The Dodge Charger in Movies
69 Dodge Charger in Tripple Black
How many times have you seen the Dodge charger in movies? The motivation for my post today is, I saw the film Drive Angry last night. In a nutshell it’s about a poor excuse for a father that escapes from hell (Nicolas Cage) and with the help of a hot girl named Piper (Amber Heard) chases after the people from a cult organization that killed his estranged Daughter and kidnapped his favorite grandchild.
I was definitely entertained by the movie and overall was pleasantly surprised by some interesting twist and turns (no driving pun intended). Not surprising, when the movie title is drive angry, there was plenty of muscle cars and chase scenes. In my opinion the real star of the movie was a black 1969 Dodge charger with a 440 C.I.D. big block. The beautiful music of the 440 was well done (possibly the actual engine) and more realistic than soundtracks that are added to other movies staring Dodge chargers. Read more
Check for Ford Recalls
Recalled Ford f-150
This is a quick article on how to check for ford recalls on any year or model Ford car or truck. It use to be if you really wanted to find out if there was an open recall due on your vehicle one had to stop by a dealership and get the service adviser to plug the V.I.N or vehicle identification number into the Ford oasis system.
VIN numbers are unique 17-digit serial numbers assigned to all mass produced automobiles. Ford oasis stands for On-Line Automotive Service Information System. When you enter a specific vehicle identification number this system provides a printable report about work performed under warranty and any recalls that where already done. More importantly the report includes any recalls that are still open on that vehicle.
I worked at a Lincoln Mercury dealer as a service adviser for a short time and found this tool extremely helpful. After writing an article recently on my other website about the Ford cruise control recall which I believe is the largest recall in the company’s history, I found out that there is an alternative for owners to plug in the vehicle identification number themselves online to see if there’s any open recalls on that car or truck.
This works for all Ford, Lincoln and Mercury publicly issued recall notices. So without further delay this is where you can check for ford recalls. That text link will take you Read more
Helpful Tips To Getting A New Car
How many people do you know who have bought a new car, driven it off the lot, and then felt like a chump because the car dealer pushed them into an impulse buy?
They made a deal and didn’t realize until the paperwork was signed that they had been taken.
There are at least three things you can do to position yourself to make a better car purchase: Plan ahead, pre-arrange your own financing, and choose the right time to buy a new car. The following are some good car buying tips for women and men.
New car payments
Next to your mortgage, a new vehicle is among the largest single purchases you will make in a lifetime. Yet, most people buy their new car out of impulse, not careful planning.
Plan ahead and know what kind of vehicle you want and how much you are willing to spend. Read more
The Ford Fiesta America Says No!
The brand new Ford Fiesta seems like a good choice for the earth friendly or ecologically aware car owner. It is an agile yet quite capable small car that can fit up to 5 people and can get over 59 miles per gallon.
This new release automobile has one overpowering negative fact. It is not sold in the United states or Canada. It would seem the Fiesta has what it takes to compete with other fuel efficient cars in the US, too bad Ford will only sell it across the pond.
The only reason the President of Ford gave for not selling this car in America is that it would be too pricey to import. Therefore the decision has been made for the Ford Fiesta to take a siesta in the US marketplace.
The main reason for this selective selling is that Fords Fiesta runs on diesel fuel and the North American population does not care for this type of fuel. America’s opposition to diesel fuel is because Read more
Which new subcompact car do you like?
Lets just say you had to pick out a new subcompact car. I promise not to hold you to it. Just wondering if you were in the market, which one of these models would make you sign on the dotted line?
Please leave your selection and why you think its a winner in the comments area. You can also say you would rather walk if you would never own one.
Why should you take the time to care about the small car market? With gas prices on the rise again, many people are jumping from their sport utility vehicles and into small subcompact cars.
As long as the gas price roller coaster rides keep happening, these car buyers will surrender their bigger vehicles for the compact cars. Until one day the tiny car will be in the majority of registered vehicles.
Is there an appeal to the small cars other than the gas savings? Absolutely! The cheap feel associated to subcompacts of decades ago is not the case today, as even today’s subcompacts are similar in size to the cars from that era.
What offerings are out there for subcompacts today? Keep reading to see the four main front runners in the subcompact scene, including the Honda Fit, Hyundai Accent, Toyota Yaris and last but not least the Nissan Versa.
09 Honda Fit
The Honda Fit becomes a favorite in the new subcompact car game with its 1.5 liter engine, great fuel economy and Honda reliability. It comes in two different styles.
The 2005-2008 Model which has a more boxy shape and the 2009+ Fit that is more curvy and cute.
The Honda Fit draws criticism good and bad, as with it’s styling you have more so a Love or Hate relationship. Interior wise is going to be more of a favorite for many.
Offering a magic seat and loads of space the interior does not have the stigma of cheap and small. As the styling suggests, it does have the Mini Minivan look, but for the price you are getting a great value. Read more
Audi Q7 more efficient
The Audi Q7 is not only a great sports utility vehicle but has also turned into a fantastic platform for testing new automotive technology.
The Designers at Audi have been able to plug many already successful components from the A6 into this flexible SUV platform. A great Audi Q7 video has been added at the end of this short post for your viewing pleasure.
The Audi Q7 is giant. It is much wider, longer and even taller than the Volkswagen Tuareg. You will have to be careful with the large rear doors that need to be opened carefully in tight parking spots. The back of the Q7 is very elegant with flush-mounted tail lights and smooth European flowing body lines.
The Audi Q7, the company presented at the Shanghai Car Show has a different updated look. But not only the exterior has changed, technically the car has undergone some changes too.
The fuel consumption is reduced on all the models. The press release talks about the fact that the new Audi is also available with the cleanest diesel technology in the world, the TDI clean diesel.
What’s changed? The grille is the most significant one. The new models come with vertical bars with high chrome finish that gives the German Suv an extra luxury look. The bottom section may be painted in black or gray and the bumpers were changed. When the lights go on the street lights up in cool blue glow.
This is because the Audi Q7 is equipped with Xenon lighting. Also an optional adaptive system with Xenon lights is offered. This means the headlights rotate with the steering angle. All around, the new Audi is equipped with the latest LED lighting for an impressive image at night.
Extra Audi efficiency
All gasoline and diesel engines for the new Audi Q7 have direct fuel injection. Read more
Bailout the Big Three with People Power
I have some final thoughts about the big three bailout. President George Bush stepped in and awarded a $17.4 billion dollar bridge loan to Chrysler and General Motors. Ford stated that they would like a $9 billion dollar line of credit, but this was declined, because Ford should have enough money to get through the first quarter of 2009. Kudos to Ford Motor Company for being in better financial conditions than the other two.
Save the Big Three
So this bridge loan should hold both failing American car manufacturers over until February 2009. This will also allow the new administration to analyze the situation before further actions are taken. But my two phase plan could solve the problem before the end of 2009 and no further Government action would be required. Please hear me out and leave your comments below!
The power of people
A missing piece of the puzzle that I do believe would be helpful is the appointment of a car Czar. I’m not looking for a government official with no automotive experience to take over this position. In fact, there is one candidate that is uniquely qualified for this position. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, Lee Iaccoca. This temporary position would be perfect for this retired, but respected automotive executive. I am sure with the right monetary motivation He could be convinced to take the short-term position.
And yes, you could dream about a hybrid powered Kcar rolling out in the United States automotive market by early 2010. And for those younger car buyers, I’m sure we can get a Carroll Shelby Limited Edition turbo hybrid Kcar for them as well. Lee Iaccoca and Carroll Shelby have a long and successful history together. This reunion could jump start the American car economy all by itself. Never under estimate the power of people.
Celebrities for American cars
My second people powered idea for stopping the big three from requesting more money from taxpayers is to assure their success by exploding sales in 2009. I don’t know why this has been overlooked completely. Read more
Big Three Bailout
Bailing out the big three has been discussed heavily on the Internet. I seem to have a completely different view on the topic. Possibly due to my position in the auto repair business.
So please forgive this sidebar from the water for gas posts, but I would like to express my side of the story.
Big three bailout full disclosure, I should notify everyone that my skewed opinion might be due to my position as a senior fleet service technician. I work for a large local government fleet operation that purchases Dodge, Ford and Chevrolet light trucks and cars.
The vehicles that we purchase are paid for in full using taxpayer money. As an example in 2009 we are scheduled to replace 2,200 vehicles.
As with most United States Government fleet operations the rule of thumb is to buy American. If the big three were to collapse, then this would not be possible. I cannot imagine taking taxpayer money to buy Nissan and Toyota trucks.
It is true that some of these vehicles are manufactured in the United States. But the profits from the sales of these vehicles go straight back to Japan.
I do not think that the American taxpayer would enjoy directly funding a foreign economy. I’m not sure what the numbers are, but I would figure that a large percentage of sales for the big three come from publicly owned fleets.
Quality of the big three products
For the last three years I have worked on the 2,200 vehicles that we are scheduled to replace. We have had zero engine failures, and only minor problems with these vehicles during their three years and 100,000 miles of exemplary service. In my opinion, the quality level of the products Read more
Toyota parts now made in the U.S.
Toyota parts now made in the United States? Many of us already know that Toyota Corporation builds many popular car models inside the United States. This is not a new development, as in many import car companies are manufacturing vehicles in the United States for many reasons.
The bottom line is that the car manufacturer will have increased profits on vehicles sold and manufactured inside the United States as opposed to vehicles that are built and imported from foreign countries. This is mainly due to high shipping costs and heavy import taxes.
But what I didn’t understand was where the parts came from. I was under the impression that the parts were manufactured in Japan, and then shipped to the United States for assembly. This is only a half-truth.
My investigation of Toyota parts!
My girlfriend has a 2002 Toyota Corolla. It was time to replace the original serpentine drive belt on her vehicle, due to heavy cracking of the now six-year-old belt. After being very disappointed with the quality of the after market dayco belt I decided to buy a factory original Toyota part. I expected this part, to have come from Japan. When the parts counter man handed me the belt, I was pleasantly surprised by the overall thickness and quality of this factory original part.
The belt was packaged in a sleeve that indicated it was a genuine Toyota part. And even included Japanese writing on it. But on the belt itself, it said made in the USA. I was blown away and asked Read more
The Top 5 products a complete surprise!
