Just because electric cars are getting a lot of attention right now, though, doesn’t mean that that they will ever become ubiquitous on American roads. So, are today’s electric models a novelty or a sign of things to come?

Electric Cars Might Produce Less Environmental Damage… Maybe, Sort Of

The surge in electric car popularity could be connected to concerns about how much damage the oil industry does to our planet. The belief that electric cars don’t damage the environment in a very serious way, however, could be uninformed.

Electric cars are powered by electricity. That’s pretty obvious. What isn’t obvious to a lot of people, however, is how electricity is made. Many power plants burn coal to generate electricity. When the coal is burned, it releases tons of damaging materials into the air, including carbon. This isn’t the only way that coal hurts the environment. The coal industry has few qualms with tearing apart entire mountains just to get at the coal inside. That destroys precious ecosystems. Take a drive through Appalachia and you’ll find that coal causes just as many problems as oil.

Even power stations that use water to generate electricity cause some serious problems. Hydro power stations kill fish, plants, and other life in the waterways. It probably has a smaller impact than either coal or oil, but we can’t pretend that it’s harmless.

The question of whether the electric car has a future in America, therefore, could become a matter of anger trends. Currently, people are fired up about the oil industry. Perhaps that’s because they have lived with the coal companies for so long that they’ve grown used to that particular set of problems. If oil becomes less important as a fuel, then the next couple of decades could force people to pay more attention to the damages caused by electricity production. What happens then?

While people debate about whether we can afford to create a new infrastructure that will power electric cars, we need to seriously wonder whether we can make a long term commitment to this technology. There are pitfalls that could force us to reconsider the wisdom of electricity within a few decades just as we currently consider the wisdom of gas-fueled motors.

My thinking could also stem from a financial perspective. Meaning, I just can’t afford to buy new.

As the auto industry shifts, though, it’s starting to look more and more acceptable to purchase new cars instead of used ones. Not that it matters much. Most of us will still continue to buy used vehicles just because they are a bit cheaper.

How much cheaper used cars are, though, is up for debate.

Used Car Prices Have Jumped in the Past Year

If you’re in the market for a three-year-old car, then you’re going to spend more this year than ever. That’s because the prices of used cars have jumped significantly over the past year. According to Edmunds, three-year-old cars purchased in Sept 2010 were almost $1,500 higher than those purchased in Sept 2009. If you’re looking at luxury cars, then you might even end up spending 20 percent more this year than you would have last year.

Why the sudden price increase?

It’s largely a matter of demand. The recession has caused a lot of people to reconsider the ways that they spend money. One easy place to cut back was on car purchases. Those of us who can only afford used vehicles have simply stuck it out with our old cars. Those who would typically buy new cars, though, have turned to certified pre-owned programs to save some cash.

Now that the economy is starting to recover, more people are out there buying used cars. It seems that some of the people who would typically buy new cars have learned that the used ones are just as good. They’re not planning on going back to the higher prices of new cars any time soon.

That means there’s a higher demand for used vehicles. Which means that used vehicles are more expensive now than they have ever been.

As used cars become increasingly expensive, though, it might start to make more sense to buy a new one.

The High Price of Financing

Some used car buyers are not only finding out that they might as well consider new models, but also that the financing options for used cars make the price difference even smaller. New cars typically come with better financing options that used ones. It’s not rare to find very low interest loans for new cars. When it comes to used ones, though, you usually pay a few interest points higher.

These considerations are encouraging some people to think about buying new. As those people head over to the dealership, though, it is likely that the price of used vehicles will slowly start to fall again as demand lowers. give it a couple of years and things will probably be back to normal. If you’re looking to buy a car now, though, then you should at least consider buying a new one. You might find that the price difference isn’t as big as you thought.

There are a number of car hire agencies located in the city of your residence or the place you are required to visit. Hiring a car for a day can best be called as convenient as it leaves you in full control of your schedule. You do not have to any timing that are scheduled by public transport authorities, leaving you free to move around without any hassles. You will be required to complete certain formalities with the car hire company before you are able to drive away on your own.

Requirements – Car hire agencies will request that you provide them with a copy of your driver’s license and sign certain documents pertaining to the term of hire, rate charged, mileage etc. They will also require that you give them a credit or debit card mandate for any charges accumulated towards the car. The formalities, once completed will give you access to the car of your choice.

Find the right price – Car hire is not as expensive as it is thought to be. In fact, if you are planning a trip to a certain destination, you should be able to book a car well in advance. Your travel agent should be able to assist you in this matter. You would however do well by conducting some research online as you could possibly get better prices. Most car rental agencies have offers that are valid in certain months of the year. Others may have offers for a day as well. If the timing of your trip coincides with these offers, you could be in line for some savings on the rental charges.Hiring a car at any time will not be a problem as long as you have the requisite documents. You must however when you rent a car for a day ensure that you drive the car carefully and return it in the condition it was given to you.

Get the Cheapest Car Rental Deals

When renting a car for a day or other periods of time, it is very important to find the right deals to save as much money on the car rental as possible.

From 22″ wheels to specialized body kits, KAHN introduces a new luxury style to the Land Rover Brand. For those of you that attended the Los Angeles Car Show in November, you may have remembered seeing the 12 special edition European imports from Platinum Motorsports. Including the 2010 KAHN Range Rover Sport. Equipped with all the specialized accessories, the KAHN Range Rover was definitely a showstopper.

Here’s a quick excerpt from their Press Release:

Based in Houston, Texas, Kahn North America’s centralized location will allow distribution to all of our dealers in a timely and efficient manner. Our premier line of products include body kits, leather interiors, steering wheels, gauges, pedals, exhaust pipes, carbon fiber accessories and 22” wheels.

We decided to do our own review of the Smart Car and here’s what we came up with:

1) Plenty of room for two passengers and two bags of groceries inside, but not much more.
2) Getting in and out is easy, the doors are very large and there’s nothing to step over to climb inside.
3) Manual mirror adjustments via little knobs, one on each side of the car; fortunately even a short person can reach across and adjust the passenger mirror.
4) The tailgate includes a small built-in and fairly hidden space for storing jumper cables or large books or perhaps a stack of newspapers.
5) The car is zippy and has good pickup, though the automatic shifting is very abrupt under load.
6) Road noise is acceptable; it certainly isn’t a luxury car, but it isn’t much worse than a Camry or something similar.
7) The stereo is OK, though Smart Cars do not come stock with air-moving bass units.
8) On the highway it is easy enough to keep up with traffic, but you definitely know you’re in a small car with a short wheelbase; it feels a little skittish but never out of control.
9) People around you are very amused by it.

So in the end, we found that Smart Cars aren’t necessarily as annoying as some people make them out to be. Yes, you probably won’t survive a four car pile-up on the highway, but at least you’re saving a couple thousand dollars a year on gas!

There’s really no way to tell if Smart Cars are actually that smart, but one thing is for sure. If you’re able to drive it the right way and customize the vehicle to your liking, you’re smart in our book.

Tow trucks are used from everything to pulling people with flats, yanking someone out of a ditch, or hauling away a smashed up car from the scene of an accident. They’ve come a long way in their evolution, there’s no doubt about that. The two truck of yesteryear is not the tow truck of today; at least in most cases it’s not. How do you know which one is pulling your vehicle away? Well, the best way is to be informed. There are three main types of tow trucks in use today, so let’s go to school, shall we?

Hook and Chain: The oldest of the old. These are your grandfather’s tow trucks. They aren’t in use today as much as they once were, but you can still find them around in some places. You know the type. A hook is place on the front or rear axel of your car, with a chain leading to the tow truck. It pulls your car to the garage and presto, you’re home free – or are you? The reason hook and chain tow trucks aren’t used much anymore is because they were found to cause damage or scratches. In other words, they did more harm than good to the vehicle. No one wants to pay for a replacement tire only to find out that his or her axel is bent to hell. Thus, the hook and chain tow truck has pretty much gone the way of the dodo bird.

Wheel-Lift: Similar to a hook and chain tow truck, wheel-lift tow trucks use a metal yoke rather than a chain. The yoke is hooked under the front or rear tires, and a hydraulic lift or pneumatic hoist lifts the vehicle off the ground to be towed. These are the most common tow trucks in existence today. They don’t scratch the vehicles frame, or cause damage to the axel. Safer and more reliable than hook and chain tow trucks, if you get in an accident, this is probably the type of tow truck that is going to come to your rescue.

Flatbed: Otherwise known as a rollback tow truck, flatbeds contain a large empty bed in the back of the truck. With the use of hydraulics, this bed can be inclined to form a ramp. The damaged car or truck can then either be driven onto the bed, or a winch can be attached to it to pull it onto the flatbed. The hydraulics then level the bed out and the vehicle is secure. These types of tow trucks are typically used when there’s been a serious crash and the vehicle cannot be towed away with a hook and chain or wheel-lift. Likewise, they are also used to haul damaged vehicles long distances. They are safe and reliable because there is no pressure placed on the vehicle, but rather the flatbed handles all the stress.

Now that you know a little more about the three different types of tow trucks, let’s look briefly at who uses them.

While big companies sometimes use tow trucks, they are more typically owned by independent firms who make a profit off of towing your vehicle. You know the type, right? Bob’s Wheelies, Frank’s Towing, or Dale’s Repair and Maintenance. These are tow trucks that are either privately owned, or small companies that may contain a fleet of two or three trucks. There are also government owned tow trucks, if you ca believe that. These are used to patrol toll roads and highways for vehicles that may need to be moved. Yes, that is your tax dollars at work, and why not? A stranded vehicle is unsafe to other drivers, especially at night or in a storm. No one wants to rear-end a parked vehicle that has been sitting there because no one wants to tow it.

There you have it, you’re a little more educated on tow trucks. Now the next time you’re in an accident or get a flat tire (God forbid), you’ll be able to get a better grip on the situation by knowing the type of truck that is towing your vehicle away. Not only that, but you’ll sound smarter to the tow truck driver. “What do you got there, a wheel-lift?” you can ask him. You like to sound smart, don’t you?

For example, TireRack.com has a whole list of tire coupons to choose from. A quick glance at their website’s special offers section shows about $500 worth of coupons, and that’s just on the front page. Dig a bit deeper and you’ll find even more tire coupons to suit your needs. Granted, a lot of these coupons are mail-in rebate offers, so be prepared to shell out the full amount for those tires in advance, but once you do, getting $80 back in the mail doesn’t seem like a bad deal. Snow tires can get expensive, you know.

There’s also RetailMeNot.com. A website specifically dedicated to saving you money with coupons, and yes, tire coupons are included. Looking at their tire section shows an entire wealth of saving available to you the consumer. Again, some of these are mail-in rebate offers but many of them save you money right on the spot, and that’s something we all love. Seeing those savings directly when they happen.

One thing that should be mentioned is that when it comes to tire coupons, they’re deals to be had on things other than the tires themselves. You can find coupons on both of the websites mentioned earlier for things like $50 Visa gift cards, or lube, oil, and filter jobs. Tire manufacturers like to entice you to buy their products by offering you deals on other things to get you into their stores. Buy 2 tires and receive a $50 gift card to use elsewhere? It seems relatively harmless enough. Especially when the gift card isn’t limited to any one retailer. Things like Visa gift cards can be used anywhere, just like a credit card, so you can choose where you want to save that extra money.

Tire coupons aren’t just found online, though. No, you can look through the Sunday paper to find money saving offers, or even give your local retailer a call to find out what deals they have going on. Some of them don’t even require you to have an actual coupon in hand. Just go in and buy two to get two free. How’s that for a deal? Okay, maybe that’s stretching it a little, but you get the idea. A little ingenuity will allow you to sniff out the best deals on tires. Think outside of the box. Places like Sears have an automotive center, right? Why not give them a try, or drop by there and pick up the weekly flyer? You might just find that most excellent tire coupon you’ve been searching for.

Honestly, though, the best place you’re probably going to find tire coupons is online. I mean, let’s not forget about The Tire Kingdom. Have you ever been inside one of these places? No? Do yourself a favor and check them out. Go online and click the ‘Savings’ section to find all the deals they have going on, then do a store search to find the nearest location to you. You won’t be disappointed.

Saving money doesn’t just have to be reserved for food shopping and grocery store coupons. The smart shopper knows how to sniff out the deals, and that includes tires. Michelin, Dunlop, Good Year; they’re all there for the taking. Like I said, winter is just around the corner, and snow tires are not cheap. With a few money saving tire coupons, though, they can be. You might not save up front, and you might not save on the actual tires themselves, but you’re going to get something in return for forking over your hard earned cash. Whether it’s a gift card or a mail-in rebate, there’s no complaining when it comes to saving money in any shape or form.

Helmet laws in the United States began to take shape in 1967, when there was a push to increase motorcycle helmet use. Since then, helmet laws have extended to low-power cycles and bicycles, too. Today our friends from the MotorcycleInsurance Blog is helping us shed some light on these laws around the country.

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The more you know about what is causing accidents and resulting in traffic-related deaths, the better you can protect yourself and your family from meeting an untimely end. Our friends from the MotorcylcleInsurance Blog have brought the following graphic to our attention to illustrate the point.

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This has some auto manufacturers upset. Especially those who will see significant drops in their ratings for the 2011 season. Undoubtedly, one of the most disappointed companies is Toyota, which manufacturers the popular Camry. The 2010 Camrys received 5-stars in front and side collision tests. The 2011 models, however, only received three stars. That means the new Camrys have fallen from head of the pack to serious losers in the safety race. Add that to Toyota’s highly publicized struggle with recalls over the past couple years, and it’s easy to see that this could have a real influence on the company’s performance.

Another big loser is the Nissan Versa. The compact car only received two starts overall, making it one of the worst options on the 2011 market.

The safety rating program has been a big success with consumers. Since it was started in 1979, it has helped more and more people recognize the importance of auto safety standards. Anyone who looks at automotive designs over the past couple of decades will see that the program had an impact: since the early 1970s, more manufacturers focus on and advertise their safety standards. Before the program started, it was all too easy for manufacturers to skimp on safety options in favor of looks. Anyone over 30 might remember cars from the 70s that didn’t even have seat belts in them. Today, people expect cars to include safety features that can withstand high impacts. It’s absolutely unthinkable that a company could sell a car without seat belts, let alone airbags and other standards that were non-existent before the 80s.

So, how will changes in the system impact manufacturers?

Toyota says that it is already researching solutions to problems found by the Transportation Dept. The Camry is a family car, so Toyota obviously wants to improve its ratings to attract parents worried about their children’s safety on the road. Chances are that other manufacturers will follow this lead. No one wants low safety ratings. Anything under a 4-star rating typically means declining sales, news reports, and poor resale values.

The strict system has shown that some vehicles already stand out from the rest in terms of quality. Out of the 34 models tested so far, only two have merited 5-star rankings: the 2011 BMW 5 Series and the 2011 Hyundai Sonata.