Friday, January 25, 2008

Toyota And General Motors Virtually Tied

This year, Japanese automaker Toyota is expected to unseat General Motors as the world's largest automaker. The title of being the largest automaker is dependent on the number of vehicles produced annually by an automaker. Last year, both automakers reported their production goals and Toyota has the bigger goal.

Toyota is getting closer to overtake General Motors if sales last year are any indication. For 76 years, General Motors has been enjoying much success and has never been under considerable threat of being overtaken. But the Japanese automaker has proven to be a very worthy adversary.

The Auto Channel recently reported that last year, General Motors and Toyota are practically tied in sales. On Wednesday, General Motors announced that they have sold 9.37 million units of cars and light trucks all over the world. Toyota on the other hand also announced that they have also sold 9.37 million units of vehicles globally.

Reuters reported though that General Motors is still leading Toyota in terms of sale. The report cited a source saying that the Detroit automaker sold 9,369,524 units of vehicles lat year. On the other hand, the Japanese automaker known for their vehicles and auto parts as reliable as KYB shocks managed to sell about 9,366,000 vehicles.

The biggest factor in Toyota's rise to challenge General Motors is it increasing market share in the United States auto market. Being the largest auto market in the world, the United States proved to be the Waterloo of General Motors. While the Detroit automakers' sales in the other parts of the world increases, their market share in the United States continue to decrease.

From 1998, it was reported that General Motors' global market growth increased by 1.5 percent annually. Meanwhile, during that time, Toyota's growth rate is five times more. This means that the two automakers are now neck-to-neck. General Motors' chief sales analyst Mike DiGiovanni said: "We are very competitive here at GM and obviously we'd like to win."

"But I would say that what we are really focused on running our business for the long term profitably and growing. I think we are laying the foundation to grow where the growth is and laying the foundation to turn around in the U.S.," he added further.

The Detroit automaker is counting on expanding their production output in China and the Latin America to fight off the challenge by the Japanese automaker. According to their sales report, the automaker sold 5.5 million vehicles outside of the United States.

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Mazda Unveils Touched Up MPV

Japanese automaker Mazda launched the third generation of the MPV in February last year. During the unveiling of the said vehicle, Mazda highlighted that they have designed the vehicle around the principles of aggressiveness and luxury. Recently, The Auto Channel reported that the automaker has freshened up the look of the MPV to further make the MPV synonymous with being aggressive and luxurious at the same time.

On the outside, the automaker gave the front end of the MPV a bolder look, no doubt in adherence to the aggressive look that they want for the vehicle. They were able to do this by giving the MPV new chrome auto body parts. This was complemented by new upper and lower grilles. At the back, the rear combination lights was redesigned giving the MPV a new look from the back.

Apart from these changes, the MPV was also given a new set of 18-inch alloy wheels. Three colors are also available for the MPV which are Metropolitan Grey Mica, Lilac Silver Metallic, and Diamond Grey Metallic.

The changes made to the MPV were not only done for the exterior. Inside the MPV, Mazda maintained the sporty appearance that the previous model had but freshened the vehicle up by adding decorative trims. Chrome parts are also used on the interior of the vehicle. The addition of the said accent pieces increased the quality level of the MPV's cockpit.

When it comes to comfort, Mazda enhanced the MPV's with the 'Super Relax Seats' which are designed to give maximum comfort to its occupants. A 'nanoe ion' air purification system is also offered with the MPV. Other improvements made to the MPV were the addition of certain optional features like sand-beige leather seat covers, leather wrapped steering wheel in wood grain pattern, and heated front seats.

As for the performance of the new MPV, the vehicle is now equipped with a five-speed automatic transmission. The said gearbox is now standard equipment for MZR 2.3-liter naturally-aspirated engines with front-wheel drive configuration. This is expected to attract the attention of many customers looking for sporty vehicles.

The improvements made to the MPV shows that the automaker is dedicated to offering quality vehicles to their consumers. The MPV's new features are expected to be as reliable as Acura CL brake dust shields. The freshened MPV is available only in Japan and can cost between 2,500,000 and 3,600,000 yen. For that amount though, consumers will be getting a very good deal.

Top 10 Things You Need In Your Car In Case Of An Emergency

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, lighter.

Air 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.

Solvent Recovery System

One of the most important considerations for any auto repair shop is the handling and treatment of toxic chemicals such as chemical solvents, paints, and coolants. It is vital under US Law that certain chemicals be properly treated and there are severe penalties that can be imposed by the EPA for failure to properly handle toxic materials. It is a requirement for any facility that handles solvents to properly deal with their disposal when no longer required, and the best way that this can be achieved is through the use of a solvent recovery system.

Recycling solvents is both an environmentally, and economically sensible measure to take. The prevention of any chemicals getting out into the wild is a responsibility that all right thinking members of society share, while the ability to drive down acquisition costs by recycling and reusing waster products makes a lot of sense to any business.

Quite simply, a solvent recovery system works by taking the chemicals that have been used, whether in cleaning, thinning paint, or any number of other purposes that they are required for in a workshop, and then removing the impurities. Most solvent recovery systems also act as a cleaner, combining the jobs of removing the solvent from any tools and other items, and then treating it in order to make it ready to be used once again.

Pretty much any item that you use in the workshop can be cleaned using a solvent recovery system. From auto parts through to HVLP spray paint guns, anything that needs solvents to clean can be popped into the machine, and then it will be handled properly from start to finish.

One of the most popular models currently available on the market is the sidewinder solvent recovery system. This tool, which is made by Nevada based Persyst Enterprises has been the staple of many auto shops since its first release. What has made it such a successful model is its reliability, coupled with its easy to use fully automated cleaning and recycling system.

The Sidewinder solvent recovery system can simply be loaded with your tools at the end of a job, then switched on and left. It will clean the tools, separate the solvents, and then when the process is complete, it will turn itself off. When you return to it, you will have your tools clean and ready to use, and all the cleaning solvent recycled and usable.

Although the initial outlay for a solvent recovery system may seem quite high, when it is offset against the cost of repeatedly purchasing expensive solvents, and then also paying for the waste products to be properly disposed of, not to mention the reduction in your environmental foot print caused by recycling waste rather than simply dumping it, the price soon seems like a bargain.

There are numerous different solvent recovery systems available. These range in price from around $1,000 right up to almost $5000. However, it is important not to simply go for the cheapest model and hope for the best, as different versions of the basic solvent recycler are required for different purposes.

While a basic model like the Spraymax UNRUG3000DA seems like a great purchase thanks to its price of around $1000, it is not suitable for larger workshop environments, and is really designed only for cleaning small items such as a pair of paint guns and their cups. Although it does do a great job on these, and has them ready to use again in less than a minute, making it the perfect tool for a small paint shop.

At the other end of the market you get a great deal more flexibility in the products that you buy, and larger solvent recyclers are able to handle much bigger jobs including being able to clean large mechanical parts quickly and efficiently. The SprayMax UNRURS900EP2 solvent recovery system features a 6 gallon cleaning well that will be able to handle the biggest parts in one go. It has a fully automated cleaning cycle, and a twin pump system that will allow you to have dirty used solvent go in through one, and recycled, clean, and ready to use solvent come out of the other end. It is also fully air tight in operation, meaning that there are no unpleasant fumes when it is working.

Thanks to the ever increasing environmental legislation from the EPA that is required to protect the natural world, it is ever more incumbent for any responsible business to take action to improve their own use of resources. The most important purchases that a business can make are the ones that will save it money in the long run, as these are the investments in the future that allow for further growth. solvent recovery systems are a tool that will pay for themselves a thousand times over, not just in the reduced operating costs that you get from reusing the same products again, but also by the knowledge that as a business, by using a solvent recovery system you are doing your bit to protect the world outside your workplace.

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

How Much Should You Pay For Your New Car

When you go into a car dealership, you want to know all of the pricing and costs of the car that you are looking into buying, as mentioned earlier. Being prepared will save you tons...period. You should know the manufacturer's cost and the dealer's cost.

You need to calculate the cost that the dealer paid for the car and then make a reasonable offer. The idea is to get a good deal rather than getting taken to the cleaners. The only way to do it is preparation and being realistic.

You should also know that the dealer's price is not the invoice price from the factory. You should know that the dealer's cost is much lower than the factory's cost. Having said that, keep in mind that the dealer is not going to give away anything, but they might listen to something that gets them some cash. But always work from the dealers cost.

In order to make a fair offer to a dealership, you need to learn to read a factory's invoice. Here is what you can expect to find on the factory invoice.

- Base model of the car on it - All of the options packages - Destination charge - Holdback and dealer flooring help

Quick Tip: DO NOT confuse the invoice with the MRSP window sticker because they are not the same.

Contrary to popular belief, dealers don't have to tell you the invoice on any car. This often gives the dealer leverage over you.

They can offer you one dollar over the invoice. You should know that there are hidden factory incentives in the invoice price that lowers the cost of the car for the dealership. You're not getting any deal here.

If a dealership is very quick to show you the invoice, you should note that they are fully aware that they will be making good money on that car from you and they can settle at a lower price for the car.

Having this knowledge before you walk into a dealership can be your best negotiating strategy. See, they will tell you that you can afford to buy the car at MSRP hoping that you will not then wonder what the actual worth of that car is.

Knowing this information can let you make them the same offer and put you in the driver's seat. (OK, brutal pun)

If you offer a few dollars over the factory invoice (which is the actual worth of the car) then you can open your bid and let them know how much profit they can make off of your offer. Take some time and look through these cars buying web sites to get the entire factory invoice pricing of a car.

http://www.InvoiceDealers.com http://www.CarsDirect.com http://www.Car.com http://www.Autoweb.com

Dealers are always going to try and tell you that they paid more for the cars than they actually did so that they can make a higher profit off of the sale.

Salesmen will often try and make you feel guilty by telling you "I'm losing my shirt off of this deal." In truth, you are the one that is losing your shirt off of the deal, so don't buy into it.

To help you calculate what your offer should be to the dealership, you should get the factory invoice price (don't forget to include the options in this price), and add 5% to that amount. That will give you a good starting point for your offer the dealership.

When I mention the options, I mean the ones that you can't avoid. Some cars come equipped with a CD, sun roof etc. and these are fees that you can't avoid paying so be sure to account for these when setting your total factory invoice price.

You should also be sure to account for any buyer rebates as well when calculating your dealership offer. So in the end your offer should be calculated like this:

DEALER'S COST + 5% - ANY BUYER REBATES = YOUR OFFER

Calculating your offer to a dealership is as simple as that. Don't complicate it anymore and don't let the dealer complicate it either. When you are considering how much you can afford for a car, be sure that you don't get sucked into paying more than that.

If you are unwilling to pay more than your opening offer, let the salesman know that your offer stands firm and how they will profit from the offer.

In the end you will get what you want on your own terms. Below is a good example for you to follow, feel free to print this or write down the example and put it in your car buying folder.

You are hoping to buy a Toyota Camry. You do your research at DealersInvoice.com, and find that the invoice price is $19,922; MSRP is $22,385. The dealer may offer you the car for $22,000, and shows you the invoice.

You learned by researching that there is a $500 factory to dealer incentive; and a $447 holdback on the MSRP (2%).

Based on the above calculations, the dealer's real cost is $19,922 (invoice) - $500 (incentive) - $447 (holdback) = $18,957. You can see that this is lower than the factory invoice number.

Now, if you add the 5% for your offer to that price, the car price will be up to $20,379 due to the addition of $455 for the destination charge that is always present. Now if you compare the MSRP offer that the dealership had listed, you will see that based on the example above you just saved yourself $3428.

This may seem a little complicated but if your use a pre-designed spreadsheet from CarsDirect.com or AutoUSA.com, the program does all the calculation for you. A little preparation and a reasonable offer will go a long way to getting the car you want at a great price.

Thursday, January 17, 2008

The All New And Improved Honda Civic Tour

The Honda Civic was introduced in July 1972 as a two-door coupe, followed by a three-door hatchback version that September. The Civic evolved from having an 1170 cc engine (1973) to having engines with larger capacities and more creature comforts (air conditioning, power windows, etc.) through the 1980s, 1990s and into the 2000s. As the Civic's reputation for quality, clever engineering and steadfast reliability continued to grow, so did the little Honda's popularity, as sales figures that topped 200,000 annually attested.

Early models of the Civic were typically outfitted with a basic AM radio, rudimentary heater, foam cushioned plastic trim, two-speed wipers, and painted steel rims with a chromed wheel nut cap. The current Civic has become much more luxurious with satellite-linked navigation, a six-speed manual transmission, power locks and power windows available. The current Civic has become much more luxurious with satellite-linked navigation, a six-speed manual transmission, power locks and power windows available. A passenger-side airbag became standard on all Civics, and antilock brakes were now optional on the EX coupe, Si hatchback and LX sedan. In the United States of America, the Civic is the second-longest continuously-running nameplate from a Japanese manufacturer; only the Toyota Corolla, introduced in 1968, has been in production longer. Although Civics are not designed to be performance cars, they have been used for racing ever since their introduction.

A neatly chiseled exterior devoid of gimmickry, an intelligent interior design with supportive seats, large gauges and high-quality fit and finish made the 1984 Civic line attractive and an immediate success. In 1986 an Si version of the Civic hatchback was introduced, featuring a pop-up glass sunroof, body colored bumpers and sedan-style disk wheel covers. The seventh generation Civic arrived as a 2001 model and the Civic Si returned for 2002. The natural gas-powered Civic GX debuted in mid-2006 continues unchanged. The 2006 Civic received the "Best Buy" award from Quatro Rodas magazine, the most prestigious car magazine in the country.

For the past seven years, the Honda Civic Tour has presented some of today's hottest music while also creating awareness of today's most pressing environmental concerns. With the transverse engine placement of its 1169 cc engine and front-wheel drive, like the British Mini, the car provided good interior space despite overall small dimensions. For the past three years the Honda Civic Tour has worked to promote environmental consciousness by giving away customized Honda Civic Hybrids to lucky fans.

This year's Honda Civic Tour is full of cool surprises for our fans. Recently, to add even more excitement to its environmental message, the Honda Civic Tour crafted an "Eco-village" as a test in Buffalo, NY, where concertgoers received a crash course in how to be a friend to Mother Nature. According to the EPA's 2005 Fuel Economy Guide, the Civic hybrid car is the leading, fuel-efficient compact car. The price for a new Civic isn't much higher than the price for a used one, and the cars will last a long time, and hold their value in the mean time.

The rest of the Americas receive the North American-market Civic sedan and coupe in some countries

Thursday, January 10, 2008

How to discover inexpensive teach hire

A good quality way of adding together a smart finish to an extraordinary occasion that income a lot to you, why don't you rent a coach? There are limo hire Company that can give you a first-class excellence rate. If you can make contact with one of these teach hirers, you can get a good mix of style, class and financial system and the happiness of riding in your own special chauffeur-driven teach.

When you hire a coach, check that it offer you sure added extras such as protection and money-saving tips and tricks. You can select for a package whether you want this coaches to ferryboat you to a wedding ceremony or a prom or everywhere else special and important.
In truth, if you are a high school student, attendance prom nocturnal is perhaps the most important occasion for you. You know that everything must go off absolutely that evening--right from your choice of clothes to your appearance and last of all, your entrance at the venue. So, why not hire a coach for that event and position out in the swarm?

If this is what you desire, don't throw away any more time. Go properly ahead and book your proms teach now without any delay, right now, even if the place is far away from you. You need to do this for different reasons: First, if you book the teach well in advance, it shows just how organized you are and it booking the coach well before the prom show that you are prearranged and it also ensure that you get the right coach you want for your individual evening. Next, if you book your limo hire ahead of time, it means that you have taken the problem to find out all the possible information about the teach, including its model, inclusion, and detail of its accessories, size of TV and the wattage of its sound system. Perhaps you have also asked for photos of the teach from the inside and outside to show to your date for the evening.

Surely, if she sees these photos, she will be only too excited to go out with you, and this will increase your confidence when you approach her. And, you can impress her with your so-called class and style. She'll love your organizational skills, the fact that you did this for her and that you cared enough to make the evening memorable enough to the extent of limo hire a coach.
Now that she is satisfactorily impressed, perhaps you can also push your luck just a little forward by impress her parents too. They are sure to be bowled over by your level of concern for their daughter, your governmental skills, your foresight and your keen sense of responsibility. You might not know it now, but this is more than as much as necessary to secure you a few more dates with the same girl once the prom is over. So, what's holding you up? Go on and book a coach now and make a long-lasting impression on her. Good times are waiting for you.

Car Tips - How to Jump Start a Car

If you can not start your car because the battery has gone flat, then you may be able get it going again by jump-starting it.
What you need:
A set of car jump leads, also referred to as booster cables.
A friends car that is working.

Using jump leads is pretty simple and safe if you follow these instructions:

STEPS
1. Position both cars close together so the jump leads will reach both batteries.

2. Then connect the car battery booster cables in this order ;

a. Connect (+) positive red cable to the (+) positive terminal on the dead battery.
b. Connect the other end of the (+) positive red cable to (+) positive terminal on the working car.
c. Connect (-) negative black cable to (-) negative terminal on the working car.
d. Connect the other end of the (-) negative cable to the (-) negative terminal on the dead battery.

3. You are now ready to start the working car's engine. Turn off all electrical equipment on the working car (heater, lights, radio, etc.) so that all the battery power is getting used to jump start the dead battery. Let the working car run for a minute or so before you try to start the dead one. Revving the engine in the working car will produce more current and help with jumping the dead battery.

4. Now try and start the dead battery engine by turning the ignition. If it sounds like it is going to
start but will not quite go, then rev the working car for a little longer before trying the dead batter
again.

5. When the dead battery has started and is running, remove the jump leads.
Do this in reverse order:

a. Disconnect (-) negative black cable from the terminal on dead battery.
b. Disconnect (-) negative black cable from the (-) negative terminal on the working car.
c. Disconnect (+) positive red cable from the (+) positive terminal on the working car.
d. Disconnect (+) positive red cable from the (+) positive terminal on the dead battery.

TIPS

You must let the car that had the flat (dead) battery run for quite a while. If you turn the ignition off quite soon after starting it then it may not start again because there will not be enough charge in the battery. It might be worth taking the car for a drive, or driving the car home and connecting the battery to a battery charger overnight.

Ensure that when you are connecting and removing the jump leads, they do not touch each other and do not come into contact with any moving parts on either engine. Most quality jump leads have the clamps coated with plastic so there is less chance of the metal parts touching parts of the car or engine. This is something to consider when buying your jump leads.

If the battery terminals on either car are dirty and corroded, then they will need to be cleaned up so that the clamps on the jump leads will get a good clean connection.

If the flat battery will not start the car after following this procedure, then the battery could be damaged and faulty inside. It is suggested that you try replacing the dead battery with a borrowed one before you spend money on a new one.
It is suggested that you try replacing the dead battery with a borrowed one before you spend money on a new one.