Well the media might have done it again! Toyota had to prove its
innocence while the media called them guilty. Not saying Toyota might
not have been some of the problem, but before we go out and speculate
and damage a car company’s long lasting history of creating good
quality cars, why can’t we wait for the hard evidence? Driver error
may have played a key role in many of the “unintended acceleration”
accidents in Toyota cars the US government’s preliminary investigation
has concluded.
Toyota still faces a long list of lawsuits following the recall of
more than 10 million vehicles worldwide with a long list of different
claims with both acceleration and braking problems. So far the US
National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration investigation has
only looked into the data recorders of cars involved in unintended
acceleration. Data shows that in 35 of the 58 incidents under review
the driver had never even put on the brakes. In another nine
incidents, the brakes were applied way too late, and in one other the
brake and accelerator pedals were both pressed at the same time. So 45
of the 58 incidents are showing human error as the common cause of the
accidents. People must realize that in most airplane and car accidents
the number one cause is usually pilot or driver error. We might just
be to fast to point the finger at the big car companies when really
the drivers themselves need to be recalled for re-driver training?

Few question the logic of moving away from carbon based travel. Most people believe that the idea of zero or almost zero greenhouse gas emission cars is a good one. If all things were equal, the next new car for most of us would probably be one of this new breed. But all things are not equal.

Later this year in the United States, General Motors is planning to release the Chevrolet Volt. The following year through Opel/Vauxhall, a version is due to be launched in Europe under the name “Ampera”. The specifications of this car seem impressive. It is propelled by a powerful electric motor using lithium-ion batteries. Though it also has a small gasoline engine, this acts as a battery charger and is not connected to the wheels, which are driven solely by the electric motor. During driving, when the battery starts to run down, the gasoline engine kicks-in automatically and virtually unnoticed to replenish it. The car can be driven on battery-power alone and travels about 40 miles before needing a charge. When parked, it can be plugged into a standard domestic electric socket and fully charged in about three hours.

Understandably, this car and others in the pipeline from makers like Renault and Nissan are exciting enthusiasts just about everywhere. Overall, the Volt/Ampera manufacturers claim that, under normal driving conditions, it returns the equivalent of a very impressive 175 miles per gallon and on average needs refuelling with gasoline every 350 miles. On the basis of commuter mileage of around 40 per day and with the help of government subsidies (where applicable), the driver could save a few thousands per annum. Any figure for savings is somewhat loose, being based firstly, on the cost of gasoline, which varies significantly around the world and, secondly, on government subsidies, if they exist. In the US it is anticipated that, towards the end of 2010, the Volt will go on sale with a price-tag of around $30,000 after a government rebate of around $7,500.

The uphill battle for the car manufacturers and their marketing people is to convince the public to move from a “tried and tested” dirty technology to an unproven, expensive, but cleaner one. People will have to balance hefty purchase tags and uncertain reliability, against promised fuel and servicing savings, plus lower carbon emissions. Until these types of vehicles become reasonably commonplace and their cash savings fully verified, most people may well plumb for the old reliable technology. It has given more that a hundred years of generally reliable service all over the globe. The early success, or otherwise, of the new breed of electric or hybrid cars is likely to depend as much on marketing as on technical innovation.

One of the most effective and essential ways to reduce your premium is to build up the amount of no claims discount you have. By having at least 5 years of no claims discount you can see your insurance premium fall between 60-70% depending on which company you are insured by.

If you choose to make your voluntary excess as high as possible then you will also see some dramatic decreases in the price you pay. As the voluntary excess determines how much you will pay in the event of a claim, having a high voluntary excess means your insurance cost will be much lower.

If you are a new driver then it may be worth looking in to an advanced driving course such as Pass Plus. The Pass Plus course is recognised by most major insurers and will help to reduce your premium by as much as 10%.

Improving the overall security of your car can also help. By installing an alarm, immobiliser or tracker will help reduce your premiums as it shows your insurer that you are actively taking steps to keep your vehicle secure. Taking simple steps such as parking your car on a drive or in a garage rather than on the street can also see your premium drop by as much as 5%.

If you are a new or young driver then it is advised you purchase a car with a smaller engine. Insurance companies will increase your premium dramatically if you drive a car with a large engine compared to a car with a much smaller engine. This is simply down to the fact insurance companies will view you more of a “risk” on the roads with a car which has a large engine.

For more handy tips and advice on saving money on your car insurance, visit moneysupermarket.com where a whole load of money saving guides can be found for young drivers, new drivers, women’s insurance and sports car insurance.

This article was brought to you by the car insurance team at moneysupermarket.com.

Many folks, including us, would love to drive the luxury or exotic car of their dreams. For some, this could be an exotic sportscar and for others it could simply be a really nice SUV. The barrier to entry for most of us is the high cost associated with purchasing new. While recent economic conditions have hit the auto industry especially hard and made it the best buyers market for new cars we can remember, one of the areas that has not been as affected is the new car market for luxury SUVs and exotic sports cars. It seems that the high-end market is still, well, pretty high end. That means that – for most of us – driving the car or SUV of our dreams may still be out of reach.

One area that has been affected by the recent economic downturn is the luxury, pre-owned market. This is the area that anyone who wishes to drive the car of their dreams, but does not want to pay the high price of buying new, should explore. With minimal research using the website, CarTalking.com, we were able to find some outrageosuly good deals on certified pre-owned BMWs, Lexus’s, and Mercedes all within our own geographical area. While you might not be able to get a deal on a super-exotic like a ferrari, the number of dealers who are practically begging to sell you a pre-owned luxury automobile is at an all-time high. This creates an unprecedented opportunity for you!

A few tips when negotiating the purchase of a certified, preowned vehicle are as follows:

1. Do your research – use a website like we mentioned above to get free price quotes on luxury, pre-owned vehicles. If you use the link here to get your quotes from CarTalking.com, remember to click on ‘Used Cars’ on their website and register for a free account. Pre-owned is just a fancy word for ‘used’, but pre-owned status is usually accompanied by an additional warranty or service contract that typical used cars do not come with.
2. Investigate the warranty or sevice contract that accompanies your pre-owned vehicle. Depending on the dealership from which you end up buying your certified, pre-owned car or truck, you may be presented with some different options as far as these contracts are concerned. May sure you not only compare vehicles when buying pre-owned, compare the warranties and service contracts, as well.
3. Find out exactly what has been inspected on the vehicle you are considering buying. Ask to see the actual inspection report for that vehicle. Make sure the vehicle identification number (VIN) on the inspection report matches the vehicle you want to buy, EXACTLY.
4. Negotiate pricing – using the research you conducted above, make sure you are armed with several price quotes from competing dealerships within the area. Take these quotes with you and refer to them in your negotitions.
5. Don’t back down! Times are tough and many dealers need to sell their inventory more than you need to buy the certified, pre owned vehicles that thet are selling. Remember that it is now a buyer’s market and use that leverage to your best advantage.

Once you understand how to buy a certified pre-owned vehicle and have done the necessary research to obtain competing price quotes from dealers in your area, it may not be as difficult as you first thought to end up driving the luxury car of your dreams – even if it is pre-owned!

The 2008 Detroit Auto Show is now over and in times when the automotive industry is still feeling the pains of our current recession some automakers really stood out. The 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 was the clear winner among best new cars for 2009. The carbon fiber exterior of this car is not only light, but it looks amazing, as well. The polycarbonate hood bulge is ultracool, and the 620-hp engine that is the heart and sould of this beast should make driving the 2009 ZR1 one of the most thrilling experiences on the planet (that does not involve one of the actual models from this year’s International Auto Show . Take a video test drive of the new 2009 ZR1 Corvette.

Other vehicles that were among the Top 10 Standouts from the 2009 Detroit International Auto Show, included the Audi R8 TDI V12 Concept Car, a diesel supercar with 700 lb-ft. of torque, the Mitsubishi RA Concept Car , the 2009 Dodge Ram, the Lincoln MKT Concept Car and more from Toyota, Jeep, and even Hyundai.

Our only beef with the Top Ten New Cars for 2009 from the International Autoshow is the fact that so many concept cars made it onto the list. As we all know, you can’t drive ‘concept’ and some of these never reach production. While a lot of the concept cars from this year’s show looked promising, I want to see cars that I am going to have the pleasure of encountering out on the highway. And, boy, I cannot wait to see the 2009 Chevrolet ZR1 Corvette in person. That sports car is a beauty and a beast all wrapped in one polycarbonate frame.