Friday, March 24, 2006

Cool and Clean vs. Hot and Mean


There are green cars. And there are also those belchers, and monsters. According to an article I came across while trying to find out about good and clean and green cars, here is a list of those cars that give off a good performance when it comes to being environment friendly.

1. Honda Civic GX
2. Honda Insight
3. Toyota Prius
4. Honda Civic Hybrid
5. Toyota Corolla
6. Toyota Echo
7. Nissan Sentra
8. Honda Civic HX
9. Pontiac Vibe/Toyota Matrix
10. Mazda 3
11. Ford Escape Hybrid
12. Ford Focus/Focus Wagon

Honestly, I do not quite take into consideration what cars do spurt off bad and black smoke. But I realized that there is some correlation between a vehicle that is clean and green to that same vehicle’s capacity to rank and rate a high mpg (miles per gallon).

Anyhow, here are the monsters of the road when it comes to being friendly to the earth and air:

1. Dodge Ram SRT10
2. Ford Excursion
3. Hummer H2
4. Mercedes-Benz G55 AMG
5. Lamborghini MurciƩlago
6. GMC Yukon XL K2500
7. Chevrolet Suburban K2500
8. Land Rover Range Rover
9. Bentley Arnage
10. Mercedes-Benz G500
11. Lamborghini Gallardo
12. Dodge Ram 1500 Pickup

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Car Names And What They Really Are About


Have you ever wondered about all those car names and what is the purpose for naming their vehicles such? Well, I did. That is the very reason why I did some research. Thanks to Borgna Brunner, she was so gracious that she wrote about it through this site. She says that these car names have some kind of aura or image that they would want to convey. Here’s what she told the Internet readers:

Rugged Adventure: Nissan Frontier, GMC Safari, Toyota Tundra, Ford Expedition

The Wild, Wild West: Ford Bronco, Jeep Wrangler, Dodge Dakota, GMC Yukon

No Directions Necessary: Lincoln Navigator, Chevrolet Trailblazer, Ford Focus

Space Age: Infiniti FX45, Cadillac SRX, Audi S4, Jaguar X-Type

Cosmic: Pontiac Solstice. Chevrolet Equinox, Dodge Aries, Saturn Sky

Aristocratic: Buick Regal, Lincoln Continental, Dodge St. Regis, Buick Park Avenue

Artistocratic and French: Lincoln Versailles, Pontiac Parisienne, Buick LeSabre, Chrystler LeBaron

Animal Magnetism: Ford Mustang, Mercury Cougar, Corvette Stingray, Plymouth Barracuda

Birds of Prey: Ford Thunderbird, Pontiac Firebird, Ford Falcon

Hipster: Pontiac Vibe, Ford Freestyle. Dodge Neon, Toyota Matrix

Cute as a Button: Renault Le Car, Mini Cooper, VW Bug, Nissan Cube

Too Cute for Words: Reliant Kitten, Chevrolet Luv

Wall Street Power Broker: Pontiac Executive, Oldsmobile Achieva

Don't Mess With Me: Chrystler Crossfire, Aston Martin Vanquish, Lamborgini Diablo, Plymouth Fury

Vroom! Vroom!: Triumph Spitfire, Pontiac Gran Prix

Good Citizen: Honda Civic, Acura Integra, Plymouth Reliant

Poetry in Motion: Hyundai Sonata, Datsun Bluebird, Honda Prelude, Nissan Silhouette

Secret Agent: Dodge Stealth, Mitsubishi Mirage, Dodge Shadow, RollsRoyce Phantom

Strange Japanese Conceptions of cool American Car Names: Honda Life Dunk, Isuzu's Mysterious Utility, Mitsubishi Delica Space Gear

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Thursday, March 23, 2006

The Jeep Hurricane Dream


I just love those vehicles that have been specially crafted for off roading. And yes, I would like to own one.

But truth is, I just don’t know where I would be using it. On the other hand, I feel like it is indeed a great thing to ride an off roading vehicle because, for me, it gives me class and the feeling of being unique, and wild, and untamed, and very adventurous.

You want to know the truth? I’m not the adventurous type of person. I’m just trying to be one. That is why I would like to own one. You know. Maybe it would help me pick up my courage and be a good adventurer. Who knows, right?

Well, one vehicle that has certainly took my attention is the Jeep Hurricane. I know. It is not a production vehicle. It is still a concept vehicle. But still. I love the concept. So much. I decided to write about it. Here.

Here is what Trevor Creed (the Senior Vice President of Chrysler Group’s department for Design) said about the Jeep Hurricane: "Jeep Hurricane is simply the most maneuverable, most capable and most powerful 4x4 ever built. It pays homage to the extreme enthusiasts' Jeep vehicles in form and off-road capability, but is a unique interpretation of Jeep design. Simply stated, it is the extreme example for the Jeep brand."

I don’t really care if it holds two HEMI engines in it. Actually, two 5.7 liter HEMI engines in just one vehicle – one for the front, and one for the back. Top that! The statistics show that one HEMI engine could produce 335 units of horsepower and 370 pound feet of torque. But think again. These statistics are just for one vehicle. But the Jeep Hurricane is mounted with two. Just imagine how much power this vehicle holds.

Here are the rest of the specifications of the concept vehicle, Jeep Hurricane (taken from here):
Weight (estimated): 3,850 lbs. (1,746 kg)
Length: 151.8 inches (3,856 mm)
Wheelbase: 108.1 inches (2,746 mm)
Front Overhang: 25.0 inches (635 mm)
Rear Overhang: 18.7 inches (475mm)
Width: 80.0 inches (2,033 mm)
Height: 68.2 inches (1,732 mm)
Track, Frt/Rr: 67.5/67.5 inches (1,715/1,715 mm)
Engine: two 5.7-liter HEMI® engines
Transfer Case: Custom multi-mode with 1:1, 2:1 and 4:1 ratios
Transmission: 5-Speed automatic
Front and Rear Suspension: Long-travel, short/long arm independent
Ground Clearance: 14.3 inches (363 mm)
Break-Over Angle: 31.5 degrees
Approach/Depart Angle: 64.0/86.7 degrees
Tire Size: 305/70R20
Wheel Size: 20x10 inches

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The Sound of Music


Should you want to have some relaxing time while driving your car or even just while riding with someone else, nothing is hindering you from doing such. After all, many online stores now offer upgrades that would spruce up your ride.

Cars stereos and components are one of the very popular ways of making a drive less boring. There are CD players, radios, and cassette players. If you do not know yet, there are already rear view cameras, surround sound processors, satellite radios, and other car kits that could keep you entertained. To make everything more fun, there are various types of components and speakers that would make you up and alive.

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When Looking For Safety Features, What Should Be Included?


That is actually a question that has many answers. After all, different people have different views as to what kind of safety should be included in their cars and vehicles. Yes, there are the usual seatbelts. However, there are some drawbacks when it comes to seatbelts. You see, some seatbelts still do not even totally protect passengers. Some are not strong enough so much so that during hard crashes and collisions, the passengers are even thrown at the windshield, or even outside the car. For minor accidents, some passengers suffer from whiplash. Ouch!

Well, here are some safety features I have gathered over the Internet. Maybe it could help you out choose which ones would be right for your vehicle.

Active head restraints – move forward upon impact to catch the head and increase neck protection
Adaptive cruise control – uses radar or lidar (laser-based radar) to monitor and regulate the distance between vehicles
Advanced airbags – isolate and protect various body parts and, in some systems, deploy at different depths or velocities depending on the occupant's size and position
Advanced seat belt pretensioners – tense up when a collision is imminent and are sometimes paired with seats that automatically adjust for increased crash protection (conventional pretensioners activate during a collision)
Air bags – inflate and prevent the occupants’ head and face from striking the car’s interior, dashboard, steering wheel, and windshield
Anti-lock brake system – prevent the car’s wheels from locking during sudden ‘panic’ braking, thus allowing the driver to maintain control of the steering as it slows down
Automatic dimming rearview mirrors – reduce the glare from rear approaching cars. They also dim gradually as the glare and light behind gets brighter.
Child safety locks – prevents the doors in the rear from being accidentally opened from the inside
Collapsible steering – absorbs the impact during air crashes, and also protects the driver from being trapped between the steering wheel and seat during a crash or collision
Crumple zone – designed so as to compress during an accident so much so that it absorbs the energy from the impact
Daytime running lights – increases the ability of oncoming drivers to see your car, and also makes your car more visible
Electronic stability control –monitors traction loss and steering angle and automatically applies one or more of the brakes to keep the vehicle on course
Fuel tank safety – designed so as to stay intact even during hard crashes so that there would be no leaks that could lead to explosions
Laminated glass – would not shatter during accidents and would not cause additional harm and injuries to the occupants
Lane departure warning systems – signal a driver when his or her vehicle drifts from its lane
Non-jamming doors – prevents the rear doors from jamming, making them free to open in cases of collisions when the front doors could not be opened
Roll control – a device in the front suspension that gives out greater stability and assists the car to not tip or roll over
Seat belts – keep the passengers in place
Seat type – prevents the passengers from sliding forward and colliding during strong crashes
Side impact bars / side door beams – made from high steel strength tubes that strongly protects a car’s occupants during side crashes
Telematics – an after-crash technology that combines the functions of cellular phones, Global Positioning System receivers and 911 operators
Three stage protective bumpers – has an energy absorber that crushes during collision so as to prevent great damage to occupants
Tire pressure monitoring –alerts the driver when a tire's pressure is dangerously low.
Traction control – improves car stability and steering control

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Wednesday, March 22, 2006

Funny Things On The Road

Oh yes. Sometimes, things can get pretty boring driving or riding your car. Sometimes, the roads get clogged by a huge traffic jam. And there is nothing you can do.

Nothing? Is that right?

Well, let me tell you one secret. I read bumper stickers. That amuses me. Here are some samples.












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Is Stealing Your Thing?


Well, if you do own any one of these vehicles listed below, you might want to take extra caution. You know why? Because these are the top vehicles that have been constantly stolen as per the year 2004.

Compiling everything, it seems that these are the Acura Integra has been the most stolen of all!


The CCC Information Services’ list:
1. 1999 Acura Integra
2. 2002 BMW M Roadster
3. 1998 Acura Integra
4. 1991 GMC V2500
5. 2002 Audi S4
6. 1996 Acura Integra
7. 1995 Acura Integra
8. 2004 Mercury Marauder
9. 1997 Acura Integra
10. 1992 Mercedes-Benz 600

When the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) has listed theirs, the results were:
1. Honda Civic (1995)
2. Toyota Camry (1989)
3. Honda Accord (1991)
4. Dodge Caravan (1994)
5. Chevrolet C/K 1500 (1994)
6. Ford F-150 (1997)
7. Dodge Ram Pickup (2003)
8. Acura Integra (1990)
9. Toyota Pickup (1988)
10 Nissan Sentra (1991)

The Highway Loss Data Institute, on the other hand, found that these vehicles were prone to being stolen:
1. Cadillac Escalade EXT
2. Nissan Maxima
3. Cadillac Escalade
4. Dodge Stratus/Chrysler Sebring
5. Dodge Intrepid

Infoplease now gives a list of their own:
1. 1999 Acura Integra
2. 2002 BMW M Roadster
3. 1998 Acura Integra
4. 1991 GMC V2500
5. 2002 Audi S4
6. 1996 Acura Integra
7. 1995 Acura Integra
8. 2004 Mercury Marauder
9. 1997 Acura Integra
10. 1992 Mercedes-Benz 600
11. 2001 Acura Integra
12. 1989 Chevrolet R25
13. 1993 Cadillac Fleetwood
14. 1994 Acura Integra
15. 1996 Lexus GS
16. 2000 Acura Integra
17. 1999 Mercedes-Benz CL
18. 1996 Lexus SC
19. 2004 Cadillac Escalade
20. 1996 BMW 750
21. 1998 Land Rover Range
22. 1994 Audi Cabriolet
23. 2001 BMW M Roadster
24. 2003 Cadillac Escalade
25. 2000 Honda Civic

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Tuesday, March 21, 2006

Save On Gas


I know. I know. You are actually looking for a vehicle that has a good fuel economy. Who would like to spend so much on gas when you could actually do more things with your money, right? Well, Cars.com gives us an idea on what are the best cars and vehicles when it comes to fuel economy.

Before I proceed with the list, let me just do inform you that the cars and vehicles mentioned here have been broken down into the best vehicles per segment. That way, I presume Cars.com have made it easier for interested parties to choose. The data has been broken down into (1) the name of the vehicle, (2) what type of gas does it run on, (3) its miles per gallon on city driving and on highway driving, (4) and its price, well, MSRP to be exact. Well, anyway, here is the list:

Two-Seater Cars
* Honda Insight (hybrid) 60/66 ($19,330 to 21,530)

Mini Compact Cars
* Mini Cooper manual 28/36 ($17,450 to $25,400)

Subcompact Cars
* Volkswagen New Beetle (diesel) manual 37/44 ($17,180 to $18,390)

Compact Cars
* Volkswagen Golf (diesel) manual 37/44 ($16,030 to $19,580)
* Volkswagen Jetta (diesel) automatic 35/42 ($17,900 to $23,790)

Midsize Cars
* Toyota Prius (hybrid) automatic (CVT) 60/51 ($21,725)
* Hyundai Elantra manual 27/34 ($13,675 to $15,475)

Full-Size Cars
* Hyundai Sonata manual 24/34 ($17,895 to $22,895)

Compact Wagons
* Pontiac Vibe manual 30/36 ($16,430 to $20,105)
* Toyota Matrix manual 30/36 ($15,260 to $19,250)
* Scion xB automatic 30/34 ($14,030)

Midsize Wagons
* Ford Focus Wagon manual 26/34 ($13,450 to $17,495)

Cargo Vans / Passenger Vans
* Chevrolet Express (2WD) automatic 15/20 ($24,375 to $28,774)
* GMC Savana (2WD) automatic 15/20 ($24,375 to $28,774)

Minivans
* Honda Odyssey (2WD) automatic 20/28 ($25,345 to $38,795)

Sport Utility Vehicles
* Ford Escape Hybrid (FWD) automatic (CVT) 36/31 ($26,900 to $28,525)
* Ford Escape (FWD) manual 24/29 ($19,380 to $26,680)
* Mazda Tribute (2WD) manual 24/29 ($20,115 to $24,700)

Standard Pickup Trucks
* Ford Ranger (2WD) manual 24/29 ($14,450 to $17,300)
* Mazda B2300 (2WD) manual 24/29 ($15,340)
* Toyota Tacoma (2WD) automatic 21/26 ($13,980 to $23,745)

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Monday, March 20, 2006

The Larger, The Better

If you are looking for large cars since it has been said that the larger, the safer. Well here are some cars that you may want to take for a ride...

Buick Lucerne
Base Price Range: $25,265-$34,265
Body Styles: 4-door sedan

Chrysler 300
Base Price Range: $23,525-$39,920
Body Styles: 4-door sedan

Dodge Charger
Base Price Range: $22,320-$35,320
Body Styles: 4-door sedan

Dodge Magnum
Base Price Range: $22,430-$37,320
Body Styles: 4-door wagon

Ford Crown Victoria
Base Price Range: $24,510-$30,830
Body Styles: 4-door sedan

Ford Five Hundred
Base Price Range: $22,230-$28,230
Body Styles: 4-door sedan

Kia Amanti
Base Price: $27,795
Body Styles: 4-door sedan

Mercury Grand Marquis
Base Price Range: $24,780-$31,135
Body Styles: 4-door sedan

Mercury Montego
Base Price Range: $24,430-$28,730
Body Styles: 4-door sedan

Toyota Avalon
Base Price Range: $26,625-$33,815
Body Styles: 4-door sedan

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Sunday, March 19, 2006

Tune Up Your Car

Do you want to tune up your car? Well, if you have a Honda or an Acura, Neuspeed.com gives you some of their best products so that your Honda or Acura would give a better performance.

Springs – there are SofSport, Sport, and Race lowering kits for the car. Also, they provide accurate spring rate combinations.
Coil Overs – these are very adjustable and has a good handling. They are built on springs on threaded body Bilstein shock absorbers with a special valving as well as a limited lifetime warranty. Top that!
Bilstein Shocks – uses the latest technology as per gas pressure damping. It also has adjustable ride-height for good handling and use.
Koni Shocks – made from high quality materials of course. has external damping and ride-height adjustments in a gas pressure shock absorber.

Other products include:
Stainless steel and titanium exhausts
P-Flo
X-Brace lower front tie bar
Sway bars and tie bar
Upper front strut tie bar
Lower front tie bar
Short shifters
ClutchesLower rear tie bar

Source(s): www.neuspeed.com

Mitsubishi 3000GT

Want a Mitsubishi? Try the Mitsubishi 3000GT. Features for the 1994 model include:
A K&N intake system
Enlarged valves
Polished valve covers
A Venom 400 control module
Customized 2.5 inch exhausts
Dragon torque converter for more power
A full Veilside body kit
Clear turn signals
Aluminum dash trim kit
A JVC head unit
A Precision Power amp
Kenwood 10-inch subs
It also has got a black wing! That is if you are interested ine something like that.

Source(s): Sport Compact Car magazine

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Wheeling Wheels

Motorsports. And nothing could make a car roll and speed faster than good wheels. And yes, good wheels does nto equate to dusty old ones. The best kind of wheels are those that not only function well but also those that look great!

There are a lot of choices for wheels. Want to know more?
• Various sizes that could range from 15 inch wheels to a maximum of 19.5 inches
• Various models. Just check through the Internet for wheels and you can see various spoke numbers, model names, and all that.
• Various metals and colors used: hyper silver, hyper black, HMC silver, machine white pro titanium, silver, gun, bronze, bronze gun metal, gun white, hyper silver bronze, white gold, and anthracite

Source(s): Sport Compact Car magazine

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Subaru WRX

Looking for a good car? Well, people who have fallen for the Subuaru WRX has found this car worth looking into for it has new features for the year 2002 like:
A Cobb Tuning intake
A high-flow cat, short shifter
A Boria header
Stromung cat-back exhaust system
An Unorthodox Racing underdrive pulley
STi springs
A Cusco adjustable rear anti-rolls bar
Whiteline powercoated factory wheels
A BF Goodrich Comp T/A tires

And yes, you can upgrade and spruce up this vehicle with:
An SPO Motorsports turbo kit
A better clutch
More power
A couple of StopTech big brakes
17-inch GC-06s

Source(s): Sport Compact Car magazine

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Want Some Kits?

If you want to do away with kits and upgrades or sprucing up your car, you can always turn to car kits made, designed and crafted specifically for certain car models and vehicle lines. After all, a Ford Mustang body kit could certainly look really out of tune if used on a Volkswagen Golf.

You also may be wondering as to whether you can actually find good car kits for your car. Well, if you have old ones and still have not enough budget to buy a new vehicle, you can certainly make your car look different and some kind of brand new if you use a couple of these car kits for older models.

The Honda Civic Sniper Kit could give you a good run. It could cost around $1000 or more however you would be having an old car but a new appearance. It perfectl fits Honda Civics built on and around the years 1999 and 2000. Also, it would fit well on a Honda Civic hatchback. Buying this kit would mean your car would receive a cowl hood, front bumpers, rear bumpers, side skirts, fenders, and a stage 1 wing. It also includes PIAA fog lights that would look good on your front bumper.

There also is a kit for the Ford Focus. It perfectly fits the Ford Focus ZX-3 especially those that have been crafted and manufactured in, around and between the model years 2000 to 2003. It costs around the same as the Honda Civic Sniper Kit. This kit includes a mach 4 hood, a front bumper, a rear bumper, side skirts, fender vents, a top wing, and a wrap around wing. It also includes the PIAA fog lights just made like the one from the Honda Civic Sniper kit.

By the way, there is yet another Honda Civic Sniper kit. However, this time around it is around a couple of hundreds of dollars cheaper than the first kit mentioned. If you purchase this, you would be able to spruce up your vehicle with a ram air or an s.s. hood, a front bumper, a rear bumper, side skirts as well as a wrap around wing. If you are looking for the PIAA fog lights, well, it is not part of this kit.

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Acura RSX Type-S

What are the features that has been modified or added for the Acura RSX Type-S line of vehicles?

AEM cold air intake system
A GReddy EVO exhaust system
Tein SS coil overs
A DC Sports lower tie bar as well as a front strut tower bar
A JDM front lip
Acura Type R headlights
A VIS carbon-fiber hood
A Grille-Tech grille
Honda badges
18-inch 5Zigen FNOR1-C wheels
Yokohama AVS ES100 tires
MOMO pedals
A shift knob of course, from Yokohama also

Source(s): Sport Compact Car magazine



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Toyota Celica GT-S

From the Toyota Motor Company comes the Toyota Celica. One of the trim levels available for this vehicle is the GT-S trim level. For this vehicle, several of the features and modifications done for the year 2000 were:

An air intake system
A good exhaust system
Custom ground wires
A short-shift kit
15-inch wheels
drag radials
a partially gutted interior
a really good acceleration rate

Source(s): Sport Compact Car magazine

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Ford Focus

This vehicle has been one of the most sought after models from the Ford Motor Company. You know what the changes were for 2002? Here are some:

AEM cold air intake system
Web racing cam
Edelbrock throttle body
DMJ header
Magnaflow exhaust
Wings West body kit
Cervini’s hood
American Racing wheels
Sparco Torino seats

Source(s): Sport Compact Car magazine



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