Has your family started to cram into the old sedan like a pack of sardines? Have members of the neighborhood car pool begun to look suspiciously at your battered station wagon? Perhaps it’s time to retire the old family car and move up to a bigger vehicle. Often, the choice for a more spacious family vehicle is a toss-up between a sport utility vehicle (SUV) and a minivan. Both offer flexible passenger and cargo areas, comfortable seating for five to eight persons, and rear-seat entertainment systems. Although the SUV has a slightly higher risk for rollovers than minivans do, both are equipped with similar safety features, such as air bags and anti-lock brake systems. So, which one deserves to park in your family garage? To come up with the right choice, you need to look at how the vehicle’s styling, fuel economy, passenger and cargo space, towing capacity, and safety will suit your family’s needs and lifestyle.
Styling
More than a matter of need, a vehicle’s styling is a matter of personal preference. The SUV usually wins out over the minivan when it comes to appearance. With its rugged, sporty styling, an SUV oozes urban cool, unlike the minivan, which is perpetually associated with soccer moms and suburban neighborhood carpools. Most men would recoil at the thought of driving a minivan, so if your husband would be sharing driving duties, you might have to talk it out with him. Likewise, many teenagers wouldn’t be caught dead stepping out of a minivan, so if you’d be using the vehicle mainly to drop off and pick up your adolescent children from school, you’d have to consider their preferences, too.
Fuel economy
Minivans give better mileage than SUVs, which have a reputation for being gas guzzlers. If you want to squeeze more miles out of the gasoline tank, then a minivan would make a more economic choice than an SUV. Other ownership costs, such as maintenance and insurance, also tend to be higher for SUVs than minivans. Unless you’re willing to pay the price for being cool and stylish, the practical minivan is the way to go.
Passenger and cargo space
Sport utility vehicles and minivans have comparable passenger and cargo space, but the roomy interiors of a minivan can be a delight to young kids. Unlike SUVs, minivans also have a low step-in height, so they’re easier for kids to climb into. Minivans’ large picture windows afford young passengers a better view of the passing scenery, therefore keeping your impatient young ones amused for a good part of the ride.
Towing capacity
If you own a boat and like to take the entire brood for weekend sailing retreats, then an SUV would make an appropriate choice. SUVs have superior towing capacities, enabling them to pull practically anything between a trailer and a small boat. Otherwise, if you’re only schlepping groceries and your kid’s soccer team, then there’s no reason to overlook the minivan.
Safety
Although both have comparable safety features, SUVs have a higher rollover risk than minivans. SUV devotees counter this by pointing out that rollovers account for only three percent of all traffic accidents and claiming that SUVs offer excellent passenger protection in two-car collisions. It remains to be seen whether this supposed collision safety factor outweighs the risk of rollovers. If the threat of rollover accidents keeps you awake at night, then a minivan could give you a little peace of mind.
read more "SUVs vs. Minivans: Making The Right Choice"
Owning a brand new car is exciting. But financially speaking, it makes more sense to buy a used car. As soon as you drive a new car off the lot, it loses a great portion of its value. This is because your car is no longer “new”.
New cars lose about 40% of their value within 3 years, and then depreciation starts to slow down. Why not buy a used car and allow someone else to take that depreciation hit?
The previous owner will have absorbed the steepest part of the depreciation cycle. At that point the costs of owning and operating the car will be reduced. The money you save on depreciation will surely go a long way.
Another benefit of buying used is lower cost. By buying used you pay less. You will also save on financing costs, insurance premiums, registration and licensing fees. You don’t have to worry about paying sales tax.
As with everything else there are a few downsides to buying a used car. There are greater chances for costly unwarranted repairs. You may very soon have to do major maintenance on your car, including replacing tires, battery, brakes, muffler, and perhaps even the transmission.
A used car is usually less reliable. You don’t know exactly what you’re getting into and how the previous owner treated the car. However, every situation is different and some used models may actually be far more reliable than some new ones.
If you can pay cash, go the new car way. Enjoy the feeling of knowing you're the original owner of a new car in mint condition. Nothing can replace that feeling.
Otherwise do not hang your hat higher than you can reach. Practice financial prudence. Save your money and comfort yourself knowing that one day you will be able to afford that dream car. One day when money is no object.
read more "New vs Used, Which Car Is Right For You?"
You don't think much about your car do you? Your car sits outside 24/7, 365 days a year in all extremes of weather. You routinely drive it at speeds that exceed 70 mph. You stop, start, stop, start through city traffic. You sit idling in traffic jams day after day. Yet, you expect your car to start every time you get into it and turn the key.
The best thing that you can do to extend the life of your car, and to potentially save yourself a bundle of money, is to have your car serviced on a routine basis. All car manufacturers have a schedule of recommended services for each vehicle they sell. Follow this schedule. The best place to have work done on a new vehicle that is still under warranty is the dealership.
It's a bit different when you have an older, out of warranty car. At this point you can make a decision to continue to use the dealer for service, or find yourself a local mechanic.
The first rule of thumb is to have the oil in your car changed every 3,000 miles. This is the simplest and most important part of routine maintenance for your car. At that time, whether you go to a "speedy" oil change business or to your mechanic, the technician will take a look at the overall condition of your engine. They'll check belts and hoses and fluid levels of your transmission and brakes. They'll check your air cleaner and the condition of your tires. Some of these drives through services also offer add-on such as engine cleaning and radiator flushes. If they think they see something that could become potentially serious they will tell you about it and suggest you take your car to a mechanic.
Cars have really changed over the years and most technicians use computers to diagnose problems. You'll need to be able to describe the problem to the mechanic. They'll need to know things such as when you first noticed the problem and exactly under what condition it happens. Does it happen when the car is cold, or after it warms up? Does it happen when you're at an idle or when your accelerating? If you don't use the same mechanic have a copy of your car's service record with you so that the new mechanic can see what maintenance been done in the past. It's best to find a mechanic you're comfortable with and stay with him. Knowing your car's history can go a long way towards helping him diagnose and fix a problem.
Learn to listen to your car. If you hear an unusual noise, notice a change in its performance or handling takes it to your mechanic.
read more "Extend The Life Of Your New Or Used Car"
All new cars on the market have car alarms built in to the car to act as a deterrent against theft. But because thieves expect a car to have an alarm it might not be as big as a deterrent as you might think. Although there are a lot of amateur thieves that would not be able to steal a car without the alarm going off, so maybe car alarms might be worth having after all. What the alarm is supposed to do is to alert people nearby so that they may report the theft. How many of us actually respond to a car alarm? This can be compared to a house alarm where they are largely ignored. When alarms came on the market first they would have been very effective but like everything as they have gotten more common they are becoming less effective.
Maybe they would be more effective if we had fewer false alarms so that when people actually heard an alarm they knew that something had to be done. However the reality is if you are going about your daily life and you hear a house alarm or a car alarm there is a very high probability that it is a false alarm. We have to ask why this is this especially in an age where technology is such advanced. Why can we not make an alarm system that is more robust and yet effective against intrusion? Is it a cost factor or can it be done? Imagine if you lived in a world that if you heard an alarm going off it was very likely that there was a crime being committed. People would react in a different way; they would be far more reactive to a situation where an alarm is going off, whereas now alarms are generally ignored. In a lot of cases where a thief breaks in to a house or a car and the alarm goes off the thief would often completely ignore the alarm because they know that nobody is likely to call the authorities. Did you ever find peoples first reaction when they hear an alarm is one of annoyance rather than of helping nature? I know that no matter what there will always be a section of society that would never react to any alarm however if the functionality of alarms could be improved to make them more accurate, I believe one would get a better reaction.
Car alarms are getting more sophisticated as technology advances but are they more effective? Do you know of any car that is unbreakable? Because car alarms are now built in to a car at design stage it should be able to do more than just sound an alarm. If it was the case that the engine shut down if the alarm went off imagine how effective this could be. At a minimum these days alarm systems are an integral part of any car design and are often integrated with the cars computer system and maybe even the ignition system. This being the case it is a wonder that car alarms are not more effective?
All those days of old fashioned traditional designed cars are gone, now it’s time to be fashion conscious. To stay updated with the current trends of fashion, you need to give proper attention on every aspect of your life, especially your car.
In the modern times, a car is not just a fashion item; it is also an essential part of one’s life. When it comes to owning a car then there are certain criteria everybody needs to keep in mind, these are high performance, fuel efficiency, longevity and attractive appearance. Among all the world’s renowned automakers, this can be said without any doubt that the Japan cars stay on the supreme position, both in terms of quality and looks.
All those people who are quality and fashion conscious about cars, must wish to own a Japan car. But, practically majority of them become unable to import one, because of the high prices of those cars and the hassles involved with the importing processes. But, for all the Japanese car enthusiasts, here is good news. Importing a car from Japan has become easy and the high cost factor now has gone with the online Japan car exporters.
Modern day people want to avail the best quality things by paying less. Now with the used Japan cars this would be possible. Now you must be frowning by reading “used Japan cars” and you must be wondering whether these cars would be of good quality or not. Don’t worry; you can keep full assurance about the quality of the used Japanese vehicles offered by the online retailers. Because, till now thousands of people have purchased these used cars from the online stores and are completely satisfied with their decision.
You will find several online Japan car exporters over the Internet, which offer an extensive range of both new and used Japanese cars. And the importing process of a used Japan car is also hassles-free.
So, if owing a Japanese car is your esteemed desire, then don’t waste anymore time; go online and avail your desirable type of car.
Automotive radiators are the important components of a vehicle's cooling system. A vehicle's cooling system is intended to protect the engine from the destructive forces of too much heat. Radiators take charge of removing excess heat from the engine even under the most extreme conditions. Cooling the motor helps it last longer, taking the vehicle to the distance. If the system isn't in good repair, simple tasks such as sitting idle in rush-hour traffic can cause a vehicle to overheat even when temperatures drop below the freezing mark.
Radiators extend engine life, and keep the vehicle's engine at a safe and efficient operating temperature. Without passing the hot coolant through the cool metal grates or cooling cores of the radiator, the incredible heat under the hood of the car or truck would cause the vehicle to very rapidly overheat, potentially leaving the driver stranded. Intense heat could also destroy other parts of the engine that can be very costly to replace. The radiator is a heat exchanger designed to transfer thermal energy from one medium to another for the purpose of cooling and heating. After which, it transfers the heat from the fluid inside to the air outside, thus cooling the engine. This heat-dissipating device is connected to channels running through the engine and cylinder head, through which pumps a liquid.
On some cars, the radiator fan is electrically driven and comes on automatically even after the engine has been turned off. Disconnect the ground wire from the battery before starting to work to keep away from injury. Since the engine works harder than most of auto parts, it has a tendency to overheat; therefore, it needs a cooling system that would keep it operating at the right temperature. Radiators protect the engine from the destructive forces of too much heat.
When you find a leak because of a rock, a hose, or sometimes because of an accident, replace the radiator to allow motor to continue working and be cooled as it should. Overtime, dirt, dust and rust can build up and clog the essential components of the car's radiator. Therefore, routine maintenance can slow this process and makes the life of the radiator temporarily longer. Timely radiator replacement is also important when the current car radiator wears out.
Be aware of the serious responsibility that comes with driving and car maintenance. Reduce much of the risks with cars by simply being safety conscious and always check radiators to guarantee protection and long time performance of automobiles.
Be the first to get the latest 2010 5 Series. This has a 4-door, 5-passenger luxury sedan, luxury sports sedan, or luxury wagon, available in 6 trims, ranging from the 528i Sedan to the 550i Sedan.
Upon introduction, the 528i Sedan is equipped with a standard 3.0-liter, I6, 230-horsepower engine that achieves 17-mpg in the city and 27-mpg on the highway. A 6-speed manual transmission with overdrive is standard, and a 6-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is optional. The 550i Sedan is equipped with a standard 4.8-liter, V8, 360-horsepower engine that achieves 15-mpg in the city and 22-mpg on the highway. A 6-speed manual transmission with overdrive is standard, and a 6-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is optional.
