FOUR MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO CHECK WHAN BUYING A USED CAR

by FANCY HOCKEY CARS

Hi,

There are four things to check when buying a used car that can save you time and frustration.

Truth be told, there are dozens of things that you could check when you're looking at used cars, but that would take far more time than most of us have.

Looking at the four things to check when buying a used car listed in this article will take a fraction of the time and give you a good idea what kind of car you're about to buy.



1. Vehicle History

This is actually one of the easiest things to check when buying a used car. Services like the constantly advertised, Carfax, exist to make this as easy as possible, and any decent, reputable dealer will be able to provide a vehicle history.

If they don't, you should probably walk away, but you can run your own history with the VIN number. In either case, what you're looking for is a car that hasn't been in any accidents or needed major work done.

2. Exhaust Smoke

You need to have the dealer start the car up for you while you watch the exhaust pipe. What you want to happen is for there to be maybe a little white steam coming out of the car.

You shouldn't get smoke out of the exhaust, unless you're looking at a diesel, in which case a little black smoke initially is acceptable.

White smoke is usually an indicator of engine problems. Blue smoke means the car is burning oil, which is very bad news. Black smoke means there is something wrong with the way the car is burning gasoline. In any event, if the car smokes, you don't want to buy it.

3. Brakes

Another one of the crucial things to check on a used car is the brakes. You're going to need to take the car on a test drive to check this one.

What you want to do is to take the car to an area without traffic, then go around 30 mph and press down hard on the brakes.

You don't want to do this hard enough to slide, but you do want a quick deceleration. If the brakes vibrate or make any strange noises, they need replaced.

If there are any problems with the brakes, you should probably walk away; although these are easily repaired, they usually indicate a car that hasn't been properly maintained.

4. Interior

As far as things to check when purchasing a used car go, this one that doesn't get as much thought as it should. What you are looking for here is a disparity between the interior of the car and the mileage.

If the car has low mileage and a really beat up interior, this is a sign of either poor maintenance or odometer fraud. On the other hand, if it has high miles and a like new interior, this can be a sign the car was owned by somebody who really took car of it.

These four things to check when buying a used car will give you a good picture of the quality of car you're buying, and this will save you big money.
This should only take a few minutes, so make sure you follow the steps and get a car you can rely on.

With Taking the House Edge, you'll have an unprecedented edge before you ever step foot in the dealership.

To put it plainly, there's just some things you learn from the inside that no other "car experts" can tell you about. Dealerships have their sales process down to an absolute science, and only they know where every little psychological hot-button is.

Get Taking the House Edge today and take back control.

Talk soon,

John

HOW TO GET BETTER GAS MILEAGE

by THE CAR LOAN KING



It seems that every where you turn, the price of gas keeps on rising. Buying and owning a car is certainly a drain on your budget.

Here are some very useful and effective ways that you can save money and achieve better gas mileage.

•A very key element in keeping gas costs at a minimum is to have your vehicle properly maintained for top efficiency. Keeping your brake pads in top shape, as well as spark plugs, and having your oil changed according to schedule will ensure that your gas costs are low and also benefit the environment.

•The most common and most often forgotten way to save gas if to make sure that your tired are properly inflated. Simply, tire pressure is critical in how much gas your car uses. If your tires aren’t fully inflated it causes rolling resistance, this resistance causes your car to drag and waste gas. Keeping your tires around the normal 35 psi will cut your gas costs. Keeping your tires at this recommended pressure will also make your car glide further, so all you heavy footed fast drivers can now take your foot off the pedal!

•Avoid spontaneous pedal acceleration. Try to maintain a steady hold on the gas and when in need of a fast acceleration, try do so steady and evenly. Obviously, when your foot is off the gas, the less gas will be used.

•There is a speed limit for a reason. This is mainly to maintain overall safety; however, if you drive at or around the speed limit, you will waste less gas than if you are driving faster.

•Put your car into neutral when driving down a hill. If it's a steep downgrade leave it in gear and coast that way. The transmission will help slow you down a little on steep downgrades, but in any event try to keep your foot out of the gas for as long as you can.

ADVICE ON BUYING A FIRST CAR YOU SHOULDN'T IGNORE

by Fancy Hockey Cars

Hi Alex,

Advice on buying a first car is hard to come by. Well, no, I take that back; good advice on buying your first car is hard to come by.

Bad advice is plentiful, but most of it, by dent of being bad advice, won't help you get the right car at the right price.
If this is your first auto you probably do need advice on buying a first car. Buying a car is a pretty involved process and doing it for the first time, just adds an additional layer of nervousness.

Getting the right advice will put you on the right track to getting the right car.
Your first thing you need to think about when buying your first car is whether to get a new car or a used car. Don't immediately discard the notion of buying a used car because you automatically think of old beat up cars.

Cars don't immediately fall apart after two or three years, but they do cost substantially less. You can often find a "like new car", at a huge discount, if you look around. This is often an easier purchase for the newbie car buyer, so you need to give it some thought.

The best piece of advice on buying a first car, that anyone can give you, is to do your research. You should always take the time to cruise the car lots to find out exactly what cars are being offered and find a few you like.
Once you've done that, you need to go online and find out as much as you can about the cars you like. This actually serves two purposes, both of which are important.

The first is that it will help you narrow down your choices and find out if the cars you like, are cars that will fit your lifestyle.

The second reason to do your research is to give you leverage when it comes time to actually buy.

If you don't have the information at your fingertips, you're going to have to rely on what the car dealer tells you. However, this will almost certainly mean that you will pay more than you need to.

Another neglected piece of advice on buying a first car is to look at your financing options before you start shopping. This will give you a good picture of what you can afford to buy, which will help you find the right car.
It will also give you another piece of leverage to use when you're buying the car. Many dealerships also provide financing and you can use the finance information you already have to help negotiate a good deal.

This last, but certainly not the least valuable piece of advice, on buying a first car, which I can give you, is to be prepared when it comes time to negotiate.
This means that you need to go in rested, ready and prepared to get the best price you can. Don't let the dealer intimidate you and remember that they need you, you don't need them. Just follow the advice here and you will be on right track
for buying your first car.

Beat the dealer at their own game - RISK FREE

Once you know where to spot the dealer's manipulative tricks, you'll finally be able to shop for yourself and make an informed decision on YOUR timetable, and on YOUR terms.

Get Taking the House Edge today.

Talk soon,

John

NICK LIDSTROM - CORVETTE Z06

by Fancy Hockey Cars

CORVETTE ZO6

The red, white and blue Corvette Z06 pace car that Lidstrom was piloted is Chevrolet’s flagship performance car. The Z06 has a top speed of 198 mph and will go from 0-60 in 3.7 seconds. ...
"I'm really excited about driving the pace car," Lidstrom said. "I've never done anything like this before so I'm really looking forward to it. I actually haven't driven the Z06 before but I am a fan of sports cars and I've heard a lot of great things about this particular Corvette so I know it will be a lot of fun."


"In looking for a pace car driver for this event, we wanted somebody who really represents the city of Detroit," said Ed Peper, Chevrolet general manager. "Nick Lidstrom, a local hockey hero, fit the bill perfectly, especially with his love of cars. We're proud to have him behind the wheel of a Corvette Z06, Chevy's flagship performance car, pacing an event that we're so gladly welcoming back to the city."


NICK LIDSTROM. DETROIT RED WINGS

AND JUST IN CASE YOU DON'T KNOW:

Corvette Z06 refers to a high-performance version of the Chevrolet Corvette. There are two iterations of the Z06:

C5 Z06 - Based on the C5 Platform from 2001 - 2004
C6 Z06 - Based on the C6 Platform from 2006 - Present
The Z06 was on a one year hiatus in 2005

MERCEDES. HISTORIA MOBILIS.

Historia Mobilis supports the staff and retirees of Daimler in their passion for historical vehicles. This passion for classic cars forms the basis for joint undertakings, an exchange of knowledge, charitable activities and PR for the company.

Professor Jürgen Hubbert about Historia Mobilis

“Historia Mobilis is an expression of the passion of Daimler staff for the history of the automobile. This passion is as strong as ever, as evidenced by some 2,300 members of staff and retirees who already are members of Historia Mobilis and who own over 3,000 classic vehicles between them.
To provide these people with a suitable platform for an exchange of interests, the Classic unit founded Historia Mobilis. Committed to the virtues and traditions of Daimler, this organization is to provide a hands-on experience of the fascination emanating from classics and classics-to-be, as well as winning over new fans and ambassadors for the traditional brands of the company.”

by http://www.mercedes-benz-classic.com

2009 Volkswagen Polo BlueMotion First Impressions

by auto123.com

Transport Canada recently showcased its ecoTECHNOLOGY for Vehicles (eTV) fleet and I personally had the privilege of driving a 2009 Volkswagen Polo BlueMotion. The goal of this demonstration by the federal government was to display and put to the test various new technologies and alternative powertrains, meaning different from what we’re generally used to.



The little VW Polo BlueMotion, unknown to most North Americans, is a really fascinating car in terms of advancements and environmental friendliness. It brilliantly helps drivers rediscover the joys of fuel economy.

Our tester, a three-door hatchback model, was powered by a tiny 1.4-litre, three-cylinder, turbocharged engine featuring direct fuel injection. Output is a meager 80 horsepower but, more importantly, the available torque amounts to 144 lb-ft at 4,000 rpm.

The main purpose of this Volks obviously lies in its incredible fuel efficiency, which is rated at 4.9 L/100 km in the city and a ridiculously-low 3.2 L/100 km on the highway. These numbers easily best any hybrid currently sold in Canada.

Simple solutions, big results
In order to maximize the thriftiness of the engine, the German automaker is using simple techniques and technologies that deliver impressive results.

Of course, it goes without saying that a 1,422-cc powerplant is not a gas-guzzling V8, but there are many more features that make the Polo so efficient. The variable-geometry turbocharger works like a charm to maximize torque distribution across the entire rev range. The lower the revs, the smaller the opening in the turbine.

Mated to a 5-speed manual transmission with extended 3rd, 4th and 5th gear ratios, the engine of the Polo BlueMotion improves cruising characteristics, saves a considerable amount of fuel and, as a direct result, produces much fewer greenhouse gases.

Mercedes-Benz - Start of Legend

Tell me, which brand is the most popular among the NHLers? You right - It's Mercedes. Lets take a quick look at the "Start of this Legend"


1886 BENZ PATENT MOTOR CAR

Any attempt to document the towering achievements of past centuries will at some point inevitably have to deal with that piece of technology that changed the world: the motor car. Theirs is a story that has captured the public imagination for over 120 years. The first automobile, the first omnibus, the first heavy-duty truck, the first diesel engine, the first vehicles fitted with ABS and ESP … Mercedes has enjoyed a tradition of writing motorsport history for the past 120 years. Mercedes has been the world’s most innovative automotive brand for more than 100 years. When Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft (DMG) delivered its first Mercedes on December 22, 1900, this was the start of a development which led to the formation of DaimlerChrysler AG towards the end of the 20th century.

Today Mercedes-Benz is regarded as the world’s most successful automotive brand. Its level of technical perfection, quality standards, innovative strength and numerous automotive legends such as the 300 SL Gullwing are unrivalled. The Mercedes star became the most famous automotive symbol of all, and is one of the world’s best-known trademarks.
The name Mercedes stands for one of the world’s most innovative motor manufacturers. No other technological leader has had a greater influence over the development of the automobile. The company’s success is directly linked to Karl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler. The two men lived completely different lives, but they invented one and the same thing: the automobile.
Gottlieb Daimler was born in Schorndorf on March 17, 1834. In addition to the Latin School he attended technical drawing classes on Sundays.


1896 MOTORIZED DAIMLER TAXI

In 1848 Gottlieb Daimler began an apprenticeship as a gunmaker in Schorndorf, presumably with Master Wilke. In 1852 he completed this with his journeyman’s project, a double-barreled pistol. After a stay in France, where he gained practical experience in mechanical engineering, Daimler attended the Polytechnic College in Stuttgart from 1857 to 1859. After various technical activities in France and England, he took a position as a technical draughtsman in Geislingen. At the end of 1863 he became the workshop inspector at the engineering factory of Bruderhaus Reutlingen, a Christian institution founded to give homes and work to the socially disadvantaged, where he also made the acquaintance of Wilhelm Maybach in 1865.
On November 9, 1867 he married Emma Kurtz of Maulbronn. In 1869 he left Reutlingen and became head foreman at Maschinenbau-Gesellschaft in Karlsruhe. Three years later he moved to Otto und Langen as Technical Manager of Gasmotorenfabrik Deutz, where he became familiar with Otto’s four-stroke principle. Following differences of opinion with the management, he left this employment in mid-1882.