I’m sure you’ve heard the old story comes along about someone who invented a special carburetor. The story goes; the carburetor would allow any vehicle to get a hundred miles to the gallon.

As nice as thoughts of such a device might be, it is a myth. The reason why is that you have to have a certain amount of energy [fuel,] to move a given weight, at given speed, with based upon the engine that is in the vehicle. This is basic stuff, and you have to think both inside and outside the box to change your fuel economy.

In reality better fuel economy is a factor of many things. Cars are engineered with better and lighter engines, the vehicles are made with lighter materials, and cars are made “slippier” when they have less wind resistance.

When you’re considering the different things you can do to make your car more efficient, there are a few things that come to mind. When desired fuel mileage is not being obtained with a present vehicle, many times a new vehicle is considered as the only remedy. There are no changes that can be made to a vehicle to increase the mileage over that it was designed to deliver. The present vehicle can often deliver considerably better mileage than it currently does, however.

Other tips like keeping tires inflated, switching to an energy conserving engine oil and reducing unnecessary weight also help, but to a much smaller degree. Replacing a dirty air filter is always a good idea, but will not help mileage, just the longevity of a fuel injected vehicle.

Another factor would be to change your driving style, don’t race, and don’t rest your foot on the brake. I hear a lot of people say that they’ll trade their vehicle in, thereby moving from a vehicle that gets 20 MPG to one that gets 30 MPG. Driving 12,000 miles per year and with fuel cost of $4.00 per gallon, the savings is $800.00 per year. Paying $25,000 plus for a new vehicle will require over 31 years to break even, so this factor should not come into play for buying another vehicle.

So if we’re agreed that if you’re driving a non-efficient vehicle, but buying a more fuel efficient vehicle is not the answer, what can you do?

This is where you think outside the box. What are the Japanese working on now? Hybrids. Some of the Hybrids are gas/electric, and one of the prototypes is a pure hydrogen vehicle. Either way you go, buying one of these vehicles would be TENS of thousands of dollar more than a conventional vehicle.

What if you convert YOUR vehicle, yes, that gas guzzler, into a hybrid? That would do three things.

One, maximize the fuel efficiency by using the tips I mentioned.

Two, the satisfaction of beating those guys that are holding the high cost of gas over our heads.

Three, the feeling of controlling Your car, Your expenses, because converting your car doesn’t have to cost you a ton of money.

I have a couple of links for you to check out, but please do what you can to reduce the cost of operating your vehicle. Taxes are going to be high over the next few years; I expect inflation to climb, so we have to do something to control our costs. I do have ideas that are guaranteed to reduce people’s outlay, and I will be posting them as time goes on, but a lot of them won’t be fun. I know for me, I like this kind of car stuff. I hope you do too.

If you have any questions, please email me at cajuncooker69@gmail.com, and check out my website http://www.changing-water-2-gas.info

Have a great weekend.

Mitch Champagne
Author of “The great Expulsion”, a story of the Acadians and their journey to Louisiana

Find out more about ways to save money on your gas costs.
http://www.changing-water-2-gas.info

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mitchel_Champagne

High Schools

Some high schools offer a robust variety of courses that encompass a range of knowledge relating to auto repair. For example, a high school might offer classes in brakes, electrical electronic systems, engine performance, and suspension and steering. A high school can receive program certification from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) or the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF). This indicates that the curriculum meets the national standards set forth by these nonprofit organizations.

Career, Technical, and Vocational Centers

Many career, technical, and vocational centers are secondary schools offering automotive training programs that are certified by ASE or NATEF. They may include brakes, electrical electronic systems, engine performance, engine repair, heating and air conditioning, and suspension and steering.

Community Colleges

Community colleges offer a broader range of certified programs, and often partner with vehicle manufacturers and local dealerships to include both classroom and on-the-job training. Their areas of certification may include those offered at secondary schools, plus such areas as automatic transmission and transaxle, manual drive trains and axles. Some post-secondary schools also offer certified courses in alternative fuels, such as CNG conversation and installation, CNG diagnosis and repair, CNG maintenance, LPG conversion and installation, LPG diagnosis and repair, and LPG maintenance, suspension and steering.

Specialty Schools

There are a number of specialty post-secondary schools around the country that provide intensive automotive training and that produce graduates who are fully educated and ready to enter the world of auto repair.

On the Job Training

Although auto repair today requires a tremendous amount of specialized knowledge, there are still scattered opportunities to receive on the job training. This is particularly true for those who decide to specialize and who do not need comprehensive automotive training. For example, someone who specializes in brake repair does not need to know how to rebuild an engine.

Continuing Education

Just as in many fields, the range of knowledge required to keep pace with the changes in automotive technology means that it’s important for automotive service technicians to continue their education over time. There are a few ways to keep up with automotive training, some formal and others informal.

Among the formal continuing education choices is the Continuing Automotive Service Education, or CASE, which is sponsored by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence, or ASE. Many technical schools and other training facilities offer a CASE program, which is auto training specifically designed for those who work in the field.

But keeping abreast of the developments in auto repair doesn’t always mean going to class. There are a number of online communities made up of service technicians and those in automotive management jobs. These communities can provide everything from articles and downloads from professionals working in the automotive repair industry, to forums for assistance from other technicians, to classified ads for used engines and used automotive equipment, to job listings and the ability to post resumes.

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web. Learn more about Majon’s Automotive directory

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Robertson

Auto training can run the gamut, from high school courses where students work on used engines and used automotive equipment to intensive technical school certification programs with a duration of six months to a year. Some community colleges offer an associate’s degree related to auto repair and technology; these programs are often sponsored by vehicle manufacturers and dealerships, and involve alternating classroom training with hands-on work at a dealership.

ASE Certification

The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence, known as ASE, is a nonprofit organization that offers testing and certification to automotive technicians. ASE’s voluntary certification program provides a benchmark for automotive training programs and technicians in that it is a national standard for excellence. According to the ASE, theirs is the “largest occupational testing and certification program in the world.” Many automotive training programs at high schools, technical schools, and colleges are ASE-certified, and automotive technicians sit for ASE exams in order to become certified.

Career Paths

Automotive training typically leads to entry-level positions in the automotive repair industry. Those who have gone through training may begin their careers as trainee technicians or assistants, but can quickly advance as they gain experience. Those who have a complex specialty may have a longer road to travel in order to reach mastery, but their specialized knowledge will translate into better pay. On the other hand, those who do not need comprehensive knowledge of auto repair – such as brake technicians – may advance more quickly but may also more quickly reach the ceiling of earning potential. Those with the deepest knowledge and broadest range of experience have the potential to move into automotive management jobs, which involve the supervision of automotive technicians and specialists.

Demand for Automotive Technicians

Regardless of the state of the economy, the demand for auto repair and thus for automotive technicians remains steady or continues to grow. With the increasing complexity of today’s vehicles, automotive training is continually evolving and becoming more refined. Thus, a career in auto repair will continue to bring financial rewards for years to come.

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web. Learn more about Majon’s Automotive directory

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Robertson

The BMW 1 Series is by far the smallest car with big ambitions. And with its caricature-type styling, I was initially wondering why in the world BMW would swing for the fences with this miniature dose of Bavarian Motor… But the truth of the matter is, this dose may look miniature but it is anything but.

Let us look at it from the exterior. At first glance, it is a shortened 3 Series with odd proportions. The lights seem large.  The wheels seem large, the windows too. But I soon realized these observations were in comparison with the existing 3 Series. Maybe it is simply because we’ve grown accustomed to the 3 Series that the 1 Series seems odd. I begin to think; would I perceive the 3 Series as odd if the 1 Series had been in award-winning production for 30 years and it was the 3 Series that had been newly introduced? Would I then think that the 3 Series as an elongated, thinned-out mutilation of the 1?  This was my exercise to adjust my objectivity lens. Clarity then hit me. By all means, this car is pretty. In its best attire, the 135i wears large shoes and sports an aggressive front spoiler which truly spikes its demeanour with a sort of steroid-filled short temper. This car really looks like it is on the edge of striking, ready for takeoff like a pissed-off pit-bull on a leash.

Do not mistake the 1 Series for a revived attempt of the 318 under a new badge. This is nothing of the like. And to make a bold and self-explaining statement; the 1 Series base engine (In North America) is the 328’s famed 6 cylinder which now houses 230 hp. And this little brute packs a 0-60 mph sprint of about 6.5 seconds.  I know what you’re thinking at this point, how does the 135i perform? Well, the 135i is the top range (for now) of the 1 Series and employs the 6 Cylinder twin-turbo from the 335 model. Yes, you read that correctly and that translates to 300 ponies to the rear axle on 245/35/18’s. 0-60 mph in about 5.5 seconds, not bad for a tiny car yeah? True to form, the 1 Series is very BMW in the way it drives, handles and performs. With a stiff chassis, sport-tuned suspension and large diameter wheels, the task is achieved with the usual Bavarian refinement and pride. Some may argue that the ride is a tad rough, but the driving characteristics delivered by the 1 are a big reward to small price of comfort. With that said, the BMW 1 Series is very comfortable and its sports seats are well accommodating for driver and passenger.

The cockpit is unmistakably BMW with its usual German simplicity and quality finishing. No rattles, no loose parts and plenty of leather. Although I would have opted for more luxury on the inside considering the price of the 1 Series is not far off that of the 3 Series, but overall this is a great car and provides endless hours of fun.

If you’re looking for a car that takes corners like a go-kart and has endless oomph of torque, this is it. It’s small, practical for city driving and really exciting. On the negative: it’s rather expensive considering a few more quids could get you the 3 Series and its winter capabilities are questionable. You can also opt for the soft-top convertible and soon to come, a diesel model.

The Toyota Land Cruiser is called the ‘King of SUVs.’ If that’s true, then Hummer is the emperor of SUVs. If that is the case, where should we place the latest SUV, the Knight XV? Well, then we have to term the Knight XV as the God of SUVs!

I can read your mind, dude. You must be thinking that I am joking, but I am very serious. Let me make things simpler and clearer for you to understand. Imagine a lightweight boxer standing beside a heavyweight boxer and a WWE wrestler. Now let us name them. The lightweight boxer is the Land Cruiser, the heavyweight boxer is the Hummer and then this new Knight XV is the WWE wrestler. Are you getting it, now? This Knight XV is huge!

Believe me, this SUV from Conquest Vehicles Inc., a Toronto-based company, is colossal; it is gigantic in size. It is the largest Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) on earth weighting 10,000 pounds. This is also the world’s most luxurious SUV. Most importantly and interestingly, the Knight XV is very eco-friendly and runs on bio-fuel.

Conquest Vehicles Inc. is a Toronto based Canadian automobile manufacturer. The company exclusively practice designing and manufacturing of extra-luxurious, fully armored, handcrafted sport utility vehicles. The company employs award-winning experts in the field of engineering, fabrication, design, armouring and customization to create one-of-a-kind SUVs unrivaled and unmatched in present day’s automotive marketplace. Besides, Conquest Vehicles Inc. provides its clients with auto customization and after-market design for their exotic luxury vehicles.

The hulky Knight XV is powered by a 6.8 liter V10 engine. The engine can deliver a robust power of 400 bhp. The Knight XV is congregated on a super duty Ford modified platform chassis. The Herculean SUV is inspired by the Gurkha military vehicle built by Armet Armored Vehicles. The Gurkha military vehicle is an armored military vehicle employed by the United States Army, Russian Foreign Ministry, various American police SWAT teams and Canadian Forces.

The Knight XV comes fully armored with Wilton Wool carpeting, Andrew Muirhead leather, 6-way electric leather boardroom-style seating, tandem sunroof glass with privacy shades, personal side-mounted laptop stations, LED cabin lighting, an Alpine AM, FM, CD, DVD navigation and Bluetooth connectivity, TV monitors, night vision and rear operation camera system, and a PlayStation 3. The interior of the cabin is humongous with ultra spacious 283-cubic-foot, which obviously is larger than the interior of most SUVs on the road today and can comfortably accommodate six professional basketball players.

One peculiar thing about this Herculean Knight XV is that it is handcrafted. Each car took 1,500 man hours to be built. This SUV is meticulously built completely by human hands.

The Knight XV is built using ballistic hardened steel making it fully armored. The SUV comes with ballistic fiberglass fenders and bumpers as well as 64 mm transparent armor glass. The monumental SUV measures 240 inches in length and 98 inches wide with a ground clearance of 14 inches and stands 100 inches tall. Its wheelbase is 141 and the SUV can hold 40 gallons of fuel and sits on four, LT40X13.50R20 Mickey Thompson Baja Radial ATZ tires with ballistic run flat tyre system. These 40 inches tires are wrapped around 20 inches aircraft-grade wheels. In addition, the Knight XV contains an E-85 Ethanol conversion system (Flex Fuel) with California emission certification.

As we have seen, everything about this SUV is superlative… the size, performance, built, fuel efficiency, gadgets, luxury, security and the price as well. The SUV is attached to a heavy price tag of $310,000. (The price goes well with its stance!) There is only a handful of overly super rich people who can afford to vroom this leviathan SUV. So, the Canadian car company is reckoning to roll out only 100 of this SUV initially.

About the Author

V Divya

Any person is able to purchase repossessed cars at up to an 80% markdown off the Blue Book monetary values. If you can acknowledge a second hand vehicle, then leaving your hands on one of these repossessed cars can stand for a lot of investments for your compartment. The certainty is you can slash down the charge by thousands of dollars when you tender and acquire a repossessed car from government auto public sale. Let us be trained some more about how to buy repossessed cars at depressed value from these car public sales.

Each day, thousands of vehicles like personal cars, MPVs, SUVs, motor-trucks, RVs and trucks are held by financial institutions such as banks and government bureaus. For the government side, the automobiles are often repossessed from rule breakers such as drug merchants or compulsory seizure for tax defaulters or those who cannot compensate up on their mortgages and so on.

You may be unsure why the costs are cut so low that you can purchase repossessed cars at such great markdown. The government and financial institutions are in the same way anxious with the operating cost incurred in storing and maintaining the vehicles in good condition. Time is working against them with high downgrading and costly maintenance. This is why you as a auto holder or used car dealer can gain or proceeds from it.

Several people could be concerned about the reduction rate of their repossessed cars. Outspokenly, there is not much to be anxious about. If you were to buy a brand new car from the car merchants, the vehicle loses its worth the moment you drive it home. The fall can be as high as $5,000 and further than. Think about this for a second when you acquire repossessed cars for less than 80% off the retail price when you offer for one at the apprehended auto public sale.

Detained car auctions have been concealed from the public for a while as used auto traders keep this to themselves, dropping their teeth into the gigantic earnings from buying and selling the vehicles. Now, the moment you be familiar with it, you can adhere them and obtain repossessed cars for contemptible.

That is why many of second-hand car dealers have been recurrent to look for good deal vehicles they can find at low costs and reselling for gains. If you have ever bought a second hand car, there is a possibility that this auto was beforehand from these public sale.

About the Author

Rinah Olson

Annually there are numerous cars disposed of at car auctions. These auctions go by different names based on their backgrounds, i.e., salvage car auctions, police auto auctions, seized car auctions, damaged cars, car dealer auctions, etc. Mostly though, these auctions are only offered to automobile dealerships and the public can not attend. The current exception to this is the introduction of web-accessed auctions like Car Auction Inc where these vehicles are available to the public via the internet.

The selling price of cars sold at the auction is always less than what the dealer would advertise on its lot, because the specific seller’s need to clear their inventories quickly and hassle-free. There are several of groups these unwanted cars originate from: expired leases, old rental car fleets, aging company cars, repossessed and seized vehicles, and trade-ins.

• Leases

Banks and financial institutions with vehicles with expiring leases use closed auctions (private, not open to the public) to sell off the cars. Off-lease vehicles are good specimens for auction participants as they are usually in good repair because of limited mileage, regular maintenance, and penalties for neglect and excessive wear. Also, the banks choose to liquidate them in a timely manner and thus, compromise by accepting lower selling prices..

• Rentals

Car rental companies like to swap out their vehicles on a yearly basis to make room for the new ones. This creates a substantially large amount of late-model cars in the marketplace. They rely on auto auctions too for a quick sell-off. These cars are in demand by bidders because they are well maintained and usually less than a year old. Despite that, they frequently have high mileage and rough usage by the wide array of drivers and driving conditions.

• Company cars

All sizes of companies often have fleets of cars, trucks, or vans for their employees that they choose to replace every two or more years. This is another example of the need for a car auction. Company vehicles driven by the upper tier are often luxury cars and are usually driven gently. Thus they tend to be in overall good condition. Conversely, trucks and vans usually get more use and abuse. All types get adequate maintenance so this is not an issue.

• Repossessed

Finance companies facing unpaid car loans have to repossess, or seize the vehicle. When this happens an auction is their only choice for removing the car from their possession. Buyers can get excellent deals on repossessed cars because the banks only seek to offset their losses from the loan. The car’s condition is another issue here, as there is a higher chance of neglect and possible sabotage by the delinquent owner. Repairs and maintenance could have been ignored, too.

• Trade-ins

When a dealership accepts a trade-in for a new car, they don’t often keep these older cars on the lot for resale. Retaining aging vehicles is unfavorable to dealerships because the costs are high and can adversely effect their reputation. If they have many cars of this nature on the lot not being sold, then poor salesmanship could be implied. So it is wise to move these trade-ins out of the inventory. At auction they can usually yield a bit more than what they offered on the trade-in. The condition of these vehicles is all over the place, as some have after-market additions, and some may be older and out of warranty.

Many in this category of cars will be of high quality and late models still under warranty. Federal law states that full disclosure of any major mechanical problem, which may void the warranties. Cars with a troubled history are classified as salvage, and are put up for auction mostly by the insurance companies that had underwritten them. So in addition to these car dealer auctions there are salvage car auctions, and police auto auctions that may include government cars as well.

Before car auctions on line were commonplace, most of the auctions were closed to the public and reserved only for auto dealerships. Now, with internet services like Car Auction Inc, that does not stand. With access to the World Wide Web, the general public can join the party and share in the great deals offered by car auctions that only an exclusive few formerly enjoyed.

About the Author

Today’s growing number of 7 seater cars have to be the way to go when you need enough room to comfortably carry a growing family. Gone are the days when you would get squished in the back seat with your 2 or 3 brothers or sisters, even sharing seatbelts to make room. Today’s MPV, SUVs and CUVs make it easy to carry a lot of passengers.

Once you start looking for one though, you’ll realize that there are so many to choose from… when I did a quick search I found a total of 204 in the United States! Which one is going to meet your family’s needs best?

I think the best way to start your search is to determine the type of car that you need regardless of the number of seats. Let’s take a look at the type of cars that are available in today’s car market.

One of the best known types of vehicles is the traditional family sedan which is usually a 4 door vehicle that carries usually 4 or more passengers. In 2009, the most passenger room that I could find in a sedan was 5. So today’s fuel economical sedan isn’t going to fit the bill with our need for 7 seats. In the past that need was filled with the station wagon but today’s station wagon is the MPV (multi-passenger vehicle) better known as the mini van.

If you’re needs consist of a light duty MPV that is going to cart the family around to after school activities the mini van makes a good choice. Most vans will get decent fuel mileage of 20 to 25 MPG. There are even some new hybrid models that combine gas and electricity to get mileage into the 30 and 40 miles per gallon category. However if you’re going to be driving the family around in rough weather, like snow, you may be better suited to drive a SUV or sports utility vehicle.

SUVs have gotten a bad rap as gas guzzling wrecking machines but in reality there is a need for the 4 wheel drive models in cold weather areas. You can carry 7 passengers with ease with the addition of a “way back” seat and if it starts to snow you just flip the switch to 4 wheel drive. The drawback is that they do swill some fuel. Mileage varies but you’re generally in the 15 to 18 mpg range. Ford as a pretty cool hybrid SUV out there but it’s smaller and will only accommodate 5 passengers.

Which brings us to the newest addition of passenger vehicles; the crossover utility vehicle. As you might expect from the name, the crossover combines attributes of multiple vehicles. A great example is the Ford Edge. In looking at it, you wonder is it a big station wagon, a van… an SUV? It’s all of the above and usually a great choice for the larger family. When you look at the new crossovers you’ll find 3 rows of well appointed comfort keeping everyone happy on a long trip. The downside to a crossover is like a SUV, they don’t get great gas mileage. Look out in 2010 for some new hybrid cars that seat 7 to show up on dealers showrooms though.

Now that you know the differences between the types of 7 passenger vehicles, hopefully you’ll be able to go to your area showroom knowing exactly what to look at in 7 seater cars.

About the Author