Archive for the ‘Autos’ Category
First car memories
Way back in the fall of 1972 the great state of Idaho had yet to exhibit the poor judgement of granting me a driver’s licence, not out of coutesy to the driving public but rather because I was only 14 years old. My dad knew, however, that my driving was a looming certainty though, and decided to buy an old car for me to fiddle with until I turned 15 and was legally unleashed on the streets.
He bought me an old Buick.
Now, dads being what they are, it was a sensible choice for a novice driver; reliable but not particularly valuable, built like a bulldozer, and sluggish. It was a brown-and-white 1956 four door Read the rest of this entry »
No CommentsCar Reviews: 2008 Toyota Prius
With the coming of the hybrid revoltution, Toyota has become even more of a thorn in the side of the “Big” three. The 2008 Toyota Prius has sort of taken the “Green” community by storm as well as a lot of the other fuel consumption concious Americans. If I didn’t have a VW Diesel that gets just as good or better mileage already paid for, the Prius is what I would be driving. Maybe one of these days the American tree huggers and environmentalists will realize that a lot of the modern Diesels pollute less than many of the gasoline engines. What we really need is a Diesel Hybrid and Toyota has a great little Diesel.. Read the rest of this entry »
No CommentsCar reviews: 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX STI
Only God knows how many hours I spent in front of the TV, watching World Rally Championship. Back in the 1990s, there were two teams competing for the Championship; Subaru and Mitsubishi. Those cars were equipped with two liter engines that produce over 280 hp and it was amazing to watch those cars slide through the corners. The road versions of these two cars were as powerful as their rally versions but what they lacked were the comfort and the interior quality.
I first saw the hatchback Impreza this summer as I watched the Rally of Turkey. Some say, the sedan body style was better and more sportive. I don’t agree with them. The new Impreza looks better than Read the rest of this entry »
No CommentsFirst car memories – Part 1
I got my very first car about a year ago. It was a 1996 Mazda 626. I named her “Razda”. How did I possibly know it was a “her”? The car had been through a lot and had survived: It had to be a “her”! After all, women are built for endurance. We get our training by dealing with men. Anyways, so we were talking about the car? Right Got sidetracked! Envision this. 1996. The car was a ROYAL black color: I have to use some word that adds value to the car. Try talking to insurance people after your car gets totaled. Try telling them you just added new mufflers, new engine, and new transmission. They’ll have you know Read the rest of this entry »
No CommentsTips for buying a car when you are upside down on a loan – Part 1
I owned a 2002 VW Jetta that I LOVED. Two years after the purchase I made a horrible mistake and refinanced the car with my credit cards financed into the new loan (first HUGE money mistake there). My new car payment was $550/month. A little hefty but I thought I had done the right thing. Two more years go by and I realize that my car needs brakes, tires, etc. Not to mention I owed almost $5000 more than the blue book (being upside down is owing more than its worth). I was in big trouble. If the car would have been totaled, I would have had to continue to pay the $5000 and purchase a new vehicle. The following Read the rest of this entry »
No CommentsBest sports cars
What truly defines the best? What attribute of a vehicle screams that it’s ahead of the pack. Obviously many come to mind. But also what attributes give the vehicle the name sports cars?
Obviously when looking for a sports car, you tend to look for a 2 door coupe, that has is quick and agile. It can maneuver from the fast to the slow lane in mere seconds. Obviously it’ll have good road manners, but when you rip it on the track…it moves. Moves very well. All for a fun price.
Obviously, prices will vary depending on the sports car you want. A Honda Prelude for example, will obviously cost much less than the infamous BMW M3.
But what classifies a car Read the rest of this entry »
No CommentsThe best places to find custom car decals
You will have heard the old Henry Ford saying: “You can have any color you want, so long as it’s black” and you will probably have picked out a car in a gorgeous, trendy color that you’ve never seen on the road before, only to drive your motor onto the road and find three identical cars on your way home. Frustrating, huh? If you want your car to stand out from the crowd these days it seems that really the only way to do that is a with customized car decals. They are quick, easy and affordable.
The good news is that if you are one of those people who are never satisfied with what someone else has got, Read the rest of this entry »
Car reviews: Audi Q7
The Relatively new Audi Q7- less like a new car more like moving into a new house which moves. Outrageous in poise, aggression chic and simple get the job done functionality this car is the epitome of the checked shirt affluent lets do something at the weekend family man.
Fast enough to scare Auntie Rose, at least 237 BHP and the V8 is punchy with a QE2 moving 322BHP. There is if this is not enough a V12 which has to be a departure from ones senses. Your going to need to see the bank manager because all this poise comes at a price (hope the bank manager drives an Audi? – its still very good value for money as Read the rest of this entry »
No CommentsAntique cars: Best practices for driving
Okay, you’ve been driving the minivan or the SUV all day and it’s time to dust off the old classic and take it for a spin. What do you need to remember before you start driving? Here are a few things:
1) Steering the older car will probably NOT have power assisted steering. You will need to remember that it takes greater effort to turn, and therefore greater time and distance to respond in the event of an emergency.
2) Brakes same as above, probably not power boosted, these brakes will usually have more travel, oh and forget about ABS, you cannot simply stomp and let the computer do the rest, if you feel your car hydroplaning or skidding due Read the rest of this entry »
No CommentsBe sure your used car wasnt a victim of Hurricane Katrina
It has almost been two years since Katrina hit the southeast portion of our country. Car dealerships were not spared the extensive flooding, which means that over five hundred thousand new and used vehicles were flooded due to that one storm alone.
The dealerships were reimbursed for the vehicles by their insurance companies, and the titles were officially marked as flooded. However, high numbers of vehicles remained hard to legitimately dispose of. Doubtless becoming a gold mine to the con artists who made their way to the southern states after Katrina looking for opportunity.
Know the facts
It’s possible that whatever state you live in you are at risk when you purchase a used vehicle. Plus it makes sense that flooded Read the rest of this entry »