Better Deal For Our King Road

Have you read the latest Wheel’s magazine? The January 2010 edition has a wonderful section on the wonderful history of the V8 engine that we know and love today. I will share some of the hi-lights from the magazine as well as my own personal comments, so read on…

The automotive vee-eight as we know it had its birth with our friend Henry Ford with the arrival of the ‘L-Head’ flat head vee eight of 1932. We must remember that he was not responsible for inventing the 8 cylinder engine in the V format as we know and love. But he was responsible for ensuring that it was available to the masses, ie the likes of you and me! It was pretty basic and simple, no complicated overhead valves or the like, hence the term ‘flathead’.

A company called Duesenberg, back in the 20’s had a straight 8 cylinder engine and this was probably the first mass produced 8 cylinder automotive engine (it also had fancy overhead cams and multi-valves!). Unfortunately the company did not stand the test of time.

Some suggest that the longest ‘living’ V8 engine is the 6.75 litre V8 belonging to our British friends Roll-Royce and Bentley. Based on an American design it was released in the 1959 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud (as a 6.2 litre with OHV and 90 degrees V angle). Later it was enlarged to its current size of 6.75 litres and continues in production today inspiring Bentleys.

Of course technology has allowed the V8 to develop just like all things automotive and we now have every V8 arrangement possible across the automotive spectrum. Usually only limited by our imagination (and our wallet). Turbocharging/supercharging, direct injection, mulit-variable valve technology along with massaging of the engine ancillaries are all available on your Ferrari down to your humble home grown Falcon or Commodore.

All of this of course means that you can be kind to the environment and own a V8. I drive 350K’s to my daughters farm from Kwinana south of Perth and get better than 11l/100kms cruising at 110 with the safety of better braking and handling and the ability to safely overtake slower vehicles. So it is V8’s til 2028 at least. Enjoy your V8!

Purchasing and owning an automobile is a big responsibility. Protecting its exterior and body can be a daunting task.

If your vehicle is left uncovered under extreme sun for a long period of time the harsh UV rays can be extremely harmful to your cars paint work and interior upholstery. There are also other hazardous elements that can be damaging to your vehicle such as storms, rain, hail, snow, bird droppings just to name a few.

Good quality car covers are a great way to protect your car from these elements. Car covers can also be a great barrier from prying eyes and potential thieves. Covered vehicles are usually bypassed by thieves because they take a lot longer to get into then an uncovered car.

When shopping for a car covers there are certain aspects you should look for. These include strength, snug fitting, soft material, breathability, UV resistance, water resistance among others. One of the best and most reliable brands is EZ Cover. EZ Cover car covers are made from some of the most advanced material on the market. It is strong and durable while it’s micro-fiber base is very soft to touch and will not scratch your cars exterior paint. This lightweight breathable material has been treated with 100% water proof and UV coating. And is suited for both indoor and outdoor use. Ez Cover also come with a reel in case that can be stored in your trunk while it remains attached to the cover via string.

By purchasing EZ Cover you will be protecting your cars exterior for years and maximizing your resale value!

Driving around town in a brand new sports car may be one of the best experiences for a driver. Sports cars don’t only give superior driving performance and comfort; they also give confidence to the owner of the car. Sports cars can be seen as the ultimate “eye candy” in the automobile world.

Buying a brand new sports car can also be a scary thing because of the money involved. How do you one shop for a brand new sports car? Here are some helpful tips in doing so:

1) Think about it a hundred times
There is a big difference in buying a sports car and a sedan. There is also a big difference in between a brand new model and an older one. A buyer must carefully assess his needs several times before deciding to buy a brand new model. This is particularly true if the budget is quite tight. But even if one can generously afford a brand new model, he must remember that money that is put in the wrong car is wasted money.

A buyer should also consider waiting for a little while if he is looking at a particular model which is new but is on the verge of being taken off the “brand new” list. This move could save him a lot of money while getting the same value that he would have gotten a few months back. This is an effective strategy if he intends to keep the car for a long time.

2) List and Check
A buyer should make a checklist of what he wants in a sports car. He should then compare the top scorers in his list. Factors such as size, comfort, engine performance and other details may be the deciding factor for the purchase.

3) Mind the Sticker Price
Always bear in mind that the sticker price is the highest price that the market can put on a particular model. Negotiations can bring the price down if done correctly.

4) Financing First
A buyer must make provisions for financing before making a purchase. Banks may be the best choice for car financing but the approval process can take some time. A buyer must also set extra money aside for peripheral expenses such as taxes and documents processing.

A brand new sports car is a dream for everyone. When someone has the capacity to realize the dream of buying a sports car, he must be wise and careful in doing so. A good purchase will make the sports car experience much more pleasant for the buyer.

How do you decide which auto sound system is best for you? This is a question that many consumers ask in the U. S. each and every day. The truth is that only you can decide what kind of sound you find enjoyable and what you are seeking in the sound system you will ultimately purchase. A good sound system will greatly improve how you feel about not only the vehicle you drive but also your disposition after your daily commute. It may seem like such a small thing, the changing of a sound system, but it does seem to have such a profound impact on how we start our days. Of course we all know that getting your day off to a good start sets the tone for the entire day and if that day is Monday it sets the tone for not only the day ahead but also the week to come.

Music affects almost every aspect of our lives. Most of us do not realize the impact that music has on our day-to-day lives and it is quite difficult because our world seems to be filled with it. It is much easier however, to explain the difference a good sound system makes. It’s funny, I find myself in a hurry to get out of stores that have lousy sound systems and speakers that dribble out little more than static while I can shop for hours in a store that has tasteful music playing in the background over a good sound system. I prefer the volume lower and the music playing in the background rather than being the center of my attention.

Most of us find that soft music playing in the background is rather unobtrusive and allows us to get along with our thoughts and the mission at hand while loud music blaring over antiquated speakers does a great deal to disrupt our thought processes which will only serve to send us along to the next errand on our list. If you’ll notice it seems that clerks in the stores where the loud music blares along are often not as even tempered as those in stores that play music at respectful volumes and have very well kept sound systems. I think I would be cranky too after listening to music in a manner that music wasn’t meant to be heard.

I’m not a music snob by any means; I simply enjoy listening to music for the sake of actually hearing the music. Loud music is good sometimes but not when I have other things on my mind. I prefer that music remain in the background when I’m running about taking care of errands, even in the car. The hallmark of a good auto sound system is that it sounds good even at low volumes. This means you can enjoy music in the background, hum along, or simply ignore the music in favor of the action taking place on the road.

The point I’m trying to make is that even though you may not realize the impact that a good auto sound system has on music immediately, you will definitely feel the difference it makes over time. The better the sound system, the better the sound and music is after all, sound.

If you are a true lover of music and spend a great deal of your week or even any given day in your vehicle, doesn’t it make sense to invest heavily in your auto sound system? I know for me that particular decision is a no brainer. I love music and it is an important part of not only my life but also the lives of my children. As a result we spend a lot of time listening to the radio in our SUV and singing along. Even when we aren’t listening to music, I enjoy listening talk radio and the news on NPR. These things are an important part of my day and I really enjoy all that each and every one adds to my life. Because of that, I find my investment in a good auto sound system to be a requirement rather than a luxury.