Leasing has been lauded as your cheapest ticket to keep up with the industry’s hottest vehicles and trends. The jury, however, is still out on leasing: with the industry long on hype and short on detail, it is difficult to distinguish between a genuinely good deal and a downright up-selling exercise.
So how do you spot a good deal?
First, you need to find out if there are any down payments on the lease. A down payment refers to the lump sum amount that you pay upfront, either in cash, non-cash credit or trading allowance, to reduce your monthly payment. You should think twice before putting money down on a lease: not only are you getting a rough deal, as you’re essentially forfeiting the general rule of leasing: not putting any cash upfront, but the money is not recoupable at the end of your lease. There is another big disadvantage: in the event of your car getting damaged or stolen, you insurance and the gap cost will not cover the loss.
Mileage Limit
Most leasing companies allow you a limit of 45,000 free miles over the length of a 3-year lease. This may seem like a good deal at first sight, but when you consider it only comes to 15,000 miles over a 12 month period it’s not difficult to foresee why it might be difficult to stay within this limit. Even people working from home have little trouble putting 15,000 miles on their cars. If you exceed the mileage limit, the penalty for each excess mile can be as high as 20 cents. This can add up quickly over the length of your lease: an additional 4,000 miles a year over the length of a 3-years lease contract, will end up costing you an extra $2,400 in excess mileage charges! Be realistic about your mileage needs, especially if you have to regularly commute over long-distances, before you sign the contract. Consider padding the miles that you expect to use since it is less expensive to contract for the extra before you sign than it is to pay the extra charges at end of your lease.
Sales Tax
Sales tax is usually capitalized and added to the monthly payments. However, some dealers choose not to include it in their calculations to drive the advertised lease payments even lower. What they do instead is state in the small print that the monthly payment excludes “sales tax”. Make sure you carefully read the fine print for any extra, hidden costs not included in the advertised monthly payment. Unscrupulous fees that typically slip through the cracks include sales tax, registration and title fees.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
How To Spot Government Surplus Vans
Normally, in all those SUVs like vans, there is quite enough space than in any small cars, yes you may have to spend more money on fuel but still the comfort level that you get in the van is high and that cannot be ignored.
You may plan to purchase a second hand van but if only you get a low price deal. But if you don’t think the deal is in your favor, you can go for purchasing a van from government surplus vans auction.
In government auctions you may find a vehicle that is seized by the financer who was unable to get his loan money back or other government vehicles which are now off duty. These vehicles are mostly very less used and normally the history of such automobiles is very well known. This information is provides is important while you bid for it later.
As mentioned before, the vans bought from government auctions are in near perfect conditions and it not normally mandatory required to be serviced. Simply buy them and drive them.
Once you make up your mind to buy one of the vans from government surplus auctions, you may register your self and allow yourself to ignition start it, one of the best way to buy any automobile! Get into the drivers’ seat and check for the interior of the car. Check for the air-conditioner or heater, the wipers, all those switches and other electronics that it may have.
Do remember one thing that no one is allowed to take a test drive of the vehicle unless he or she wins the bid. Now, like in any auction, or a bidding event, the one who bids the highest, wins. Who knows if you are lucky and smart enough you might take the vehicle home.
Also remember there are so may people play a part in government surplus auction. Some want to use the vehicle for personal purpose and some for the business purpose. Therefore the competition is quite high when you wish to get a vehicle at very reasonable prices. Keeping another choice is helpful if you are unable to secure a dream car.
Furthermore, even if all your efforts go in vain, there is no need to get disheartened, as these auctions happen several times during each year. Just an eye on the news sections of the government websites.
But for those lucky ones who are able secure a good van must be careful about the papers and the legalities of the vehicle. Make sure you have completed all the formalities about transferring the same to yourself. The formalities can be completed there at the auction’s site or later. As sometimes officials allows you to simply reveal your social security number or with any other identification document.
You may plan to purchase a second hand van but if only you get a low price deal. But if you don’t think the deal is in your favor, you can go for purchasing a van from government surplus vans auction.
In government auctions you may find a vehicle that is seized by the financer who was unable to get his loan money back or other government vehicles which are now off duty. These vehicles are mostly very less used and normally the history of such automobiles is very well known. This information is provides is important while you bid for it later.
As mentioned before, the vans bought from government auctions are in near perfect conditions and it not normally mandatory required to be serviced. Simply buy them and drive them.
Once you make up your mind to buy one of the vans from government surplus auctions, you may register your self and allow yourself to ignition start it, one of the best way to buy any automobile! Get into the drivers’ seat and check for the interior of the car. Check for the air-conditioner or heater, the wipers, all those switches and other electronics that it may have.
Do remember one thing that no one is allowed to take a test drive of the vehicle unless he or she wins the bid. Now, like in any auction, or a bidding event, the one who bids the highest, wins. Who knows if you are lucky and smart enough you might take the vehicle home.
Also remember there are so may people play a part in government surplus auction. Some want to use the vehicle for personal purpose and some for the business purpose. Therefore the competition is quite high when you wish to get a vehicle at very reasonable prices. Keeping another choice is helpful if you are unable to secure a dream car.
Furthermore, even if all your efforts go in vain, there is no need to get disheartened, as these auctions happen several times during each year. Just an eye on the news sections of the government websites.
But for those lucky ones who are able secure a good van must be careful about the papers and the legalities of the vehicle. Make sure you have completed all the formalities about transferring the same to yourself. The formalities can be completed there at the auction’s site or later. As sometimes officials allows you to simply reveal your social security number or with any other identification document.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
How To Store The Car Of Your Dreams Correctly
At last you have the car of your dreams and you spent large amounts of both time and money on restoring it and you now want to keep it in the same pristine condition. Unfortunately winter is coming and you do not want to drive it in now the weather is turning bad. So you have decided that you want to put your car into storage for the winter months and as cheaply as possible? Yet you also want to be able to get it back onto the road as soon as the weather is good again and find it in the same condition as
when it went into storage?
Well hopefully the information contained within this article will help you to make an informed decision on the type of car storage you will use.
Indoor Storage
Of course this is the best way for any one to go when looking for storage for their prized car and is the best option especially if you will be away for any extended period of time. But because you don’t have a garage you are now looking for an alternative. Luckily there are many indoor storage facilities around which will gladly rent storage space that is big enough for a vehicle. If you can try and find a facility where they will run the engine on your car for you every month or two. However, you may find that they will charge you extra for this facility, but it will save you money in the long term as the vehicle will be ready for you to drive after a long lay over period.
When preparing your car for storage it is important that it is clean. Wait until you have a warm dry day and then completely wash and wax the car. Also make sure that you clean the underbody and around the wheel areas as well as any dirt left on the car holds moisture and when combined with air will result in result being allowed to grow.
Also thoroughly clean the car inside. Use either a shop/garage vacuum or a household one in order to get into all the nooks and crannies in your car (it is important to get rid of any dirt or crumbs etc., from the car prior to storage). Leaving such items in the car will only make it a place that small creatures (mice, rats) will be drawn to and make their home inside it.
If you can get the carpets thoroughly cleaned and do this before you do any thing else so that it gives them time to dry out before you put the car into storage.
Next take out the spark plugs and put some oil into the cylinders as this will prevent the cylinder walls, pistons and valves from rusting. You can use regular motor oil but a can of fogging oil from a marine supply store is a good alternative. Now you need to turn the engine by hand half a dozen times to make sure that the oil coats everything. Before you reinstall the spark plugs apply a little anti-seize to them. Also make sure that the petrol (gas) tank is full as this will reduce the risk of how much water is available to be absorbed by the petrol (gas).
Now we come to the electrical system of your car. Remove the battery cables (negative cable first) and then lift out the battery from the engine. Next you need to wipe the batter down with a battery cleaner (this removes any moisture holding dirt or grease from it). Now you place the battery on a clean dry surface. Attach the battery to a trickle charger which will help preserve the battery’s charge. Also inspect the battery for any rust or corrosion.
You will then need to lubricate the hood latches, hinges and door hinges if you are able to check the brake fluid (flush it out and replace if necessary). Now you will need to check the coolant level (make sure there is enough to protect the cooling system from winter temperatures).
If you want to keep rodents and other small animals from chewing the ignition wires and other wiring in your car (place clean rags into the engine air intake, fresh air intake (under the windshield) and the exhaust. A good idea is to get a big box of mothballs and spread them around and under the car (this seems to keep undesirable elements away from the car).
As for the tyres they will after extended periods of time when not moving they will develop flat spots and the best way to prevent this is to put the car up on jacks.
Now remove the wiper blades as this will prevent them from becoming glued to the windshield.
Now you carried out all the necessary things about there is nothing left for you to do but to put it in to storage and lock up knowing you can enjoy it in the future?
when it went into storage?
Well hopefully the information contained within this article will help you to make an informed decision on the type of car storage you will use.
Indoor Storage
Of course this is the best way for any one to go when looking for storage for their prized car and is the best option especially if you will be away for any extended period of time. But because you don’t have a garage you are now looking for an alternative. Luckily there are many indoor storage facilities around which will gladly rent storage space that is big enough for a vehicle. If you can try and find a facility where they will run the engine on your car for you every month or two. However, you may find that they will charge you extra for this facility, but it will save you money in the long term as the vehicle will be ready for you to drive after a long lay over period.
When preparing your car for storage it is important that it is clean. Wait until you have a warm dry day and then completely wash and wax the car. Also make sure that you clean the underbody and around the wheel areas as well as any dirt left on the car holds moisture and when combined with air will result in result being allowed to grow.
Also thoroughly clean the car inside. Use either a shop/garage vacuum or a household one in order to get into all the nooks and crannies in your car (it is important to get rid of any dirt or crumbs etc., from the car prior to storage). Leaving such items in the car will only make it a place that small creatures (mice, rats) will be drawn to and make their home inside it.
If you can get the carpets thoroughly cleaned and do this before you do any thing else so that it gives them time to dry out before you put the car into storage.
Next take out the spark plugs and put some oil into the cylinders as this will prevent the cylinder walls, pistons and valves from rusting. You can use regular motor oil but a can of fogging oil from a marine supply store is a good alternative. Now you need to turn the engine by hand half a dozen times to make sure that the oil coats everything. Before you reinstall the spark plugs apply a little anti-seize to them. Also make sure that the petrol (gas) tank is full as this will reduce the risk of how much water is available to be absorbed by the petrol (gas).
Now we come to the electrical system of your car. Remove the battery cables (negative cable first) and then lift out the battery from the engine. Next you need to wipe the batter down with a battery cleaner (this removes any moisture holding dirt or grease from it). Now you place the battery on a clean dry surface. Attach the battery to a trickle charger which will help preserve the battery’s charge. Also inspect the battery for any rust or corrosion.
You will then need to lubricate the hood latches, hinges and door hinges if you are able to check the brake fluid (flush it out and replace if necessary). Now you will need to check the coolant level (make sure there is enough to protect the cooling system from winter temperatures).
If you want to keep rodents and other small animals from chewing the ignition wires and other wiring in your car (place clean rags into the engine air intake, fresh air intake (under the windshield) and the exhaust. A good idea is to get a big box of mothballs and spread them around and under the car (this seems to keep undesirable elements away from the car).
As for the tyres they will after extended periods of time when not moving they will develop flat spots and the best way to prevent this is to put the car up on jacks.
Now remove the wiper blades as this will prevent them from becoming glued to the windshield.
Now you carried out all the necessary things about there is nothing left for you to do but to put it in to storage and lock up knowing you can enjoy it in the future?
Saturday, August 28, 2010
How To Utilize The Lemon Law
If you find yourself with a lemon of a vehilce, here are some tips to help you utilize the lemon law.
Remember that if you're stuck with a lemon, your complaint is with the manufacturer. Although your instinct may be to blame the car dealer, the dealer is just the middleman for the defective product.
1. Document your repairs and be accurate with each problem. Obtain copies of all warranty repair orders from the dealer and keep notes of your reported problems. Also, keep notes of all conversations you have with service people, including the date, time and participants in these conversations.
2. Contact your state attorney general's office or conduct other research to determine the provisions of your state's lemon law. There are variations in each state's laws.
3. Determine whether your previous efforts to repair the problem satisfy the requirements of your state's lemon law. Most state laws allow the manu-facturer three or four chances to repair the defect or defects.
4. Write to the manufacturer if problems persist. Explain how burdensome it is to continually repair the car, and how your trust in the product's reliability has been shattered. Ask for reimbursement of your related expenses (such as a rental car, if it was needed), or other compensation for your troubled experience. Your particular state's lemon law will prescribe methods for doing so.
5. State in your letter that you wish to exercise your right to a refund or replacement of the vehicle, if you would rather not keep the lemon. Specify which option you desire.
6. Consider hiring an attorney if the manufacturer is unresponsive. Find an attorney who specializes in lemon-law cases. Remember, though, that only some state lemon laws allow a consumer to recover attorneys' fees when suing a manufacturer.
Tips: Your best defense against an uncooperative manufacturer is a thorough, specific and accurate service-record paper trail. This shows that you made the correct number of attempts to have the problems fixed, whether the defect was the same each time, or several different ones.
Remember that if you're stuck with a lemon, your complaint is with the manufacturer. Although your instinct may be to blame the car dealer, the dealer is just the middleman for the defective product.
1. Document your repairs and be accurate with each problem. Obtain copies of all warranty repair orders from the dealer and keep notes of your reported problems. Also, keep notes of all conversations you have with service people, including the date, time and participants in these conversations.
2. Contact your state attorney general's office or conduct other research to determine the provisions of your state's lemon law. There are variations in each state's laws.
3. Determine whether your previous efforts to repair the problem satisfy the requirements of your state's lemon law. Most state laws allow the manu-facturer three or four chances to repair the defect or defects.
4. Write to the manufacturer if problems persist. Explain how burdensome it is to continually repair the car, and how your trust in the product's reliability has been shattered. Ask for reimbursement of your related expenses (such as a rental car, if it was needed), or other compensation for your troubled experience. Your particular state's lemon law will prescribe methods for doing so.
5. State in your letter that you wish to exercise your right to a refund or replacement of the vehicle, if you would rather not keep the lemon. Specify which option you desire.
6. Consider hiring an attorney if the manufacturer is unresponsive. Find an attorney who specializes in lemon-law cases. Remember, though, that only some state lemon laws allow a consumer to recover attorneys' fees when suing a manufacturer.
Tips: Your best defense against an uncooperative manufacturer is a thorough, specific and accurate service-record paper trail. This shows that you made the correct number of attempts to have the problems fixed, whether the defect was the same each time, or several different ones.
Friday, August 27, 2010
How Welding Helmets Protect Your Eyes
Welding helmets are the without a doubt the single most valuable item a welder has to protect himself. Welding helmets have been around for a long time and the technology has steadily improved. They are much more user friendly and offer far more protection. Still, there are a lot of misconceptions about how a welding helmet actually protects the welder from environmental hazards of their job.
Your average layperson commonly believes a welding helmet’s primary task is to shield your eyes from the bright lights of a welding arc. Almost like a welding helmet is a pair of super sunglasses. This is only partially true. The lens’ in the helmet primary job is to filter out ultraviolet and infrared light. The lens is designed to filter out 100% of harmful UV and IR rays from your sensitive eyes. Do not confuse this with whether or not the lens is dark or not. An auto darkening lens will protect the welder from ultraviolet light whether the lens is clear or darkened. It is understandable to think the bright light is the problem because it is visible to the naked eye. The bright light is still damaging to the eye, that’s why the welding helmet has a darkened lens or has an auto darkening feature.
On auto darkening welding helmets, the lens will darken within 4/10ths of millisecond to filter out visible light. This is faster than your eyes have time to react to the light. Anything slower than 4/10ths of a millisecond and you shouldn’t purchase the welding helmet. An auto darkening model protects your eyes 100% of the time from ultraviolet and infrared light whether the lens is clear or darkened and protects you from visible light 4/10ths of millisecond after the arc is lit. This arrangement is far safer than older style welding helmets for the simple reason that you can see when the arc is shut off. After you stop welding the auto darkening lens will become clear. Now you can walk around or see your work area without lifting the helmet. This is very important because another function of the welding helmet is to protect your face and eyes from flying objects. Metal debris and other hazards can still damage your eyes.
Auto darkening welding helmets are definitely the way to go and worth the extra cost. Rest assured the technology will completely protect your eyes from the harmful effects of the welding light. The lens will darken in enough time so your irreplaceable eyes are not damaged. A welder will not sacrifice safety for convenience and actually the auto darkening models are far safer because they allow to keep your face and eyes protected even after the welding arc is extinguished.
Your average layperson commonly believes a welding helmet’s primary task is to shield your eyes from the bright lights of a welding arc. Almost like a welding helmet is a pair of super sunglasses. This is only partially true. The lens’ in the helmet primary job is to filter out ultraviolet and infrared light. The lens is designed to filter out 100% of harmful UV and IR rays from your sensitive eyes. Do not confuse this with whether or not the lens is dark or not. An auto darkening lens will protect the welder from ultraviolet light whether the lens is clear or darkened. It is understandable to think the bright light is the problem because it is visible to the naked eye. The bright light is still damaging to the eye, that’s why the welding helmet has a darkened lens or has an auto darkening feature.
On auto darkening welding helmets, the lens will darken within 4/10ths of millisecond to filter out visible light. This is faster than your eyes have time to react to the light. Anything slower than 4/10ths of a millisecond and you shouldn’t purchase the welding helmet. An auto darkening model protects your eyes 100% of the time from ultraviolet and infrared light whether the lens is clear or darkened and protects you from visible light 4/10ths of millisecond after the arc is lit. This arrangement is far safer than older style welding helmets for the simple reason that you can see when the arc is shut off. After you stop welding the auto darkening lens will become clear. Now you can walk around or see your work area without lifting the helmet. This is very important because another function of the welding helmet is to protect your face and eyes from flying objects. Metal debris and other hazards can still damage your eyes.
Auto darkening welding helmets are definitely the way to go and worth the extra cost. Rest assured the technology will completely protect your eyes from the harmful effects of the welding light. The lens will darken in enough time so your irreplaceable eyes are not damaged. A welder will not sacrifice safety for convenience and actually the auto darkening models are far safer because they allow to keep your face and eyes protected even after the welding arc is extinguished.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
HVLP Spray Paint Guns
HVLP stands for high-volume, low pressure. They are more efficient and cause less over spray than standard spray paint guns. If you do a lot of spray finishing, an HVLP spray paint gun can save you money over the long run because you will use less paint. You can use your shop air compressor's powerful air output to run a spray paint gun. A trigger operated spray paint gun takes paint or finish and mixes it with high pressure air. The paint is atomized and sprayed out in a cone shape to produce a neat and controllable pattern. An experienced painter can produce very nice finishes smoothly and with a professional look. HVLP spray guns are widely used in automotive shops to produce factory quality finishes. Most HVLP spray paint guns allow you to change out nozzles for different types of finishes. Examples are lacquer, stains, paint and varnishes. However, thick latex paints are not advisable. (You can't use your HVLP spray paint gun to paint the house.) Most spray guns have a 1 quart cup that attaches below the nozzle and others have a top mounted cup. These are referred to as gravity feed spray paint guns. HVLP spray paint guns require large amounts of air to operate for continuous spraying. The paint gun manufacturer should tell you in the specs how much air is required to operate their gun.
One important thing to be aware of is that HVLP sprayers cause lots of over spray and will make a mess. It is very important to wear paint coveralls, breathing protection and eye protection. Also, masking and wheel covers are important to protect the car you are painting. HVLP spray paint guns are not precision instruments. It is more like a shot gun approach to painting. They are very good at applying a professional finish but they also blow paint everywhere. Body protection is very important when using HVLP sprayers. You can get away with minimal protection when painting a room in your house, but with these tools you need to make sure your whole body is well covered before you begin spraying. Because they out so much and in such fine mist, breathing protection is absolutely mandatory. Tiny droplets of paint will be suspended in the air and you will inhale them without a respirator mask on.
One important thing to be aware of is that HVLP sprayers cause lots of over spray and will make a mess. It is very important to wear paint coveralls, breathing protection and eye protection. Also, masking and wheel covers are important to protect the car you are painting. HVLP spray paint guns are not precision instruments. It is more like a shot gun approach to painting. They are very good at applying a professional finish but they also blow paint everywhere. Body protection is very important when using HVLP sprayers. You can get away with minimal protection when painting a room in your house, but with these tools you need to make sure your whole body is well covered before you begin spraying. Because they out so much and in such fine mist, breathing protection is absolutely mandatory. Tiny droplets of paint will be suspended in the air and you will inhale them without a respirator mask on.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Hybrid Car Models: The Green Alternative
There are presently many hybrid car models in the market. The hybrid car technology has become very popular that almost all carmakers would like to ride the trend. Other manufacturers that cannot produce their own technology are buying technology from big companies that are ahead in the development of hybrid cars. Some companies are having a tie up with other companies so that they will come up with good models that they could use together.
Toyota's Offering
Later, Toyota introduced the Toyota Prius in the US. Presently, this model is the most popular hybrid car in the market. The Toyota Prius has a very efficient EPA rating and it has the lowest emission rating of up to 90 percent reduction compared to a regular vehicle. The good news is that the price of Toyota Prius can compete very well with the other cars of its type. It is actually the first hybrid car that was mass-produced.
Toyota Motors have high hopes with the future of hybrid vehicles. Not only was it evident in the research and development that they put into the famous Toyota Prius. They proved the sincerity of this belief by introducing other models of the SUV line. They introduced to the market the Highlander hybrid and Lexus SUV hybrid in the year 2005.
Honda's First Hybrid Car Models
Honda first released Insight in the year 1999. They were the first carmaker to offer hybrid electric car in the USA. This model has gained a little popularity in the first five years that it was on the market. It was designed to be very fuel efficient so it was built with a lightweight aluminum chassis. It was a two-seater vehicle. Honda Insight Hybrid was an environment friendly model. Aside from being fuel efficient, it was made to produce very low emission. There was an earlier version of this model that was released in Japan and Los Angeles in 1997.
Honda vs. Toyota
Honda being threatened by the popularity of the Toyota hybrids introduced to the market their new model of a hybrid car that will compete with the very popular Toyota Prius. Honda launched a hybrid version of the Civic model. The hybrid model of Civic was known to be 30% more efficient than the non-hybrid Civic. Like the original model, the Civic hybrid is a four-door sedan that accommodates 5 passengers. The hybrid model looks very much like the non-hybrid counterpart but it was the hood that was modified. It was changed to become a lighter vehicle in order to be able to run efficiently on the electric power. Summing it all up, the Civic became popular but not as popular as the Toyota Prius which up to now is a favorite.
Nissan's Attempt to Join the Hybrid World
Nissan bought the hybrid technology of Toyota and they were able to produce the Nissan Altima Hybrid. This model gained a lot of good reviews. It is not very surprising when you take into account the popularity of Toyota Prius. But still, the Altima Hybrid is yet to make a name.
Ford's Hybrid Lines
Being one of the biggest names in the car-making world, Ford Motors will not be left behind in the hybrid trend. Ford offered the Ford Escape hybrid to the market. It is another fully hybrid vehicle that was to make a name in the hybrid market. Another model that Ford Motors introduced was the Mercury Mariner Hybrid although it did not became as popular as the Ford Escape Hybrid.
GM in the Hybrid Picture
Another model of hybrid vehicles is the Dodge Ram Hybrid. This model did not become very popular. DaimlerChrysler, the mother company of Dodge tied up with General Motors to produce good models of hybrid vehicles. They joined their group and produced models, some of which are the Dodge Durango Hybrid, Chevy Silverado and GM Sierra Pickups.
There are indeed many varieties of hybrid car models in the market. If hybrids are only a passing solution to the energy problem of the future, it is indeed a good solution. With the very low emission and high fuel efficiency that it provides, it can work well until another better solution comes along.
Toyota's Offering
Later, Toyota introduced the Toyota Prius in the US. Presently, this model is the most popular hybrid car in the market. The Toyota Prius has a very efficient EPA rating and it has the lowest emission rating of up to 90 percent reduction compared to a regular vehicle. The good news is that the price of Toyota Prius can compete very well with the other cars of its type. It is actually the first hybrid car that was mass-produced.
Toyota Motors have high hopes with the future of hybrid vehicles. Not only was it evident in the research and development that they put into the famous Toyota Prius. They proved the sincerity of this belief by introducing other models of the SUV line. They introduced to the market the Highlander hybrid and Lexus SUV hybrid in the year 2005.
Honda's First Hybrid Car Models
Honda first released Insight in the year 1999. They were the first carmaker to offer hybrid electric car in the USA. This model has gained a little popularity in the first five years that it was on the market. It was designed to be very fuel efficient so it was built with a lightweight aluminum chassis. It was a two-seater vehicle. Honda Insight Hybrid was an environment friendly model. Aside from being fuel efficient, it was made to produce very low emission. There was an earlier version of this model that was released in Japan and Los Angeles in 1997.
Honda vs. Toyota
Honda being threatened by the popularity of the Toyota hybrids introduced to the market their new model of a hybrid car that will compete with the very popular Toyota Prius. Honda launched a hybrid version of the Civic model. The hybrid model of Civic was known to be 30% more efficient than the non-hybrid Civic. Like the original model, the Civic hybrid is a four-door sedan that accommodates 5 passengers. The hybrid model looks very much like the non-hybrid counterpart but it was the hood that was modified. It was changed to become a lighter vehicle in order to be able to run efficiently on the electric power. Summing it all up, the Civic became popular but not as popular as the Toyota Prius which up to now is a favorite.
Nissan's Attempt to Join the Hybrid World
Nissan bought the hybrid technology of Toyota and they were able to produce the Nissan Altima Hybrid. This model gained a lot of good reviews. It is not very surprising when you take into account the popularity of Toyota Prius. But still, the Altima Hybrid is yet to make a name.
Ford's Hybrid Lines
Being one of the biggest names in the car-making world, Ford Motors will not be left behind in the hybrid trend. Ford offered the Ford Escape hybrid to the market. It is another fully hybrid vehicle that was to make a name in the hybrid market. Another model that Ford Motors introduced was the Mercury Mariner Hybrid although it did not became as popular as the Ford Escape Hybrid.
GM in the Hybrid Picture
Another model of hybrid vehicles is the Dodge Ram Hybrid. This model did not become very popular. DaimlerChrysler, the mother company of Dodge tied up with General Motors to produce good models of hybrid vehicles. They joined their group and produced models, some of which are the Dodge Durango Hybrid, Chevy Silverado and GM Sierra Pickups.
There are indeed many varieties of hybrid car models in the market. If hybrids are only a passing solution to the energy problem of the future, it is indeed a good solution. With the very low emission and high fuel efficiency that it provides, it can work well until another better solution comes along.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Hybrid Car Prices: Good Value For The Money
Retail hybrid car prices as suggested by manufacturers (better known as MSRP) are decided by the car makers and advised to the car dealers to be the base price guide in dealing with public sale. Dealers providing fleet sales to corporate buyers have also the invoice price, or that amount paid by the dealers to the automakers, better used for wholesale purchases being made from the dealers.
While these two serve as guides for the car buyer, prices may increase due to additional costs for non-standard features or add-ons to the vehicles. There are also charges for delivery to move the vehicles to the final destination where buyer is situated. Thereafter, sales taxes, marketing costs, registration costs and other costs may be added by the dealership over and above the MSRP or invoice price.
Price Ranges
As of this writing, at the bottom rung is the Toyota Prius, most reasonably priced at suggested retail of $22,175, exclusive of tax incentives that come along with purchases of hybrid, environmentally-friendly units. At the high end of the spectrum will be the 2007 Honda Accord Hybrid 4-wheel drive four-door sedan, at around $31,000. Both these prices do not include delivery or destination pricing.
The Array of Hybrid Car Prices
In between the Prius and the Accord, the Camry Hybrid from Toyota is priced at around $26,000. The Saturn Aura Green Line Hybrid starts at $22,695, a highly recommended purchase by many hybrid enthusiasts. The Honda Hybrid FWD four door sedan starts at $22,600 exclusive of destination costs.
To give you a gauge on SUVs, the Mercury Mariner 2008 Hybrid four-wheel drive SUV starts at the bottom with $27,515, followed by the Ford Escape Hybrid 4FD SUV at $27.250. Packed and loaded with all amenities you can ask for, the 2007 Toyota Highlander Hybrid can be yours for $32,500.
Price Indicators
The brand name comes with the package. With such prestigious car makers as Toyota, Honda, Ford, Saturn, Mercury, Volkswagen, Mercedes, the name comes at a premium. Brand name notwithstanding, the full array of features and accessories not included in standard units also impact on the final price of the hybrid car you are purchasing.
Hybrid car prices are definitely higher than for conventional models. That's because the manufacturer requires more resources to produce the hybrids with their added valuable features - these all add up to the cost. It is envisioned, though, that the fuel savings from hybrids will more than compensate for the usually higher purchase price compared to pure fossil-fuel models.
To give you an idea, take the Honda Accord as an example. While a value-packaged 4-door Accord Sedan can fetch for as low as $19,450, the Hybrid Accord's price is almost twice higher at more than $31,000. While Accord's special edition sedans and coupes range from $23,350 to $23,450, these prices are still a far cry from hybrid's prices. Only the EX-L four-wheel drive 2-door Accord Coupe comes close at $27,500.
The price differences among Civic models are somewhat more manageable and saleable. Take a 4-door sedan Civic EX priced at $19,510 add a hybrid system and you're $22,500 poorer. But the price difference, at least, is not all that much.
Even with Toyota models, the fuel efficiency and environmental-friendliness and zero-emission tags all come at a premium. The Camry Hybrid starts at $25,200 when its conventional sister is priced at only $18,570. Even with the federal tax reductions for hybrid vehicles, the MSRP is still a tad higher.
With the kind of research and development, not to mention the extensive testing done on hybrid or alternative-fuel models, it's not surprising that hybrid car prices are more expensive. And manufacturers do not stop at the hybrid or fuel-efficiency features; they also try and pack the hybrid with the latest in electronics for the interiors, dash and instrumentation and everything.
Standard or optional amenities notwithstanding, environmentalists will always say that hybrid car prices are worth every penny car buyers shed, if only to ensure a better, cleaner, safer world for tomorrow. Amen to that, say the hybrid manufacturers' environmental drum beaters.
While these two serve as guides for the car buyer, prices may increase due to additional costs for non-standard features or add-ons to the vehicles. There are also charges for delivery to move the vehicles to the final destination where buyer is situated. Thereafter, sales taxes, marketing costs, registration costs and other costs may be added by the dealership over and above the MSRP or invoice price.
Price Ranges
As of this writing, at the bottom rung is the Toyota Prius, most reasonably priced at suggested retail of $22,175, exclusive of tax incentives that come along with purchases of hybrid, environmentally-friendly units. At the high end of the spectrum will be the 2007 Honda Accord Hybrid 4-wheel drive four-door sedan, at around $31,000. Both these prices do not include delivery or destination pricing.
The Array of Hybrid Car Prices
In between the Prius and the Accord, the Camry Hybrid from Toyota is priced at around $26,000. The Saturn Aura Green Line Hybrid starts at $22,695, a highly recommended purchase by many hybrid enthusiasts. The Honda Hybrid FWD four door sedan starts at $22,600 exclusive of destination costs.
To give you a gauge on SUVs, the Mercury Mariner 2008 Hybrid four-wheel drive SUV starts at the bottom with $27,515, followed by the Ford Escape Hybrid 4FD SUV at $27.250. Packed and loaded with all amenities you can ask for, the 2007 Toyota Highlander Hybrid can be yours for $32,500.
Price Indicators
The brand name comes with the package. With such prestigious car makers as Toyota, Honda, Ford, Saturn, Mercury, Volkswagen, Mercedes, the name comes at a premium. Brand name notwithstanding, the full array of features and accessories not included in standard units also impact on the final price of the hybrid car you are purchasing.
Hybrid car prices are definitely higher than for conventional models. That's because the manufacturer requires more resources to produce the hybrids with their added valuable features - these all add up to the cost. It is envisioned, though, that the fuel savings from hybrids will more than compensate for the usually higher purchase price compared to pure fossil-fuel models.
To give you an idea, take the Honda Accord as an example. While a value-packaged 4-door Accord Sedan can fetch for as low as $19,450, the Hybrid Accord's price is almost twice higher at more than $31,000. While Accord's special edition sedans and coupes range from $23,350 to $23,450, these prices are still a far cry from hybrid's prices. Only the EX-L four-wheel drive 2-door Accord Coupe comes close at $27,500.
The price differences among Civic models are somewhat more manageable and saleable. Take a 4-door sedan Civic EX priced at $19,510 add a hybrid system and you're $22,500 poorer. But the price difference, at least, is not all that much.
Even with Toyota models, the fuel efficiency and environmental-friendliness and zero-emission tags all come at a premium. The Camry Hybrid starts at $25,200 when its conventional sister is priced at only $18,570. Even with the federal tax reductions for hybrid vehicles, the MSRP is still a tad higher.
With the kind of research and development, not to mention the extensive testing done on hybrid or alternative-fuel models, it's not surprising that hybrid car prices are more expensive. And manufacturers do not stop at the hybrid or fuel-efficiency features; they also try and pack the hybrid with the latest in electronics for the interiors, dash and instrumentation and everything.
Standard or optional amenities notwithstanding, environmentalists will always say that hybrid car prices are worth every penny car buyers shed, if only to ensure a better, cleaner, safer world for tomorrow. Amen to that, say the hybrid manufacturers' environmental drum beaters.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Hybrid Car Sales Continue To Improve
With the popularity that hybrid vehicles are enjoying in the media and with all the attention they have been getting from environmentalist groups and advocates, one wonders how sales of these hybrid cars are going. Let us look at some secondary data provided to get a glimpse at just how marketable these hybrid cars are.
As of the first quarter of 2007, data from Forbes show that in the US alone, hybrids garnered a combined sale of more than 17,000 units, a remarkable 10% increase from the same period in 2006. The demand is definitely rising, and this demand is translating into actual sales. Sale of hybrid vehicles vis-à-vis the total number of light-duty vehicles sold also increased by as much as 1.4% compared to previous year levels. This only means more and more buyers prefer hybrids to conventional-fuel models.
Why the Rush to the Hybrid Section?
As fuel prices soar, more and more car buyers are prompted to go for hybrid cars. Since 2003, hybrid car-makers have been raking in profits from hybrid car sales. In 2004 in the US alone, hybrid car sales were almost 88,000 units. And with the increasing awareness about climate change and global warming, hybrid car sales are yet again expected to surge.
With great expectations for hybrid car sales to reach record highs in 2007, carmakers are rushing to put into the market new models, packed with all the environmental protection and fuel efficiency features that they could muster, not to mention the technological come-ons. New models are also widening the array of offerings, from compact to mid-sized sedans, to SUVs and minivans, even to pickups and trucks.
Car buyers can afford to be choosy with the broad range of hybrid units being offered in the market today. Moreover, fuel-efficiency and environmental friendliness features of these hybrids are reaching new heights, captivating a new kind of socially conscious and responsible breed of buyers.
Prices are reasonable enough to guarantee a following. Moreover, tax incentives and breaks are given to buyers of these eco-friendly hybrid units. Doing the math, the hybrid buyer is aware that he can easily recoup the few thousand dollars difference of a hybrid model over that of a conventional one, through reduced fuel consumption.
And these hybrids come safe for the buyer and his family, too. In addition to fuel efficiency, hybrid safety features are bringing in more buyers. Open the windows and the low emissions of your hybrid ensure that your kids are breathing fresher and cleaner air inside and outside the hybrid van. Navigation and stability systems for the hybrids are also a notch higher, adding to the safety factor more. A hybrid car buyer is assured of efficiency not only fuel-wise, but overall car performance-wise.
As buyers become more fuel-price conscious and more aware of climate change and the effects of greenhouse gases; as they realize that safety is paramount, and begin to expect comfort and enjoyment from riding safe and eco-friendly vehicles, hybrid car sales will continue to rise. Car makers are thus capitalizing on this trend and are coming up with one innovative hybrid model after another. Every car dealer will surely have one hybrid in his stable.
As of the first quarter of 2007, data from Forbes show that in the US alone, hybrids garnered a combined sale of more than 17,000 units, a remarkable 10% increase from the same period in 2006. The demand is definitely rising, and this demand is translating into actual sales. Sale of hybrid vehicles vis-à-vis the total number of light-duty vehicles sold also increased by as much as 1.4% compared to previous year levels. This only means more and more buyers prefer hybrids to conventional-fuel models.
Why the Rush to the Hybrid Section?
As fuel prices soar, more and more car buyers are prompted to go for hybrid cars. Since 2003, hybrid car-makers have been raking in profits from hybrid car sales. In 2004 in the US alone, hybrid car sales were almost 88,000 units. And with the increasing awareness about climate change and global warming, hybrid car sales are yet again expected to surge.
With great expectations for hybrid car sales to reach record highs in 2007, carmakers are rushing to put into the market new models, packed with all the environmental protection and fuel efficiency features that they could muster, not to mention the technological come-ons. New models are also widening the array of offerings, from compact to mid-sized sedans, to SUVs and minivans, even to pickups and trucks.
Car buyers can afford to be choosy with the broad range of hybrid units being offered in the market today. Moreover, fuel-efficiency and environmental friendliness features of these hybrids are reaching new heights, captivating a new kind of socially conscious and responsible breed of buyers.
Prices are reasonable enough to guarantee a following. Moreover, tax incentives and breaks are given to buyers of these eco-friendly hybrid units. Doing the math, the hybrid buyer is aware that he can easily recoup the few thousand dollars difference of a hybrid model over that of a conventional one, through reduced fuel consumption.
And these hybrids come safe for the buyer and his family, too. In addition to fuel efficiency, hybrid safety features are bringing in more buyers. Open the windows and the low emissions of your hybrid ensure that your kids are breathing fresher and cleaner air inside and outside the hybrid van. Navigation and stability systems for the hybrids are also a notch higher, adding to the safety factor more. A hybrid car buyer is assured of efficiency not only fuel-wise, but overall car performance-wise.
As buyers become more fuel-price conscious and more aware of climate change and the effects of greenhouse gases; as they realize that safety is paramount, and begin to expect comfort and enjoyment from riding safe and eco-friendly vehicles, hybrid car sales will continue to rise. Car makers are thus capitalizing on this trend and are coming up with one innovative hybrid model after another. Every car dealer will surely have one hybrid in his stable.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Hybrid Cars
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.
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.
Hybrid Cars And Our Future
The main question and perhaps why you are reading this article. Should you buy a Hybrid car in 2007 or 2008? The answer to that question really relies on you as their are many reasons to buy one and many not to buy.
Hopefully by reading this article you'll be better informed and with the information presented here and in other areas of research you will decide whether to purchase a Hybrid Car now or in the future.
Starting off I'm going to give you some information that I've picked up from different auto makers, Wikpedia, Consumer Reports and other online and off line sources.
With that said I decided to give you a little history and background information concerning the electric powered car.
Did you know as far back as 1901 the hybrid car was being experimented with. It's true a gentlemen by the name of Ferdinand Porsche designed a Hybrid car named the "Mixte". This Hybrid used a gasoline engine powering a generator the generator powered hub motors with a backup battery pack for backup redundancy.
Then in 1915 an electric car maker a manufacturing company by the name of Woods Motor Vehicle designed a Hybrid aptly named "Dual Power". This car had a 4 cylinder internal combustion engine and an electric motor. The electric motor below the speed of 15 mph independently powered the vehicle drawing power from a battery pack. At speeds above 15 mph the gasoline motor kicked in to increase the needed power requirements.
Here we are in 2007 with Hybrid cars that aren't much better than their 1900 counterparts, granted they can achieve speeds of 100 mph compared to only 35 mph back then. But if you take a closer look the technology was here even in 1901.
The regenerative braking system , the concept of most todays HEVs, was developed by electrical engineer David Arthurs around 1978 using off-the shelf parts and imagine this a Opel GT.
Fast forward to 2007 and the choices are many and it looks like from all reports that the Toyota Prius is the best all around choice. This baby has a total combined rating of 55 mpg and city driving of a whopping 60 mpg with a price tag of 22K - 24K. The Prius also has the best emissions standards of all the others. At this time it seems to be the leader of the pack and the most bang for your buck.
I decided to add some other average Hybrids to give you a comparison to the Toyota Prius.
Saturn came out with a line of Hybrids recently and they now have a mid size car named Aura. Gas EPA estimates for the Aura are 24 city, 32 highway. Not the best but comparable to the other Auto Makers. MSRP for the Aura is 22,790.00 not too shabby!
Updated for 2007, the Toyota Camry Hybrid is a 4-door sedan that can carry 5 passengers. This hybrid vehicle is powered by a standard I4, 2.4-liter hybrid engine is a 192-horse engine. This hybrid vehicle achieves 43-mpg in city driving and 37-mpg on highways. The Camry has an automatic trans and the overdrive comes standard.
The 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid has been complemented for its impressive interior and consumption. However, many users have complained that consumption strives to obtain what is advertised by the company. Its been said that the Camry only achieves 34mpg maximum.
Toyota has stopped at nothing for this hybrid vehicle but it comes with a price, and it's expensive. Sold at an average of $29,000 in showrooms. This vehicle is a nice option for those that want luxury and also to save on gas.
A huge hit in 2006 and its gotten better for 2007. The 2007 Ford Escape is a 4-door SUV vehicle that can carry up to a maximum of five passengers. This hybrid vehicle comes in two styles, the 4WD and FWD.
This SUV hybrid is powered by a I4, 2.3-liter, 155-horsepower engine. It has achieved 36-mpg in city driving and 31-mpg on the highway. Both styles come with transmissions that are variable speed automatics.
I hope you have enjoyed this article and that it has been informative!
Hopefully by reading this article you'll be better informed and with the information presented here and in other areas of research you will decide whether to purchase a Hybrid Car now or in the future.
Starting off I'm going to give you some information that I've picked up from different auto makers, Wikpedia, Consumer Reports and other online and off line sources.
With that said I decided to give you a little history and background information concerning the electric powered car.
Did you know as far back as 1901 the hybrid car was being experimented with. It's true a gentlemen by the name of Ferdinand Porsche designed a Hybrid car named the "Mixte". This Hybrid used a gasoline engine powering a generator the generator powered hub motors with a backup battery pack for backup redundancy.
Then in 1915 an electric car maker a manufacturing company by the name of Woods Motor Vehicle designed a Hybrid aptly named "Dual Power". This car had a 4 cylinder internal combustion engine and an electric motor. The electric motor below the speed of 15 mph independently powered the vehicle drawing power from a battery pack. At speeds above 15 mph the gasoline motor kicked in to increase the needed power requirements.
Here we are in 2007 with Hybrid cars that aren't much better than their 1900 counterparts, granted they can achieve speeds of 100 mph compared to only 35 mph back then. But if you take a closer look the technology was here even in 1901.
The regenerative braking system , the concept of most todays HEVs, was developed by electrical engineer David Arthurs around 1978 using off-the shelf parts and imagine this a Opel GT.
Fast forward to 2007 and the choices are many and it looks like from all reports that the Toyota Prius is the best all around choice. This baby has a total combined rating of 55 mpg and city driving of a whopping 60 mpg with a price tag of 22K - 24K. The Prius also has the best emissions standards of all the others. At this time it seems to be the leader of the pack and the most bang for your buck.
I decided to add some other average Hybrids to give you a comparison to the Toyota Prius.
Saturn came out with a line of Hybrids recently and they now have a mid size car named Aura. Gas EPA estimates for the Aura are 24 city, 32 highway. Not the best but comparable to the other Auto Makers. MSRP for the Aura is 22,790.00 not too shabby!
Updated for 2007, the Toyota Camry Hybrid is a 4-door sedan that can carry 5 passengers. This hybrid vehicle is powered by a standard I4, 2.4-liter hybrid engine is a 192-horse engine. This hybrid vehicle achieves 43-mpg in city driving and 37-mpg on highways. The Camry has an automatic trans and the overdrive comes standard.
The 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid has been complemented for its impressive interior and consumption. However, many users have complained that consumption strives to obtain what is advertised by the company. Its been said that the Camry only achieves 34mpg maximum.
Toyota has stopped at nothing for this hybrid vehicle but it comes with a price, and it's expensive. Sold at an average of $29,000 in showrooms. This vehicle is a nice option for those that want luxury and also to save on gas.
A huge hit in 2006 and its gotten better for 2007. The 2007 Ford Escape is a 4-door SUV vehicle that can carry up to a maximum of five passengers. This hybrid vehicle comes in two styles, the 4WD and FWD.
This SUV hybrid is powered by a I4, 2.3-liter, 155-horsepower engine. It has achieved 36-mpg in city driving and 31-mpg on the highway. Both styles come with transmissions that are variable speed automatics.
I hope you have enjoyed this article and that it has been informative!
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Hybrid Cars And Trucks
If you’ve been shopping for a new vehicle, chances are you’ve heard some discussion of hybrid cars and trucks. Unlike traditional vehicles, which rely solely on gasoline for fuel, hybrid cars and trucks combine gasoline with electric power. This allows them to maintain the benefits of gasoline cars, such as being able to travel long distances without having to stop to recharge a battery, with a lowered environmental impact typically associated with less practical electric cars.
How Do Hybrid Cars and Trucks Work?
Hybrid cars and trucks use both gasoline and a high powered battery to run the car while decreasing mileage. The car is run by a combination of gasoline and the electric power in the battery, which is recharged by the more traditional gasoline powered internal combustion energy when you hit the break. As your car slows down, the energy you would take to move is instead changed into electric energy which recharges the battery, preventing it from needing to be charged like more traditional electric cars.
The primary benefit of hybrid cars and trucks is in improved fuel efficiency over traditional gas powered cars. In general, hybrid cars and trucks can be expected to get between 28 mpg (for an SUV) and 60 mpg (for a two seat Honda Insight), thus far outperforming their traditional counterparts. This can save on operating costs of the vehicle, especially as fuel costs rise, and can make a positive environmental impact by reducing the depletion of fossil fuels.In addition, hybrid cars and trucks will often also have lower emissions than non hybrid cars, helping to prevent pollution, improve the smell of your garage and make the air you breathe healthier.Unlike traditional electric cars which needed to be plugged in to recharge, hybrid cars and trucks can drive long distances at high speeds just like regular cars can, making them suitable for the needs of most families and individuals.
The most famous hybrid cars are probably the Honda Insight and the Toyota Prius, which remain the most efficient of the group, but a large number of more practical hybrid cars and trucks have come on the market in the past few years. Honda now makes hybrid versions of its popular Civic and Accord styles, and Toyota makes a hybrid Camry. For those in need of a larger vehicle, Ford makes a hybrid Ford Escape SUV, which gets quite respectable mileage and helps to reduce the gas guzzling costs of that class of vehicle.
For information on buying and selling new and second hand cars and bikes visit http://www.bharathautomobiles.com/index.php
How Do Hybrid Cars and Trucks Work?
Hybrid cars and trucks use both gasoline and a high powered battery to run the car while decreasing mileage. The car is run by a combination of gasoline and the electric power in the battery, which is recharged by the more traditional gasoline powered internal combustion energy when you hit the break. As your car slows down, the energy you would take to move is instead changed into electric energy which recharges the battery, preventing it from needing to be charged like more traditional electric cars.
The primary benefit of hybrid cars and trucks is in improved fuel efficiency over traditional gas powered cars. In general, hybrid cars and trucks can be expected to get between 28 mpg (for an SUV) and 60 mpg (for a two seat Honda Insight), thus far outperforming their traditional counterparts. This can save on operating costs of the vehicle, especially as fuel costs rise, and can make a positive environmental impact by reducing the depletion of fossil fuels.In addition, hybrid cars and trucks will often also have lower emissions than non hybrid cars, helping to prevent pollution, improve the smell of your garage and make the air you breathe healthier.Unlike traditional electric cars which needed to be plugged in to recharge, hybrid cars and trucks can drive long distances at high speeds just like regular cars can, making them suitable for the needs of most families and individuals.
The most famous hybrid cars are probably the Honda Insight and the Toyota Prius, which remain the most efficient of the group, but a large number of more practical hybrid cars and trucks have come on the market in the past few years. Honda now makes hybrid versions of its popular Civic and Accord styles, and Toyota makes a hybrid Camry. For those in need of a larger vehicle, Ford makes a hybrid Ford Escape SUV, which gets quite respectable mileage and helps to reduce the gas guzzling costs of that class of vehicle.
For information on buying and selling new and second hand cars and bikes visit http://www.bharathautomobiles.com/index.php
Hybrid Cars At Affordable Price
The newest technology offering to lower vehicle fuel costs and help save the environment at the same time is rapidly expanding around the world. With the prospect of affordable hybrid cars on the horizon, many potential buyers are taking a wait and see attitude, before deciding that the money saved on the cost of gas while operating affordable hybrid cars will be a sufficient return on their investment. Currently, hybrid vehicles are more costly than their gas-sipping counterparts are, and when all costs associated with driving a hybrid vehicle are factored in, many claim the extra cost for the car does not return enough of a savings to justify the added expense. While willing to do their part to help reduce the emission of carbon dioxide, they are waiting for affordable hybrid cars before making the switch. Many potential buyers are looking past the sticker price of the car and are including all costs associated with the vehicle’s operation.
The actual gas mileage achieved in real life may be lower than the estimates posted on the sticker, but even with mileage projected at 40 or 50 miles per gallon, as well as figuring gas prices at $3 per gallon, it could take up to three years to break even on the fuel savings and the price of the vehicle.
Throughout the history of hybrid technology, the available supply of oil and gasoline has stymied the growth of hybrid vehicle usage. A recent push was made in the 1970s during an oil shortage, but when supplies became available, the technology was forgotten. When Japan’s gas prices topped three dollars a gallon in the 1990s, bringing in affordable hybrid cars became a priority. Even with the public clamoring for affordable hybrid cars most major car manufacturers were slow to embrace the technology, believing that as long as gasoline was plentiful and prices were kept in check, consumers would continue to burn gasoline and diesel vehicles without a second thought. With sale comparatively slow for hybrid vehicles, compared to conventional cars, they can make a case for being right.
However, consumers are smart enough to figure out that fuel efficient, clean burning affordable hybrid cars will be making their appearance in the near future and are willing to wait. Manufacturers will have to meet the demands of the car-buying public and those that fail to do so will find themselves losing business to the companies that do manage to produce affordable hybrid cars.
For information on buying and selling new and second hand cars and bikes visit http://www.bharathautomobiles.com/index.php
The actual gas mileage achieved in real life may be lower than the estimates posted on the sticker, but even with mileage projected at 40 or 50 miles per gallon, as well as figuring gas prices at $3 per gallon, it could take up to three years to break even on the fuel savings and the price of the vehicle.
Throughout the history of hybrid technology, the available supply of oil and gasoline has stymied the growth of hybrid vehicle usage. A recent push was made in the 1970s during an oil shortage, but when supplies became available, the technology was forgotten. When Japan’s gas prices topped three dollars a gallon in the 1990s, bringing in affordable hybrid cars became a priority. Even with the public clamoring for affordable hybrid cars most major car manufacturers were slow to embrace the technology, believing that as long as gasoline was plentiful and prices were kept in check, consumers would continue to burn gasoline and diesel vehicles without a second thought. With sale comparatively slow for hybrid vehicles, compared to conventional cars, they can make a case for being right.
However, consumers are smart enough to figure out that fuel efficient, clean burning affordable hybrid cars will be making their appearance in the near future and are willing to wait. Manufacturers will have to meet the demands of the car-buying public and those that fail to do so will find themselves losing business to the companies that do manage to produce affordable hybrid cars.
For information on buying and selling new and second hand cars and bikes visit http://www.bharathautomobiles.com/index.php
Friday, August 20, 2010
Hybrid Cars Of The Future
While hybrid energy vehicles are enjoying a surge in popularity, due to the slow decline in technology costs, hybrid cars of the future are going to have to meet some stringent demands of the consumer to continue growing. As prices for hybrid vehicles have remained higher than their gas-consuming counterparts, many car buyers are looking the other way when comes to saving the planet.
Spoiled, is the best term to describe American car owners as they continue their love affair with gas guzzling, large, comfortable and luxurious vehicles despite a rapid escalation in fuel prices. In order to be attractive to the masses, hybrid cars of the future are going to have to offer the same level of comfort and convenience as the non-hybrid versions without costing a ton more money. People may be willing to help save the environment, but are not willing to trade in their power and status for the sake of a few extra miles per gallon. Most of the current breed of hybrid vehicles are similar to design and style of existing smaller cars, which many people would not use due to their size before a hybrid power plant became an option. This may be indicative of the need for hybrid cars of the future to offer more comfort in larger vehicles for many more make the switch to hybrid energy.
Most car manufacturers were reluctant to jump on the bandwagon of hybrid vehicles, claiming the technology was too new and too costly to enable them to make a hybrid vehicle that the average person could afford. Ten years with the introduction of the Toyota Prius, hybrid cars of the future were pictured as being one or two passenger cars most often referred to as plain ugly. Designers than began incorporating hybrid power into existing plans and acceptance began to surge among those who were willing to trade into a smaller vehicle for promised reduce gas usage and to reduce emission gases. However, the hybrid cars of the future will have to do more than the current brands are doing to attract a wider range of consumers.
With General Motors the last of the major manufacturers to embrace the technology, there are luxury vehicles hitting the market that appeal to the luxury car buyer’s market. However, the hybrid cars of the future will have to be geared towards the buyers in the middle. With the smaller vehicles and some luxury cars going the way of the hybrid, a mid-size hybrid, in the middle of the price structure will do wonders to bolster hybrid use.
For information on buying and selling new and second hand cars and bikes visit http://www.bharathautomobiles.com/index.php
Spoiled, is the best term to describe American car owners as they continue their love affair with gas guzzling, large, comfortable and luxurious vehicles despite a rapid escalation in fuel prices. In order to be attractive to the masses, hybrid cars of the future are going to have to offer the same level of comfort and convenience as the non-hybrid versions without costing a ton more money. People may be willing to help save the environment, but are not willing to trade in their power and status for the sake of a few extra miles per gallon. Most of the current breed of hybrid vehicles are similar to design and style of existing smaller cars, which many people would not use due to their size before a hybrid power plant became an option. This may be indicative of the need for hybrid cars of the future to offer more comfort in larger vehicles for many more make the switch to hybrid energy.
Most car manufacturers were reluctant to jump on the bandwagon of hybrid vehicles, claiming the technology was too new and too costly to enable them to make a hybrid vehicle that the average person could afford. Ten years with the introduction of the Toyota Prius, hybrid cars of the future were pictured as being one or two passenger cars most often referred to as plain ugly. Designers than began incorporating hybrid power into existing plans and acceptance began to surge among those who were willing to trade into a smaller vehicle for promised reduce gas usage and to reduce emission gases. However, the hybrid cars of the future will have to do more than the current brands are doing to attract a wider range of consumers.
With General Motors the last of the major manufacturers to embrace the technology, there are luxury vehicles hitting the market that appeal to the luxury car buyer’s market. However, the hybrid cars of the future will have to be geared towards the buyers in the middle. With the smaller vehicles and some luxury cars going the way of the hybrid, a mid-size hybrid, in the middle of the price structure will do wonders to bolster hybrid use.
For information on buying and selling new and second hand cars and bikes visit http://www.bharathautomobiles.com/index.php
Hybrid Cars Save Drivers From Worry
Many drivers have shown great interest in hybrid cars and some are still waiting to see the true results before they venture into buying this new form of automobile. There have been many statements made about the fuel savings that are possible with the hybrid engines but some people still need some reassurance that the fuel efficiency concept really works.
Some automobile driver's worry that they will have to spend more for hybrid cars and those worries are justified. Hybrid cars are very popular and this popularity has caused the price of the hybrid to be more expensive than any other gasoline powered engine in any model of automobile throughout America. Some people have a misconception about hybrid cars and think that they are electrically powered.
Some aspects of the hybrid cars engines are powered by electricity but they are not solely dependent on electricity. In fact, the hybrid cars generate enough electricity to recharge the car battery and the battery power is stored until extra power is necessary and the use of the gasoline engine is not necessary. One unnecessary use would be when a car comes to a complete stop at a red light. The hybrid engine will shut off, which saves fuel and the engine will be powered by the battery.
Many drivers worry that they will not be able to gauge when the engine is needed. Those worries are unfounded because the hybrid cars engine automatically engages at the right time and for the correct length of time. The driver's involvement in the process involves the use of the automobile brake and the hybrid car operates on cue when the brake is released and the accelerator is used.
Finding a hybrid car might be the only worry that an automobile driver has. There has been a shortage of hybrid cars all over the United States because hybrid car manufacturers did not expect such an overwhelming response to these fuel saving models of automobile. Automobile driver's can still purchase hybrid cars but they might have to pre-order the model of their choice.
The reduced emissions from a hybrid car are one of the main reasons that people are interested in them. People also like the idea that they will have to stop at gas stations less often and they like the idea that the Federal government is willing to give tax credits on various models of the hybrid cars. There are some rules about this that might worry some driver's but overall, the hybrid car quells those worries by performing better on the average than other automobiles offered on the market.
Some automobile driver's worry that they will have to spend more for hybrid cars and those worries are justified. Hybrid cars are very popular and this popularity has caused the price of the hybrid to be more expensive than any other gasoline powered engine in any model of automobile throughout America. Some people have a misconception about hybrid cars and think that they are electrically powered.
Some aspects of the hybrid cars engines are powered by electricity but they are not solely dependent on electricity. In fact, the hybrid cars generate enough electricity to recharge the car battery and the battery power is stored until extra power is necessary and the use of the gasoline engine is not necessary. One unnecessary use would be when a car comes to a complete stop at a red light. The hybrid engine will shut off, which saves fuel and the engine will be powered by the battery.
Many drivers worry that they will not be able to gauge when the engine is needed. Those worries are unfounded because the hybrid cars engine automatically engages at the right time and for the correct length of time. The driver's involvement in the process involves the use of the automobile brake and the hybrid car operates on cue when the brake is released and the accelerator is used.
Finding a hybrid car might be the only worry that an automobile driver has. There has been a shortage of hybrid cars all over the United States because hybrid car manufacturers did not expect such an overwhelming response to these fuel saving models of automobile. Automobile driver's can still purchase hybrid cars but they might have to pre-order the model of their choice.
The reduced emissions from a hybrid car are one of the main reasons that people are interested in them. People also like the idea that they will have to stop at gas stations less often and they like the idea that the Federal government is willing to give tax credits on various models of the hybrid cars. There are some rules about this that might worry some driver's but overall, the hybrid car quells those worries by performing better on the average than other automobiles offered on the market.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Hybrid Cars With 4 Doors
Many families were interested in hybrid technology when it first hit the market, but with choices limited and the reduced size of the vehicles, families found they could not fit into the available vehicles. With the 2007 model year released, many family-friendly hybrid cars with 4 doors were unleashed on an anxious public. With fuel-sipping economy on the minds of many families, the availability of hybrid cars with 4 doors is a welcome relief to fewer fill-ups.It all started with the Toyota Prius, with over 10 years experience in the hybrid car market it has the luxury of being the first mass-produced hybrid vehicle enjoying worldwide acceptance. Now it is one of nine hybrid cars with 4 doors. Joining this premier vehicle are the Toyota Camry, built on a larger frame and patterned after its gas-only model, it offers the room families, as well as larger individuals need in a vehicle.
Honda Motors jumped into the hybrid fray and offers two hybrid cars with 4 doors in the sedan model. The Honda Civic and Honda Accord are two vehicles making people sit up and take notice of the hybrid power system. Joining them on the market in 2007 is the Nissan Altima, a sleek sedan, one of the newest hybrid cars with 4 doors to make its entry. Not wanting to miss out on the market for sport utility vehicles, while offering the fuel economy and environment savings of hybrids are new entries in hybrid cars with 4 doors market. The Ford Escape brags about its fuel economy and environmental savings while being able to go off road on demand. The four-wheel drive Escape is the hybrid version of its previously gas-only model.
Joining the Escape on a larger scale are the Mercury Mariner and Toyota Highlander, both hybrid cars with 4 doors are rapidly rising in the ranks as acceptable alternatives for larger families and those that travel frequently. Buyers also appreciate the four-wheel or all-wheel drive capabilities. Along with safety features that help protect the car’s occupants while protecting the environment. One of the newest entrants in the hybrid cars with 4 doors market is the Lexus RX sport utility vehicle. Offering front wheels drive and part-time all-wheel capabilities, this sport utility vehicle includes all of the luxury for which Lexus has become known. If the biggest point for shunning hybrid technology has been the size of the vehicles, that has been solved through the recent unveiling of hybrid cars with 4 doors.
For information on buying and selling new and second hand cars and bikes visit http://www.bharathautomobiles.com/index.php
Honda Motors jumped into the hybrid fray and offers two hybrid cars with 4 doors in the sedan model. The Honda Civic and Honda Accord are two vehicles making people sit up and take notice of the hybrid power system. Joining them on the market in 2007 is the Nissan Altima, a sleek sedan, one of the newest hybrid cars with 4 doors to make its entry. Not wanting to miss out on the market for sport utility vehicles, while offering the fuel economy and environment savings of hybrids are new entries in hybrid cars with 4 doors market. The Ford Escape brags about its fuel economy and environmental savings while being able to go off road on demand. The four-wheel drive Escape is the hybrid version of its previously gas-only model.
Joining the Escape on a larger scale are the Mercury Mariner and Toyota Highlander, both hybrid cars with 4 doors are rapidly rising in the ranks as acceptable alternatives for larger families and those that travel frequently. Buyers also appreciate the four-wheel or all-wheel drive capabilities. Along with safety features that help protect the car’s occupants while protecting the environment. One of the newest entrants in the hybrid cars with 4 doors market is the Lexus RX sport utility vehicle. Offering front wheels drive and part-time all-wheel capabilities, this sport utility vehicle includes all of the luxury for which Lexus has become known. If the biggest point for shunning hybrid technology has been the size of the vehicles, that has been solved through the recent unveiling of hybrid cars with 4 doors.
For information on buying and selling new and second hand cars and bikes visit http://www.bharathautomobiles.com/index.php
Monday, August 16, 2010
Hybrid Concept Cars
With technology booming and with a growing interest in hybrid technology, there have been a plethora of hybrid concept cars appearing on the scene at auto shows in the past couple years. Here’s a look at some of the hottest and most innovative. This hybrid concept car is designed to be among the first high performance hybrid cars. With a 3.3L V6 engine, and a separate electric motor for each wheel, this car can maneuver and accelerate as well as any car available. Named for Alessandro Volta, the inventor of the battery, the Toyota Volta gets about 32 miles per gallon by combining fuel efficiency with battery power. This race car style vehicle seats three, with a two plus one seating configuration Ford Reflex.
The Ford Reflex is a hybrid concept car aimed at improving mileage and efficiency. It is designed to combine three different kinds of power: diesel, electric, solar. Currently, the Ford Reflex is said to achieve 65 miles per gallon by using a new type of battery made of lithium, like the batteries found in cell phones. The Reflex uses the same seating configuration as the Toyota Volta, with a fold down rear facing child seat so that you have the option of increasing the seating from three to four. One other cool feature of the Ford Reflex is that the insulation is made from recycled tennis shoes, making this hybrid concept car even more environmentally friendly.
The Volvo 3cc is a little bit different than the other hybrid concept cars described here in that it is powered entirely through a battery, giving it a zero emission electric powtertrain which helps to prevent pollution while decreasing fossil fuel consumption. The battery is able to recover energy when breaking, so that the car has a travel range up to 180 miles before needing to stop and recharge. Its lightweight, sleek and sexy body makes it very visually appealing while improving its performance and efficiency. Using only electric power, this car can achieve speeds up to 85 miles per hour. Are we likely to see any of these hybrid concept cars on the market any time soon? Maybe not. But the features included with each of them, and the technological innovations they collectively embody, can lead to many improvements in the hybrid vehicles that are sold. While some hybrid concept cars merely exist to influence the market, some have become popular street vehicles, like the Insight and the Prius.
For information on buying and selling new and second hand cars and bikes visit http://www.bharathautomobiles.com/index.php
The Ford Reflex is a hybrid concept car aimed at improving mileage and efficiency. It is designed to combine three different kinds of power: diesel, electric, solar. Currently, the Ford Reflex is said to achieve 65 miles per gallon by using a new type of battery made of lithium, like the batteries found in cell phones. The Reflex uses the same seating configuration as the Toyota Volta, with a fold down rear facing child seat so that you have the option of increasing the seating from three to four. One other cool feature of the Ford Reflex is that the insulation is made from recycled tennis shoes, making this hybrid concept car even more environmentally friendly.
The Volvo 3cc is a little bit different than the other hybrid concept cars described here in that it is powered entirely through a battery, giving it a zero emission electric powtertrain which helps to prevent pollution while decreasing fossil fuel consumption. The battery is able to recover energy when breaking, so that the car has a travel range up to 180 miles before needing to stop and recharge. Its lightweight, sleek and sexy body makes it very visually appealing while improving its performance and efficiency. Using only electric power, this car can achieve speeds up to 85 miles per hour. Are we likely to see any of these hybrid concept cars on the market any time soon? Maybe not. But the features included with each of them, and the technological innovations they collectively embody, can lead to many improvements in the hybrid vehicles that are sold. While some hybrid concept cars merely exist to influence the market, some have become popular street vehicles, like the Insight and the Prius.
For information on buying and selling new and second hand cars and bikes visit http://www.bharathautomobiles.com/index.php
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Hybrid Electric Vehicles: Pros And Cons
In the past few years, hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) have been getting a lot of press, both good and bad. As with any new technology—that is, any technology newly offered to the public—there are proponents and opponents to the wide use of HEVs. Pros and cons are bandied about freely, and it can be difficult for the average person to weed out any useful information. Here is a brief, simple synopsis of the advantages and disadvantages of HEVs.
The most obvious benefit of HEVs is lowered environmental impact. A vehicle that’s powered solely by electricity produces absolutely no emissions. Admittedly, a hybrid vehicle does emit some carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, but only from the gasoline-driven engine. If your vehicle is powered by electricity 50% of the time, it will reduce harmful exhaust emissions by 50%.
Hybrid vehicles are quieter, and cause less noise pollution—an important consideration in urban areas. The engine only runs when the vehicle is being actively propelled forward. Over time, this trait also cuts down on overall energy consumption.
Another obvious benefit is that HEVs run on a fuel source that is already readily available, and that does not depend on foreign oil. The United States already has numerous electrical power plants that are already producing vast amounts of electricity.
For the most part, hybrids are easy to fuel up. The majority of hybrid vehicles on the market today have batteries that can be plugged in and recharged; an adaptor allows most hybrid owners to “fuel up” their vehicles at home. Some cities make charging stations available, as well.
However, there are downsides, as well. HEVs use a lead-acid battery. These can take a long time to charge, sometimes as long as 10 hours. This is not so much of a problem if you’re at home and plan on leaving your car to charge overnight, but it can be decidedly inconvenient when you’re traveling. In the future, as HEVs become more prevalent, you can expect charging stations with the capacity to charge batteries in a fraction of that time will to become available.
Another drawback is that while hybrids do vary somewhat in the distance that they can travel on a fully charged battery, the average is about 60 miles per charge. Again, this isn’t much of an obstacle for a hybrid vehicle, which can switch over to gasoline power at need—but decidedly inconvenient for a car with fully electrical propulsion (EV). In addition, the batteries have a limited shelf life—roughly three years—and are extremely expensive to replace.
Researchers are experimenting with other types of battery, such as nickel-metal hydride, nickel cadmium, and lithium-ion batteries. At present, these types could offer better performance, but the costs are prohibitive.
Lastly, the purchase cost of a hybrid vehicle is a major deterrent for many people who are considering “switching over.” HEVs are still more significantly more expensive that their gasoline-driven counterparts. To some degree, decreased fuel consumption, better fuel economy, and reduced maintenance costs serve as a counterbalance to the higher cost. There are also governmental tax credits, at the federal and sometimes even at the state level, for individuals who purchase hybrid vehicles.
Is it worth it to replace your current vehicle with an HEV? That depends. Only you can say. Do your research, and do the math. Look at all of the different factors involved, and make an educated decision. Only you can know if an HEV is the best choice given your life, your preferences, and your budget.
The most obvious benefit of HEVs is lowered environmental impact. A vehicle that’s powered solely by electricity produces absolutely no emissions. Admittedly, a hybrid vehicle does emit some carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, but only from the gasoline-driven engine. If your vehicle is powered by electricity 50% of the time, it will reduce harmful exhaust emissions by 50%.
Hybrid vehicles are quieter, and cause less noise pollution—an important consideration in urban areas. The engine only runs when the vehicle is being actively propelled forward. Over time, this trait also cuts down on overall energy consumption.
Another obvious benefit is that HEVs run on a fuel source that is already readily available, and that does not depend on foreign oil. The United States already has numerous electrical power plants that are already producing vast amounts of electricity.
For the most part, hybrids are easy to fuel up. The majority of hybrid vehicles on the market today have batteries that can be plugged in and recharged; an adaptor allows most hybrid owners to “fuel up” their vehicles at home. Some cities make charging stations available, as well.
However, there are downsides, as well. HEVs use a lead-acid battery. These can take a long time to charge, sometimes as long as 10 hours. This is not so much of a problem if you’re at home and plan on leaving your car to charge overnight, but it can be decidedly inconvenient when you’re traveling. In the future, as HEVs become more prevalent, you can expect charging stations with the capacity to charge batteries in a fraction of that time will to become available.
Another drawback is that while hybrids do vary somewhat in the distance that they can travel on a fully charged battery, the average is about 60 miles per charge. Again, this isn’t much of an obstacle for a hybrid vehicle, which can switch over to gasoline power at need—but decidedly inconvenient for a car with fully electrical propulsion (EV). In addition, the batteries have a limited shelf life—roughly three years—and are extremely expensive to replace.
Researchers are experimenting with other types of battery, such as nickel-metal hydride, nickel cadmium, and lithium-ion batteries. At present, these types could offer better performance, but the costs are prohibitive.
Lastly, the purchase cost of a hybrid vehicle is a major deterrent for many people who are considering “switching over.” HEVs are still more significantly more expensive that their gasoline-driven counterparts. To some degree, decreased fuel consumption, better fuel economy, and reduced maintenance costs serve as a counterbalance to the higher cost. There are also governmental tax credits, at the federal and sometimes even at the state level, for individuals who purchase hybrid vehicles.
Is it worth it to replace your current vehicle with an HEV? That depends. Only you can say. Do your research, and do the math. Look at all of the different factors involved, and make an educated decision. Only you can know if an HEV is the best choice given your life, your preferences, and your budget.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Hybrid Sports Cars
Many are wondering that if a hybrid power plant can be included into existing models, why they can’t be used in hybrid sports cars as well. One such innovation, constructed by a team of high schoolers built a diesel-electric hybrid sports car for under $20,000 using a diesel power plant to push the car’s back wheels, while using a 200-amp electric motor to run the front drive system. Even with the diesel operating more often than the electric plant, the vehicle brags about 50 miles per gallon.
Although this type of vehicle may not win any awards for environmental savings, the idea of creating a performance sports car with hybrid technology may be boosted when engineers figure out how to use a gas efficient engine in conjunction with an electric motor only during times of peak power demands. The hybrid sports cars built by the students claimed acceleration of zero to 60 in four seconds, making it close to a real sports car.
One of the considerations is the weight of many hybrid vehicles, considering the size and weight of the batteries necessary to hold a charge long enough to power the vehicle when the fuel engine is not required. Capacitor discharge is used in hybrid sports cars and only provides power for short bursts during initial take off and during rapid acceleration.
Many consumers are demanding more of the costly hybrid vehicles, not willing to settle for slow moving, slow start vehicles in exchange for the cost. The initial investment of a hybrid is higher than their conventional counterparts, which is something that buyers of future hybrid sports cars might be willing to accept, provided the cost was not overwhelming. Simple redesigning of the bodies on existing hybrid platforms will not be enough to lure people into believing they are hybrid sports cars, as the performance is what they are looking for. Without the acceleration and speed, along with maneuverability they are accustomed to feeling, hybrid sports cars are going to be slow to gain popularity. Looks may be a key to sales, but performance is the goal for repeat and increased sales.
A person can build a Jaguar onto the frame of a Volkswagen, but once they hit the road, it is still a Volkswagen. True hybrid sports cars may be off in the distance, but once they do hit the market, the younger set may be more willing to embrace the technology.
For information on buying and selling new and second hand cars and bikes visit http://www.bharathautomobiles.com/index.php
Although this type of vehicle may not win any awards for environmental savings, the idea of creating a performance sports car with hybrid technology may be boosted when engineers figure out how to use a gas efficient engine in conjunction with an electric motor only during times of peak power demands. The hybrid sports cars built by the students claimed acceleration of zero to 60 in four seconds, making it close to a real sports car.
One of the considerations is the weight of many hybrid vehicles, considering the size and weight of the batteries necessary to hold a charge long enough to power the vehicle when the fuel engine is not required. Capacitor discharge is used in hybrid sports cars and only provides power for short bursts during initial take off and during rapid acceleration.
Many consumers are demanding more of the costly hybrid vehicles, not willing to settle for slow moving, slow start vehicles in exchange for the cost. The initial investment of a hybrid is higher than their conventional counterparts, which is something that buyers of future hybrid sports cars might be willing to accept, provided the cost was not overwhelming. Simple redesigning of the bodies on existing hybrid platforms will not be enough to lure people into believing they are hybrid sports cars, as the performance is what they are looking for. Without the acceleration and speed, along with maneuverability they are accustomed to feeling, hybrid sports cars are going to be slow to gain popularity. Looks may be a key to sales, but performance is the goal for repeat and increased sales.
A person can build a Jaguar onto the frame of a Volkswagen, but once they hit the road, it is still a Volkswagen. True hybrid sports cars may be off in the distance, but once they do hit the market, the younger set may be more willing to embrace the technology.
For information on buying and selling new and second hand cars and bikes visit http://www.bharathautomobiles.com/index.php
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Hybrid vs. Diesel
In these days of soaring gas prices, it seems that everyone is looking to increase their gas mileage. In the past, those looking to drive the most fuel-efficient vehicle had just one option: diesel trucks and cars. Diesel vehicles use significantly less fuel than cars that run on regular gas.
There is an option to diesel vehicles. Recently, hybrid vehicles have been appearing everywhere. No longer are they just slightly odd-looking compact cars. Hybrid technology can be found in everything from compact cars to SUVs. Are you better off with the old, diesel standby or do hybrid cars really offer more?
Diesel vehicles
For years, the gas-conscious consumer chose the diesel vehicle. These earlier diesels were generally noisier, dirtier and handled the road more poorly than their gas counterparts did. In fact, five states currently do not allow the sale of diesel vehicles due to strict emissions standards.
However, this image of the diesel vehicle is very outdated. Modern diesel vehicles are much cleaner than their earlier counterparts are. Low-sulphur diesel fuel and new technology that helps trap emissions particles are making diesel engines cleaner than ever before. In addition, modern diesel vehicles handle nearly as well as their gas-powered cousins and are less noisy as well.
Fuel efficiency is still paramount when it comes to driving a diesel vehicle. With their average nine miles per gallon increase over gas-powered vehicles, diesels are a viable option for the fuel-conscious consumer.
Hybrid vehicles
Hybrid vehicles are the newcomer to the mileage game. These vehicles run on a combination of gas and electric power, and they promise vastly increased gas mileage and lower emissions.
While these vehicles deliver on the promise, there are a few shortcomings as well. The first and most glaring disappointment is that many drivers find that the advertised mileage and the actual mileage the car achieves are vastly different.
For instance, the Toyota Prius advertises gas mileage of 55 miles per gallon, according to U.S. government reports. However, when Consumer Reports magazine tested the car under actual driving conditions, the mileage achieved was only 44 miles per gallon. While this is still excellent gas mileage, it is far less than advertised.
In addition, the sheer price of hybrid vehicles can be daunting. While a diesel vehicle generally costs an average of $1000 more than its gas-powered version, a hybrid vehicle costs several thousand dollars more than a gas-powered car. The Honda Civic Hybrid base price is $4800 more than the standard Civic with the same options and amenities.
Given that the gas mileage on the hybrid is about 30% greater than on the standard vehicle, it would take an average driver at today’s gas costs more than twelve years to recoup the cost difference. However, one must consider that some of this additional cost can also be recouped with the one-time federal tax credit. In addition, some states and even employers offer rebates to those who drive hybrid vehicles.
Given that the gas mileage on the hybrid is about 30% greater than on the standard vehicle, it would take an average driver at today’s gas costs more than twelve years to recoup the cost difference. However, one must consider that some of this additional cost can also be recouped with the one-time federal tax credit. In addition, some states and even employers offer rebates to those who drive hybrid vehicles.
There is an option to diesel vehicles. Recently, hybrid vehicles have been appearing everywhere. No longer are they just slightly odd-looking compact cars. Hybrid technology can be found in everything from compact cars to SUVs. Are you better off with the old, diesel standby or do hybrid cars really offer more?
Diesel vehicles
For years, the gas-conscious consumer chose the diesel vehicle. These earlier diesels were generally noisier, dirtier and handled the road more poorly than their gas counterparts did. In fact, five states currently do not allow the sale of diesel vehicles due to strict emissions standards.
However, this image of the diesel vehicle is very outdated. Modern diesel vehicles are much cleaner than their earlier counterparts are. Low-sulphur diesel fuel and new technology that helps trap emissions particles are making diesel engines cleaner than ever before. In addition, modern diesel vehicles handle nearly as well as their gas-powered cousins and are less noisy as well.
Fuel efficiency is still paramount when it comes to driving a diesel vehicle. With their average nine miles per gallon increase over gas-powered vehicles, diesels are a viable option for the fuel-conscious consumer.
Hybrid vehicles
Hybrid vehicles are the newcomer to the mileage game. These vehicles run on a combination of gas and electric power, and they promise vastly increased gas mileage and lower emissions.
While these vehicles deliver on the promise, there are a few shortcomings as well. The first and most glaring disappointment is that many drivers find that the advertised mileage and the actual mileage the car achieves are vastly different.
For instance, the Toyota Prius advertises gas mileage of 55 miles per gallon, according to U.S. government reports. However, when Consumer Reports magazine tested the car under actual driving conditions, the mileage achieved was only 44 miles per gallon. While this is still excellent gas mileage, it is far less than advertised.
In addition, the sheer price of hybrid vehicles can be daunting. While a diesel vehicle generally costs an average of $1000 more than its gas-powered version, a hybrid vehicle costs several thousand dollars more than a gas-powered car. The Honda Civic Hybrid base price is $4800 more than the standard Civic with the same options and amenities.
Given that the gas mileage on the hybrid is about 30% greater than on the standard vehicle, it would take an average driver at today’s gas costs more than twelve years to recoup the cost difference. However, one must consider that some of this additional cost can also be recouped with the one-time federal tax credit. In addition, some states and even employers offer rebates to those who drive hybrid vehicles.
Given that the gas mileage on the hybrid is about 30% greater than on the standard vehicle, it would take an average driver at today’s gas costs more than twelve years to recoup the cost difference. However, one must consider that some of this additional cost can also be recouped with the one-time federal tax credit. In addition, some states and even employers offer rebates to those who drive hybrid vehicles.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Hybrid vs Electric Cars
There is much in the news these days over the need for alternative energy sources for cars. While there have always been a number of benefits to alternate fuel sources, the current outrageous spikes in gasoline prices have led to increased public desire for an alternative to purchasing gasoline. At an average of $3 a gallon, an individual who burns two gallons of gas on the way to work and an additional two gallons on the way back is spending $12 a day. That equals $60 a week which translates into $3,000 a year. That is quite a bit of money and when one considers the fact that gasoline was only $1.40 a gallon a decade ago, the spike in prices is somewhat outrageous. This is why there has been renewed and increased interest in electric cars and hybrid cars. From this there has derived obvious questions that have morphed into a debate over the merits of hybrid vs electric cars.
Hybrid cars are cars that can burn regular gasoline as well as ethanol fuel. (Ethanol is a non-oil based fuel that comes from corn) Electric cars are cars that operate on a rechargeable battery. Several years ago, prototype electric cars were offered on the marketplace, but the cars failed for a number of reasons.
There are a number of problems that currently exist that can preclude the advancement of the electric car in the marketplace. These problems, however, may be corrected over time, but at present, these problems are restricting the growth of the electric car in the marketplace. The problems include the following: the amount of miles that on can drive a car on the capacity of the current design of electric batteries are fairly limited and there are very few charging stations in the United States that can re-charge a car when the battery dies. Needless to say, it would be fairly difficult to drive a car long distances or even up and back to work if the electric car was susceptible to running out of power and the ability to recharge the car was limited. Additionally, any repairs that may be necessary can be somewhat difficult to have performed because it may be difficult to find a repairman who understands the complexity of an electric car. Upon examining these potential problems, hybrids have an edge in the hybrid vs electric car debate. While the hybrid vs electric car debate between which is the best has not yet been decided, it would seem the edge leans towards toward hybrids.
For information on buying and selling new and second hand cars and bikes visit http://www.bharathautomobiles.com/index.php
Hybrid cars are cars that can burn regular gasoline as well as ethanol fuel. (Ethanol is a non-oil based fuel that comes from corn) Electric cars are cars that operate on a rechargeable battery. Several years ago, prototype electric cars were offered on the marketplace, but the cars failed for a number of reasons.
There are a number of problems that currently exist that can preclude the advancement of the electric car in the marketplace. These problems, however, may be corrected over time, but at present, these problems are restricting the growth of the electric car in the marketplace. The problems include the following: the amount of miles that on can drive a car on the capacity of the current design of electric batteries are fairly limited and there are very few charging stations in the United States that can re-charge a car when the battery dies. Needless to say, it would be fairly difficult to drive a car long distances or even up and back to work if the electric car was susceptible to running out of power and the ability to recharge the car was limited. Additionally, any repairs that may be necessary can be somewhat difficult to have performed because it may be difficult to find a repairman who understands the complexity of an electric car. Upon examining these potential problems, hybrids have an edge in the hybrid vs electric car debate. While the hybrid vs electric car debate between which is the best has not yet been decided, it would seem the edge leans towards toward hybrids.
For information on buying and selling new and second hand cars and bikes visit http://www.bharathautomobiles.com/index.php
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Hybrids Reduce Gas Emissions
Hybrids not only perform above average on mileage (the Honda insight can reach above sixty mpg) but reduce their gas emissions and air pollution considerably. Toyota Prius, for example has a 90% reduction in the amount of pollution that would otherwise be in the air. And although this is not perfect it has improved the current standard considerably
About one third of air pollution is caused by the fuel used in cars. The major culprit is the carbon dioxide which causes global warming. Compared to regular cars, the Toyota Prius reduces the amount of carbon dioxide by fifty percent. And the hybrid made by Honda has reduced its emissions by two thirds. Nitrogen oxide, a chemical found in car emissions, not only causes global warming, but will cause acid rain and lung irritations. Hydrocarbons is another substance found in gas emissions from a car and this can cause birth defects or lung cancer. Lead is also released in the air as is carbon monoxide every time the car is in motion. Imagine sitting in rush hour with all those toxic gases being released in the air.
With a hybrid the gases and other substances are dramatically reduced. Because more and more people are becoming concerned about air pollution and global warming, car makers are rushing to meet the demand. There are the hybrid models from Toyota and Honda and Ford. But Saturn and Mazda and GM are following suit.
The EPA is also participating in encouraging this trend by supplying more information to the consumer about the hybrid cars. There are new ratings in place. One is the ultra low emissions vehicle (ULEV) and the other is the super low emissions vehicle (SLEV). The hybrids on the market today receive either one of the ratings but regular cars never reach the mark.
There is a system in place that the EPA uses to rate cars. It gives two scores, one for the green house gases and the other for air pollution. In the seventies, there was a law passed that required cars to keep to certain standards. Regular cars barely met the requirement. Even if you took into consideration things like speed, weather or location, that may change the outcome of results. It doesn’t reduce the high scores of the hybrids. In fact, this score can be perfect at times because the hybrid runs on electric power too. So that reliance on gas is decreased, making the hybrid the better choice of car in the market today for the EPA
About one third of air pollution is caused by the fuel used in cars. The major culprit is the carbon dioxide which causes global warming. Compared to regular cars, the Toyota Prius reduces the amount of carbon dioxide by fifty percent. And the hybrid made by Honda has reduced its emissions by two thirds. Nitrogen oxide, a chemical found in car emissions, not only causes global warming, but will cause acid rain and lung irritations. Hydrocarbons is another substance found in gas emissions from a car and this can cause birth defects or lung cancer. Lead is also released in the air as is carbon monoxide every time the car is in motion. Imagine sitting in rush hour with all those toxic gases being released in the air.
With a hybrid the gases and other substances are dramatically reduced. Because more and more people are becoming concerned about air pollution and global warming, car makers are rushing to meet the demand. There are the hybrid models from Toyota and Honda and Ford. But Saturn and Mazda and GM are following suit.
The EPA is also participating in encouraging this trend by supplying more information to the consumer about the hybrid cars. There are new ratings in place. One is the ultra low emissions vehicle (ULEV) and the other is the super low emissions vehicle (SLEV). The hybrids on the market today receive either one of the ratings but regular cars never reach the mark.
There is a system in place that the EPA uses to rate cars. It gives two scores, one for the green house gases and the other for air pollution. In the seventies, there was a law passed that required cars to keep to certain standards. Regular cars barely met the requirement. Even if you took into consideration things like speed, weather or location, that may change the outcome of results. It doesn’t reduce the high scores of the hybrids. In fact, this score can be perfect at times because the hybrid runs on electric power too. So that reliance on gas is decreased, making the hybrid the better choice of car in the market today for the EPA
Monday, August 9, 2010
I Remember My First Car
I remember my first car a 1971 Dodge Challenger. She was metallic green with a white vinyl roof. A 340 four barrel pushing 275 horsepower mated to a slapstick 3 speed automatic and a positraction rear end. Which meant to my eager 18-year-old ears I could burn out both rear wheels at once. I remember the guy who sold it to me bragging about how he would race it up the highway and do spin outs on icy roads. At the time this was a selling point. A more mature self would have translated that to "I beat the crap out of this car I hope you have a lot more money to spend". But I was all emotion and the gleaming metallic paint job and rumbling engine destroyed all semblance of logic. In fact I was so green I bought the car 3 weeks before I passed my driver test. Need less to say I ended up spending a lot more then the $1000.00 to purchase the car.
It wasn't entirely the fault of the seller that I had to spend so much on repairing and maintaining the challenger. I did my fair share of burnouts, racing, and general beating of my poor car. I remember my girlfriend's stepfather warning me he knew it I was squealing the tires at the end of the street every time I left. Then telling me I'd better stop this behavior or I wouldn't be taking her anywhere. Good thing he never heard about how I almost killed my girlfriend and I the first night I drove the car.
We were driving back from Alice Lake to the highway. The road to the highway gets really twisty just before the turn off. It was dark and raining and I was going a bit faster then I should have. I lost control just before entrance to the left turn lane. The car spun a full 180 and the rear wheel smashed against the island and threw the back end of the car up on top. Just as the car was spinning a Greyhound bus came flying past. If I hadn't spun out we would have T-boned the bus driving past at around 70 MPH. For some reason my girlfriend never trusted me fully in the drivers seat afterwards.
That wasn't the last time my teenage bulletproof delusions took me close to the edge in my metallic green challenger. Somehow I managed not to injure others or myself. The car however didn't fair too well. On the outside it was immaculate. The inside was another story. I ended up selling it a couple of years later for $1300.00. I met the buyer a while later and he told me that he hated me for selling him that car. Later I saw it for the last time. Someone had painted it a bright fire engine red. I wonder if it's still driving around somewhere or if it’s someone's washing machine. I hope it's the former.
This sudden rush of nostalgia came to me when I saw a picture of the new Challenger coming out in 2008. Since then I've been telling my wife that it's my mid life crisis car. I'm a lot safer driver now so she wouldn't have to worry about greyhound buses on rainy nights. So all I'll need is the money (lottery ticket, inheritance, bag falling out of an armored truck) and then next year I'll sit in my Hemi Challenger, start up the engine and say to myself I remember my first car.
It wasn't entirely the fault of the seller that I had to spend so much on repairing and maintaining the challenger. I did my fair share of burnouts, racing, and general beating of my poor car. I remember my girlfriend's stepfather warning me he knew it I was squealing the tires at the end of the street every time I left. Then telling me I'd better stop this behavior or I wouldn't be taking her anywhere. Good thing he never heard about how I almost killed my girlfriend and I the first night I drove the car.
We were driving back from Alice Lake to the highway. The road to the highway gets really twisty just before the turn off. It was dark and raining and I was going a bit faster then I should have. I lost control just before entrance to the left turn lane. The car spun a full 180 and the rear wheel smashed against the island and threw the back end of the car up on top. Just as the car was spinning a Greyhound bus came flying past. If I hadn't spun out we would have T-boned the bus driving past at around 70 MPH. For some reason my girlfriend never trusted me fully in the drivers seat afterwards.
That wasn't the last time my teenage bulletproof delusions took me close to the edge in my metallic green challenger. Somehow I managed not to injure others or myself. The car however didn't fair too well. On the outside it was immaculate. The inside was another story. I ended up selling it a couple of years later for $1300.00. I met the buyer a while later and he told me that he hated me for selling him that car. Later I saw it for the last time. Someone had painted it a bright fire engine red. I wonder if it's still driving around somewhere or if it’s someone's washing machine. I hope it's the former.
This sudden rush of nostalgia came to me when I saw a picture of the new Challenger coming out in 2008. Since then I've been telling my wife that it's my mid life crisis car. I'm a lot safer driver now so she wouldn't have to worry about greyhound buses on rainy nights. So all I'll need is the money (lottery ticket, inheritance, bag falling out of an armored truck) and then next year I'll sit in my Hemi Challenger, start up the engine and say to myself I remember my first car.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
I Sell My Car The Easy Way, Do You?
I wanted to sell my car, my lovely BMW Z4 Roadster. I used to sell my car the hard way: I would contact the local newspapers with my car details and traipse around the local newsagents putting a car advert in their shop window, and then wait for the telephone to ring.
The last car I sold, a BMW Z4 coupe, people contacted me night and day, wanting to know all about my car. Don’t get me wrong, I love to talk about my car, but not at 2am! When they had finished quizzing me about my car, they would inevitably book an appointment to see my BMW. And then they wouldn’t turn up ��" seriously annoying ��" or they would turn up 3 hours early: just as I had stepped out of the shower, and with fuzzy vision because I hadn’t put in my contact lenses, and they would stand on the doorstep demanding to see my car!
I don’t know about you, but I have found potential car buyers fall into certain categories, for example ��" ‘Kick-the-Wheel’ type: they don’t know much about cars but they want to give the impression they do" usually blokes who want to impress their new girlfriend. ‘Do-you-have-this-in-pink?’ type: are normally females who are not interested in the engine, the bodywork, the service history etc, but just the interior décor and the music system! Occasionally I would run into a buyer who knows a good car when he sees it and we finalize the deal there and then, but more often than not, after the buyers have inspected my car to the best of their ability, they would want to take it on a test run. Then they would come back and ask for time to think about the car purchase so they could consult their pet budgie, or great aunt in the Outer Hebrides, or whoever, and expect me to hold the car for them while they made their mind up. It was all very tedious.
As you can tell, the thought of selling another car filled me with dread, but that was until a mate of mine told me about the time he sold his Alfa 159. He contacted a company that bought used cars directly from the seller. He told them all about his car: the make and model, date of registration, mileage, service history, number of past owners etc. Then they gave him a valuation price for his car. He accepted the valuation and the deal was done over the phone. They arranged to meet him at his home at a time convenient to him, and they paid him while they were in his home: via an electronic payment from their bank account into his bank account. If he had preferred he could have been paid with a banker’s draft. It didn’t even matter that he still owed some finance on his car, as they sorted it out. Now that is what I call a good deal. I decided to contact the company via the internet and I filled in an on-line form, answering all the questions about the car’s history, which included telling them about a scratch on the driver’s side from when I had a small argument with a tree! They contacted me by telephone and gave me a valuation price. I agreed to their price, we met at my office as that was convenient for me, and the deal was completed.
The last car I sold, a BMW Z4 coupe, people contacted me night and day, wanting to know all about my car. Don’t get me wrong, I love to talk about my car, but not at 2am! When they had finished quizzing me about my car, they would inevitably book an appointment to see my BMW. And then they wouldn’t turn up ��" seriously annoying ��" or they would turn up 3 hours early: just as I had stepped out of the shower, and with fuzzy vision because I hadn’t put in my contact lenses, and they would stand on the doorstep demanding to see my car!
I don’t know about you, but I have found potential car buyers fall into certain categories, for example ��" ‘Kick-the-Wheel’ type: they don’t know much about cars but they want to give the impression they do" usually blokes who want to impress their new girlfriend. ‘Do-you-have-this-in-pink?’ type: are normally females who are not interested in the engine, the bodywork, the service history etc, but just the interior décor and the music system! Occasionally I would run into a buyer who knows a good car when he sees it and we finalize the deal there and then, but more often than not, after the buyers have inspected my car to the best of their ability, they would want to take it on a test run. Then they would come back and ask for time to think about the car purchase so they could consult their pet budgie, or great aunt in the Outer Hebrides, or whoever, and expect me to hold the car for them while they made their mind up. It was all very tedious.
As you can tell, the thought of selling another car filled me with dread, but that was until a mate of mine told me about the time he sold his Alfa 159. He contacted a company that bought used cars directly from the seller. He told them all about his car: the make and model, date of registration, mileage, service history, number of past owners etc. Then they gave him a valuation price for his car. He accepted the valuation and the deal was done over the phone. They arranged to meet him at his home at a time convenient to him, and they paid him while they were in his home: via an electronic payment from their bank account into his bank account. If he had preferred he could have been paid with a banker’s draft. It didn’t even matter that he still owed some finance on his car, as they sorted it out. Now that is what I call a good deal. I decided to contact the company via the internet and I filled in an on-line form, answering all the questions about the car’s history, which included telling them about a scratch on the driver’s side from when I had a small argument with a tree! They contacted me by telephone and gave me a valuation price. I agreed to their price, we met at my office as that was convenient for me, and the deal was completed.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Icebound No More: Getting Your Car Unstuck
If you've done much driving in wintry weather, at some point your vehicle has probably been stuck on ice or snow. You might get stuck, but there are some tricks to getting your car moving again. For the purposes of this article, we'll assume that it’s stuck simply because the tires have lost traction on a slippery surface (that is, it's not in a ditch, and all four tires are on the ground).
First, keep a winter-driving emergency kit in your car. The contents of the kit should include the following items:
1. A bag of some gritty substance to offer traction for your tires. Common choices are sand, kitty litter, rock salt, or pea gravel.
2. Two long, thin lengths of carpet. A runner-style carpet that is cut in half lengthwise is ideal.
3. A spade shovel. If you're in an area where significant accumulations of snow are likely, consider adding a snow shovel as well. To conserve space, you can purchase these with folding handles at a camping or military surplus retailer.
Now, for getting unstuck:
When you realize that your vehicle is stuck, the best course of action is to avoid making the situation worse. As soon as you feel the tires begin to spin, take your foot from the accelerator. Hitting the gas and causing the tires to spin in place only packs down the ice or snow into a hard, smooth surface, making it harder for the tires to get any purchase.
Ease the car backward a little, and then gently rock it forward, up and out of any depression that spinning tires may have caused. If this doesn't work, turn your steering wheel hard in either direction, and try again to rock the car back and forth.
If you’re still stuck, now is the time to get out of the car and assess the situation.
Determine which direction is most likely to be successful. If you can, aim toward the closest ground surface where you're most likely to regain traction. Avoid going uphill. If there's an accumulation of snow, use the snow shovel to clear a path.
Use the spade to dig down underneath the front of the vehicle's drive tires (note that it must be drive tires that get traction; the others are incidental). If the surface just in front of the tires is packed down hard, try to score it or roughen it up a bit with the edge of the shovel.
Shovel some of the sand or gravel underneath the tires. It's essential that the tread come into contact with the sand. If necessary, you can get down and use your hands to push some of the sand under the tires. Then, spread a path of sand over the area you've cleared.
Going on the same premise as before (easy on the accelerator), try again to move the car forward. If you have people who are willing and physically able to push from behind, have them push. Make sure that they're to the sides of the car—not behind it—and ready to move out of the way in case the rear of the vehicle should skew or slide.
If the vehicle moves a few inches but then gets bogged down again, try the carpet as an alternative. Push the edges of the pieces underneath the tires. Should the car start moving again, it will at least be able to travel the length of the carpet.
If the vehicle moves forward, try to maintain the momentum without causing the tires to spin...and keep on going until you're on your way.
If the vehicle doesn't move at all, you may need to repeat the whole process again, possibly several times. In certain cases, you might even have to concede to necessity…and enlist the help of a local towing service.
It happens, unfortunately. But even if it does, at the very least you'll know that you used all the resources available to you, and did the best that you could on your own.
First, keep a winter-driving emergency kit in your car. The contents of the kit should include the following items:
1. A bag of some gritty substance to offer traction for your tires. Common choices are sand, kitty litter, rock salt, or pea gravel.
2. Two long, thin lengths of carpet. A runner-style carpet that is cut in half lengthwise is ideal.
3. A spade shovel. If you're in an area where significant accumulations of snow are likely, consider adding a snow shovel as well. To conserve space, you can purchase these with folding handles at a camping or military surplus retailer.
Now, for getting unstuck:
When you realize that your vehicle is stuck, the best course of action is to avoid making the situation worse. As soon as you feel the tires begin to spin, take your foot from the accelerator. Hitting the gas and causing the tires to spin in place only packs down the ice or snow into a hard, smooth surface, making it harder for the tires to get any purchase.
Ease the car backward a little, and then gently rock it forward, up and out of any depression that spinning tires may have caused. If this doesn't work, turn your steering wheel hard in either direction, and try again to rock the car back and forth.
If you’re still stuck, now is the time to get out of the car and assess the situation.
Determine which direction is most likely to be successful. If you can, aim toward the closest ground surface where you're most likely to regain traction. Avoid going uphill. If there's an accumulation of snow, use the snow shovel to clear a path.
Use the spade to dig down underneath the front of the vehicle's drive tires (note that it must be drive tires that get traction; the others are incidental). If the surface just in front of the tires is packed down hard, try to score it or roughen it up a bit with the edge of the shovel.
Shovel some of the sand or gravel underneath the tires. It's essential that the tread come into contact with the sand. If necessary, you can get down and use your hands to push some of the sand under the tires. Then, spread a path of sand over the area you've cleared.
Going on the same premise as before (easy on the accelerator), try again to move the car forward. If you have people who are willing and physically able to push from behind, have them push. Make sure that they're to the sides of the car—not behind it—and ready to move out of the way in case the rear of the vehicle should skew or slide.
If the vehicle moves a few inches but then gets bogged down again, try the carpet as an alternative. Push the edges of the pieces underneath the tires. Should the car start moving again, it will at least be able to travel the length of the carpet.
If the vehicle moves forward, try to maintain the momentum without causing the tires to spin...and keep on going until you're on your way.
If the vehicle doesn't move at all, you may need to repeat the whole process again, possibly several times. In certain cases, you might even have to concede to necessity…and enlist the help of a local towing service.
It happens, unfortunately. But even if it does, at the very least you'll know that you used all the resources available to you, and did the best that you could on your own.
Friday, August 6, 2010
If You Are Looking For A Cheap Used Car Then Go Online To A Specialist
If you are looking for a cheap used car then you can do no better than to go online in your search for your car. A specialist will offer many helpful ways of allowing you to browse through hundreds of used cars in the shortest time possible without you even having to leave your own home.
Perhaps the biggest asset to helping you find a cheap used car is the used car search that specialist providers offer. You can begin searching for your used car by searching for the price, this narrows down the possibilities drastically so you can be assured that all the cars you look at online and consider, you can afford based on the budget you have set for yourself.
Once you have found your price range you can then set about narrowing this down for the exact make and model you desire, the extras and even the color. If you want to keep the search to your local area then you can do this and of course the area you search in should be given some consideration as you will have to travel when it comes to taking the test drive.
You are usually able to search through used car dealers and private buyers and depending on what your preferences are both have their benefits. Sometimes you can a great deal and make huge savings if you go with a private buyer providing that you know what to look for in a used car but very few provide warranties of any kind. While if you buy your used car from a dealer you will get a warranty and if you bargain can sometimes get something knocked off the asking price.
All specialist websites who offer a catalogue of used cars will give you a contact number so that you can ask questions, along with photos of the cars and plenty of information. Going online if you are looking for a cheap used car is the quickest way to find the car of your dreams and a specialist website gives you all the tools you need along with advice to help you buy your used car.
Perhaps the biggest asset to helping you find a cheap used car is the used car search that specialist providers offer. You can begin searching for your used car by searching for the price, this narrows down the possibilities drastically so you can be assured that all the cars you look at online and consider, you can afford based on the budget you have set for yourself.
Once you have found your price range you can then set about narrowing this down for the exact make and model you desire, the extras and even the color. If you want to keep the search to your local area then you can do this and of course the area you search in should be given some consideration as you will have to travel when it comes to taking the test drive.
You are usually able to search through used car dealers and private buyers and depending on what your preferences are both have their benefits. Sometimes you can a great deal and make huge savings if you go with a private buyer providing that you know what to look for in a used car but very few provide warranties of any kind. While if you buy your used car from a dealer you will get a warranty and if you bargain can sometimes get something knocked off the asking price.
All specialist websites who offer a catalogue of used cars will give you a contact number so that you can ask questions, along with photos of the cars and plenty of information. Going online if you are looking for a cheap used car is the quickest way to find the car of your dreams and a specialist website gives you all the tools you need along with advice to help you buy your used car.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
If You Are Looking For Used BMWs Then Search Online
Searching for a used car can be hard enough as it is but when you are looking for a particular make and model such as a BMW then travelling around used car dealers can take time and a lot of effort on your part, a far easier way to look over many is to go online and search with a specialist used car website for used BMWs.
All good specialist used car websites will give you tools to make finding your used car a whole lot easier and one of the best is a search engine, a search engine such as this gives you far more options than just searching broadly. You are able to narrow down your choice of car not only to used BMWs but also down to the exact model, colour, price and any extras which you want on the car including how big an area you wish to travel when it comes to going and taking a test drive of the car.
Once you have entered the search criteria then depending on how big the site is and how many cars are listed you will be presented with the results to look through which of course will all match the criteria you entered, this gets you off to a great start and saves an enormous amount of time wading through second hand cars you have no interest in.
Once you have some used BMWs to choose from then you can start to narrow them down even further. To help you do this you will be presented with photographs of the cars and while this isn’t quite the same as looking a car over in the showroom it can give you an excellent idea if you want to add the car to the shortlist. Some of the bigger used car websites will encourage sellers to post more than one picture such as the front, back, sides and interior of the car, if you are lucky then this is even better when it comes to helping you narrow down your choices.
While the photographs certainly help when it comes to deciding if you want to add the car to the shortlist it is essential that you read the listing of the car over, the listing is where you will find all the details regarding the car. if you are lucky then the seller will have taken the time to prepare a detailed listing to help sell the car, if not then it should at least include the basics.
Searching online for used BMWs is the quickest and easiest way to find your ideal car but you do have to be aware that while the majority of cars that are listed are what the seller claims they are there are some unscrupulous sellers out there that will try to pull a “fast one”. Take advantage of the advice and hints and tips a specialist used car website offers to help you decide if the listing you are interest in is really the good buy it seems to be.
All good specialist used car websites will give you tools to make finding your used car a whole lot easier and one of the best is a search engine, a search engine such as this gives you far more options than just searching broadly. You are able to narrow down your choice of car not only to used BMWs but also down to the exact model, colour, price and any extras which you want on the car including how big an area you wish to travel when it comes to going and taking a test drive of the car.
Once you have entered the search criteria then depending on how big the site is and how many cars are listed you will be presented with the results to look through which of course will all match the criteria you entered, this gets you off to a great start and saves an enormous amount of time wading through second hand cars you have no interest in.
Once you have some used BMWs to choose from then you can start to narrow them down even further. To help you do this you will be presented with photographs of the cars and while this isn’t quite the same as looking a car over in the showroom it can give you an excellent idea if you want to add the car to the shortlist. Some of the bigger used car websites will encourage sellers to post more than one picture such as the front, back, sides and interior of the car, if you are lucky then this is even better when it comes to helping you narrow down your choices.
While the photographs certainly help when it comes to deciding if you want to add the car to the shortlist it is essential that you read the listing of the car over, the listing is where you will find all the details regarding the car. if you are lucky then the seller will have taken the time to prepare a detailed listing to help sell the car, if not then it should at least include the basics.
Searching online for used BMWs is the quickest and easiest way to find your ideal car but you do have to be aware that while the majority of cars that are listed are what the seller claims they are there are some unscrupulous sellers out there that will try to pull a “fast one”. Take advantage of the advice and hints and tips a specialist used car website offers to help you decide if the listing you are interest in is really the good buy it seems to be.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
If You Have A Bad Credit Rating Then Look For Car Finance Guaranteed
If you have got a bad credit rating or a less than perfect credit rating score then when looking to buy a new car you could have come across a very serious snag, you can’t get the credit needed because you are seen as a risk. If this is the case then you should consider looking for car finance guaranteed.
There are specialists websites that will offer car finance guaranteed to those who have poor credit ratings or who are having trouble finding a car loan for any reason and have been turned down by everyone. Sites such as these will offer credit for a car loan even if you have CCJ’s, mortgage arrears, low credit ratings or have no credit history at all, say on just leaving college and could be the only option available to you to finance your new car.
Your credit rating is what all lenders will look at when you apply for a loan of any kind and applying for a loan to buy a car is no exception. Lenders are very strict and if you have a poor history of credit either through no fault of your own or due to such as poor payment history, then it will be next to impossible to get a loan unless you look for a site that specialises in car finance guaranteed. Of course you won’t get the best rates of interest on the loan but at least you will get a loan.
While you can’t expect to get the cheapest rates of interest on your car loan, if you do go with a specialist site they will ensure that they shop around for you and get you the best deal possible. A specialist site will have the knowledge of where to look when it comes to getting car finance guaranteed for those who are having problems getting car finance and you simply won’t be able to get a better deal by looking around yourself.
There are specialists websites that will offer car finance guaranteed to those who have poor credit ratings or who are having trouble finding a car loan for any reason and have been turned down by everyone. Sites such as these will offer credit for a car loan even if you have CCJ’s, mortgage arrears, low credit ratings or have no credit history at all, say on just leaving college and could be the only option available to you to finance your new car.
Your credit rating is what all lenders will look at when you apply for a loan of any kind and applying for a loan to buy a car is no exception. Lenders are very strict and if you have a poor history of credit either through no fault of your own or due to such as poor payment history, then it will be next to impossible to get a loan unless you look for a site that specialises in car finance guaranteed. Of course you won’t get the best rates of interest on the loan but at least you will get a loan.
While you can’t expect to get the cheapest rates of interest on your car loan, if you do go with a specialist site they will ensure that they shop around for you and get you the best deal possible. A specialist site will have the knowledge of where to look when it comes to getting car finance guaranteed for those who are having problems getting car finance and you simply won’t be able to get a better deal by looking around yourself.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
If You Want To Buy A Honda Then Start Your Search With A Specialist Website
The easiest and quickest way to start your search when you wish to buy a Honda is to go online with a specialist website. A specialist used car search website will allow you to sift through private sellers and Honda dealers all from one page and display the listings for you to browse through.
While the specialist website will have many tools to help you when you want to buy a Honda, one of the most useful which gets you up and running is the search tool. The search tool is very similar to those you use online everyday except you are able to narrow down the criteria. By narrowing down the criteria you are quickly able to find a Honda within your price range, the area in which you wish to travel and that meets any other criteria you specify.
The choices you have when you are looking to buy a Honda are car dealerships and private sellers and there are good and bad points to both. If you choose to search with private sellers you can often get a bargain and the car of your dreams cheaper than with a car dealer. However when buying privately more care has to be taken to ensure that the car is legitimate, there are many honest sellers online but also some people with no ethics. Cars that have been stolen or deemed unfit to repair after being in accidents and which have a loan attached to them can be found for sale.
When you buy a Honda from a private buyer you have to make sure the seller is who they say they are, many will give just an email address and mobile number in the listing. If you are seriously considering buying the car then you have to get their full name, address and a landline number and check these online. You should also consider making a car data check online and this can be made with the vehicle identification number which can be found in several places on the car. An honest seller will not mind you looking the car over for the number or discourage you from making a check.
When you buy a Honda from a dealer then almost certainly the car will not have a dubious history, but again if in doubt check. Searching with Honda dealers will probably give you the biggest choice of cars and they will also give you the option of taking out finance for the car at the dealership. However this is not always the cheapest way to get a loan for the car, so check online for the different finance options available and rates of interest. If you take a loan independently and walk into the dealership with cash in hand then you can haggle with the dealer to get something knocked off the asking price.
Always make sure you take the advice that a specialist website will offer on all aspects of used car buying before you buy a Honda car. By doing so you can save yourself not only a great deal of time but also money and problems in the future, a specialist motoring website offer free articles and FAQs on everything from searching for a car to taking out finance.
While the specialist website will have many tools to help you when you want to buy a Honda, one of the most useful which gets you up and running is the search tool. The search tool is very similar to those you use online everyday except you are able to narrow down the criteria. By narrowing down the criteria you are quickly able to find a Honda within your price range, the area in which you wish to travel and that meets any other criteria you specify.
The choices you have when you are looking to buy a Honda are car dealerships and private sellers and there are good and bad points to both. If you choose to search with private sellers you can often get a bargain and the car of your dreams cheaper than with a car dealer. However when buying privately more care has to be taken to ensure that the car is legitimate, there are many honest sellers online but also some people with no ethics. Cars that have been stolen or deemed unfit to repair after being in accidents and which have a loan attached to them can be found for sale.
When you buy a Honda from a private buyer you have to make sure the seller is who they say they are, many will give just an email address and mobile number in the listing. If you are seriously considering buying the car then you have to get their full name, address and a landline number and check these online. You should also consider making a car data check online and this can be made with the vehicle identification number which can be found in several places on the car. An honest seller will not mind you looking the car over for the number or discourage you from making a check.
When you buy a Honda from a dealer then almost certainly the car will not have a dubious history, but again if in doubt check. Searching with Honda dealers will probably give you the biggest choice of cars and they will also give you the option of taking out finance for the car at the dealership. However this is not always the cheapest way to get a loan for the car, so check online for the different finance options available and rates of interest. If you take a loan independently and walk into the dealership with cash in hand then you can haggle with the dealer to get something knocked off the asking price.
Always make sure you take the advice that a specialist website will offer on all aspects of used car buying before you buy a Honda car. By doing so you can save yourself not only a great deal of time but also money and problems in the future, a specialist motoring website offer free articles and FAQs on everything from searching for a car to taking out finance.
Monday, August 2, 2010
If You Want To Sell Your Car Online Then Use A Reputable Used Car Website
There are many advantages to selling your car online rather than taking it to a dealership or advertising in newspapers and free-ads. To start with you will not get ripped off by a used car dealer and will be able to get what the car is worth. However perhaps the biggest advantage to selling online is that you will be able to reach a wider range of audience and some of that audience will be searching for the particular make and model of car that you are offering. However to make the most when of it when you want to sell your car online you should choose a reputable used car website with which to advertise.
The bigger the used car website then the more people it will attract so the better chance you will have of selling your car; you should look for one that offers an extensive range of tools for both the buyer and seller including a powerful search tool. If the buyer can search for the make, model and color of the car then the chances are that people who are looking for the model you are selling will come across yours.
If you want to sell your car online then you will have to give a lot of thought to the listing you are going to put on the site, you will want to try and make your car stand out as there can be hundreds of cars similar to yours online. However you do have to be totally honest in the description of your car, if the car has any faults then you have to list them and honesty is always the best policy. You should of course list all the features that could make your car stand out above the rest, pay special attention to any additional features of your car such as any extra safety measures you have installed on the car or features such as electronic windows, DVD players or features which you think make your particular car special.
One of the things which can make a huge difference as to how successful you could be when it comes to selling your car is the photographs which you take to accompany your listing. You should always take photos in clear light so that potential buyers can get a clear look at your car and also take them from different angles such as front, side and back and perhaps the interior. However a good point to remember before taking photographs is to give the car a wash and polish, making your car sparkle will go a long way to successfully attracting buyers. When advertising your car online one point to remember is to include your contact phone number, this is one of the most important points and it can be easy to make a mistake so always double check your contact details.
Choosing to sell your car online is one of the best choices you can make, a specialist used car website will give you all the tools needed to get your car advertised in the quickest time possible and brings thousands of potential buyers right to you.
The bigger the used car website then the more people it will attract so the better chance you will have of selling your car; you should look for one that offers an extensive range of tools for both the buyer and seller including a powerful search tool. If the buyer can search for the make, model and color of the car then the chances are that people who are looking for the model you are selling will come across yours.
If you want to sell your car online then you will have to give a lot of thought to the listing you are going to put on the site, you will want to try and make your car stand out as there can be hundreds of cars similar to yours online. However you do have to be totally honest in the description of your car, if the car has any faults then you have to list them and honesty is always the best policy. You should of course list all the features that could make your car stand out above the rest, pay special attention to any additional features of your car such as any extra safety measures you have installed on the car or features such as electronic windows, DVD players or features which you think make your particular car special.
One of the things which can make a huge difference as to how successful you could be when it comes to selling your car is the photographs which you take to accompany your listing. You should always take photos in clear light so that potential buyers can get a clear look at your car and also take them from different angles such as front, side and back and perhaps the interior. However a good point to remember before taking photographs is to give the car a wash and polish, making your car sparkle will go a long way to successfully attracting buyers. When advertising your car online one point to remember is to include your contact phone number, this is one of the most important points and it can be easy to make a mistake so always double check your contact details.
Choosing to sell your car online is one of the best choices you can make, a specialist used car website will give you all the tools needed to get your car advertised in the quickest time possible and brings thousands of potential buyers right to you.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Impact Of Hybrid Cars On Environment
The 21st Century is beginning to realise the full extent of the effect we have on the environment around us. If we continue to abuse it the way we have been for many years, who knows what the future will hold?The result of any changes we make now may not be seen for many years – perhaps not even in our lifetime. But our children and grandchildren will certainly be affected by what we do now, and the good news is there is a lot we can do to help the environment.
Hybrid cars could make a huge change to the amount of damage we inflict on our surroundings. The hybrid car’s impact on the environment is much less than the traditional cars we use day in and day out.The hybrid car’s impact on the environment comes from the fact that it uses rechargeable batteries to provide much of the energy needed for it to work. Not only does this mean they use far less gas for the same length journey that a normal car would use, they also produce much less in the way of emissions as well.
The hybrid car’s impact on the environment is such that if we all decided to trade in our old cars today and buy hybrid cars instead, the environment would breathe a huge sigh of relief almost immediately.Just think of all the emissions, harmful gases and pollution trapped inside the earth’s atmosphere. Much of this is as a direct result of the emissions kicked out by cars, trucks, buses and other vehicles. We’re reluctant to give up the sanctity of our cars, so why not take advantage of the hybrid car’s impact on the environment instead?Better air quality also means the worst affected areas will have less health problems to contend with. Asthma and other lung conditions are made worse by poor air quality, so changing to a more efficient mode of transport can help us in the here and now as well as in the long term.
In an ideal world the electric car will totally replace gas powered and even hybrid cars. These have a minimal impact on the world around us, but until then, the hybrid car’s impact on the environment is small enough to greatly improve the air we are breathing in every day.It’s just a question of how many of us will make the change for a better future.
For information on buying and selling new and second hand cars and bikes visit http://www.bharathautomobiles.com/index.php
Hybrid cars could make a huge change to the amount of damage we inflict on our surroundings. The hybrid car’s impact on the environment is much less than the traditional cars we use day in and day out.The hybrid car’s impact on the environment comes from the fact that it uses rechargeable batteries to provide much of the energy needed for it to work. Not only does this mean they use far less gas for the same length journey that a normal car would use, they also produce much less in the way of emissions as well.
The hybrid car’s impact on the environment is such that if we all decided to trade in our old cars today and buy hybrid cars instead, the environment would breathe a huge sigh of relief almost immediately.Just think of all the emissions, harmful gases and pollution trapped inside the earth’s atmosphere. Much of this is as a direct result of the emissions kicked out by cars, trucks, buses and other vehicles. We’re reluctant to give up the sanctity of our cars, so why not take advantage of the hybrid car’s impact on the environment instead?Better air quality also means the worst affected areas will have less health problems to contend with. Asthma and other lung conditions are made worse by poor air quality, so changing to a more efficient mode of transport can help us in the here and now as well as in the long term.
In an ideal world the electric car will totally replace gas powered and even hybrid cars. These have a minimal impact on the world around us, but until then, the hybrid car’s impact on the environment is small enough to greatly improve the air we are breathing in every day.It’s just a question of how many of us will make the change for a better future.
For information on buying and selling new and second hand cars and bikes visit http://www.bharathautomobiles.com/index.php
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