The Ever Changing Decisions To Make When Buying A New Car

by Ted Brumby

Gone are the days when buying a new car was as simple as making sure it would get you from A to B without breaking down and was big enough to fit the family. Each year buying new cars becomes more and more complex as technology progresses and more features are made available, both in comfort, style and safety. So what features are a staple in today's new car models and what have, and will, continue to change over the years? Music wise, buying a new car in the nineties used to be about ensuring the car had a tape deck as well as a radio, and this was a step up from the days when cars either had an 8-track or nothing at all. As the nineties progressed the tape player changed to include a CD player. Enter the 2000's and, although tape decks are still around, the ability to play your MP3 player through the car stereo became a must with that all important surround sound option to ensure that music can be listened to at the highest quality. The prerequisite for buying a new car is not just about music however, it is also about comfort and style. Global warming concerns have ensured that air conditioning and heating is now a must as temperatures are getting both hotter and colder, depending on the season. New car models without air conditioning are now, thankfully, a thing of the past. Stacked into the comfort zone are many other add-ons such as the number of cup holders you want and video screens with DVD players in the back to help with those long road trips. Add to this the many other options such as tinted windows and accessories such as satellite navigation or CD changers and it's evident that buying a new car opens up a world of added possibilities and decisions. A final, and probably most important, consideration is safety. Airbags are a staple, as is enhanced vehicle control for maximum on-road confidence. To help ensure new car models are developed with the highest safety measures in mind there are many safety awards and ratings that are given depending on the make and model of car. Small cars will have a different set of safety measurements than an SUV, for example, as the two are designed for different purposes and terrain. As technology continues to progress it will be interesting to see what new features will be available in future car models. Many companies release concept cars on a yearly basis offering innovative steps forward in important areas such as fuel and environmental concerns, while others offer ground breaking thoughts in cutting back in both costs and vehicle size. It's safe to say, regardless of what new car models arise, that the process will never be as easy as the simple decision of a car that drives and is big enough to hold the family.

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U.S Auto Crisis And Its Lessons

by Carazoo India

For nearly 35 year the world automobile industry was dominated for General Motors. It was a symbol of American Capitalism. GM owned several brands spanning over different countries. It ranged from the dominant GMC to Saab and Opel in Europe and Mitsubishi in Japan. GM was the biggest of the big three in American Automotive industry. But General Motors is in shambles and is asking for a cash bailout from the U.S.government. The bailout runs into several billion U.S. dollars and it is facing the toughest times in the history of American automotive industry. Another of the big three, Chrysler Motors is also seeking help from the government. But getting the cash bailout may not be easy for the two companies. General Motors has put the Hummer up for sale since 2008. It recently announced the end of Pontiac. Saab is being considered for closing down the production. Many other quintessentially American brands like the GMC and Buick could also face demise. The American operations of Mitsubishi may be closed I the near future. The same goes for Chrysler, which has scheduled the end of production of retro-styled PT Cruiser, Aspen and Dodge Durango. This was an expected measure by auto critics as four other models were discontinued in 2008. Except for Ford Motors, both the car manufacturers have clearly stated that they will close down operations of non-performing models. It has become clear to the car manufacturers that many of these models have been slow to moves off the shelves from the last five years. The slowdown in the sales numbers was witnessed even during the good economy days, where car buyers overlooked these brands for more recognizable ones. The total car sales fell by 18.3 percent which is a record low in U.S. history. As much as 13.2 million units were sold in 2008. This was a major set back to automobile manufacturers. The highest decline was noticed in Buick, which witnessed a sales fall of 81 percent compared to its 2003 figures. This was after new blood was infused with new models with completely new styling. The sales of Lacrosse and Lucerne sedans were the biggest losers after reported a drop in sales to the tune of 66 percent and 43 percent, respectively in January 2009. But car manufacturers seem to love these brands, as they were the top selling cars a few years ago. The Saturn brand of cars was a huge money earner for GM. The retro-style PT Cruiser was one of the bestselling vehicles for Chrysler. Encouraged by the sales response, Chrysler introduced PT Cruiser in coupe and convertible body styles also. The twin grille Pontiac has been a steady revenue grosser for GM for many years. However, GM has made an announcement that the production of Pontiac model would be closed down by 2012. The Swedish origin Saab is also being considered for death in U.S. The GM vice chairman and CFO Mr. Fritz Henderson said that the decision on Saab will be taken considering it global brand image. But for the U.S. market, GM wants focus on their key brands Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC. The decision on others will be taken after careful consideration. Critics however, point out the trouble actually started brewing from the end of 80's. It all started when cars from the brands Oldsmobile, Buick, Cadillac and Chevrolet all looked the same. General Motors had allowed the same car to be sold under different labels with some minor styling changes. General Motors thought that they could capture a bigger share of market with multi-branding of cars. This policy has shown its results, where GM stands to be wiped altogether.GM read the car business wrong, say auto analysts. In the automobile industry, the car is the biggest brand ambassador for the customers. People who found only model lacking a few features, discredited GM. The result was that the company lost value among customers. Another fallout of the crisis is that, people employed in the auto industry will loose jobs with the production plants close down. It is estimated that more than a lakh jobs will be lost and Detroit could loose edge. Indian car manufacturing has a lot to learn from the U.S. auto crisis. The Indian car market has witnessed a boom in car market size. It will soon be on of the biggest passenger car market of the world. This should not force the car makers to resort to such tactics. Indian car industry will have a bright future with some careful planning and strategy. An example is how Tata Motors which took up the ailing Jaguar and Land Rover, the two British car icons, have been able to pull it out of deathbed.

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Transportation of Cars via Trucks

by shijina mukundan

Transportation is said to be the arteries and veins in a country. Effective development and usage of transportation determines its growth capacity because one single day without transportation will lead to world come on a stand still point. With the advent of modernization people started shifting from one place to another either for businesses or even for many other social and political reasons. This created demand for transportation of all goods such as households and even automobiles. This gave lead to great business corporate. Certain companies specialize in transportation form of business. Auto transport means transporting of automobiles from one place to another in a safe and secured way. Transportation can be done in various ways such as rail transport, shipping, road transport etc, if a customer chooses road transport one among the most prominently used is the transportation of cars via trucks. A truck is a vehicle generally used to carry goods. A smaller truck is of a size of a commercial vehicle and is used to carry smaller loads and a bigger truck is huge that it can carry automobiles in it. Transportation of cars via trucks is a very common phenomena we would have seen new cars been brought to the showroom from factories. But how safe is to transfer cars from one state to another or from one country to another? Many transporting companies guarantee safe and secure transit of the vehicle but how many keep up to its words? It is the responsibility of the customer to have a clean check and the assign the job to the company and it is also the duty of the company to stand up on the guarantee it gives. A few hints suggested here so that these can serve helpful in effective transportation of cars via trucks First of all it is the customer's duty to remove all belongings such as keys and other material from the car which has intensity to damage the car during transit. It is also a obliged duty that even the transporter examine the car before it is loaded onto the truck Secondly check the working of the car and also check the damages on the car before it is loaded so that when it reaches the destination you can cross check and claim compensation if u detect damages. Next is that the terms, agreements, conditions between the client and the company should be transparent and mutually agreed upon. The next is to check whether the company provided door to door service as it is a hectic job for the customer to get his vehicle drawn from the office of the customer. Further the client should examine the truck carefully in which his car is to loaded if any extra articles are found that can be de loaded generally trucks are examined because certain articles present in the truck can damage the car in it. The client should also interact with the truck driver to ensure that his vehicle is in safe hands. The most important is the client should take it in writing that any loss incurred on his vehicle from the date he has handed over his vehicle he should be given the right to claim compensation. Because road transportation is more prone to accidents. Last is the efficient packing of the vehicle. A car should be properly packed so that there are no damages in loading and de loading. There tips if followed would reduce the chances of damage. Shijina is an expert author for Car transport and auto transport. She written many articles like car shipping, vehicle transport and auto shipping. For more information visit our site aaat.com Contact me at shijinaseo@gmail.com

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Why Volkswagen Golf is the biggest selling car in Europe

by Richard Igo

The VW Golf is an iconic car with more than 26 million hitting the road since its launch in 1974. Over the past 33 years this models has enjoyed a continuous evolution. The interior of this car is fairly bland, but extremely functional. The Golf is far from cheap but at least you can see where your money's been spent. It feels like a luxury good and in this class, only the Audi A3 can stand comparison. The ride is smooth and comfortable at low and high speeds. The model that is powered by a 1.9-litre turbo-diesel the engine produces just 103bhp meaning acceleration from 0-62mph (100kph) takes 11.3 seconds before topping out at 116mph. Comfort is given due importance in Golf. VW has engineered the Golf to be so quiet that for the GTI they've had to develop a 'sound generator' to provide some aural stimulation. The Golf is a quiet car for its class with low levels of wind, road and engine noise - even at motorway speeds. VW's confidence was highlighted by the fleet of Volkswagen Phaetons which ferried a plane-full of journalists to the test cars – with the German manufacturer indicating its flagship limo was the benchmark of quality against which improvements had been measured. Volkswagens are well built, dependable cars. When it comes to reliability, the Golf clearly outperforms most of its rivals. The quality of the materials used and the attention to detail clearly shines through giving the car a luxury feel. The Volkswagen Golf achieved five stars in the EuroNCAP crash test programme. The Golf is the best selling model of Volkswagen so far. In comparison to Scirocco, the Golf might not be that attractive but it is more practical and quality car. It is exceptionally refined.

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