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The Safest Cars On The Road Keep Your Family Safe

admin — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 07:01:24 +0000

When you go car shopping you are probably dazzled by the sports cars or even the big burly SUVs as well as the shiny colors and whether or not the vehicle is fully loaded. Frequently, you will hear people talking about what car they want to buy and will hear them mention things like leather seats, a great sound system, DVD players and mini TV screens, great rims and other similar features. However, unfortunately, you do not frequently hear people talking about the safety rating of the vehicle and how well it performed in crash tests or if it has recently been recalled. For some reason Americans are more consumed with how comfortable and cool their car is and makes them rather than how safe it can keep them. However, even if consumers are not overly interested in safe cars insurance companies are.Insurance companies focus on keeping people safe, reducing accidents, and ultimately the amount of money they have to pay out for coverage. So, safe cars are the pick of the litter so to speak for insurance companies. They are so favored, in fact, that insurance companies frequently offer discounts to individuals who buy safe cars resulting in hundreds of dollars in savings each year on premiums. Safe does not mean the car is unattractive or without all the extras you want, so get it out of your head that safe does not equal cool.And while the trend may not change and people will continue to look for cool cars, they should keep in mind that there are indeed cool cars that are also safe cars. Each year a rating list of the top 25 safest cars is produced and if you are in the car buying market you should definitely take a peak and see if the car you are interested in buying is on that list. If not, check out the other safe cars that did make the list and see if you can find something that is equally cool and considerably safer. The following cars made it on the safe car list and also have some amazing features that will please even the pickiest car connoisseur.Upscale CarsIf you are interested in and can afford an upscale car and are also concerned about safety, then you should consider the Audi A4 or perhaps the BMW 330i. The Lexus ES300 also ranked high in the crash tests and overall safety in the upscale sedan category.Small CarsSmall cars that rank high on the top 25 safety car list include the Volkswagen golf and Honda Civic which received the top honors. Another safe car in this category includes the Volkswagen Jetta.Midsize CarsVolkswagen also took the top prize in the midsize category with the Volkswagen Passat GLX 6.0. The Nissan Altima and Subaru Legacy also ranked high in the mid size family sedan category.PickupsEveryone thinks pickup trucks are safe, however some are safer than others and generally pick up trucks are not as safe as cars. In the top 25 safest cars the Toyota Tundra SR5 4.7, Ford F150 XLT 5.4, and the Dodge Ram SLT 4.7 ranked higher and safer than the rest.Minivans and SUVsThe minivan and SUV category have an interesting array of really safe vehicles and then some that are hazards to drivers and passengers. Minivans that responded well in the tests include the Toyota Sienna, Honda Odyssey EX, and the Mazda MPV. The safest SUVs include the Lexus RX300, Toyota Highlander, and the Saturn VUE as well as others.Of course, you could choose to buy a safe vehicle and still be injured in an accident. This is because there is no perfect car that is constructed in a way that it can protect you 100%. However, there are plenty of cars that are significantly safer than others and as a result consumers should pay attention to these cars. Fortunately, some of the safer models are actually very stylish and come with the latest gadgets and features so many people are looking for in a new car. So, no matter if you want the coolest car on the market you can still find one that is rated high in the safety category. Honda, Lexus, BMW, Saturn, Volkswagen, and others all ranked high in their respective categories and are all very popular car models. Also, cars today are significantly safer than they were even 15 years ago and tires are safer as well.If you buy a used vehicle that is 10-15 years old you can rest assured it will not have the same safety qualities as new cars made today. The reason for this is safety standards were different as well as the technology used to build the cars. As a result, older cars simply are not as safe. The best option for your safety and that of your family and other passengers is to buy a car that is ranked high on the safety list and rest assured that if you are in an accident your car will protect you as much as possible because it was designed with safety in mind. By making safety one of the qualities you look for in a vehicle, even above price or design, you are choosing to protect yourself and your family, which is the best decision you can possibly make. Remember to take a look at the top 25 list before you start car shopping. Not only are the top 25 cars in all categories listed, but some of the worst cars are listed as well so you will know what to avoid. Happy car shopping!

Article Source: www.iSnare.com

History Of Porsche

admin — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 03:01:24 +0000

The history of Porsche began in 1948, June 8th to be exact. That is when the first two seater 356 was produced. There were 51 hand built Porsche 356/2 automobiles built in Austria. This model had a 40 hp 1.1 liter center engine.The Porsche 911 rear engine automobile was introduced in 1963. It has been one of the biggest selling sports cars in the world. Over one million have been sold.Porsche has a new offering for the sports car enthusiast in 2006. Positioned between the Boxster S and 911 Carrera, and marketed as an alternative to the BMW Z4 and the Mercedes SLK, the Cayman S is to start appearing in showrooms in January 2006 and will carry a price tag of $58,900.00. Porsche is only offering this hot-rod Cayman S and will not say when they will offer an entry level model.The Cayman S is a two seater modified version of the Boxster convertible. The Cayman has a 295 hp 3.4 liter six cylinder mid-engine that goes from 0-60 mph in an impressive 5.1 seconds. Similar to the Boxster S, the Cayman S has a precise six speed manual gearbox with a double inertia flywheel and hydraulic clutch and power rear wheels. The Porsche Active Suspension Management is an electronic damping control system that is an option on the Cayman S. Switched on this system assures a smooth ride and it improves stability and grip for sharper steering responses.Inside the Cayman S offers an on-board computer system with continuous indication of mileage, time and speed, automatic climate control, digital radio with in dash CD and a 7 speaker Bose Surround Sound System.Porsche expects the new Cayman S to attract the upwardly mobile market. The company expects that Cayman buyers will be customers moving up from the Porsche Boxster.

Article Source: www.iSnare.com

The Rapid Vehicle Motor Company

admin — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 03:01:24 +0000

The Rapid Motor Vehicle Company was started in 1902 by Max Grabowski.It was the manufacturer of some of the earliest trucks and was purchased in 1909 by GM. In 1912 the name GMC was first used at the New York Auto Show and in 1996 the suffix Truck was dropped.What most people don’t know is that GMC also makes cars.In 1902 Max Grabowski founded a company called the “Rapid Motor Vehicle Company”, which developed some of the earliest commercial trucks ever designed. In 1909 the company was bought by General Motors to form the basis of the General Motors Truck Company, from which GMC Truck was made. In 1912 the name “GMC Truck” was first shown at the New York Auto Show. In 1996 GM dropped the word ‘truck’ from the GMC Truck name, thus creating the GMC name as we know it today. There never was a Grabowski Motor Company or a Grabowski Motor Corp.They now make personal automobiles, as well as pickup truck and bus engines.General Motors Corporation NYSE: GM, also known as GM, is a United States-based automobile maker with worldwide operations and brands including Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Daewoo, GMC, Holden, Hummer, Opel, Pontiac, Saturn, Saab, and Vauxhall Chevrolet and GMC divisions produce trucks, as well as passenger vehicles. Other brands include ACDelco, Allison Transmission, and General Motors Electro-Motive Division that produces diesel-electric locomotives. GM also has stakes in Isuzu, Subaru, and Suzuki in Japan and a joint venture with AutoVAZ (Lada) in Russia. In December 2003, it acquired Delta in South Africa, in which it had taken a 45 percent stake in 1997, and which is now a fully-owned subsidiary, General Motors South Africa.GM’s headquarters are in the Renaissance Center in Detroit, Michigan.General Motors is the world’s largest vehicle manufacturer and employs over 340,000 people. In 2001, GM sold 8.5 million vehicles through all its branches. In 2002, GM sold 15 percent of all cars and trucks in the world. They also owned Electronic Data Systems from 1984 to 1996 which is a former Ross Perot company and, prior to selling it to News Corporation, DirecTV. GM owned Frigidaire from 1918 to 1979.The current chairman (since May 1, 2003) and chief executive officer (since June 1, 2000) is Rick Wagoner, succeeding John F. Smith, Jr.General Motors is selling its 20 percent stake in Fuji Heavy Industries, the parent of Subaru, in a deal that could raise more than $700 million as per news released on October 6, 2005.Also, General Motors Canada auto workers voted on Sunday to ratify a new contract that will lay off 1,000 workers over the next three years, the Canadian Auto Workers and GM said.General Motors lost 2.5 billion dollars last year, and would have made a profit if it was not saddled with 6 billion dollars in health costs.The UAW and GM are now reaching agreement to reduce this health cost by about 1 billion dollars annually.

Article Source: www.iSnare.com

Pssst: Wanna (Not) Buy A Stolen Car?

admin — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 01:01:24 +0000

Would you buy a used car–with cash–from someone you just met in the bar, and who walked you down a dark alley to show you the car? Not likely. How about from a well-dressed, friendly, middle-aged man or woman, who placed a classified ad in your local newspaper, and who meets you midday at a restaurant of your choice?Oops! You may be more likely to be cheated by seller number two. That’s the story of Jennifer Warwa, who bought a minivan and had her mechanic examine it. The mechanic later said how shocked he was that Jennifer had been scammed:”Because I met the gentleman who was selling the vehicle. Very clean cut. In his fifties. Very soft spoken… And he went with her to get it inspected. There was just no sign that was the kind of person he was” the mechanic told CBC’s Marketplace.A few months later, Jennifer got a phone call from the police. They said she had purchased a stolen minivan, and they were coming to seize it. She was so upset, she tried to hide the van from the police. Eventually they caught up with her and she ended up paying for a year and a half for a $5,000 bank loan on a van she could not drive. Ouch!Jennifer was just one victim in the chain that included the original owner, the insurance company, other consumers whose insurance rates keep rising, and the police, who spend thousands of hours tracking thefts. According to the FBI, a vehicle is stolen about every 25 seconds in the USA, amounting to an $8 billion yearly problem.Here’s how these scams often work. Thieves target particular cars: for their value, their ease of resale as a whole or in parts, or because they are easier to steal. Years ago, most cars were stripped for parts, including unusual parts such as airbags. But today some thieves are so brash they sell cars through newspapers.This newer scam is called “VIN cloning”, because the Vehicle Identification Number is stolen from another car. Criminals obtain VINs by copying them from the dash of cars in parking lots–even at dealerships. Some even physically remove the VIN plate from vehicles in auto salvage yards that allow customers to “pick your own parts.” (They do not mean that literally!) The number is used to falsely obtain new ownership documents, or documents are forged. Either way, a cloned VIN allows them to transform stolen cars into pseudo-legal vehicles that can be officially titled and sold. Many thieves work across state lines: cars may be stolen in the East, registered in the Mid-West, then sold in California. Scary!Here’s what you can do to avoid buying a stolen car:** Check the VIN on the dash against the VIN in the driver’s door jamb, under the hood, and on the paperwork** Use the VIN to get the car’s history at carfax.com for about $20** Ensure title and registration documents match the name and address of the seller** Is the car from out of state?** Be suspicious if you must meet a private seller in a parking lot. Better to see that they live at the address where the car is registered** Has the vehicle recently been transferred?** Does the seller use a home or work phone number, or just a cell?** Is the selling price oddly low?** Be warned that some used car dealers are getting scammed, too** Pay by certified cheque or money order, not cash.Keep in mind that most private sellers are not thieves, but rather honest, regular folks like you. And prices do tend to be lower with private sales. So if you follow my advice, you can greatly improve your chances of driving away with a “genuine” used car.

Article Source: www.iSnare.com

How Aftermarket Accessories Made Me Love My Blazer

admin — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 22:01:24 +0000

Are you a truck enthusiast? Or just take pride in the looks of your truck? Aftermarket truck accessories are what can separate your truck from the pack. I am a big fan of aftermarket truck accessories because I love the feeling of driving by another vehicle and watching the heads turn to stare at my ride.I personally drive a 1999 Chevy Blazer. I have several add ons on my Blazer. Let’s start with the rims. I have 20 inch chrome Rozzi Detentions wrapped with 255/35/20 Falken GRB FK-451 tires. Once I put on my new rims I loved them, expect for the large gap that I now had in my wheel well. So I bought a Belltech 3/3 drop kit and lowered it 3 inches.As I started to look at pictures online and in magazine of other Blazers I realized that I had not yet begun to scratch the surface of the potential that my Blazer had. I decided to remove the Westin Nerf Bars that I had and add a Street Scene bumper, side skirts and custom grille. This gave my Blazer the look of a Extreme Blazer in my eyes. Then I added a few other odds and ins such as euro lights, window visors, floor mats, racing pedals, and headlight covers.Guess what, there is still so much more that I could do to this Blazer. It becomes addictive. Next on my wish list is a custom hood, and possibly a custom paint job. With so many resources out there for ideas such as truck magazines and truck enthusiast web sites the possibilities are truly endless.

Article Source: www.iSnare.com

Hello world!

admin — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 19:24:00 +0000

Welcome to Actualblog.net. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!