which can be counter-productive.
Let’s start with some basics. Rider and Pillion would like to be able to communicate with each other on a basic level, such as “Can we stop, I need the loo”. There are plenty of reasonably priced systems available which will do just this, such as the Albrecht Basic Rider to Pillion Intercom which is available with either full-face or open-face headsets. This is a battery operated wired intercom system. However, if you are likely to be travelling at high speed and have to contend with wind noise, this will not be up to the job.
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Posted by DerekRogers |
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Sports cars have an appeal that is based on looks and performance. They are fun to drive and give you a feeling of freedom. A sports car is a major investment and to keep it looking new you have to make sure that it is washed regularly. A custom car cover will protect your pride and joy when not in use.
People have been attracted to and fascinated with sports cars since they were first designed. Different people like sports cars for different reasons, including the sleek sexy design or the powerful engines under the hood. Some people like the sound of the high powered engines and the distinctive noises they have. Even people who say they would never own one will stop and turn to look at one of these sporty powerful machines when they pass by.
The automobile got off to a sluggish start, but quickly became a very useful mode of transportation. The first cars were built for functionality and were used to transport people and heavy loads. As the technology improved there were people who started experimenting with vehicle engines to make them go faster and be more powerful.
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Posted by JackLabens |
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As the government scrappage scheme has now ended car dealers and car manufacturers have quickly filled this gap with a similar offer. They have called it the car swappage scheme whereby you can trade in your vehicle for a brand new car. Most car dealers already offer this scheme which is known as part exchange but it usually applies to if you were going to buy a new or used vehicle. The swappage scheme simply refers to if you are buying a new vehicle. The scheme that car dealers and manufacturers have created also has extra criteria that you must adhere to compared to a normal part exchange. For example to qualify for any Toyota swappage the car must have been registered in the UK between 1st March 2000 and 28th February 2003. You don’t have to have owned the car from knew but unlike the scrappage scheme you just need to have owned it for the last 90 days or more, and you must also have a UK address. The vehicle will need a current MOT certificate, be road-taxed and insured.
Other car manufacturers and car dealers use the swappage scheme to fill the scrappage scheme gap. However not all the car manufacturers have opted to implement the swappage scheme such as Ford. Certain car dealers that have been left out of the swappage scheme have probably suffered as a result in terms of sales. But the problem is many experts are suggesting that the swappage scheme is only putting off the inevitable. After the scheme ends most car dealers and manufacturers are going to find it hard to sell the number of cars they have been able to sell since the scrappage scheme was introduced back in 2008. It wasn’t just the UK that introduced the car scrappage scheme. Other countries across the world also implemented similar measures to try and increase if not simply to maintain the number of cars being sold. It was easier for car dealers to sell a number of new and used cars before the recession occurred. This is mainly because before the recession there was an array of institutions that were bending over backwards to lend money a ridiculously low interest.
This meant that it was fairly cheap to purchase a car and many people took advantage of being able to drive a modern vehicle. At the time this was great for the car manufacturers and dealers because it meant they could enjoy large profits.
Now many car dealers and the car manufacturing world are suffering as a consequence of cheap credit which a substantial amount of individuals and on a larger extent financial institutions have not been able to repay this. This has meant credit has reduced compared to it was at its peak and consumers have become more weary to spend large amount of money. This is mainly because there is uncertainty in the market particularly when it comes to purchasing larger and more luxurious products such as vehicles. Therefore although the scrappage and swappage scheme have undoubtedly helped the car industry, car dealers are likely to struggle in terms of sales volume in the next 12 months.
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Posted by PeteJ |
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If I were buying a new car tomorrow I’d buy a used Mini. It may seem like an unusual choice, but let me explain: the Mini, for me, is a nostalgia car, evoking memories of summer and sunshine, and that first heady taste of freedom…
It was the summer of 1997 and my best mate and I were 17 years old. For her birthday my friend had been given driving lessons and the cutest little Nissan Micra in which we whipped about town enjoying our new found independence, thinking we were the bees knees. We were between the lower and upper sixth forms at school, knew that the following summer would bring with it new adventures and separation, and so were determined that this would be the best break ever.
Our school friends were all headed off to some sunny package holiday destination to do the usual tacky teenage bikini-and-beer thing, but that wasn’t our style. We wanted music and adventure, fun and frolics, a beach, yes, but also something to keep our minds ticking over. We packed the car with a tent, sleeping bags an awful lot of bottled water (for some unknown reason) and stacks of CDs and hit the M6 south: we were headed to Devon!
When we reached our destination (my second cousin’s village, just outside Plymouth) we pitched our tent in the garden by the pool. We then spent a glorious week hitting local beaches, climbing cliff walks, flitting mermaid-like in and out of the water and on-and-off the rocks, and enjoying the local summer festivals. Radio 1’s Big Weekend was around at the time, and the eclipse was happening during our holiday and so had inspired small off-shoot music festivals all over the county. We attended as many gigs as possible, in pubs and clubs, on cobbled squares and muddy grass fields, and in-between each we blasted Californication by the Red Hot Chilli Peppers at full volume through the car’s tinny speakers. We christened the holiday Criscus ’97, a play on our nicknames, with the tagline:
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Posted by PeteJ |
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A lot is being written these days about the electric cars and the future of automotive industry vis-a-vis green technology. In the midst of all the excitement and jubiliation, we have already seen companies investing generous amounts of money in research and development in the electric car market space.
Manufacturers like Nissan are bidding big time on electric cars like Leaf to become a leader in the green market space. The UK Government has also given a push through Department of Transport for the development and deployment of electric vehicles. And, Nissan’s Leaf has had a very successful pre-sales buzz across the US States that it intends to target this year.
Electric cars are truly the future of modern automotive industry. The question, however, is how distant is that future? From all the data that is available and the level of development that has taken place for electric cars as of now, it does appear that electric cars will get initial boost from certain niche markets, specifically in the US and parts of Europe. The underlying fact for this is that there are certain States that have already set aside budgets to deploy charging stations across towns and cities to facilitate charging of electric cars through the public infrastructure.
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Posted by NancyClarks |
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With all of the technology of today the paper automotive repair manual is useless. These manuals are the same manuals that repair technicians utilize to do their job. Electronic auto repair manuals can help you get the job done in a timely and efficient manner. The cost will be minimal because you are doing the work yourself. The downloadable manuals are factory service manuals available for most vehicles, makes and models. The electronic repair manual gives you the same benefits at the paper manuals, but with more advantages.
The repair manuals that can be found online are not created equally. Some offer more information and are much easier to use than others. That is why you need to choose a company that offers not only exceptional customer service, but low prices and easy downloads. A program that is user friendly and beneficial to your needs is what you are looking for. The repair manuals are geared toward those who have the ability to repair their own vehicle. These manuals give great step by step instructions that will have the average do it yourselfer feeling proud of their work.
When looking for an electronic auto repair manual, look for one that ensures that it offers printable wiring diagrams. These manuals have many benefits attached to them. Not only are they reasonably priced, but they also offer easy to use diagrams, with step by step instructions and it will save you a lot of time. The electronic automotive repair manual simplifies the troubleshooting techniques. There are many makes of vehicle makes and models with different functions and due to this it will be required for you to utilize the correct repair manual.
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Posted by ColinGraham |
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