Archive for the ‘Auto Market’ Category
Friday, May 4th, 2012
Many people consider the modern motor car to be one of the best inventions in the history of the world; just imagine where we would be and how different our daily lives would be if we did not have the ability to use vehicles to travel around in. Certainly the environmental health of the plant may have been a lot better, but car manufacturers are increasingly turning to new technologies to refine the way motor vehicles are produced and driven and are constantly working to reduce the impact that driving has on our planet. Kia is one of the few car manufacturers who have responded to the public’s growing interest in, and desire for hybrid motor vehicles. Kia introduced their range of hybrid cars after debuting them to motor journalists at the Paris Motor Show in 2008; many car manufacturers are still yet to respond to the need for a hybrid vehicle and this has helped to push Kia to the forefront of the motoring industry. Kia are the solution! with fantastic new line up of hybrid and low emission vehicles.
Environmental concerns
Ask a group of motorists what their biggest concerns are when it comes to motoring and many will raise the issue of the rising fuel costs that is affecting their everyday driving habits; perhaps a more vital concern, and one that should be in the mind of every driver in the country, is the effect that their motoring has on the environment. Hybrid vehicles, such as those manufactured by Kia, are due to become ever more present on our roads as more motorists come to realise the importance of keeping emissions down. A hybrid vehicle combines element of a traditional vehicle motor with an additional electronic element. A traditional vehicle motor consists of an internal combustion engine; however hybrid Kia vehicles have a smaller version of this but also contain one or more electric batteries. These two parts of the engine work in conjunction with each other to reduce the overall emission. There are also electric vehicles that have been developed that fully run from electric batteries; however these need to be refined further in order to make them a viable option for every motorist.
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Posted in Effects of Motoring | No Comments »
Friday, April 6th, 2012
Melbourne is the capital and most populus city of Victoria, and many people visit the city either for business or on holiday. Although it is an easy city to navigate with public transit, many people choose to hire a car instead. If you are visiting Melbourne and want to rent a car, you may find that there are some great deals if you know where to look.
The following are a few tips for hiring a car when you are visiting Melbourne:
Where to Look
Seeing as though Melbourne is such a popular tourist destination, you can hire a car from almost anywhere in the city and at any time of day. It is worthwhile to be careful about hiring a car in any of the major tourist districts however, as these places are more likely to charge you more. If you move away from the major tourist areas, your chances of finding cheap car hire are much better. Instead of asking at the information centre or hotel, just do a quick online search or look through the yellow pages to find the closest car hire company to you.
Become a Frequent Customer
If you travel to Melbourne regularly for business or work and you find yourself hiring a car often, then it might be time to officially become a frequent hirer. Many car hire companies will give special deals to those VIP members who give them regular business, so you might be able to save a lot of money in the long term. If you find a company that will give you a good rate for car hire in Melbourne and they have been satisfactory to you in the past, then all you should have to do is ask for a special deal.
Make Your Plan
If you are visiting Melbourne and you have a good idea as to how long you will be staying, it will be cheaper for you overall to rent a car for a longer stretch of time instead of for only a day here and there. The additional benefit of being able to plan in advance is that many companies in Melbourne can give you an early bird rate if you book ahead of time.
Downsize
If you are concerned about how much hiring a car is going to cost you but have no other options, you can always downsize your rental needs. The city of Melbourne is much easier to navigate with a smaller, more compact car, so by downsizing from larger and more expensive cars, you will save money and have an easier time driving around the city.
Travel in Off-peak Times
As a tourist-friendly city, there are certain times of the year when everything, such as hiring a car, gets more expensive. If you can, try to avoid these peak tourism times of the year when you are making your travel plants. The summer is an obvious time when everything is more expensive for tourists, as well as during big events, festivals or holidays.
Melbourne is a very exciting city to visit, and by hiring a car, you can optimise your time spent in the city. Even though public transit is very good, you will be able to see and do much more if you can get where you need to go on your own terms, and in your own wheels.
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Posted in Car Hire, Melbourne Car Hire | No Comments »
Monday, October 31st, 2011
Everyone has had their favourite car gadgets realised in the last 10 years as technology on the road has advanced at an exponential rate. You don’t have to spend a fortune nowadays to own a car packed full of gadgets such as automatic windscreen wipers, MP3 connectivity, park distance sensors and hands free telephone functionality. This is my count down of my top 5 car gadgets which are making driving more fun and some even making our journeys safer.
5. Stop-Start engine
Stop-Start engines have made an appearance in the last 3 years to a lot of affordable, environmentally friendly cars. The technology involves the engine turning itself off when you are in traffic or at lights, then restarting when you go to the accelerator to pull away. The feature saves fuel and in turn causes the car to emit less Co2 gas so it does not cause as much pollution. It can be found on many modern small cars and expect to see it even more in the future!
4. Heads-up displays
These give the driver a view of certain information projected onto part of the windscreen from the inside. The obvious information to project would be your speed. These are sneaking into some new cars and are in attempt to make the car safer as you can see you speed or other relevant driver information without looking away from the road. There is a video here of the new BMW 7 series using this technology:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w44b8fykG9c&NR=1&feature=fvwp
It will be exciting to see what other possibilities this technology will allow. Augmented reality could be used to feed streams from social media and weather information straight to the driver’s display.
3. Wireless Internet
There are some premium cars on the market, for example the Audi A7, that feature in-car wireless internet capability linked to media screen on the dashboard. This internet stream can display the weather, traffic updates and information on the stock exchange. The technology also allows the screen to the used as a news feed for any world affairs and even the possibility to stream your Facebook and Twitter status feed in real time. Although criticised as being a driver distraction, rather than aid, it’s great to see cars embracing wireless communications like so many other platforms in the last 3 years have.
2. Auto brake
This great feature is a superb safety addition to modern cars. It was first featured on the Mercedes S Class and has since been included on other models such as Volvos. The technology uses infrared to detect when the car needs to be brake to prevent hitting a pedestrian. It is designed to work faster than human reaction times are able to and the use of it is being adapted to create adaptive cruise control which brakes and speeds your car up in alignment with the vehicle in front of you.
1. Auto parking
The best car gadget around at the moment is definitely the auto parking feature sneaking into some cars at the moment. You simply have to align your car to the space, input the area into the car computer and sit back. The car automatically drives and steers you into the outlined gap. This is great for nervous parkers and is becoming more widely available. The latest Ford Focus features this technology as many cars by Lexus already do.
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Saturday, October 22nd, 2011
When it comes to putting oil in your car, there are a lot of choices stacking the shelves of auto stores. So if your car needs a top-up or a complete oil change, it pays to remember that not all oils are the same and what works well in your car may not necessarily be right for another. If you get a car service in Sydney, a car service in Melbourne or anywhere else for that matter, your mechanic is going to know exactly what’s right for your vehicle. Using the wrong oil may even void engine warranties, so simply adding any old oil to the engine is not always going to be best. Put it this way – you get the car insurance that suits your vehicle, so why not get the right oil?
What does oil actually do?
Firstly, it’s worth understanding what oil is and what it does. In a nutshell, oil lubricates your engine and prevents wearing. Modern oils lubricate differently depending on the weather also. In winter it will be quite viscous, or thick, and in warmer weather, much thinner. The oil you put in your car will be multi-viscous, meaning it adapts to the temperature to give your engine the best protection.
What do all the numbers mean?
Motor oil is referred to by weight, such as 20W-50, and relates to its viscosity with the “W” meaning winter. The lower the number before the W, the better it will flow in colder weather. The higher the number, the better it flows in warmer temperatures. As you can see, the type of oil you use will also depend on what temperatures your car operates at.
Confused by synthetic, conventional and additives?
Just when you had the whole viscosity thing worked out, in come a few others things to add to the confusion. Should you get synthetic oil or go for a conventional blend? And should you get oil with additives to make your engine perform better? Synthetic oils will cost more but research has shown that they will ultimately protect your engine better. They can be mixed safely with conventional oils as well. Additives help engines cope in more extreme circumstances as well so it is worth considering an oil of this type if , for example, you cover a lot of kilometres.
When should oil be changed?
If you have your car regularly serviced then the mechanic will change the oil as a matter of course. But if you do lots of driving, it is worth changing the oil more often to ensure the engine has adequate protection. Changing the oil can’t hurt the car – but changing it too often will hurt the hip pocket. Refer to your car’s user manual for a more definitive guide.
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Posted in Motor Oil | No Comments »
Friday, September 30th, 2011
Jack and wheel brace
All cars must have them, but sometimes they just aren’t where they are supposed to be when you need them most. The car’s manufacturer will have provided a specific jack and wheel brace designed for your particular model, but you can buy a jack and wheel braces from auto stores if they are missing or damaged. As a general rule, it’s best to stick with the ones that came with the car. They fit nicely in their allotted position and work exactly as they should. Just remember to put them back when you have finished with them.
Spanners and screwdrivers
It doesn’t have to be a toolbox full of gear – in fact, you want to keep the number of tools down to a minimum and keep them in a compact way so they don’t take up too much space. You will want a couple of adjustable spanners of varying sizes, plus a few screwdrivers – both flat blade and Phillips head – of common sizes.
Jumper leads
We have all suffered a flat battery at some stage, and there is nothing more frustrating. If you have some jumper cables, you can get yourself going again. Make sure you get the right ones, though. Newer cars need a certain type that prevents an overload on the car’s computer when you connect the leads up to the flat battery and the charged battery of a friend or kind, helping motorist. Make sure you always follow the instructions on how to use them.
Mobile phone charger
Everyone has a mobile phone these days and they are invaluable in times of need, particularly if you are stuck on the side of the road. But you would hate for your phone to run out of battery life, so make sure you have an in-car charger that never leaves the vehicle.
First aid kit
There are kits made specifically for vehicles and they contain crucial items that could well save a life in times of emergency, such as bandages and thermal blankets. You can buy them from specialist retailers or make up a kit yourself.
Pen and paper
Not only should you have something to write with, but you should check that it works. A small notebook is handy as well – it comes in very handy when you need to take down details after a crash.
Old rag
Engines get dirty and sometimes you will need to check the coolant, oil or window washer levels. An old rag will prevent you from getting dirt and stains on yourself and your clothes.
Air compressor
There are plenty of small compressors on the market that won’t put a big hole in your wallet. They are compact, will hide away somewhere handy and are invaluable if you notice your tyre is a little flat and needs to be brought back up to pressure. They are also great for pumping up air mattresses when camping and bike tyres, so make sure you get one that plugs into your car’s lighter socket and has a range of attachment for a variety of valves. When getting car insurance quotes, check that items such as air compressors can be covered as well in case of theft.
Torch
A torch is invaluable if you need to change a tyre at night. Get one that gives you maximum brightness for your buck and also doesn’t take up too much room.
Tyre pressure gauge
Regularly check tyre pressure to prevent wearing and to ensure a safe ride. It’s easy and quick to do if you have your own gauge, which are cheap and compact.
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Posted in Car Tools | No Comments »