BMW's Z4 roadster (convertible) sports car employs technology that belongs in lots of cars, not just $50,000 two-seaters. The double-clutch transmission smoothly combines the power and performance of the manual gearbox it really is with the ease of an automatic (no clutch pedal). And the transflective LCD display is unaffected by sunlight. In fact, the more sun shines down, the brighter it gets. The iDrive controller finally works, and well. HD Radio is now free (some models) but the iPod adapter remains an overpriced option. It's a great car if your stock portfolio is fully recovered.
Another Practical Impractical BMWBMW's mainstream cars, particularly the 3 Series and 5 Series, do everything right: handling, safety, comfort, technology, status, residual value. They're practical cars for those with the means to afford them. The Z4 represents the other side of BMW, along with the BMW 6 Series and the BMW X6. They're what I consider impractical cars with a practical bent: Nobody needs them but when you buy one, you're delighted at how well they're suited to daily driving, unlike the the Pontiac Solstice with zero cockpit or trunk room, or the old Ferrari that only comes out on sunny weekends and needs $2,500 tune-ups.
Here's what delighted me with the BMW Z4 in the way of intelligent technology and smart design. The fact that BMW puts it into cars out of the reach of most buyers doesn't keep some or all of it trickling from down over time to more affordable brands and models. Much of this represents intelligent use of suppliers. Others could use them also.
Double-clutch transmission. It's a seven-speed manual gearbox with a clutch (two, actually) but electronics and hydraulics shift gears for you (no clutch pedal). It's quicker and more fuel-efficient than an automatic transmission and, at least for now, cooler to tell people about. Porsche invented the technology, Audi made the most use of it, and now BMW has a first-class version, unlike its clunky. Good news: At $1,525, it's only $200 more than a BMW automatic transmission and far less than the $2,900 BMW charges you for DCT when you buy a BMW M3 (more software in the M3 DCT, BMW says). Bad news: It's only available on the costlier twin-turbo Z4 sDrive35i; with the base model sDrive30i, you have to stick with the traditional automatic.

The Complete Review

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 37,313 people were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2008. If that isn't a reason to become a better driver, then we don't know what is.

In an ideal world, drivers would execute every road maneuver with precision and ease. Sadly, we do not live in a never-never land, and not everyone walks away from metal-to-metal mayhem. Truth is that drivers are not created equal. Some are too brash, others too conservative. Some are even downright clueless. The common thread is that they can all turn a pleasant day on the motorway into a surreal nightmare in the blink of an eye.

To help you stay safe behind the wheel, here's a list of 10 driving behaviors to avoid.

Swerving
The No. 1 fatal mistake made by drivers is perhaps the most simple: not staying in their own lane — i.e., running off the road or drifting into the adjacent lane. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2007, 15,574 people died in crashes where the driver simply couldn't stay in the lane.

Driving While Drowsy
"Driving a vehicle when you are fatigued is as dangerous as driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs," National Transportation Safety Board Acting Chairman Mark V. Rosenker said after a fatal highway accident in 2003 in which a college student who had been awake for the previous 18 hours was driving a carload of fellow students at 5 a.m. According to the NHTSA, in 2007 fatigued driving caused the deaths of 1,404 people, and more traffic fatalities occurred during the hours when most people are accustomed to being asleep (3 a.m. to 6 a.m.) than at any other time of day.

Drinking and Driving
Every 40 minutes someone dies in a drunk-driving accident. (In all 50 states, a blood-alcohol level of 0.08 percent or more is considered illegal, but a little-known fact is that you can be charged with driving while impaired even if you're under the legal limit.) Young drivers are particularly prone to drinking and driving: The 21- to 34-year-old set is responsible for well over half of alcohol-infused fatal crashes. Not surprisingly, the decision to get behind the wheel while intoxicated is made most often at night and on the weekends. According to the NHTSA, 60 percent of drivers who died after dark in 2007 were legally drunk. Alcohol is also a factor in half of pedestrian traffic deaths — both drivers and pedestrians are the culprits.

Overcorrecting
You get panicky when the wheels of your SUV hit the rumble patch on the shoulder of the highway, so you throw the steering wheel in the opposite direction to get the vehicle back on the road. This is a classic example of overcorrecting or oversteering, and it's a particularly perilous maneuver when you're behind the wheel of an SUV driving on the highway at high speeds. Consider it a rollover waiting to happen. More than 4 percent of automobile fatalities a year occur because of drivers overcorrecting.


Speeding
Racing, driving faster than the posted speed limit or simply going too fast for road conditions — i.e., speeding — comprises the second highest cause of death in fatal crashes, according to the NHTSA. Once you hit 55 mph, you're in the danger zone: 30 percent of fatalities occur at 55 or above. The worst-case scenarios invariably involve speeding without wearing a seat belt or a motorcycle helmet. Fatality rates for speeding motorcyclists are shockingly high: In 2007, speeding was a factor in 36 percent of motorcycle fatalities. Of those, 41 percent of drivers and more than half of passengers were not wearing helmets (only 20 states and the District of Columbia require helmets).
If you are comfortable driving faster than the speed limit then you should be comfortable with the fact that speeding was responsible for over 30 percent of the auto-related fatalities in the U.S. last year.

Failure to Yield Right of Way
For drivers age 70 and above, failing to yield while merging into traffic is the top cause of crashes. In a recent study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, drivers 80 and older simply fail to see the other vehicle they should be yielding to. Drivers 70 to 79 see the vehicle but misjudge whether they have time to proceed ahead of it. Failure to yield right of way was the fifth leading cause of fatal crashes in 2007.

Erratic or Reckless Driving
At its mildest, we're talking about weaving and tailgating; at its most severe, this kind of driving involves steering down the wrong side of the road, exceeding the speed limit by 20 mph or doing more than 80 mph, and worse. Reckless driving can bring fines, jail time — and death. More than 1,850 fatalities in 2007 were the result of erratic or reckless drivers.

Running Red Lights
A whopping 75 percent of automobile crashes occur in cities, according to the nonprofit Insurance Research Council. The most common cause of these accidents? Hitting the gas when the light turns red. Of the myriad types of collisions that can result, head-on and side-impact collisions are the most dangerous. NHTSA statistics show that of the 41,059 automobile fatalities in 2007, 54 percent occurred in cars that sustained frontal damage. When you cut it too close while running a light, your front end or another car's front end is impacted. Either way, it's a recipe for a deadly accident.

Not Wearing a Seat Belt
Despite the fact that seat belt use is far more prevalent than even a decade ago — not to mention being legally required — 33 percent of people who die in vehicle fatalities failed to buckle up. Without a seat belt, car drivers and passengers put themselves at risk of being ejected from a vehicle, and 76 percent of the time the ejection ends in death.

Tradition says pure sports cars are equipped with “nothing that doesn’t make them go faster.” Long ago, that meant roll-up side windows and a heater were extravagances. Today, however, they are both sports car norms, along with power-folding convertible tops, power door locks and automated climate controls. Such amenities are now lightweight enough not to slow a car down and are considered indispensible in this fast-paced, luxury-minded world of ours.

Furthermore, some time ago, sporty coupes reached par with traditional two-seat sports cars in terms of performance while offering sedanlike practicality. Thus, a “sports car” today can be everything from a swoopy two-seat convertible to a boxy sedan look-alike that hides a powerful engine and road-gripping suspension under its family-friendly fenders.

With such diversity to choose from, fun-loving drivers can find themselves in a pleasant quandary when deciding what to buy. Should they opt for a dashing convertible when they could have just as much driving fun in a sports sedan that also offers a usable rear seat?

That decision is often compounded by the expensive, impractical nature of traditional two-seat sports cars. Their minimal seating and lack of storage space means the thoroughbred sports cars are tough to justify in single-car households. Such limited use excludes them as everyday cars for regular working folk. As a result, the sports car market often drifts very upscale — think Aston Martin or Porsche.

But the rich needn’t have all the fun. For $35,000 there are a handful of capable traditional sports cars and a wider selection of performance-oriented coupes and even sedans. We’ve gathered 10 of the best of these sub-$35,000 sportsters for your review.

Our criteria value convertible tops, sharp handling, strong performance and rear-wheel drive, but are not blind to other possibilities as long as the intent is grin-inducing driving. Enjoy!

Read More...

Toyota Motor Corporation has set 2.05 million yen starting price ($20,750) in Japan for its third-generation, 2010 Toyota Prius, putting it on par with the newly released Honda Insight, according to Automotive News. That's considerably less than originally planned and could signal an upcoming price war when the car goes on sale in the U.S. on May 18th.

Originally, Toyota's revised Prius was expected to fall in around the $24,000 range, which is roughly what the current model with a similar amount of equipment costs. The report said that a newer, cheaper Prius would prove a tough rival to the Insight, as the Prius gets better mileage, is faster, and is also larger and has more room inside.

The U.S. car market is the biggest and most competitive on the planet. Still, there are several wild, exciting and unique vehicles that cannot be bought here, no matter how much money you are willing to lay down. Many of these rolling wonders are designed and built by tiny boutique automakers that cannot or simply will not shell out the millions of dollars needed to certify their creations for sale in the New World. Others are so radical in design and purpose that they just wouldn't conform to the various U.S. safety and regulatory standards. And a few more are so exclusive and built in such small numbers that they are all spoken for before even rumors of their possible existence reach American ears. Have we piqued your interest yet? Well, here are 10 of the coolest cars you can't get here in the States. As you'll see, they are sexy, powerful and very desirable. Welcome to the world of the unobtainable.

Continue...

Cheap car rental seems to be the way forward as more and more of us start feeling what the clever people in Wall Street are calling, ‘the credit crunch’. Times are tough and although most of us feel the need to scale down on needless expenditures, when holiday times roll around we still get that itchy feeling that seems to scream, “It’s time to hit the road buddy!”

The good news is that whether you are looking for car rental in Cape Town to explore the sights or heading on a road trip with some friends, there are cars hire options that won’t end up costing you bits of vital anatomy. All you have to do is set aside those niggling illusions of grandeur and settle for a car that will get you where you want to be without costing the earth. Okay, chances are you won’t have the girls on Camps Bay beach waving their Jimmy Choos in your face, but that’s overrated anyway.

Let’s discuss some of the car rental options that will best suit a strained budget over this festive season.

1. Opel Corsa 1.2 LThis sturdy little guy has a decidedly youthful appearance and simple handling capability, which explains why it is the cheap car rental of choice for so many twenty-something’s. It also boasts very conservative fuel consumption and various little extra’s that should make your trip a more comfortable one (including folding rear seats, air-conditioning, cup holders and remotely adjustable side mirrors). To rent the Opel Corsa for a week will set you back around R1400, which is not too bad all things considered.

2. VW City GolfYou can hardly throw a rock in any direction in the Mother City without hitting a loved-up Golf, and for good reason. As the entry-level Volkswagen vehicle, this little car has a lot going for it. The legendary Volkswagen design has culminated in a cheap, practical ride that can be easily repaired at nominal cost should anything ever go wrong (which it hardly ever does).

Since the dashboard has been redesigned, the VW Golf has gained a lot of points in the looks department and there is a lot to be said for a vehicle that gives you approximately 14 kilometres to the litre even if you have a trigger-happy driving foot. Renting a VW Golf for a week costs around R1600.

3. Nissan Tiida 1.6LEasy to drive and practical to the core, the Nissan Tiida is known worldwide as a ‘best performance for value’ vehicle. As a car rental, you couldn’t ask for a more sensible ride. Power steering, drivetrain enhancements and sleek exterior design combine to create a vehicle that is as much a pleasure to look at as it is to drive. Sit back in air-conditioned luxury as you view all that Cape Town has to offer from the comfort of your Nissan Tiida. If you plan to rent the Nissan Tiida 1.6L for a week, you should budget for around R2500.

These are just a few of the affordable car hire options available on the market today. If you are interested in inexpensive car rental in South Africa there are many ways to go about it. Flick through the Yellow Pages and see what pops up or go the more technologically savvy route and see what Google recommends. Just make sure to do your homework properly. Reputable car rental agencies have a certain look and feel to their websites and ad campaigns. If something looks and feels dodgy, it probably is. Rather play it safe and ensure that your cheap car rental experience is a pleasant one.

Many people rent cars for vacations, business trips, temporary replacement for a car in the shop, or even for use a few days a week when public transportation is otherwise used. A lot of companies rent out autos. One with a big marketing budget is Budget. So many people consider a budget car rental. Lowest price is associated with the name. It's not true, but it's a good marketing technique.

Renting cars is only one of Budget's lines. When people need to carry a big load, they also turn to Budget for a truck. Comfort and style are key to Budget trucks. In fact luxuries like automatic transmission, air conditioning, power brakes and power steering helped set them apart from other truck rentals. That's quite a deal compared to stiff transmissions, hot interiors and loud rides. Also there's another benefit to choosing a Budget rental truck. The interior has no bulge for a wheel well. That means more cargo and ability to shift it around. Budget even sells the trucks when their time in the rental fleet is complete. So Budget trucks have yet another benefit. They're in great condition and often newer models. Nobody wants a break down on moving day.

In some parts of the country, such as New York City, people find it inconvenient to own a car. Good public transportation can be a major factor. A car is sometimes necessary, however. When the load is too much to carry on a bus, that's one time. It could also be they just want a drive.

This calls for a rental car. Budget has cars that rent for about $160 a week, a real bargain. Even a weekly rental for a weekend can be a much better value than owning a vehicle. With the price of parking, maintenance, insurance and registration, it ends up cheaper to rent on occasion.

Some people don't own an automobile. Even in America it's a fact. There are also people who have a car but travel to different cities where they'll need a car. That's when rental cars become important. When people think of renting a car they think of Enterprise. That's because Enterprise car rentals are not overly pricey, they're generally in good shape, and Enterprise will even pick up the renter from home, from the office, or from the airport.

Enterprise has many locations all over the nation. Compact cars, full size cars, sedans and coups are all there for the taking. In some locations there are even convertible sports cars available. Why not take advantage of the sun and weather especially when it can be expensed? They even have cheap rates. $300 for the week is a real bargain for a car. Throw this into the spreadsheet.

Take the bus or train to work each day. Use the low weekend rates to rent an auto for running around town. For about $60 a week all the car needs are fulfilled. That's under $3500 a year which is far less than most car owners spend on the car purchase, insurance, maintenance, storage, cleaning, registration and other expenses associated with a car.

Enterprise also offers fleet management services to small businesses. Many businesses use cars for employee travel. A fleet of autos can be a nightmare to track. A manager must find the cars, buy them, maintain them and insure them. When a car becomes too worn for use it must be replaced. Businesses want to spend time on their core functions rather than on cars. Enterprise to the rescue.

Enterprise even sells cars that have ended their life in rental fleets. One top feature of Enterprise used cars is they are well maintained. That's not in sync with the stereotype of a hard used rental car. Enterprise imposes penalties to motivate customers to treat the cars well. Also, they are maintained according to manufacturer specifications. Dealers generally have used cars that were privately owned and not well maintained.

What are you driving right now? Are your hands wrapped around the steering wheel of a luxury car rental? If not, why not? Classic and exotic car hire is where the proverbial ‘at’ is right now and the diminishing economy [yes, I realise we are all tired of hearing about this] is very much to thank for the resurgence of this once unpopular business model.

Picture yourself roaring around the corners and slipstreaming through the tail-ends of other vehicles in your bright-orange Murcielago. You pull up on the handbrake and time slows down as your drift, effortlessly into the next curve of the road. As you sink into the plush leather seating, you feel as if you are as much a part of the car as the engine itself. All this power can be yours for only 2000 Euros or 3000 Dollars per day.

Welcome to the crazy world of exotic, luxury car rentals or rarefied rental exotica. Whatever you choose to call it, it’s worth your while. This is a highly competitive market and is well worth in excess of twenty billion dollars per year. Not everyone is allowed a piece of this delicious pie, but if you have the money, there is a great chance that you could be riding the highways in your lightning-fast chariot.

Luxury car rental outlets tend to price their rentals as such: One percent of the total car price equates to a day’s rental for said vehicle. Therefore the latest Ferrari which retails for roughly a million to a million and a half dollars can will set you back 1000 to 1,500 dollars per day. Quite the bargain when you consider what the alternatives are.

For most, a rental car gets you from one point to the next. Yet for big, upper-echelon car rental firms in Germany, these sort of rentals occur on a daily basis. The car market in Germany is unlike what other areas of the world are used to. Every citizen has that essential need for speed and it is this thirst for automotive passion that compels luxury car hire firms, to rent only the best the world has to offer. Every gadget you could ever wish for are in these beauties. GPS, MP3 Audio, true surround sound and voice-guided navigation all come standard in these formidable automobiles. For example, luxury car rental in South Africa consider these options an extravagance just by having them in a standard four-door GTI.

The top car reservation firms act not unlike a fully-fledged bespoke service. Your every need will be catered for, as soon as your credit card checks out that is. You will not have to wade through queues to rent these, nor will you have to drop the car off once your journey is complete. Many also offer a 24-hour reservation line, letting your rent at anytime of the day. Those at the top of the food chain do not keep normal hours.

Many of these rentals actually come in the form of a high-end gift certificate. Consider that, instead of a vacation to Europe or a top end Plasma TV, you could rather give your loved one a virtual Lotus Spyder voucher or a weekend pass in the latest Porsche. Another fact to consider, most car rental establishments do not loan their beauties out for a test drive, the only way to experience the true pleasure of a supercar, would be to rent it out first.

Over the festive season and new years, treat yourself to a well deserved break behind the wheel of an exotic car hire. There are a million reasons why you should not, but only one reason why you should. You deserve it.

In today’s world of competitive marketing and cutthroat competition, a customer can’t really predict whether the deal he/she is closing will benefit her or not, most of the time most, consumers, just go on with the deal just to avoid all the hassle of inquiring for more economic alternatives, or discounts. This also applies to car rentals, nowadays, it’s hard to call anything a cheap car rental, with the inflation rate of products, continuing gas price increase it’s hard to keep product prices down.

Here are a few tips to keep your car rentals cheap, even if every other factor is making it expensive.

1. Reserve your cheap car rental internet sites instead of over the counter ones. Internet sites, offer internet only discounts which could very beneficial for you, cheap car rentals can be achieved by being witty, put discounts like these to your advantage and you’re sure to save a lot.

2. One way to get cheap car rentals is to try to get the most out of your rental. Most car rentals require you to fill the tank when you return it, so on your way to returning the rented car, fill it up with the cheapest type of gas you could find, you’ll save more than when they make you pay for the gas at an inflated rate.

3. If you can, always rent at only one Car Company, companies give you cheap car rentals for frequently renting their cars, discounts, coupons and sometimes even miles.

4. Ask the car rentals if you can exchange your flyers miles for car rental miles. This is especially useful when your flyer’s miles is about to expire, instead of just letting it go to waste, get a cheap car rental for it.

5. For a cheap car rental, try to make reservations as early as possible, car rental; companies give discounts for customers who reserve early.

6. To get your rental cheaper, pick up your car early in the morning, just as the shop is opening, so that there will be a shortage on the cheap car rentals, at this point, the renters may give you a free or a marked down upgrade.

7. Look for packages like hotels and rental packages or if you want a cheaper car rental find a package that includes air fare, car rental and hotel stay, these packages give you great discounts on all three, so if you’re planning to do all, I suggest you get a package deal to get the most out of your money.

8. To get a cheap car rental at your own, price, find rent-at-your-own-price internet sites that look for the best possible deal with the budget that you’ve given them, but be careful with this, review the company’s history first before you get into it, or make sure that there are no other cheaper means before you close the deal, remember, once you make a reservation, you can’t cancel it.

9. If you’re going to use the car for more than five days try to find weekly rates from car rentals, with weekly rates, the sixth and seventh day are almost always discounted, so look for this when you’re out for a cheap car rental.

10. Instead of picking up your rental at the airport, save money by picking it up at the shop, this will reduce airport surcharges.

Car loans are turning out to be as the main lender of capital to people who want to buy cars but are short of funds. Usually now days with advent of loan marketing, loans are provided on spot to the customers who want to purchase a car, and it depends upon the customer to take or choose the different offers that are being offered to them by the loan companies.

As the cars are being offered from the showroom or the shop, the rates and the rules of the loan meted out usually remains the same and very low, so as to attract and lure more and more customers towards their loan scheme, because there are companies waiting to have a go at the customers and if the loan rates of the scheme meted out is higher then obviously the customers would go for the other loan giving companies who give out loan at a much lower rate.

But this is not the case with the car loans that are given out for used cars. The rates that are charged by the loan giving companies usually differ from each other as it is on the discretion of the loan giving companies.

Therefore, it is advised that before taking or choosing a loan, the customer should make proper research of the rates that are prevailing in the market. He or she should not jump at once to grab a loan if the rate offered is low. There are bound to be companies which offer better rates. The customer should go through all the schemes and then apply for a used car loan that suits him the best. And if no loan suits his interest then he can always go back to the first loan that was offered to him at a low rate of interest.

A customer can register online or can go and directly collect the forms. The person should however compare the loan rate that is being offered to him. The customer can search online for the prevailing market loan rates; or rather collect the rates directly from a local lender. This way he will have an idea of the lowest rate offered. Before taking up a loan however, the customer should also take into consideration, the number of months for repayment.

There are online lenders who usually offer used car loans at a very low rate of interest, which comparatively is even lower than the rates that are usually offered by the banks. And moreover usually banks reject the applications of car loans, if it is for a used car.

Thus we see that a customer should make a complete research regarding the rates offered, to pick up the best offer.

Although most people have been turning to the internet for purchasing everything from CDs and clothes to books and furniture for a long time now, not many people seemed to prefer purchasing a car online. But the situation is fast changing. More and more people are now turning to online sources not just to compare car prices, but also to actually make a purchase. Whether you are planning on purchasing a brand new car or a used car, there are plenty of online automotive sites that offer reasonable new car prices and amazingly low used car prices. As a result, you can save thousands of dollars if you opt for car shopping online.


Online Car Purchase
Most people go in for online purchases due to the attractive car quotes. Most automotive sites offer access to huge databases of cars across the United States. That means you have the convenience of browsing through various sites and car categories from the comfort of your home. However, the downside of purchasing new or used cars online is that you do not get a chance to thoroughly inspect the car before confirming the purchase.


Things to Watch Out For



Before going in for an online car purchase, use this checklist to ensure a safe and good buy.


* Reputation of the site: Ensure safety by checking if the site is reputable and if it has been around for some time. Do not believe the new car price quote you receive out of the blue from a new site it is likely to be a scam.


* Location: Take note of the areas where the cars are delivered throughout the United States. If you are from Maine, avoid a site that requires you to collect the car from Texas. Remember that most online dealers add the shipping charges to the car quote if you live far from their car delivery locations.


* Compare car prices: Always compare the car quote you receive with ones on other sites, newspaper ads or car showrooms.


* Request for the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) of the used car: If you are looking to buy a used car, the VIN allows you to get a detailed report of the car history. You thus get to know everything related to the car if it has ever been involved in an accident, if its odometer is showing the exact mileage of the car, number of cylinders, its engine type, etc.


* Get everything in writing: Ask the dealer to provide you a detailed report of the car specifications and new car price quote in writing. This way, even if you find faults in the car after purchase, you will have sufficient evidence to make a complaint.


* Take along an expert: Before taking delivery of the car, let an expert or a mechanic do a simple inspection.


Reliable car dealer sites offer you plenty of new cars with exciting car quotes. These sites also offer used cars in good condition and cheap used car prices. Even if you are dealing with an established, online dealer, observe how good their customer service section is. With a bit of browsing around, you can easily find good dealers known for competitive car prices, impeccable service and satisfactory customer support. Get started right away, your dream car is probably just a few clicks away!

Here are the top 10 fuel-efficient vehicles for 2009, based on EPA fuel economy data for combined city and highway driving:

Vehicle	City/Hwy/Combined
1. Toyota Prius	48/45/46
2. Honda Civic Hybrid	40/45/42
3. smart fortwo	33/41/36
4. Volkswagen Jetta Sedan/Jetta SportWagen	30/41/34
5. Toyota Camry Hybrid	33/34/34
6. Nissan Altima Hybrid	35/33/34
7. MINI Cooper/Cooper Clubman	28/37/32
8. Toyota Yaris	29/36/32
9. Ford Escape Hybrid/Mercury Mariner Hybrid/Mazda Tribute Hybrid (tie)	34/31/32
10. Honda Fit	28/35/31

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Record high gas prices make many people change their habits. Maybe for years you were used to drive your SUV and never felt the pain at the gas pump. You drove over 40 miles one way to work and it felt normal, but now with hundreds of dollars spent per month on gas alone you don’t see it that normal anymore. So if so far you never thought of ways to save money on gas perhaps now is the best time to do it.

Here are some practical tips on how you can save money at the pump:

1) Carpool- If you are driving a lot of miles every day to and from work, there is probably somebody in your area or within short distance that does the same thing. There are quite a few websites out there where you can post free ads looking for people that are willing to carpool in your route. One generic side would be the well known craigslist.com and a more specific site for this is erideshare.com. It might take you a few weeks or months to find the right person to ride with, but it’s definitely worth it. You will pretty much cut you gas expenses in half. So what would you say if you would see $2.00 / gallon gas. I am sure you will be pretty excited. So go ahead make the decision and start looking for a carpool partner.

2) Move closer to work-I know it is easier said than done. In today’s economy we are hit not only buy the high gas prices but also by a very, very slow real estate market. It is not that easy to sell you home anymore. I admit that this solution is a better fit for people who are renting. If you are not caught up in a long term contract do whatever possible to find a place to live close to your workplace. There are rumors that the gas prices are only going to go up, so the less you drive the better off you are.

3) Buy a car that gives more miles per gallon. Be ready to give up a little comfort. You might not have that spacious car but for sure a small little car will keep you away from the gas pump for a longer period of time. If you want to check the miles per gallon average numbers you can check it out at www.mpgbuddy.com.

4) Use the public transportation – Depending on what city you live in and where you go to work, there is probably a public transportation system that you could use. If you plan on doing this, as a method to save money on gas you have to be very organized. You got to know the bus schedule, wake up earlier than you use to and allow a lot more time to get to and from work.

I think that almost every single American is affected by the high gas prices, but not everyone is ready to take some of the drastic measure that I mentioned above. You don’t have to , but unless you are a millionaire I am pretty sure that you have to make some changes to your daily habits so that you can keep your budget under control.

As you may heave heard on TV and the Internet, water fuel technology is taking off due to the increased price of gasoline. Thousands of people have successfully built and installed water fuel systems in their cars, trucks, and SUVs over the past year, some with truly amazing resultsThere are even water fuel expos and conventions around the country where enthusiasts show off their water-powered cars and trucks, and give tips to folks just getting started.

Recently, there have been a number of guides published that show you how to build a system and convert you own vehicle to run on water. While the science is sound, many of these "plans" are poorly-written and difficult to understand. Based on our review of twelve products, only two appeared to be written by people who have actually used the technology on their own vehicle.
These two guides give you full details, installation photographs, step-by-step instructions, and are written by experienced people who actually install water fuel systems for a living. You'll get a parts list and sources for the materials, which cost between $75 and $150.

In general, water fuel systems, or HHO conversion kits as they are sometimes called, are easy to install and the materials are available at the hardware store or online. Follow the simple step by step instructions and you can have your system up and running in a few hours.

A big question many people have is whether they should buy a pre-made kit or build one themselves, and the answer has a lot to do with your mechanical ability.

-*- Buying a pre-made kit from a vendor means you get a self contained unit that's ready to install out of the box. You know it's put together properly and has been tested before shipping. However, these kits cost up to $500.

-*- Making your own kit saves you money, and gets you familiar with the technology, but a few of the parts need to be positioned very carefully to be effective. You may find building your own system takes more time since it'll need to be tested and tweaked.

This wave of alternative fuel sources will only grow as gas becomes more expensive, and people discover more efficient ways of getting from one place to another.

How can I achieve better gas mileage? With the price of gas well over $4 these days, this is a question that is on most peoples mind today. Everyone is feeling the price pain at the gas pump, and it can be difficult for many people to fill up their tank with gas prices so high. More than ever before people are beginning to ask how to get better gas mileage, and thankfully, there are some things that can be done to enhance the mileage that you get out of your gas.

Try Using Your Cruise Control More. One thing that you can do to help get better gas mileage is to try using your cruise control a bit more. Since using the cruise control can help you keep at a steady speed, it can help with getting better gas mileage. However, this only works when you are driving on roads that are primarily flat. If you're going to be driving on roads that are fairly flat, then using the cruise is a great idea that will help you to save at the pump.

Clean Your Car. Believe it or not, keeping your car clean on the outside can improve your fuel economy as well. You should make sure that you keep your car washed and waxed. Doing this on a regular basis actually helps to improve the aerodynamics of your car, which will affect the fuel mileage you get on your vehicle. This in fact, is so important that it can actually improve your fuel economy by about 7%, which is a substantial savings.

Avoid Idling as Much as Possible. Idling can really start killing your gas mileage, so you'll want to avoid it as much as possible. You're using fuel when you are idling but you aren't even moving. This means you're actually getting 0 mpg at this time. When you let your car continually run when you're waiting on someone in the store or even sitting at a drive through, you are actually wasting your gas. You'll be better off to turn off your car and then restart it instead of letting it idle so much.

Don't Run the Air if You Don't Have To. If you don't absolutely have to, avoid running the air conditioning as well. However, at some times it can be better to keep the air running. Usually if you are out on the highway traveling fast, it's better to keep the windows shut and run the air conditioning; however, if you're driving at slower speeds around town, you'll save by keeping the windows down.

The first things to always remember in order to avoid being involved in an accident are also the most obvious. Following traffic rules and the Highway Code may seem like common sense but they are often disregarded by, not only drivers, but pedestrians also; thus causing more accidents. Wearing a seatbelt is another law that many drivers choose to ignore, even though many injuries that have occurred due to not buckling up could have been avoided, including some fatalities.

Every driver should also have defensive driving on their mind when they get behind the wheel. However, just because you’re a careful driver, you never know when you’re, quite literally, going to run into a reckless one. While driving, being on the defensive at all times can help you avoid accidents and stay one step ahead of other road users due to you having more time to react. Additionally, being a courteous driver is a sure-fire way to lessen the chances of a traffic accident. While this may seem like a lesson in good conduct and manners, being courteous is not a virtue possessed by many drivers but is essential in keeping yourself and others safe on the roads.

Many drivers also ignore the repeated warnings of the dangers of drinking and driving - an ignorance that has caused thousands of deaths on roads across the country. Some people argue over the amount of alcohol you can drink before being classed as drunk. However, the safest way to avoid being caught drink-driving or causing harm to someone else is to simply not drink alcohol at all when you know you will be driving.

On a similar note, driving requires a great deal of concentration and, because of this, having a discussion on your mobile phone is incredibly irresponsible while you’re out on the road. Many countries have enacted laws prohibiting the use of phones while driving and penalising drivers who continue to do so, due to a large amount of drivers seemingly unwilling to pull over for a couple of minutes to take their call - not realising that those couple of minutes could potentially save lives.

One final point is to always keep an adequate distance between your vehicle and the one in front of you. You may be in a rush and planning to overtake the driver in front, but always stay at a safe distance as you never know when a driver in front of you may lose control or suffer a breakdown. Changing radio stations or CDs while driving should also be avoided for this very reason; taking your eyes off the road even for a second can easily lead to a traffic accident.

Taking these tips on board and generally keeping your wits about you while driving is sure to help you decrease the chances of being involved in an accident and keep your fellow road users safe while driving.

These days purchasing a used car is certainly a good option, both practically and economically. You can find many varieties of used car available in market to check out. Another advantage is that you can get a new model and get rid of your old one. One more reason could be is that in case someone has bought a new car may have end up in financial mess, so could go with selling a car and buying a used one. Whatever could be the reason purchasing a used car eventually benefits the users.

In fact a new car is generally considered as a fresh car if it is a year old. Such cars you can find it at amazing discounts of 20 to 40 % from the present market price. So here you are not only getting a new car, but you are as well saving much financially. This does not mean that 2 year old car is worst; it is just that you need to check it and if the used car expert advise taken then buying any old car could be really beneficial. On the other hand, you must be ready to face certain limitations when buying used car. Your financial charges could be little high when compare to the new car. Yet it is a good decision to go with used car and you would save high considerably.

Negotiation Tips for Used Car
Know while talking to a used car salesman or a seller you need to control your emotions. Do not go hyper, so no wows and no oh’s. At the same time do not express any disappointment or any fury in any kind. Just learn to play it with deadpan and accurate. Below given are few examples of the conversation you might have to come across.

1- If the salesman asks you to see the car and then have a talk on the price then you must carry on talking and attempt to make the salesman quote a cost. This way you could work out if the salesman is strong-minded about the value of the car or not.

2- In case the salesman states that the price is not to be discussed or is somewhat flexible. You should make him realize that you are a serious buyer and does not desire to squander the salesman’s time in addition to his time. Further you must stress that you are interested in little lesser price and this would offer a thought on how negotiable the salesman is.

3- If you feel that the used car is apt for you, but the value is little high, then you could leave your contact number with the salesman, requesting him to contact you back in case the seller lessens the price.

Fed up with paying too much for gas for your car? I can't say I blame you considering the massive rise in fuel prices. Well it's obvious that the price of gas isn't ever going to be cheap again. So what can you do to save money on filling up your tank? Is getting a second job the only option to make sure you can afford gas for your car?

One option is to form a carpool. Trouble is that would need a lot of scheduling and coordination with other people. Hopefully, you are good at math because you'll have to work out how much each person will have to pay for gas. You'll also have to make sure that every car in the carpool is in good working condition. Otherwise, you could be putting yourself or the other passengers at risk.

I suppose you could trade down to a smaller car and sacrifice style, size, and reputation. But who wants to drive around in a nondescript little car when they could be driving a smart SUV? Although there are plenty of options for saving gas, there's one that makes a lot more sense than all of the others. Buy a hybrid car. The question is, does a hybrid car really save you money?
There are reasons why the hybrid car will save you money and reasons why it doesn't. The hybrid car could save you a few dollars a day and thousands per year on gas. However, if you're the sort of person who is not into keeping tabs on how much you spend per week driving to and fro from work, you might not be able to truly appreciate how much money a hybrid car will save you at the gas pump.

We've all heard about the people who buy a hybrid car, just to save money on gas and luckily it turns out that they do save a whole lot.

But then there are the stories of people who buy a hybrid car, but they actually end up saving very little. Maybe it's because some of these people may be highway drivers as opposed to local commuters. A hybrid car repowers its battery by stopping. So if you are a highway driver, you might not appreciate how much money you save with a hybrid car.

Many people say that whether you experience big savings by purchasing a hybrid car has to do with a lot more than most people think. And it really does. Some people who are stay-at-home moms for instance, don't even consider that it might not make a difference whether they own a hybrid car or not. Really, they just don't go too many places.

But does a hybrid car really save you money? In most cases, but you need to compare your current spending before you buy a hybrid car and after you buy the hybrid car. Only then you will see if you have saved anything. If you don't keep a record of your car useage and cost, you won't know if buying a hybrid car was a worthwhile investment or not.

Hydrogen fuel-cell cars eventually will eliminate U.S. dependence on foreign oil. With a fuel cell, hydrogen produces electricity to propel vehicles. No gasoline, no emissions.

But automakers say it could be 10 years or more before they can produce hydrogen-powered vehicles for the masses. A company called United Nuclear says it can speed the process. It sent an e-mail stating that it will produce hydrogen conversion kits for "individual owners to adapt their gasoline internal combustion engine vehicles to burn hydrogen."

So are they living a pipe dream by promoting a kit that can help you make homemade hydrogen fuel cells? Absolutely not. However, what we can say is that it has taken years and years for experts to perfect the process of producing hydrogen fuel cells, so making a homemade product probably isn’t going to be as good as a professionally produced version.

However, as disturbing as it might be, it certainly is possible.

The purpose of this article isn’t meant to teach you how to make a homemade hydrogen fuel cell. That would take much more space than what we have available.

If you want to convert your vehicle to run on hydrogen fuel cells, you really should try to make a homemade unit. It is definitely a great move to switch to a hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicle. After all, it has zero chemical emissions giving out only water vapor which is environmentally friendly.

However, if you want to try, our only advice is to do so only after doing extensive research. Know what you are doing when making a homemade hydrogen fuel cell and then proceed with caution. If you get hung up, leave it to the experts.