23rd
January
2008
The price of crude oil has shot up to $100 per barrel recently, many people are worrying that the price of fuel will continue to increase inexorably in the future. Given the tension between world powers such as
United States and the world major crude oil producer -
Iran, it is indeed probably that we, the consumer will suffer from higher fuel price in the future. Now, people are searching for alternative fuel for cars, and believe it or not, I have actually found a solution to use water as an alternative fuel.
Water, covers more than 70% of the earth’s surface. While it may seems that it is impossible to use water as an alternative fuel, water itself can actually provides enough energy to move a car. Now, people are resorting to use the so-called biofuel and think that it is a new technology. However, do you know that biofuel has existed for more than 5 decades. Some old Fords can actually run on peanut oil, that was few decades ago.Since the biofuel technology is actually an old-technology few decades ago, it is not strange that water fuel actually exists too. Given so much free resources in the world, scientists are not stupid to not to research into using water as an alternative fuel for cars, not to say that the crude oil price is very erratic in times of war.In the arcane of science, the scientists call the research on converting water into fuel as “The Deuterium Project”. The research has been done for more than 20years. Even though the project has not reached the most successful target and the scientists are yet to plan to commercialize the method (partly due to the political pressure from some governments that depend on crude oil as sole national income), however, by plainly altering your engine, your engine can actually move on water. These alterations can be easily done and at a low cost indeed. However, the alterations can only provide enough power to run a car, larger vehicles such as van will require some professional knowledge.In conclusion, using water as an alternative fuel for cars is not a dream at all. It is just that the method has not been exposed because of certain political pressure and imperfection to be commercialized.
posted in Future Fuels |
23rd
January
2008
If you are carrying items in your open pick up truck, and you need to protect them from weather conditions and theft, maybe it is time you invested in what is known as a tonneau cover.When selecting a cover, you need to decide on your budget and the style of cover that you want - whether solid bed covers or soft covers. The solid covers are usually made of fiberglass, and the soft covers are made of vinyl, and are the least expensive. There are different kinds of mounts to choose from, and your selection will be based on what you carry and how much you use the bed to carry items. Do ensure that the cover is easy to install, as well as easy to open and remove, as there are different ways to lock and unlock covers. Additionally, check if the cover has features that will keep rainwater and snow away from it. Most importantly, the cover has to fit properly over the bed of your truck.There are many different types of covers available, such as aluminum covers, retractable, fiberglass, folding, roll-up and drop down covers.The aluminum covers are highly engineered, and the design process is patented. It is designed for security, style and increases your gas mileage. The retractable gives you the flexibility of having a hard cover, while at the same time the ability to haul large items without removing the cover from the bed.The fiberglass covers are secure and usually painted to match your truck, and they are mostly weather-friendly. However, they are fairly heavy, and it takes quite a bit of effort to remove if required. With the folding covers, they are prone to getting the truck bed a little wet at times due to leakage, but are great value especially since they are cheaper than the others. Roll-up covers are ideal for people who live in high crime areas, as they are attached via a clamp, and if you should keep some of your belongings there, the clamps tend it keep it secure. Drop down covers literally drop into your truck bed when you want to haul something large. The advantage of these is that it allows access to the truck bed without actually having to remove the cover.Once you have decided which one you want to buy, shop around as there are a good assortment of covers to choose from. You would certainly want to check out the styles and mounts available, before streamlining your choice to a final purchase.
posted in General Information |
23rd
January
2008
There are rumors spreading around the Internet about water powered car, which means a car that runs purely on water. Many people are amazed when they heard of this because if this is really true, then everyone can save few hundred bucks a month on car fuel. However, there are many skeptics too who think that water powered car is just a myth and an urban legend. So, in reality it is true that a car can run purely on water? I strongly believe to a large extent that there do exist this kind of technology, however, the information has been buried due to world political issues.Firstly, we should think who will benefit and who will lose out if people are using water as a source of fuel instead of oil. We, the commoners will benefit the most while the top powers and leaders will lose out. Today, everything in the world is circulating around the “crude oil”. Wars have been erupted and millions have died because of the so-called black-gold. Some example will be the Gulf War, Saddam Hussein invaded
Kuwait for oil. Then, miraculously, United States offer a hand to Kuwait to stop Saddam Hussein from invasion but with the condition that Kuwait will allow United States to drill the oil for 7 years (please correct me if I’m wrong. Therefore, we can actually see that the world power houses are actually earning billions from the oil sector every year and if water fuel really exists, they will lose their power entirely.
Secondly, you should know that creating a water powered car is not an old technology. This technology was developed 20 years ago under the “Deuterium Project”. However, such technology does not receive huge media coverage at all. Why? You should know, most of the mass media in this world has to follow the rules set by the government to a certain extent. This means that most of the mass media is not transparent and is favored towards to government. Therefore, government has power to censor certain undesirable information.From the aforementioned points, you should be able to figure out whether a water powered car is a myth or a hidden truth. It is indeed true that the technology as we seen in the internet has some flaws, however, I strongly believe that after 20 years of research, the technology will at least allow a small car to run on water.
posted in Future Fuels |
23rd
January
2008
These types of shows are often pretty good because you are getting to see brand new cars that nobody else has even seen yet or drove. You are the first person to see cars that have just came off the production line. Most of these cars are the newest models that have been talked about for months and have finally came out.Sometimes these events are open to the public and other times they are just for the press and so the newspaper can get to know about them first. Other times you are allowed to come and gander at all the cars and the new models are just something to look at and have fun with. You will be able to look in and see what they look like so if you were thinking about buying one you will to see first hand what they look like inside and out.These types of car shows are going to be different then you are probably used to. You are going to be used to seeing a lot of cars and a lot of variety but not here at the special car shows you will be lucky to get an invite. These shows are just for the newest models only and those models could be anything from Saturn to Lamborghini. So if you like cars then you should like these car shows.If you are trying to find out where these are being held the best advice that I can give you is to look in the newspaper or to go to the dealerships and ask them if they are having any car shows for new models. If they cannot give you any more advice then I don’t know what to tell you because I don’t know anything more then you about these new model car shows. You will be lucky to find them and probably will have better luck finding them then asking for directions all day and trying to find out where it is.Some of these many events or car shows whatever you want to call them have dress codes. This is because these are brand new cars and some of these cars can be anything from cheap cars to Lamborghinis. So if you want to learn about where these events are then you just need to keep up with the magazines and cover about them. The best bet you probably have is looking in the newspaper for them. You will most likely find them and then be able to attend the events but be sure to get the info about the show before you go.
posted in General Information |
23rd
January
2008
So you are supposed to go to this awesome car show this weekend and you get there the very next day and you see a car that you like and want to buy. So what do you do you throw out a price at the owner and then they reply with a price you like. You should buy it if it is your thing and within your price range.So you are thinking should I buy this car and part of you is saying yes buy the car are you crazy this is a good price and the other part of you is saying no man just save your money and buy what you really want. If I was the person and it was the car that I really wanted and the price was a price that I could afford I would go ahead and buy it. It would be the best thing that happened to me in a long time car wise.You should really avoid buying a car at the car show you are attending one reason is because you don’t know the car and what it can do and what problems it may have if any. You just don’t know what the history of the car is unless you happen to know the owner well and know the car then that is a different story. The number one rule though is doing buy a car at a car show unless you know the car and the owner.Also during a car show the owner will not have much time to talk to you about selling the car and about the car in general so it is wise to just get their contact info and get together with them another day.Another thing is you are most likely not going to be able to take the car for a test drive so you might just want to keep looking for another car or just like said before get contact info and get together some other time with the owner.If you happen to really want the car you see then all you need to do is get the owners contact info and if they are wanting to sell throw them a price and if they are interested just get up with them another day but not the same day as the car show. The owner will want to clean the car again if wanting to sell and will want to get the car looking its best for you to check out and possibly buy. So just follow the steps and just keep it easy when going to a car show. You might find the car you want but just remember to get the contact info and an estimated price. Then you just wait and see what the owner has to say when you give them your price and if it is all good then you are going to have a new car.
posted in General Information |
23rd
January
2008
Driving at any time of the year can be dangerous, but it is especially important to be careful driving in the winter. Winter driving can bring the hazards of snow, ice, freezing rain, sleet, blackouts, whiteouts, and much more. If your car breaks down at any other time of year, you’ve still got a good chance of being able to take care of it yourself. However, in the winter, the days are shorter, the weather is colder and it is not at all comfortable to break down in a snowstorm! There are also more ways to break down in the winter; not only can your car run out of gas, but it can also get stuck in the snow.If you are starting to panic, just relax; there are some things you can do to prepare for car emergencies. Here the top ten items to keep in your car in case of an emergency:Snow shovel - You never know when you’ll get stuck in the snow, and you also never know if a good Samaritan will be around when you get stuck. Even in the summertime, cars can get stuck in the mud, and a shovel would still help in that situation.Candle - Even though a candle may be a lot smaller than a car, it can still keep you and your car warm in the winter if you happen to break down or get stuck in a snow bank.Blanket - If you ever break down in the winter, a blanket or sleeping bag is a very good thing to have!Spare tire - Always a handy item to have when something happens to one of your car’s tires.Tools - It is important to carry the right kind of tools in your car to help you in case of an emergency. Tools such as a jack, ratchet, lighterAir Compressor - Many stores now sell mini compressors that are just for this purpose. A lot of perfectly good tires start to lose air after a while and an air compressor is a quick fix when you are stuck on the side of the road!Flashlight - This one is pretty self explanatory. You never know when something will happen, and if you happen to break down after dark, a flashlight quickly turns into a lifesaver. Without a flashlight, all the tools in the world will not help you in the dark!Food - This one may sound strange, but the truth is, people get hungry, and if you are stuck in the middle of nowhere, some granola bars and bottles of water are a big help!Cell phone - Nowadays, car emergencies are not as bad as they used to be, because of cell phones. As long as you have good service in the area you happen to be in, you will be just fine.First Aid Kit - This is perhaps the most important thing to carry in your car - especially if you have children. You never know what is going to happen, and even the slightest accident can cause some injuries to you and your loved ones that can be easily remedied by a well-stocked first aid kit.
posted in Driving Tips |
23rd
January
2008
Young drivers are prime targets for high insurance, this is generally because they have had very little experience on the road and are deemed as a higher risk to be in an accident. Due to this, insurance for the younger driver is often very expensive. The biggest mistake that the majority of younger drivers make when choosing their first car is to choose one which suits their image and not their pocket. While they visualize themselves running around in the latest model of sports car, this type of car is in the high insurance bracket. One of the factors which are taken into account when it comes to insurance is the model and engine size of the car. By choosing something less flashy a younger motorist can shave pounds off their already high insurance premiums.Another way in which the younger driver can help themselves is by taking advanced driving lessons. There are special courses that be taken which can go a long way to prove that you are able to handle a car and that your safety record is excellent. This can make up for the fact that you have very little experience and lack of the necessary no claims bonus, which can only be gotten by time spent driving sensibly and safely.Installing the latest security features on your car can also help you to reduce the amount you are quoted for your premium. Simply installing an immobilizer or keeping your car in a garage instead of by the side of the road can help to reduce your premium. Finally the biggest savings can be found online as buying online can attract around 10-15% in discounts. Shopping online for your insurance gives you the ability to search through many insurers and to get instant online quotes for the exact type of insurance you are looking for. There are also many companies that will deal with the younger driver in particular and very often this is the best bet for new motorists to make great savings on their car insurance. The savings the younger driver can make will of course depend on the type of insurance that they choose to go for. Third party, fire and theft is by far the cheapest and depending on the age of the car this could be the best choice for the younger driver when it comes to getting cheaper car insurance. While fully comprehensive will cover you for most eventualities, it is the most expensive type of insurance, so thought should be given to the level of cover you require before conducting an online search to determine how much you could save.
posted in Insurance |
23rd
January
2008
Is this what you do when enter a parking lot? You enter the lot and the first thing you do is head for the parking area nearest to the entrance to the mall or the store where you are going. There are not any spaces available at the entrance because everyone, like you, tries to find the closest spaces.Since you did not find any spaces initially you drive up and down the closest rows to see if you can find a parking place that is reasonably close to the entrance or you sit in one place and wait for a parking space to open up.These parking behaviors will cost you gas mileage. That also means it will cost you money. When you wait to see if any parking spaces will become available you are sitting and idling your engine. When you idle, you are getting zero miles per gallon. Zero miles per gallon is the worst fuel economy you can get.Alternatively if you are slowly cruising along the parking rows still hoping to find a close spot, you are burning fuel at a tremendous rate relative to the speed you are going. Inevitably you have to stop behind another car that is waiting or you stop at spaces that you think are opening up. Once again this causes you to idle and again you end up getting zero miles per gallon fuel economy.If you think that a few seconds of extra idling is not going to use much fuel, think again. If you only spend 1 minute a day waiting for a parking space then you would roughly be burning fuel for 30 minutes or a half hour each month.One half hour of burning fuel a month is the equivalent of burning fuel an extra 6 hours per year. Would you ever leave your car sitting and idling for six hours doing nothing but burning fuel? Absolutely not. But in essence you are letting your car sit and idle for 6 hours if your parking habits involve always looking for the closest parking space.In what way can you change your habits to prevent this wasteful burning of gas? You can improve gas mileage and stop burning extra fuel with this very simple and very easy solution. Your goal should be to park far away from the store or mall instead of trying to park as close as you can. The farther away from the entrance you go, the more empty parking spaces you will find. If you head to the parking rows far from the entrance, as soon as you enter the parking lot, you should find a parking place right away.By parking far away you save all the fuel you would have wasted waiting for and looking for a parking place close in. There is an another benefit to finding a parking place far from the entrance. Not only will you improve gas mileage and save money but you will get more exercise as you walk the additional distance from your car. It’s great for your wallet and great for your body.
posted in Useful Tips |
23rd
January
2008
Getting a rental car does not have to be a strenuous task. Some of the best sources to rent cars are travel agencies which have tie-ups with hotels, newspapers, yellow pages and car rental agencies which offer special rates. Here are a few tips to help you capture the best deal possible.The first thing you need to decide is how much you’re willing to shell out for the car. By looking out for ’special deals’ offered by rental agencies, you most probably will have the option of fixing your own price and getting the car you want. Choose a car depending on how many people will be accompanying you on your journey. Remember there are many rental agencies, so shop around and do a thorough research so you don’t feel that you spent more than necessary.Most rental agencies will offer you car insurance for renting a car. What people don’t know is it’s optional. If you own a car, check with your car insurance company if they cover rental cars. If they don’t, it’s safer to get that extra insurance. A few credit card companies also offer auto insurance; it would be wise to give them a call. The price that you pay for a rented car would include rental and taxes, insurance is an additional charge. Earlier car companies would only accept credit cards as payment. Now, even though companies still need details of a major credit card from you, you can still make arrangements to pay another way. Also check if they need to have instant credit approval as it may lower your credit line with the card company. Enquire with the auto company the options you have with debit card payments or even a pre-paid voucher.To be on the safe side when traveling abroad, opt for a GPS unit. Available with rental agencies, they can be placed in the car and can be you’re guide throughout your stay without getting you lost and tangled up in maps. With voice prompts, languages to choose from, you’re journey can be much more relaxing. heck with the rental company if they intend on sending the car to pick you up or if someone will come and collect you. Another important factor is age. Most companies need the driver to be at least 25 years old. Check the fluids in the car as most car companies rarely change them. Once you get the car, in front of the representative thoroughly check the car for any pre-existing damage so that you aren’t held liable later on. Run a test drive to see if the brakes, heat/AC, headlights, windshield wiper, rear view and side view mirrors and other functions of the car are in working condition.
posted in Useful Tips |
23rd
January
2008
Hybrid cars are all the rage. They have a certain mix of trendiness and social awareness that is popular among celebrities and normal folks alike. In addition to being trendy, popular and environmentally conscious, hybrids also have another great selling point- they have excellent resale values.Proponents of the hybrid craze like to emphasize that hybrids will not save all buyers money, though advocates of these vehicles insist that in many cases a used hybrid can sell for as much as a brand new one. Hybrid supporters also point out that in many cases, the vehicle does not instantly loose value the second the buyer drives it off the lot.Hybrids also impart a feel-good factor onto their drivers. Many buyers want to do their part to be more environmentally savvy and hybrids allow consumers to take the next step towards going green.Here’s an interesting example: In 2005, the MSRP for a new Toyota Prius was $22,546. According to The Kelly Blue Book, the resale price for a 2005 Toyota Prius with all the same features is $25,470. That’s a resale value far superior to any other traditional gas-only vehicle. While resale prices vary for different hybrid makes and models, the Prius has retained the highest value.But what if the Prius is not your style? Well you’re in luck! Automotive manufacturers are designed all kinds of hybrid vehicles to suit the wide preferences of drivers. In the market for an SUV? Check out Ford’s hybrid Escape. GMC and Chevy are developing their own hybrid pick-ups for those who prefer trucks. Honda offers the Civic hybrid as well as the popular Accord in a hybrid model. The best-selling Toyota Camry offers buyers a hybrid version of their favorite model too.As technology advances, expect to find an even wider selection of hybrid vehicles. Not only will these popular cars, trucks and SUV’s save you money at the pump, you will also be doing your part for the environment. And when it comes time to trade in your hybrid for a newer vehicle, be prepared for a very attractive resale value.
posted in Future Fuels |