News Car Advertising and Insurance

Cadillac CTS-V vs. BMW M5

Submitted: 29.08.08

    news     .

Champagne Wishes and Track Dreams

- posted: 03.11.08
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/auto-news-blogs/~3/439425378/champagne-wishes-and-track-dreams Are made of this… BBS 20″ LM-DBK, Toyo Proxes R888 285/35/20, Endless Mono 6 BBK, Amuse Front Diffuser, Mines Dry Carbon Racing Canards. (hi-res of course) And a close-up below:

Renault-Nissan halts negotiations with Cerberus

- posted: 03.11.08
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/auto-news-blogs/~3/439539734/renault-nissan-halts-negotiations-with-cerberus Talks between the Renault-Nissan alliance and Cerberus Capital Management LP have stopped as both sides acknowledged Cerberus’s preference to conclude a deal for Chrysler LLC with General Motors Corp., according to sources familiar with the situation. No more talks between Cerberus and Renault-Nissan negotiators have been scheduled, the sources said Friday, although the parties have not ruled out discussions in the future. Cerberus and Nissan declined to comment. But sources close to Cerberus have said the private-equity firm favors a GM-Chrysler deal, viewing it as financially more advantageous and also better for the U.S. auto industry. Chrysler-Nissan talks halt - detnews.com

Return Loads and Groupage – Maximising Haulage Efficiency

- posted: 03.11.08
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/auto-news-blogs/~3/439654748/return-loads-and-groupage-maximising-haulage-efficiency With the price of fuel rising dramatically, the haulage industry faces some of its toughest years in recent memory. Owner operators and haulage companies are looking for ways to keep their businesses afloat as running costs rise and the economy weakens. There is nothing that can be done to halt the rising cost of fuel – what matters is that you make the highest return on every haulage job that your company runs. Improving the efficiency of your company can take many forms, but two of the most effective ways of increasing profit are through the careful use of groupage and return loads on as many haulage jobs as possible. What is groupage? Groupage is the process of combining numerous smaller loads into a single shipment. The benefits are obvious – more deliveries in a single journey gives the maximum return on investment on the fuel and the man-hours that must be paid for that journey. What is a return load? A return load is an additional haulage job that is taken on the way back to the depot after the main job has finished. For example, if a haulier takes a delivery from London to Manchester, rather than driving back empty to London once the job is done (leading to so called “dead miles”) he can instead pick up a delivery to take back to London. How do I use groupage and return loads in my company? First, make sure you spot every opportunity your company has to use groupage or pick up a return load. Since you will be logging the dates, locations and cargo details of every job your company takes, this is surprisingly straightforward; with each job your company takes on, look out for any long return journeys with empty loads, or any deliveries where the vehicle that is likely to be used will not be filled to capacity. Once you have begun to keep track of opportunities, you need to find the loads to go with them! You can start by making contacts with other haulage and delivery companies in your area, and seeing what the possibilities are for groupage with them. If you have regular deliveries to a particular depot, try and make contacts there to see if they can link your drivers up with return loads. Finding a return load or groupage opportunity for every job your company take on is a beyond the power of a single person, but luckily, you don’t have to do everything yourself. There are numerous online networks that deal in groupage and return loads, allowing companies around the country to register haulage jobs that need doing and scheduled deliveries that could benefit from groupage or a return load. By signing up to these, you can be connected to numerous other haulage companies around the UK (and in some networks, in Europe or worldwide). It doesn’t take a huge amount of effort to make groupage and return loads a part of the day to day running of your business. It can have a significant effect on your profits, and in today’s challenging marketplace, good use of return loads and groupage may soon be necessary for the survival of every haulage company. About the Author Lyall Cresswell is the Managing Director for the Transport Exchange Group. Haulage Exchange, their freight exchange for the 7.5 tonne and above market, offers an independent environment for its members to exchange loads and manage their return loads. See Also: British Clouds Brighten Menorca Bruno Mathsson The Top 10 Reasons to Sack Your Tennis Coach - Part 1 Facebook’s financials: Not looking so hot? Earn Cash Back Everytime You Shop Online! [Via Automotive Articles At Isnare.com]

Ideas For Your Personalised Number Plates

- posted: 03.11.08
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/auto-news-blogs/~3/439989693/ideas-for-your-personalised-number-plates Often when people see a nice looking car they also look at the number plate noting that it adds something to vehicle or says something about its owner. Designing yourself a personalised number plate is a fun creative process and will make some sort of statement about you in relation to your car, your profession or something you are passionate about. It is a light approach to expressing your individuality in a way that other road users will also enjoy. There are a lot of options out there and providing that you stay within the UK car registration laws then you are only limited by your imagination and to a degree what is available. Finding out what is available is a fairly straightforward process. Many sellers of private number plates are now online and their websites generally include a search facility allowing you to quickly find out if your number one choice is available. Even if it is not, there is a good chance that something close could be yours with a bit of creative twiddling and tweaking of numbers and letters and their order. There is a whole culture of number plate linguistics to play with. Alternatively if what you really want is out there you may be able to buy it as there is an active trade in the buying and selling of number plates and companies who will manage the process for you. Popular ideas for your own personal number plate could include your name with a number that appeals to you or carries some general meaning or implication; or you could try your name in some way combined with your profession. Some celebrity examples of fun plates include Paul Daniel’s MAG 1C, Engelbert Humperdinck’s EH 1 and Amir Khan’s BOX IIIG. Other possibilities could include combining your name with a loved one, or in some way implying the superior nature of the football team you support. It may not be that easy to get hold of UTD or CITY but there are ways of playing with these such as CTY 1. Other possibilities can include getting a private number plate for someone as a birthday present or even as an additional extra if you are buying someone a new car. Another opportunity could be buying one for someone to mark a special day such as a wedding – it would certainly stand out amongst the usual household items. Whatever the reason it can make a great gift that someone can then enjoy every time they go out in the car, and with starting prices at under £100, it needn’t cost the earth. It may be that you didn’t realise how relatively simple it was to get your own private number plate and just assumed that you had to stick with the plate that your car was originally given. There are a number of companies out there who will make the process easy for you, so if the idea appeals to you, why not look into it and personalise your car or get a great present for someone in your family. For interviews, quotes, images or comments contact:Jayne HenryTel(DDI): 02866 387 124E-mail: sales@speedyreg.co.uk About the Author Jayne Henry of Speedy Registrations Ltd – speedyreg.co.uk. Speedy Registrations have been supplying number plates to the public since 1984. Based in Northern Ireland we also specialise in private number plates. They aim to provide a choice of personalised number plates to meet all requirements; and pride ourselves in our highly competitive prices, matched equally by our professional customer care service. See Also: Tips For Enjoying Playing The Online Casinos For A Long Time The Mind/Body Continuum Part 1 Montreal comedians prank-call Sarah Palin Live Online Roulette With Live Dealers Benefits of Colon Cleansing [Via Automotive Articles At Isnare.com]

Are Private Number Plates a Good Investment?

- posted: 03.11.08
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/auto-news-blogs/~3/439990235/are-private-number-plates-a-good-investment A perhaps surprising hit in the investment market in recent years has been in the area of personalised car number plates. Surprising perhaps because on the surface of things car registration plates could seen like a somewhat hum drum part of life reflecting the bureaucratic nature of our society; the idea of recording the age, status and ownership details of a vehicle does not obviously seem like a shrewd money making idea. On closer examination though, the very idea that a personalised number plate is exactly that, personal, is where the clue to the hidden value of some of these plates lies. By definition there can only be one plate that perfectly encapsulates someone’s name, message about themselves or sense of fun. Herein lays the value. Whilst it is perfectly possible to be creative with combinations of numbers and letters (and anyone who might be good at this might be onto something), there are going to be some one off combinations that are going to be perennially popular. VIP 1 and F1 can only happen once and this has been reflected in their incredible sale prices in recent years in the hundreds of thousands of pounds. For those of us working within more modest means there are still going to be opportunities based on the fact that someone may want what we have got and be prepared to pay good money for it. If you have a knack for working with words, abbreviations and colloquialisms you may be able to come up with something previously not thought of, especially as forms of language constantly develop through means such as the advent of text language on mobile phones. If you can think of something new that might appeal to certain names or professions you ought to be able to get it at a reasonable price to start with giving it a good chance of a higher resale value later. Other means of getting hold of private number plates at a reasonable rate to start with includes going to DVLA auctions or looking in the local papers or classified ads. Private number plate dealers can attend auctions for you, which would save you time and the associated costs of going yourself. If you are planning to add car registration plates to you business portfolio, then one factor to consider is what types of plates are likely to be easy to resell. Whilst supply and demand levels of any product can be difficult to second guess, if you can get hold of plates with common initials, short words or fun abbreviations then the chances of reselling easily will be enhanced. When you are looking to sell your number plate, then most car registration plate dealers will provide you with a free valuation and will be able to find out if someone is already looking for your plate or something close to it. So if you are looking for somewhere other than the stock market to put some of your money you could investigate this area and potentially enjoy decent financial returns in what seems to be a burgeoning area of investment. For interviews, quotes, images or comments contact:Jayne HenryTel(DDI): 02866 387 124E-mail: sales@speedyreg.co.uk About the Author Jayne Henry of Speedy Registrations Ltd – speedyreg.co.uk. Speedy Registrations have been supplying number plates to the public since 1984. Based in Northern Ireland we also specialise in private number plates. They aim to provide a choice of personalised number plates to meet all requirements; and pride ourselves in our highly competitive prices, matched equally by our professional customer care service. See Also: The Mind/Body Continuum Part 1 The Attention Game - Finding Awareness Cosmetics and Beauty Products Beauty and Healthy Body From Within Montreal comedians prank-call Sarah Palin [Via Automotive Articles At Isnare.com]

Buying Personalised Number Plates Can be a Great Investment

- posted: 03.11.08
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/auto-news-blogs/~3/439990621/buying-personalised-number-plates-can-be-a-great-investment Many people do not realise that they are not stuck with the number plate that they get with their car on purchase. Personalised number plates are easily available from under £100 up to several hundred thousand pounds. It is also worth noting that these days a number of serious business people are becoming aware of the investment value of personalised number plates and there is an active market in the buying and selling of in demand plate numbers with values in the UK sometimes going into the hundreds of thousands. In the currently unstable financial markets where some traditionally secure investments are looking somewhat shaky then personalised car number plates may represent a worthwhile choice as a place to put your money. There is a whole culture surrounding private number plates including creative use of letters and numbers with plenty of fun combinations available. So long as you stay within the UK DVLA licensing laws then what you have on your plate is only limited by your imagination. You don’t even need a car in order to get your private number plate so long as you have the legal certification. There are a number of companies who can support you through the buying and/or selling and registration process, which is relatively straightforward. Why would you get one and what would you have? Apart from the investment opportunity a personalised number plate is in part a bit of fun whereby your plate may say something about you, your passions or your car for example. Maybe your initials in some way combined with something about your character, your profession or your favourite football team. They can also make a great present for someone. Once you have an idea of what you might want on your number plate then there are various ways of finding out if your choice is available. Unsurprisingly there are some numbers that are difficult to obtain such as 007 in combination with initials, but you never know. In a similar way to personalised email addresses you may be able to change a number or a letter and still make it yours. There is a culture of ‘plate speak’ whereby swapping certain numbers or letters that look similar produces the effect that you want. Alternatively you may be able to buy it, as there is an active trade in car number plates. Some serious business people such as Dragons Den’s Duncan Bannatyne and Theo Paphitis, are increasingly becoming involved in the buying and selling of personalised registration plates because there is money to be made. In recent years F1 went for more than £400,000, VIP 1 for over £200,000 and in the United Arab Emirates personalised number plates have traded for figures in the millions. Given that the selling of plates is simple enough, and there are people who will manage it for you, personalised number plates are becoming a burgeoning area of investment in a changing economic climate where it is no longer clear where to put your money. For interviews, quotes, images or comments contact:Jayne HenryTel(DDI): 02866 387 124E-mail: sales@speedyreg.co.uk About the Author Jayne Henry of Speedy Registrations Ltd – speedyreg.co.uk. Speedy Registrations have been supplying number plates to the public since 1984. Based in Northern Ireland we also specialise in private number plates. They aim to provide a choice of personalised number plates to meet all requirements; and pride ourselves in our highly competitive prices, matched equally by our professional customer care service. See Also: Cosmetics and Beauty Products Tips For Enjoying Playing The Online Casinos For A Long Time Foreclosure Real Estate Investing Trap Bad Economy – Getting Relief From the Spiritual World? The Gordonii Hoodia Review - Hoodia Gordonii Plus [Via Automotive Articles At Isnare.com]

Vibration Control - Just One Technologies Behind the Mercedes-Benz Reputation

- posted: 03.11.08
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/auto-news-blogs/~3/439991023/vibration-control-just-one-technologies-behind-the-mercedes-benz-reputation Mercedes-Benz—just the mere mention of this automobile manufacturer conjures up images of the ultimate in eliteness. Indeed, Edmunds.com reports that “Mercedes-Benz has long been known for crafting vehicles that emphasize luxury and refinement. For many, its vehicles are sleek symbols of status, success and achievement.” Mercedes-Benz doesn’t just cater to the car connoisseur, though. Since 1928, Mercedes-Benz’s special protection unit has been making luxury limousines that are specially armored for heads of state, royal dignitaries, industrial and business moguls. With such VIPs behind its wheels, this elite automobile manufacturer carries significant responsibility on its shoulders and a lot hinges on its reputation. It’s no wonder then that Mercedes-Benz puts its vehicles through rigorous testing processes. A recently conducted examination of the automobile manufacturer included a ride comfort testing station. This station was designed and built by Moog FCS, using its expertise in motion controls, high-performance flight simulation and testing systems for automotive, aviation and aerospace,. A press release issued by Moog FCS reported, “The challenge addressed by Moog FCS was to validate the predicted values of ride and handling characteristics produced by digital simulation. This testing approach forms part of Mercedes-Benz’ first foray into digital car prototyping.” The press release went on to say, “The Moog FCS Suspension Test Rig employs FasTEST software. … FasTEST offers a full application suite for the automotive testing market, featuring a revolutionary iteration strategy and unique time saving features, as well as sophisticated fatigue analysis and vibration control software. Although it’s not likely something the average Mercedes-Benz driver likely thinks about, the smooth ride they experience owes thanks to vibration control technology … and luxury automobiles are just one of the industries that take advantage of such technology. In fact, other sectors leveraging vibration control functionality include computer disk drives, aerospace and military electronics, just to name a few. Custom-molded rubber and rubber-to-metal bonded parts afford unparalleled noise and vibration control. In its Mercedes-Benz testing procedure, Moog FCS’s evaluation may very well include an assessment of the quality and reliability of the vibration control rubber parts that are used by the luxury vehicle manufacturer. Among the vibration control options available to those who rely on the technology are the rubber Vibro-Insulators® line. These vibration control insulators come in a variety of styles and sizes in order to handle most vibration isolation problems. Most of the mount styles available are designed to be used in either the compression or shear direction. When attending to its vibration control needs, a renowned corporation like Mercedes-Benz would turn to a world leader in rubber molding and rubber-to-metal bonding. A producer of custom molded rubber and rubber-to-metal bonded parts, including a Vibro-Insulator® line of isolators and mounts, can best attend to the noise, vibration and shock control needs of even the world’s most recognized manufacturer of luxury automobiles.Produced with either natural rubber or neoprene elastomers, depending on the application, rubber Rubber Vibro-Insulators® are good for most industrial applications and are resistant to oil. These two advantages make them particularly amenable to the specific needs of the automobile industry. About the Author Carmen Fontana is a Web Services Manger for Western Reserve Internet Services. She recommends you learn more about vibration control by Karman Rubber. See Also: The Beginning of True Self-Mastery Transcendental Meditation Private Pilot License - Total Flight Training Cost Having A Secondary Income Is No Longer A Choice Australia Holidays – Top Five Ways to Travel [Via Automotive Articles At Isnare.com]

GT-RR Toyo SEMA Car - Getting Here…

- posted: 03.11.08
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/auto-news-blogs/~3/440396590/gt-rr-toyo-sema-car-getting-here Here’s a really half-ass timeline (most parts missing, but overall you’ll get a slight bit more of a feeling for some of the project’s progression) We received the car on October 7th The same day, I started detailing some ideas I had about painting, remixing the image of FRP parts into carbon, etc. next thing you know the above part changes from full carbon to painted with little carbon accents, and the bottom picture shows the FRP front diffuser turned into carbon and ready for painting with accents as well. that side section of the wing was never carbon. the roof became carbon, and we planned our detailing and pinstriping with the paint. here’s how a part ends up getting assembled, no canards yet. Still simple, clean, a little innocent still… here’s mana-p’s design that he and I collaborated on after 15+ revisions to reach this final version. laying down the hood graphics (thanks Jesse) umm…I think I just showed this picture too early. oops! Anyway, it wasnt finished yet…still missing wheels. Sorry, I didnt get a chance to document much of the installation of the tuning parts.  Quite honestly it was damn hard to get out of the office to document as much as I did.

How to Choose the Most Convenient Auto Club

- posted: 03.11.08
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/auto-news-blogs/~3/440535345/how-to-choose-the-most-convenient-auto-club Choosing an auto club is a very important choice. It isn’t enough to simply choose whatever auto club program comes your way. That is because each auto club is different in that they have their own set of benefits and price ranges. It is important to explore all of these options in order to find the program that is the right program. The wrong program is going to provide you with things you don’t need and those things you do need won’t be available to you. To make sure this doesn’t happen to you, make sure you do your research. The pros and cons There are certain pros and cons that must be evaluated when choosing the most convenient auto club. This includes cost, whether or not roadside assistance is included, if travel discounts are offered, and if any other discounts are provided to members. When it comes to cost, the cost of an auto club membership can exceed that of your regular roadside assistance. However, the auto club is going to provide you with more benefits. As mentioned before, there are possible discounts included for when you travel. There are also discounts possibly included when you’re not traveling. For example, you can eat at a restaurant that honors your auto club card and receive 10% off of your meal total. You can also find discounts at retail outlets and outlets on the internet. In regards to how the discounts work, a travel discount is going to provide you with savings on vacation packages, rental cars, hotels, cruises, and so much more. The discount is only relevant to traveling and nothing else. Other discounts include the restaurants and the retail outlets. A discount program is very important because that means you’re going to save some money while traveling. That is money that can be used to do something extra or eat at that extra special restaurant. Those discounts can also be the difference between staying in a 3 star hotel and staying in a 4 star hotel. Roadside assistance Saving money through auto club discounts is great, but roadside assistance is actually the most important part of an auto club membership. This is because roadside assistance is what is going to assist you if you’re stranded without help. It is very important to learn everything possible about the roadside assistance contained within auto club memberships. Here are the specifics that a good roadside assistance program should possess: - Towing service – This can pay for the cost of the auto club membership since one towing can cost around $75. - Tire change service – This is important because a flat tire can occur at anytime. Roadside assistance will summon help to put on your spare tire for you. - Lockout service – Everyone locks their keys in their car at one time or another. Having a locksmith get the keys out of your car can cost around $30 to $40. Having this assistance provided by your auto club’s roadside assistance is included in your membership. - Gas and battery service – If you run out of gas, roadside assistance includes gas to be brought to you so that you can get to the next gas station and fill up. They should also give your battery a jump if your battery dies. All of these services should be included in roadside assistance, so make sure that they are. These services will ensure that you do not become stranded in an unfamiliar or dangerous place. Do your research So make sure you do your research before choosing an auto club. Make sure that you can use all of the services provided and that you’re not paying for services you can’t use. Everyone needs to have an auto club membership. Everyone just doesn’t need the same package. About the Author Auto club offering emergency roadside assistance,travel packages and insurance in Ontario. You can participate in our petro points rewards offer. See Also: Why Music Safe Earplugs Can Ensure You Keep Rocking Well Into Your Pension Years The Main Pillars on Which Success of Your Website Depends – Procrastinators Please Don’t Read How to Get a Sudden Surge of Hungry Targeted Traffic to Your Website Without Spending a Dime and Without SEO Living it up in Marbella – Five Reasons Why the Sun Never Sets on This Spanish Classic Guided Meditation [Via Automotive Articles At Isnare.com]

10 Ways Owner Operators Can Cut Their Fuel Bills

- posted: 03.11.08
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/auto-news-blogs/~3/440548179/10-ways-owner-operators-can-cut-their-fuel-bills If you read any lorry-centric news sites at the moment, you’ll be aware that times are not exactly good. Fuel prices are higher than ever, there are taxes to enter major city centres and to top it all off the whole world is suffering from an economic downturn. The big companies will manage to get through this, no doubt, but what about the independent lorry drivers – the owner operators? It’s going to be a struggle for some of them undoubtedly, but cutting down on unnecessary expenses can allow them to fight another day. As mentioned before, fuel is the biggest expensive problem for lorry drivers. So here’s 10 tips for owner operators that should ensure they can save fuel, save money, help save the environment, and ensure a bright future once the economic downturn lifts. 1. Start Off Slowly It’s understandable you want to make a quick start to your daily deliveries, but you could be costing yourself a packet for only a small gain in time! Going too fast from the start of your journey will save less than 3 minutes over an hour of driving, but consume 40% more fuel and create 400% more carbon emissions! 2. More Haste, Less Speed In fact, it makes sense to not just start off slowly, but to reduce your speed a little for the entire journey. It may seem the opposite of what you’d think (if you travel fast you should be able to take more owner operator jobs and make more money) but a lorry going flat out will consume significantly more fuel than a lorry going just 10mph less, which really adds up if you’re prone to speeding! It’s not just dangerous and bad for your pocket though – the same truck will increase its carbon monoxide output and emit more hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides. Not good for the environment at all! 3. Save Time with Groupage If you’re like many owner operators, you will have a number of jobs to do in one day. If you can ‘group’ your loads together allowing you to put more in a single trip, then you will save hugely on petrol with a lot less dead mileage. You may even save enough time to fit some more owner operator jobs in! 4. …But Don’t Overload It! Even though groupage can be a massive time and cost saver, you need to make sure that you don’t overdo it. Overfilling your vehicle can cause a lot of strain on the engine, and ensure that your fuel efficiency suffers. 5. Use a Freight Exchange A freight exchange is one of the easiest ways to get more owner operator jobs, boost profits and potentially cut costs. It’s essentially an environment where lorry drivers can swap their cargo with each other, buying and selling loads. This not only means you never run empty (you can get a back load for the return journey meaning that every gallon of fuel counts) but that you can also move your owner operator jobs that would involve high fuel costs to someone else. 6. Watch Out For Fuel Thieves With the price of fuel at a premium, and lorries having both large tanks and predictable routines, diesel rustling is a very real problem. While there’s no way of guaranteeing protection, you can reduce the likelihood of having your gas stolen by locking your fuel tank, fitting fuel siphon gadgets or alarm systems and parking ‘tank to tank’ with other lorries, making access more difficult. 7. Cut Down on the Idling Allowing the lorry’s engine to ‘idle’ more than 3 minutes at a time can cause damage which harms the vehicle’s efficiency and shortens the engine life. On top of this it also consumes fuel – in fact, statistics state that excessive idling can add a massive 50% onto fuel costs. Cut down on your idling time and engine costs should follow. 8. Upgrade Your Lorry Obviously upgrading a lorry’s fuel tank is an initially heavy outlay, but it may be worth it if you’re using a particularly old rig. Modern diesel engines are significantly more efficient and offer a far better performance with current diesel fuels like biodiesel and ultra low sulphur diesel. The initial outlay is hefty, but you could make big savings in the long run… 9. Keep Your Lorry In Good Nick Get your vehicle tuned up regularly. Frequent servicing ensures top performance, reduced maintenance costs and improves fuel efficiency. 10. Keep Those Tires in Check Make sure your tyres are properly inflated before each journey. It may sound minor, but it improves vehicle handling and break performance as well as allowing you a greater fuel mileage – one statistic states that properly inflated tyres can save owner operators as much as two weeks worth of fuel per year! About the Author Lyall Cresswell is the Managing Director for the Transport Exchange Group. Haulage Exchange, their freight exchange for the 7.5 tonne and above market, offers an independent environment for its members to find owner operator jobs. See Also: The Main Pillars on Which Success of Your Website Depends – Procrastinators Please Don’t Read How to Achieve the Stamina and Energy Levels of a Sports Star – Simple Little Known Secrets You Can Implement Immediately – Part 1 Unique Baby Basket Ideas Private and Corporate Boat Cruises in Toronto Narrow House Plans [Via Automotive Articles At Isnare.com]