Posted by admin on May 20, 2008 under Windshield Repair Kits | 
It is no secret that gas prices have been shooting higher and higher with no visible end in sight. Here are a few pointers on how to save the amount of gas you use daily without resorting to taking a bicycle onto the expressway.
1. Engine Warm-Up : 30-45 Seconds, Max
You don’t need incredibly extensive amounts of time to warm up your engine when 45 seconds will do. Any longer, and you are doing nothing more than wasting gas.
2. Buy Gasoline When It Is Coldest Outside
By purchasing gasoline at the coolest point of the day, you are getting the most gas for your buck. Cold air causes fuel to become denser than it is at warmer points of the day. Gas pumps only measure the volume of liquid gasoline you put into your car. They don’t measure the concentration.
3. Drive the Speed Limit
Not only does the speed limit help ensure your safety, but by exceeding it you waste more gas. And, if you are worried about getting somewhere on time, traffic lights are programmed based on the amount of time it would take to reach one if you were driving the speed limit. That means you are more likely to hit all greens if you keep your pace consistent and at the limit.
4. Avoid Rough Roads
Driving on gravel or dirt can slow down your vehicle and therefore require more gas to get over. Keep on paved roads whenever possible.
5. The Shortest Distance
If you have to travel far every day, find the best route to get you there using the least gas. Turns and corners all require more gas, so the straightest route you can find is probably the best one.
6. Drive Steadily
Slowing down or speeding up wastes fuel. Keep your speed consistent.
7. Use Your Environment to Your Advantage
Don’t use gas if you can get a little help from Mother Nature. When approaching a hill, accelerate before you reach it, that way you can let the slope glide you down without having to put your foot on the pedal.
8. Keep Your Car Light
Extra weight causes your car to do more work and use up more gasoline. Keep your car empty of any superfluous objects to ensure the best mileage. In the winter, clear out any icicles that form at the bottom of your car, since they can create up to 100 pounds of extra weight.
Posted by admin on under Auto News |
TEL AVIV – Plug ‘er in and rev ‘er up.
Israeli motorists got a sneak preview of a world without gasoline Sunday when an entrepreneur showed off test models of a new electric car.
Whiz kid Shai Agassi predicted that the new vehicle – with just a plug where the gas tank should be – would take the tiny nation by storm when it hits the market in 2010 or so.
“It’s one of the most fun cars I’ve ever driven in my life,” Agassi said of his own plug-and-go car.
“Every time I go by a gas station,” he added, ” I feel like I cheated.”
The new car, produced by Renault, is powered by a 125-pound battery and can run for about 125 miles before recharging.
That’s okay for pint-sized Israel, which is just 260 miles long. Agassi’s company plans to install a network of charging stations nationwide and swap dud batteries for fresh ones.
Tax breaks could mean the cars will cost less than a regular gas-gulping vehicle. And drivers will take pleasure in knowing they are helping to rid the world of pollution and dependence on oil.
In fact, most of the extra electricity to power the cars in Israel could come from solar panels in the Negev Desert.
For long drives, motorists will be able to replace the battery at about 150 swap stations expected to be built around the country.
The battery swap is expected to take the same amount of time as filling a tank of gas.
For shorter journeys, drivers will be able to recharge the batteries at home or at the office.
Drivers will pay a monthly subscription for the batteries, with different plans like those of cell phone users.
Posted by admin on May 13, 2008 under Car Events |
Starting back in 1900, the New York auto show showed the would-be motoring public an array of “horseless carriages.” Oldsmobile used the 1901 show to debut its little one-cylinder runabout that came to be nicknamed the “Curved Dash Olds,” due to its design that made it look more like a small horse-drawn sleigh than a motorcar.
But the Olds would not be on static display, rather it was driven from Detroit to New York to appear in the auto show. Back then it was a way of showing that this new mode of transportation was reliable. Despite a number of mishaps, including a bent axle and some transmission trouble, the Olds made it to the car show and logged the longest automobile trip up to that time.
Through the decades, the New York auto show switched venues and saw a lot of changes to the automobile. For most of the first 50 years, the shows were held at Madison Square Garden and Grand Central Palace, but as the car show moved through the “new” century, the venue would change. For 1956, auto show management made the decision to focus on foreign cars, which were growing increasingly popular with the American motoring public. That year also saw a move to the then-new New York Coliseum and a change in the show’s name to the New York International Auto Show. At the 1959 car show, Toyota and Datsun made their U.S. debuts.
Other highlights of the New York auto show include the U.S. debut of the stunning Jaguar XK-E at the 1961 show, the Mercedes-Benz C-111 rotary-engine sports car concept in 1970, Chrysler’s minivans in 1984 and a number of SUVs in the ’90s, including Mercedes-Benz’s ML class and Honda’s CR-V. Some of the more forgettable cars include the ill-fated Merkur division from Ford and the Chrysler-Maserati TC convertible. Within that time frame, 1987 to be exact, the New York auto show moved to its present location, the Jacob Javits Convention Center. Nicknamed the “Crystal Palace” for its extensive use of glass, the Javits has the capacity to display over 1,200 vehicles, making the New York auto show that much more enticing for exhibitors and patrons alike.
The Big Apple might not seem like the best place for a car show, but the New York International Auto Show remains one of the most well-attended car shows in the U.S. First held in 1900, it’s also the longest-running car show in the States. With its April time slot, the New York auto show is the last major show of the season so it often gets debuts that weren’t quite ready earlier in the year. The 2005 New York Auto Show was no different, as 17 all-new concept cars and production models made their world debuts. No one category stood out as we saw everything from classic muscle cars to futuristic import concepts. One of the most notable cars at the show was the 2007 Ford Shelby Cobra GT500. With more than 450 horsepower, this modern version of a Ford classic looked as though it had everything it needed to uphold the Shelby Cobra name.
Posted by admin on May 8, 2008 under Auto News |
It was a little more than a decade ago when Toyota completely changed the automotive landscape with its small, oddly shaped economy car called the Prius. Equipped with what Toyota calls its Hybrid Synergy Drive, the Prius was the first mass-marketed hybrid in the world.
“Hybrid” refers to the car’s powertrain. It consists of a lean-burning gasoline engine and an electric motor that work together to achieve more than 40 mpg, or even 50 mpg, in city driving. With gasoline prices currently soaring to all-time highs, we at Road & Track have had our attention focused on the all-new third-gen Prius, which will hit dealerships in the spring of 2009.
Toyota is saying very little about the future Prius, but we were able to uncover key bits of information regarding its appearance and technology.
The general shape of the car will remain intact, but the front end will be thoroughly redesigned. Thanks to canted headlights and a steeply raked windshield and hood, the new Prius will look sportier than the current model. The car will grow slightly, to an overall length of 179 in. (up from 175.0 in.), resulting in a more spacious interior.
As for the motor/engine, here’s what we uncovered. The displacement of the inline-4 will grow from 1.5 liters to 1.8, which will result in more power and torque. The gasoline engine will produce about 100 bhp and 105 lb.-ft. of torque, and the electric motor generating about 60 bhp, making the new Prius more powerful than ever. We hear it will run from zero to 60 mph in about 9.5 seconds and reach a top speed of about 115 mph.
With this extra oomph, one would expect the car’s fuel economy to suffer. Nope. Amazingly, the Prius will be even more fuel-efficient than it is now. According to our sources, Toyota has improved its hybrid system so the electric motor plays a bigger role when driving. Therefore, don’t be surprised when a slow drive to the corner market is achieved without using a single drop of gasoline.
Now here’s the real kicker. The price of the all-new Prius will probably be the about same, perhaps even lower, than the current one. Toyota is expected to offer three trim levels: base, luxury and eco, with the base model starting around $21,000. Of course, these prices are at the mercy of the dollar/yen exchange rate, so don’t take them to the bank just yet. What is sure is that the next Prius will be as ground-breaking as the model before it, and Toyota will remain the global leader in fuel-efficient modes of transportation.
Posted by admin on May 1, 2008 under Windshield Repair Kits |
The truth about cars is that they do eventually start to have problems, no matter how much we may try to prevent it. Car problems are a loathed hassle to have to deal with. While there is no way to protect yourself from all car issues, there are steps that you can take to avoid them. Here are ten car maintenance tips that you can follow in order to prevent future troubles :
- Engine Cooling System : An engine overheating will cause serious damage to your car. This is definitely something that you want to avoid at all costs. Make sure you regularly check your coolant and make sure that it is filled to the line. If you discover that you have a coolant leak, bring your car to be fixed right away.
- Air Filter : Dirty air filters cause a loss of engine power and reduced gas mileage. Air filters need to be replaced periodically. You can check your owner’s manual for replacement details for your car.
- Spark Plugs and Timing Belts : Just as with air filters, these parts also need to be changed regularly to maintain engine efficiency.
- Brakes : Having brake pads changed is an important money-saving maintenance tip. Brake pads are relatively inexpensive, but if you let the brakes bind it will be a costly repair.
- Battery : Check battery terminals to see if they are corroded. Corroded battery terminals can cause lots of problems including low charge, trouble starting, and dim headlights. Also if you see any battery leaks, change the battery right away.
- Oil : Oil should be checked at least once a month. If oil levels are low, re-fill to the line and check for leaks. Oil should be changed every 3 months or 3,000 miles, whichever comes first. Old oil can cause major damage to the engine.
- Tires : Check your tire pressure at least once a month. The proper pressure should be listed in your owner’s manual. Tires should be rotated at every other oil change to ensure that they wear evenly. There is a safe limit of tread wear and once that limit is passed, the tires are unsafe. Replace them.
- Windshield Wipers : Old wipers can damage the windshield and replacing them is only a few dollars. Besides damaging your windshield, they can be hazardous to your driving since you can’t see out of your windshield if the wipers don’t work!
- Clutch : If you have a manual transmission, do not keep your foot on the clutch while driving. If you do this, you can cause serious transmission problems.
- Regular Service : Taking your car to a professional mechanic will save you lots of money in the long run. Regular checks allow minor problems to found and fixed, preventing them from turning into major, expensive issues.
