Monthly Archives: October 2009

Author : Melvin Ng

Truck bed covers, also referred to as lids are an excellent way to keep your belongings stored safely away from the ravages of weather and prying eyes while keeping them close at hand While truck bed covers aren’t for those who will need every available inch of vertical cargo space they are good choices for those who want to be able to store small items in the bed of their truck often but keep those items safe from sticky fingers that seem to abound in today’s society These truck bed covers also protect your belongings from blowing in the wind as well as from being ruined by rain or sun

Another great and often unexpected benefit of truck bed covers however, is the fact that these covers often serve to improve fuel economy by minimizing the drag Not a bad little side benefit if you ask me Prices may be slightly declining at the moment but I firmly believe that is only a temporary thing and everything you can do to lower your fuel consumption will eventually save you money

There are essentially two types of truck bed covers: hard body covers and soft body covers Hard body covers are the way to go if you are going for security as they are a hard surface and they are lockable This means that the possibility of the theft of your belongings is far less likely The hard body coverings will cost more than vinyl but when it comes to security it’s worth the extra money These can be painted to match the body of your truck and even (if you so desire) have matching graphics added to them for the right price The drawback to these is if you need the vertical space in your truck frequently, the hard truck bed covers are not always easy to remove and some don’t allow for their removal at all

If you are going to need to haul cargo frequently, your best bet is likely to be the soft bed truck covers These covers don’t offer nearly the security of their hard body counterparts, but they are convenient to adjust, add, and remove whenever the need arises While they aren’t as rigid as the hard tops, they can hold their own in most weather situations even being able to handle up to twelve inches of snow or rain Some are even strong enough to support the weight of two people standing on them If you are a nature lover, you can even opt for tent attachment for your truck cover for those camping weekends with the family

Truck bed covers have many uses and offer a great deal of versatility to the average consumer The biggest problem for most is going to be whether or not to sacrifice the vertical space in order to have the added security in the bed of your truck or to opt for the soft truck bed cover which offers less security but some nifty features of its own

For more info on truck bed covers, truck toppers, and truck liners, please visit our website. Truck Bed Covers

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Author : Gregory Smyth

According to a recent study by the Center for Automotive Research (CAR), automakers are giving birth to car designs that are innovative by following three basic directions: integrating in small, efficient groups for speedy communication; employing various kinds of information channels like direct live conversations between consumers and designers on the Internet; and introducing leaders who exude passion for customer awareness and their product

The auto industry has to deal with an increasing trend of nameplates To be successful, an OEM must differentiate itself with cars that are innovative, developed with the help of globally collaborative procedures that participate the consumer in the design process By using easy-to-utilize solutions, from Web sites that are shared and developed for collaboration to tools for project-management and a complete range of Web-centered methods for making direct communication, the auto industry is introducing new methods for working together

The last couple of years have witnessed issues of dispute with carbon emissions for owners of new and used cars Encouragement is being given to motorists by both the media and politicians to decrease the size of their vehicles and cut down their carbon footprint There is even an intense suggestion that the London Congestion Zone will relocate to account for vehicle emissions, thus it will effectively become a low carbon zone compared to a congestion zone

Some manufacturers think that Flex-Fuel (i e Cars that can work on emissions free E85 ethanol or petrol or a mixture of both) or bio-powered cars will solve the problem But, the infrastructure needed to construct station pumps that fill ethanol, even national scale ethanol refineries is out of reach at best for ten years

Mercedes Benz Car introduced the E 320 BLUETEC in the States It was the first diesel engine to survive California’s strict tests on vehicle emissions, attained by generating a urea injection system to inject a small quantity of acid that is ammonia-based, into the exhaust stream, rendering the hazardous emissions ineffective

However, Mercedes Benz Car reckons that they will embrace DiesOtto technology that basically blends the benefits of both diesel and petrol engines This technology took shape when the F700 Concept and an efficient four-cylinder turbocharged engine having unparalleled power, flexibility and torque was unveiled Do not pay attention to the F700 being in excess of five meters in length, that it is your ultimate luxury car, which possesses the same emissions and economy as a diesel supermini

Picture the scene is an innovative car development A car that is able to sense on a highway that it is quickly closing in on a vehicle in front It calculates that there is a possibility of an accident and the driver is warned, quickly getting the vehicle and the passengers in it prepared for an impending accident, the brakes applied, the sunroof closed and seat belts tightened A dangerous crash is avoided and passengers and car escape the accident relatively unhurt

The dream of wheel-scuffers, Automatic Parking will be available soon on a complete range of luxury cars Just drive through a line of cars parked and the technology is capable of detecting a big enough space for the vehicle you have

Pre-scan technology is another innovative car development that has been showcased by the Mercedes Benz Car It was incorporated in the Mercedes F700 concept, where scanning the surface of the road is done by the lasers prior to the car driving over it Thus, the suspension is prepared to react accordingly to the terrain and makes sure unprecedented ride comfort

As one of the world’s most exciting and prestigious brand, Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong offers luxury passenger cars and commercial vehicles extensive choice of Vito, Sprinter, Viano, Actros, Axor and Atego to the customers in Hong Kong and Macau.

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Author : Everette Jamison

Most of us in the automotive industry have always noted that Hondas sell extremely well Even now, as the economic clouds have turned from gray to black, Honda sales continue to outpace those of its competitors If you ask drivers why they believe this is the case, you’ll hear “strong resale value” or “they’re dependable” as the most common responses In truth, there are a number of reasons why Civics, Accords, and other models have been moving off the dealership lots more quickly than their competitors’ cars

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at a few of those reasons In doing so, you may decide to either keep your current Civic or Accord, or visit the dealership to look at new and used models

Lower Dependency On Large Vehicles

The inventories of the major automakers are filled with large vehicles For example, Ford has their Expedition, not to mention their enormous trucks General Motors has their Yukon Chevrolet’s line includes their Tahoe and Suburban The foreign automakers aren’t entirely without blame Toyota’s Sequoia and Nissan’s Armada can both accommodate a small soccer team

As gas prices skyrocketed last year, fewer people were shopping for SUVs and similar vehicles Indeed, many drivers wanted to trade them in for smaller cars that were more fuel-efficient Honda has always had far less dependency on the large vehicle market As a result, they were perfectly positioned for the trend toward “smaller ”

More Fuel Efficiency

When the price of gas unexpectedly climbed above $4 per gallon last year, it served as a wake-up call to motorists Accustomed to spending $70 or $80 each month on gas, they watched their monthly fuel budget rocket into the hundreds of dollars Honda has been able to cultivate an image of environmental friendliness and fuel efficiency That implies instant savings at the pump Plus, when combined with their reputation for producing high-quality cars, a Civic or Accord becomes a logical choice for a lot of prospective buyers

Quick Response To Market Demand

One of the challenges most automakers cope with is responding quickly to the demand in the marketplace Often, billions of dollars are spent on constructing the platform for a given model If demand for that particular model erodes quickly, that can spell trouble Automakers have difficulty making quick changes to their platforms By contrast, Honda uses a system called flexible manufacturing Their platforms are designed to allow quick changes in capacity and even support the production of different models

By responding to the market quickly, they’re better prepared to deliver the cars, trucks, and other vehicles that customers want

In today’s economic climate, every automaker is confronted with severe obstacles that impact their sales Honda – and the companies which sell their auto parts – is poised not only to survive the recession, but to take advantage of the inevitable recovery

When looking for used Honda parts or used Honda transmission consider deals from http://www.everdrive.com

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Author : Gregg Hall

When one thinks of hybrid automobiles, the image of subcompact economy cars-high on gas mileage and low on top-end performance-undoubtedly comes to mind However, with gas prices consistently increasing over time, occasionally in sudden spikes, and environmental awareness growing in all quarters, there is a movement afoot to bring hybrid technology into the realm of high-performance sports cars

Japanese automakers, in particular, seem to be expending a great deal of effort in fusing hybrid technology with sports car appearance and performance The Subaru Scrambler, the Mazda Ibuki and Mitsubishi’s hybrid in its Eclipse line are all progressing in development

Most of the hybrid research and development currently focuses on adopting the most common hybrid production methods Lithium batteries and electric motors join forces with top-notch engineering Preliminary reports indicate that at least one 470 horsepower sports car is under design by a leading Japanese manufacturer

In addition to hybrid sports car working from the same general principles of their better-known economy car brethren, hydrogen-burning sports cars are also under investigation Many years ago, Mazda discovered their rotary engine performed exceptionally well while using lean-burning hydrogen as a fuel source Since that time, Mazda has continued to tinker with this revolutionary methodology in hopes of eventually producing an environmentally friendly sports car that maintains high performance standards

The most visible hybrid sports car, however, is the Toyota Priapus A conventional gas/electric hybrid, the Priapus lists at over $70,000 It will be hard for owners of this hybrid sports car to recoup the additional cost in fuel savings, but the automobile is increasing in popularity Experts predict the limited-production hybrid sports car will perform well in auctions, with car enthusiasts likely to be willing to spend into six figures to procure the low-to-the ground, futuristic Toyota offering-and with good reason The Priapus boasts zero to sixty mile per hour acceleration in just under four seconds while maintaining an impressive 30 miles per gallon in terms of fuel efficiency

The Japanese are not the only automakers to spend time and resources plumbing the realm of hybrid sports cars Two former Jaguar designers are making headlines in England with the development of a V10 hybrid that has recently been awarded significant capital in the form of government grants to bring the concept car into the general marketplace

With many nations’ fuel efficiency standards demanding better fuel economy in the future, gas prices spiking again and again, and a general consensus developing that hybrid technology can reduce pollution and perhaps stem global warming trends, there is no doubt that hybrid automobile research and production will continue to accelerate

Those who were worried the automotive icon that is the sports car would vanish somewhere along the way as the green movement gathered force can take heart in recent developments All indicators point toward a greener, more fuel-efficient future featuring jaw-dropping high-performance cars sure to please even the most discriminating sports automotive enthusiasts As long as there are cars, it seems there will be those who demand impressively speedy, sporty automobiles and manufacturers are not willing to let go of that purchasing base as they explore hybrid alternatives to traditional internal combustion autos

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. Be sure to take car of your car’s finish with the patented car care productsfrom http://www.shineyourcar.com

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Author : Brenda Williams

It was the people s car but the people supposedly hated it It smelled awful, emitted blue smoke and made horrible noises It was listed in Time as one of the worst cars of all time Time also called it the car that gave communism a bad name, although one wonders if communism had a good name to begin with, especially during the Stalinist era when it was developed The car in question was the Trabant, nicknamed the Trabi

First designed to be a motorcycle, the Trabant was converted to a car in the final stages of incubation It would fulfill the Stalinist dream of a people s car and be the Communist response to the Volkswagen

The Trabant body was a masterpiece of recycling It was constructed of Duroplast, a type of plastic manufactured from various recycled materials such as wool, cotton waste, and phenol resins from the dye industry The manufacturing process however, was always labor intensive and East Germany had to import guest workers from Vietnam to staff their production facility

The first Trabant manufactured, the P50, was equipped with a small, lightweight, two cylinder, two stroke engine with a maximum speed of 65 mph The P 50 was followed by the P 60, which had a 25 hp engine

Then in 1964, the engine was upgraded again Some modifications were also made to the electrical system and the interior The result was the Trabant 601, which continued in production until 1991 when the company ceased operations

The blue smoke, which streamed out of the exhaust pipe, was loaded with air pollutants And due to the fact it was a two stroke engine, the exhaust had a most unpleasant odor that resembled burnt oil The engine was also extremely noisy And like Ford s famous Model T, customers had no choice of color

In spite of its faults, however, the Trabant did appeal to certain people, especially the film and music industry

It was a car star in the German film Go, Trabi, Go in which an East German family tours Europe in a Trabant It appeared once again in Goodbye, Lenin, a film about the fall of the Berlin Wall

Another film, Driving Me Crazy was about the development and theft of a Trabant that could be fueled by turnips, instead of gasoline And the 1996 Czech film, Kolja, stars a protagonist who is overjoyed at receiving a Trabant

The Trabant also made its mark in the music world The Serbian rock group, Atheist Rap, recorded a song entitled, Blue Trabant U2, another rock group, used Trabants for props on their Zoo IV Tour These now hang from the ceiling in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Almost four million Trabants were produced before the company folded Today, there are about 52,000 registered Trabants in Germany where it has acquired the status of a cult car A well restored Trabant might sell for the Euro equivalent of almost $21,000 On the net, there are 130 Trabant fan clubs, scattered throughout Germany, Europe and the United States

Moreover, it has now been scheduled for a comeback The German company, IndiKar is developing a new version of the GDR economy car However, there will be a vast difference between the new and the old Although retro styled with a sky blue body and white roof, the New Trabi will comply with European safety and emission standards The New Trabi is scheduled for introduction to the public at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show

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Author : Brenda Williams

Automobile manufacturers have long known that people tend to identify with their cars The car is an extension of the person – an integral part of their persona and manufacturers take advantage of this in promoting their cars And somewhere along the line, the engine power became synonymous with a feeling of personal power And a car became an object of self esteem

Then in the 1990 s cars suddenly were categorized as guy cars or "chick cars So what determines a guy car ? A guy car is a little easier to define than a chick car which leaves much to the imagination The various blogs that tackle this subject seem to be more specific regarding guy cars than chick cars

Most interested parties agree that power is an important part of a guy car which means the engine should definitely be a V 8 over 400 cubic inches In other words, if you drive a car with double the horsepower needed it sends the message, manly

Another guy car characteristic is the ratio of the length of the hood to the length of the cab A large hood to cab ratio is considered male Some specify that the hood should be over five feet long In addition, the car should be a rear wheel drive

Color also comes into play Black is masculine For instance, a VW is considered to be definitely a chick car (female) unless it is black in which case it is instantly transformed to a guy car

Another characteristic of a guy car is to have a TV show or movie built entirely around it An example is Burt Reynolds TransAm One might wonder at this criterion however since the star of all the Herby movies is a VW, which is supposed to be a chick car

Another amusing definition is Any car that has been refinished with sufficient dents, missing parts, rust, bondo, and primer paint so that it can only be identified from five feet away in direct sunlight can be considered a guy car

And then there is the statement, Anything that has parts from more than one manufacturer

And ethnic characteristics come into play While most Japanese cars are chick cars , most British cars are guy cars

If the car is uncomfortable, it must be male It is also male if it has no baby seat Pick ups are in the male gender category since they won t transport kids but will haul lumber But they mustn t be shiny or they lose points

Some American examples of guy cars are the Ford F 350 super cab diesel, the Ford Probe, the Dodge Ram, any full sized pickup truck, the Ford Mustang hardtop with the V 8 engine, The Fiat and the Mercedes 500 series

The Fiat was included in this very unofficial rating due to its lack of comfort The Mercedes made the list because of its high price Although there might be some scientific basis for this conclusion as statistics do show that men are more likely than women to purchase high priced autos However, these figures are based on registration records And the person who registers the car may not always be the one who drives it

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Author : Thomas Pretty

The car manufacturer from France has been making cars for over one hundred years Originally a bicycle manufacturer this insistence on convenient, mobile travel solutions is still present on Peugeot dealership forecourts today Peugeot have focussed on making small cars for many years and can be seen as a company the have cornered this end of the market through stylish design, performance and brilliant brand management

Styling has been a concurrent factor in the design of all the superminis made by Peugeot

A look at your local dealership will demonstrate how important style is as a design ethic; after all they are French From the tiny 107 up to the somewhat larger 1007 the Peugeot supermini collection offer style and grace and some of the sportier models are great fun to drive If you head down to your dealership you will most likely be able to experience this yourself through a test drive

The Peugeot 107 is the smallest car on dealership forecourts A tiny 3 door with quirky styling it makes a great first car or ideal city run around Its running costs are extremely low which will undoubtedly appeal to those of the green persuasion While it is a comfortable car for two, ferrying around any more people will be troublesome; the space in the rear seats is confined to say the least although for the price you are not going to be expecting a family car The boot is also relatively small although as a compact car designed for traversing the city the premium on space is a necessary evil

The 206 is also contained in the supermini category on your dealership forecourt and comes in both 3 door and 5 door models It has been around for a number of years now but the styling is still contemporary and has many fans among the young, especially those who like to make modifications

Because of its age however it is increasingly being seen as a budget alternative to the new 207 in the hatchback category The age of the car is apparent in the interior styling with a lot of plastics, poor layout and an uncomfortable driving position

That is not to say the Peugeot 206 is a poor car overall If you undertake a test drive from your dealership you will find the driving experience engaging and extremely enjoyable The steering is responsive and balanced although on motorway journeys the car does suffer somewhat

The 1 6 HDi sport offers the most fun for those who appreciate the thrill of driving Ultimately this car is a good value alternative to more modern counterparts Running costs are relatively low while picking up a bargain from your local dealership should not be a problem because of its age Although dated, the Peugeot 206 remains a decent little car

A departure from the usual young driver focus of Peugeot in the supermini market is the 1007 With two electrically powered doors it has become an ideal small car for older drivers The remote access has made it popular with those who have mobility issues and also those who are troubled by parking restrictions Sadly the styling is clumsy and awkward and makes it the ugliest car on the dealership forecourts; this can be seen as strange considering famed design house Pininfarina penned the cars outline Inside however the design is efficient and extremely comfortable

Sadly because of the heavy electric door mechanisms the driving experience of the 1007 has suffered It was never going to be a sporty model but power steering makes parking simple and easy and the use of a 2 tronic gearbox means city driving is easy on the left foot In terms of safety it is a brilliant family car, it received five stars from the Euro NCAP safety body, an accolade that not many cars actually manage Fuel economy is also good which makes the car an inexpensive vehicle to run and maintain

Overall the supermini range at your local Peugeot dealership offers cars that are efficient and in the whole stylish The young driver market will like the 107 and 206 as budget alternatives to the larger hatchbacks that have enough credibility to be appealing More practical drivers will appreciate the 1007 for its clever use of space and comfortable interior As a company that has made decent small cars for a number of years, the heritage of design is clear for all to see

Motoring expert Thomas Pretty looks into the range of superminis available at your local Peugeot dealership. To find out more please visit http://www.dickensgroup.com/peugeot.cfm

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Author : Ray La Foy

There are many brands of pickup truck bedliners available They offer many different features, but they all fall into two basic categories: drop-in bedliners and sprayed-on bedliners Which is the best for your pickup truck and your needs? Taking a look at the pros and cons for each type of truck bedliner might help you choose the best accessory for your needs

The pros of drop-in bedliners: Drop-in bedliners are easy to install and can be easily removed Most have thick, rigid bodies that provide pretty good protection against dents in the bed of your truck Drop-in bedliners are long lasting and easy to clean They can mount under the bedrail or can be placed over it to add more protection

Some drop-in bedliners, like the Bedrug, are made from flexible materials They are gentler than the rigid models, and even people find them comfortable to sit on The price can range anywhere from $300-$450 Look closely at each type to determine how much protection it offers

Cons of drop-in bedliners: Some drop-in bedliners can shift around and rigid versions can scuff the paint underneath Dirt and sand can get behind a drop-in liner, making scratches even more likely if you don’t keep the area clean Drop-in bedliners can be gouged or broken, but they can take a lot of abuse before the truck bed is affected

Pros of sprayed-on bedliners: Sprayed-on bedliners stick to your truck’s body panels, so they can not shift around There are no gaps between the liner and the bed of the truck, so sand and water can not get between and rust or erode your truck bed They are not as thick as drop-ins, but they do minimize minor denting The sprays can be applied to any body panel, including interior or floor panels Sprayed-on liners are easy to clean and available in many colors You might prefer their sleeker look Cost can range between $90 for do-it-yourself kits to $450 for professional installation This also depends on the size truck you have

Cons of sprayed-on bedliners: Sprayed-on bedliners can’t be removed They aren’t as thick as drop-ins, so it’s more likely that dropping something sharp or heavy will dent or gouge the liner and the truck bed underneath Hard-to-remove stains, such as spilled paints, may become a permanent part of your truck bed A sprayed-on liner should be applied by a professional if you want a truly professional appearance

Bottom Line is that there are more aftermarket bedliner choices now than there have ever been You must ask yourself several questions to decide which type is the right one for you How do you use your truck? Do you expect the bedliner to protect your truck from constant hauling of heavy objects? Do you need only minimal protection for occasional use? Is the bedliner strictly for looks? Study as many online resources as you can find, then visit local bedliner distributors Ask questions about each bedliner as it pertains to your needs to sort out which is the best for you

More information on Adjustable Bedliners

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http://www.adjustablebedliners.com

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