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Archive for May, 2009

Hybrid Cars – The Cars Of The Times!

May 30th, 2009 car No comments

Hybrid cars are a fusion of technologies. Unlike standard cars moving on a single propulsion system, hybrid cars are driven by the power of multiple propulsion systems. Most common among these hybrid vehicles are those cars that use gasoline and electrical energy as their source of power. Serious experimentations with ethanol or plant based oils are also being conducted.

History

The history of hybrid cars runs back to the time when inventors were strongly battling to switch over from steam-powered automobiles to electrically driven carriages. At best, these could be termed as trials and were limited to working with just one, two or few models. Success on a mass-scale came about the beginning of the twentieth century; however, it was not until 1999 (on the verge of the 21st century) that America saw the launching of the hybrid car on a commercial-scale, to be bought and used by the mass.

Components

The hybrid car driving mechanism consists batteries, an electric motor, a fuel tank, a gasoline engine, a generator and a mode of transmission. Each part has its definitive role and keeps a hybrid car running.

How Do They Work?

As said, the dual mechanisms employed in these hybrid vehicles make use of both gasoline and electric energy to set the vehicles into motion – while gas cause the internal combustion engines (ICEs) to function, the electric batteries supply power to the car’s electric motors. The recent car models are even converting kinetic energy (produced by the engine) into electric energy to charge the batteries.

Conclusion

Hybrid cars with their comparatively smaller gasoline engines contribute to the pollution-free, greener environment cause. Moreover, with their sleek, aerodynamic designing and ultra light materials joining hands to give these vehicles driving force of about 60-90 horsepower, you can be sure that the hybrid cars will rule the automobile industry until the arrival of new eco-friendly, efficient cars.

David Maillie holds numerous patents including his recently awarded patent for headlight repair, cleaner and restorer. He can be reached at M.D. Wholesale:
MDwholesale.com

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How To Negotiate A New Vehicle Lease

May 29th, 2009 car No comments

If you have decided to lease a vehicle then there are some steps you can take to be sure that you get the best deal possible. First off you should know that a lease has profit to the dealer that can be negotiated just like a regular purchase does. Rebates, down payments, and trade-ins can all be added into profit. Because of the ease with which a dealer can take profit from your trade without your knowledge when leasing it is my opinion that you do not trade a vehicle. Instead of trading, sell your vehicle out right. Use the internet as well as any publications to help you determine the actual dealer cost on the vehicle you want to lease.

There are three main areas for you to negotiate on a lease; the cap cost, residual value, and interest rate. The cap cost can be negotiated just like the price would be if you were buying a car. You want the highest residual value that you can get. This is one of the reasons that many high end luxury cars like Lexus, Mercedes, and BMW have such attractive leases. Their vehicles hold their value very well. Residuals and interest rates used by each lender may be static but most dealers have access to many different companies providing leasing which will have varied options.

Look up the current residual rates online or in a publication such as the “Automotive Lease Guide”. The dealer’s residual number should be higher than what is shown in the book, if not then it isn’t a factory subsidized deal and therefore you should stay away from it. Also, do the same with the APR. You can calculate the APR by multiplying the money factor in the lease by 24. With this, you are looking for the lowest APR possible.

You also want to be sure that the lease is a closed lease with a maximum term of three years. This should keep you in the factory warranty so that you don’t get stuck with repairs on a car that isn’t really yours.

So, what would be considered a good lease deal? For starters, you want a lease with no down payment required, a minimum of 15,000 miles per year allowed, and a monthly payment that is substantially lower than a 5 year loan would be. When you are evaluating lease deals on different vehicles always use a “zero down” approach to comparing them and remember that vehicles with higher resell values will be better to lease.

Gregg Hall is a business consultant and author for many online and offline businesses and lives in Navarre Florida with his 16 year old son. For quality car care products go to http://www.stopwaxing.com

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Auto Racing Legend Juan Montoya Leaves Formula One For NASCAR

May 28th, 2009 car No comments

Famous Formula One racer Juan Pablo Montoya has officially turned in his keys and has embarked on a new career in NASCAR. As of Tuesday July 11, Montoya announced that he will be driving on Chip Ganassi

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Proper Car Care Includes Rust Protection and Treatment

May 27th, 2009 car No comments

The average car now costs over $30,000. The average monthly car payment is now $430 and the loans are near 6 years long on average. With taxes, fees and insurance thrown in the average monthly cost of a car is similar to that of a mortgage payment. Being that we are spending this much on our cars we need to take a renewed look at car care and treatments that will increase the longevity of these major investments. Sadly, many people neglect their cars and there is little, if any, car care done. Rust can happen anywhere in America (it isn’t just a problem for northerners). It is also easy to prevent with a little proper car care.

Everyone hates rust and complains about it, but when you look at their cars, little if anything is ever done to stop or prevent it. As evidenced in clinical studies and research by the big 3 auto manufacturers, its not a question of if. It’s a question of when. Whether it is salt and snow, salty ocean air, industrial fallout and acid rain, rock chips, road debris, etc… There are many different elements of nature that exist everywhere and will do harm and weaken your car’s finish and allow rust to start. The metal on your car is mostly protected by a very thin coating of paint and primer. Rust is caused by a loss in electrons of the metal and can occur as soon as the thin paint coating is jeopardized.

First, to prevent rust it is best to protect your paint. Proper car care will not only protect, but strengthen the paint. A good cleaning and waxing regimen once every two months has been proven by AAA to greatly reduce the occurrence of rust. Regular cleaning will remove contaminates that will weaken or even etch into the paint. Car wax or car polish will create a stronger, slippery surface that will be more impervious to the elements and help seal out moisture which can start the rusting process. To properly apply car wax or car polish you apply it one section at a time and allow to dry to a haze. Then you buff it off and repeat 2 – 3 times for maximum protection. People who regularly use car wax or car polish in their car care routine have a much lower incidence of rust.

If you notice a scratch or chip, nick that goes through the paint make sure you treat it properly. Get matching touchup paint by using the paint code inside your door jamb (most auto parts stores and dealers will have this matching paint or can get it for you). You will only need a small 1 oz. bottle for most scratches. Use a toothpick so you get the paint exactly where it is needed, in the scratch, nick, etc… not all around it. Completely cover any exposed metal. Then apply a clear coat touch up paint for best protection. This will seal out moisture and prevent rust from occurring. If you are in a jam you can always use clear nail polish to cover the exposed metal.

If rust has set in, then the required car care and treatment gets more complex. The rust spot must be sanded down and exposed. It is then treated with a anti-rust which will chemically react with the rust changing its chemical and electrostatic properties. Then it must be sanded down, primered and then painted. With the complexity of today’s automotive paints it is probably best to leave complex rust and car care to the professionals (most auto body shops will be glad to do this for you and you will have guaranteed excellent and long lasting results). As it is said, “You get what you pay for.” A cheap repair is just that, and for the same matter, so is cheap or non-existant car care.

Rust can be prevented and your cars finish maintained with a little proper car care and the use of car wax or polish.

David Maillie specializes in automotive safety products and information. He holds numerous patents and awards for his patented headlight cleaner and restorer. For more information, tips, and money saving products for your auto please visit: mdwholesale.com

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One Day Car Repair, It’s Not a Magic Folks

May 26th, 2009 car No comments

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There is always one problem that must faced by car owner, that’s a car maintenance and repair. Doing this stuff always be unpleasant experiences but still must accept car maintaining as part of routine or at the special incident, like car collision or accident in order to fix the problems. As you should already knew that once the car entered the workshop, it took days of repairing and checking until it finish, not to mention that our car should indeed also put on a queue list if the workshop is busy.

Can you imagine a few days without car? if we just work for a few blocks away from our home, that’s shouldn’t be a problem. But if the case is like me, where I need to take a ride for at least hours every morning to get my but on time at my office, using a public transportation is a bad idea. I couldn’t make sure, would I be arriving on time at my office, since I don’t have a power to speed up the bus or the train, especially at busy hours.

Incident is always happen all the time without giving a notice. As we are not god, there is no way to predict for unfortunates in the future, just like my own experiences. My sixteen years old boys took a drive without my permission and ended up slamming my ford to the garage door and make big dented on the front rear. The bad news is I need to ride that car for my office party on the next day that was terrible. How could I manage for getting my car done for no more than one day?
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