Help Save The Environment When You Buy A Hybrid Car And Donate The Old One To A Charity

With lower price of production and new hybrid car technology currently being created, owning a hybrid car is becoming reasonable for everyone. However, don't concern yourself with your old automobile one good way to get rid of it would be to donate it to a charity. That is amazing, you're able to help the environment if you purchase this and you'll help others and gain advantage from the contribution of your old automobile. Talk about hitting two birds with one stone!

With a hybrid car, you'll be able to reduce fuel consumption by 50 percent compared to typical vehicles. This will be able to present you with maximum energy efficiency. It will be capable of giving you a lot better mileage to the gallon. Just imagine, with a hybrid car, you can obtain more than 60 miles to the gallon of gasoline. This is due to hybrid cars operate on two engines. One is the conventional internal combustion engine you will likely have in standard autos and the other is the electric motor and batteries. Hybrid cars are simply cars that combine electric energy and gasoline energy. By simply combining these two to power your car, it's going to run quieter, cleaner and a lot more effective than traditional cars.

An additional advantage is the fact that hybrid cars emit reduced toxic emissions as compared to traditional gasoline-powered autos because of less gasoline becoming burned. It is beneficial to our environment, reduces pollution and emits less carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. If you do not know, carbon dioxide is among the primary causes of rising global warming.

Now if you're now decided to buy a hybrid car then just donate your old car to a charity to avoid any kind of hassles associated with selling it all on your own. The charity uses the profit from your automobile to help fund their specific causes. There are some exceptions in the brand new tax law regarding the fair market value section. For instance, you may base your deduction on the fair market value of the car in case the charitable organization sells it to a needy individual at a reduced price or in case the charitable organization makes use of the car as part of its own mission instead of selling it.

By contributing an automobile it may eliminate unnecessary spending of money on repairs, advertising fees and the troubles or liabilities connected with selling it. The donor benefits from the car donation by receiving a tax receipt for the maximum value. Whenever you donate a car, you know you will get it off your premises in a few days or so, clearing out much-needed garage, driveway or yard space.

When To Scrap a Car and How Do I Do It?

Do you have a car that is on the fringe of being usable and being a money pit? Not sure if you should get rid of it or fix it? There are a few things to consider when evaluating whether or not it's time to junk your car. The first thing to consider is how much your car would cost to repair. It is often the case that the cost to repair the vehicle exceeds the value of the car. Other things to consider are the lifespan of the car. How much longer will it run and be a reliable mode of transportation?

Once you've decided that are ready to get rid of your car. You may be feeling a little unsure as to where to start. If you're wondering how to scrap a car; there are many resources for you to choose from. The most common option that people choose when junking their car is an auto wrecking yard.

Auto wrecking yards are businesses that buy cars and process them for the scrap metal. Auto wrecking yards also go by a few other names. Some refer to themselves as auto salvage yards, junk yards, auto wreckers, or auto recycling facilities. Some wrecking yards also sell used auto parts; many yards have their own tow trucks and do their own towing.

The best way to find an auto salvage yard near you is to conduct a search on the internet for your local area or refer to a phone book. If you've already taken your car to a mechanic or auto body shop they often have auto wrecking companies that they can recommend to you.

About Free Car and Get Paid to Drive Programs

You have probably heard lots about the free car and get paid to drive programs. You may also have seen lots ads about free car and get paid to drive programs. But how much do you know about these programs?

Free car and get paid to drive programs are for advertising. The advertising companies offer the free car with ads on it or pay people for placing ads on their cars. In this way, their ads can reach more people. Advertising companies have realized that thousands of people will see their advertisements on your car every day. It's like having a moving billboard. These companies will choose the drivers they want based on the information provided.

In these programs, you will never have to pay a cent; instead, you will get a new free car or get some money for driving your own car normally. Maybe you will wonder it is too good to be true or it is unbelievable.

However, there are really companies that offer these kinds of programs. They do exist and they do offer free car or pay people to drive. Nowadays, many people are participating in these programs and benefits lots from this experience.

Once you are selected and you achieve the agreement with the company, your car will be wrapped in a well-devised advertisement and you will get paid. The term and payment vary among different companies. The more details you give the more chance you will get to be chosen. Therefore, when you sign up, it is wise to be as detailed as possible.

No matter whom you are-a housewife, a busy commuter or an ordinary worker, you can be a part of these advertising programs. Do not wait, and apply to earn yourself some extra money.

Antique And Vintage Cars And Their Alure

Generally speaking, antique cars are those that are at least 25 years of age. The costs of insurance policies for antique cars are also very low and tend to vary between $100 and $250 per year to meet minimum legal requirements.

These cars are usually viewed at car shows because most are not driven around anymore. Vintage cars are typically exposed to such light service that they are not expected to have any valve seat problems.

Classic cars are generally considered to be high-quality vehicles from the pre-World War II era. Unrestored original antique cars are extremely hard to fine, especially the low-production ones. I've been told that these cars are hard to find and when you do find one the price is out of this world.

Many run of the mill antique cars are worth a lot less then its street rodded sister. These older cars are seldom suited to long pre-touring runs and carrying them on trailers is a costly business.

The antique cars are always very busy during the summer and is one family ride that families like to take when they are in that part of the park. Vintage and antique cars are now fetching record prices at auction.

Most antique cars are owned by private collectors who don't advertise rentals, but in fact many of them are more than willing to provide the service. Collectors of these cars are ever eager to display the vehicle they have spent time and money refurbishing.

These classic cars are exempt from Personal Property Taxation. These cars are always a head turner anywhere in the world. Antique cars are more likely to be stolen.

These vintage cars are generally prided and kept in pristine condition. They are even more damage prone than regular cars and the worst part is that their repairs are costlier too.

What is more amazing is how owner's of these antique cars maintain their priceless vehicle. Restoring and driving these cars is not a sport for paupers though. The Ford Model T Pickup truck was the truck that began the great tradition af American pickups.

Bike Racks For Cars and Trucks - How to Choose the Right One For You

Tips for choosing the right one for you:

You want to go biking out in the backwoods but it's too far from home to consider cycling there and back. What do you do? Try to stuff your bike in the back of your car and risk damaging the upholstery or getting dirt and grease everywhere? No, the answer is simple, get a bike rack for your car or truck so you can transport your bike there and back.

That's the easy decision made, the hard part comes in deciding what type of rack to buy. There's a bewildering range on offer these days. This article is going to help you make an informed decision so you choose the right bike rack for your needs. So, what are your needs with regard to bike racks? Here are some starting points to consider:

• How often will you need to use it?
• How many bikes will you want to carry?
• Will the rack need to fit different vehicles (say, for example you will need to switch one rack between two family cars)?
• Is security of the bikes and rack paramount?
• Are you able to reach a high rack to load a bike onto it?
• Is your bike pretty standard in design or something unusual such as a tandem or recumbent?
• Do you already have a towing hitch fitted to your vehicle?
• Is your vehicle an off-road type with a spare wheel mounted on the rear?
• How much money are you prepared to spend?

What categories of rack are there?

There are four basic types: Hitch-mount racks. Roof mounted racks. Strap on trunk racks and racks that mount in the bed of a pickup truck. The cheapest tends to be the strap-on. They are fine for light duties but are the worst when it comes to security. The roof rack is good as it uses wasted space and doesn't hinder access to doors or the trunk but it can be quite difficult to load up due to the working height. The hitch mount is my favorite as it is easy to load and can take a lot of weight. If you've a pickup and don't need all the space in the bed for other stuff then the bed-mounted racks are great.

A bit more on the most important pros and cons of these racks:

Strap-on trunk mounted racks usually cost between $50 and $150. The rack needs to be tightly strapped onto the vehicle and the vehicle's paintwork must be properly protected from damage if parts of the carrier rest on the body. These strap-on racks usually carry one or two bikes, sometimes three. More than that and you risk damaging the car or bikes.

Pros

• They are good if you often change your vehicle as they are universal fitting.
• They are usually a manageable height for loading bikes on to.
• When not in use, they fold down for easy storage.
• With prices starting at just $50 they are the most affordable of all bike racks.

Cons

• The usual method of fitting means the weight of your bikes and the rack is all taken on the car's panels, risking damage (I speak from first-hand experience!).
• The polyester webbing securing straps can snap or wear out in the fullness of time.
• Theft is a high risk as the straps can be easily cut with a knife.
• Care needs to be taken when reversing as the bikes project way out beyond the tailgate.
• In many cases it's not possible to open the trunk once the bikes are loaded.
• The rack position means that the driver's view to the rear is often blocked.

Roof-mounted bike racks can be attached to your vehicle's existing rack mounts if provided, or you can install a pair of crossbars that the rack attaches to. Prices start from around $50 per bike but if you need to buy crossbars, the total will end up closer to $200 for a two bike setup.

Pros

• The bikes, once loaded, are up out of your way and don't restrict access to the trunk.
• Once you have your crossbars you are able to fit other carriers for different items such as skis or canoes.
• Most manufacturers offer lockable attachments so the rack stays on your car!
• You can carry more bikes than a strap-on setup, typically up to five bikes at once.

Cons

• This type of bike rack can be tricky to install
• Headroom is limited with bikes loaded. Many car parks etc will be 'out of bounds'
• Noisier when driving due to wind resistance. For the same reason, fuel economy can be badly affected.
• Can be a strain to lift bikes onto these racks, especially for shorter people.

Hitch-mount racks [http://www.bikeracksforcars.org/hitch-bike-racks] have been getting more popular recently. They can hold lots of weight and are easy to load and unload. Simple one bike hitch-mounts start from around $100, but can go as high as $400 for a 'top of the range' branded model with a swing-away feature.

Pros

• The easiest of all to install -just slide it onto the trailer hitch fitting.
• Bike front wheels can usually stay in place, unlike some roof mount systems âEUR¢ Easiest to lift and fix the bikes in place

Cons

• If your vehicle doesn't already have a trailer hitch you'll need to pay extra to get one fitted.
• Only the swing-away models are guaranteed to allow access to the car's tailgate. These cost more though so check before buying if this might be an issue for you.
• Like the strap-on racks, extra care needs to be taken when reversing. Rear vision might also be impaired depending on the height of the vehicle.

China's Automobile Industry - Insight Into Vehicles and Parts Market

In 2007, automobile sales witnessed a satisfactory year in China. After the depression in 2005, the automobile market steadily develops with a prospective tendency: the sales of medium and high grade passenger cars and urban SUV will maintain high growth; commercial passenger car industry will also steadily develop; however, the general growth rate of commercial freight vehicles will decrease, and the opportunity lies in products upgrading and export.

Affecting and supporting factors in 2008

In 2008, automobile industry will face affecting factors including energy-saving environmental policy, levying of petroleum tax, unification of domestic and foreign enterprise taxes, high-price petroleum and development of new energy etc. Thus automobile sub-industries will face new opportunities and challenges.

Formation of a new consumer group and the obvious consumption upgrade trend are the backgrounds for a steadily developing passenger cars market, while GDP, fix asset investments and new rural construction factors are the supporting factors for commercial freight vehicles stable growth. Demographic dividend, tourism boom and expressway expansion are the forces to maintain constant development of commercial passenger cars. In the automobile industry, there are passenger cars as discretionary consumer products, as well as commercial vehicles with capital goods purpose. Each branch industries will undergo a development stage where opportunity and challenge co-exist, meanwhile, the leading enterprises of automobile parts will also have enormous opportunities. Therefore upstream leading automobile parts merchants in the automobile industry chain will embrace a high-speed development stage.

Growth numbers

Presently the average per-capita auto number is three cars per a hundred persons in China. According to the internationally accepted automobile popularizing stage division, China is in the "early stage of motorization". Nevertheless, due to distinctive urban-rural dual structure in China and the different development level between urban and suburban districts, per-capita auto number is twenty cars per hundred persons in tier one cities, where the automobile consumption is in a "stage of motorization". It is estimated that most cities of China will remain in this stage for a long period.

As of October 2007, automobile sales reached 7,150,000 cars in China, a year-on-year accumulated increase of 24%. Among this number, passenger cars sales were 5,079,400, with a year-on-year accumulated increase of 23.75%, while commercial vehicles sales were 2,070,000, with a year-on-year accumulated increase of 25.14%. Firstly, let's look at the short-term sales trend of various car types.

Since 2002, annual sales of passenger cars have cross the million line in China, achieving a high-speed growth for five years. At the end of 2007, it is estimated that sales will reach six million cars. Considering great economic difference among regions in China, the main development engine for the automobile industry is the existing customer's replacement demand and new user's first purchasing demand.

Passenger cars

Brand competition between passenger cars is fierce. Currently passenger cars brands total about 340 in China, and the annual average sales per brand is 17,000 this year, a year-on-year decrease of 45% for passenger cars brands. The reason is that passenger cars market exhibits brand disorder and excessive small enterprises, which is also related to the consumption feature of passenger cars in China.

Passenger cars, as the consumption segment of automobile industry, have an incomparable market potential to the buses and freight vehicles. In the car segment, we think high-grade brand sales will be stable, while competition in medium-grade market will be vigorous. Fashionable style and good dynamic performance cars will be warmly received by new-generation automobile consumers, but the spring for low-grade economic car still needs time.

Replacement demand-driven consumers are less sensitive to the price and petroleum cost, instead, they more focus on the maturity and performance of the brands. Therefore, this demand may be for medium and high displacement passenger cars. The consumer group for first cars is aged below 30, favouring fashionable and dynamic style, so it is estimated that urban SUVs and medium-grade cars will be the major consumption.

SUVs and MPVs

Improved leisure style SUVs will continue the high-speed growth, which is little affected by petroleum price and tax factors etc. According to the mature automobile market data, the market share of SUVs continues to increase. As the automobile demand releasing and purchasing ability gradually growing in second and third tier cities, SUVs will have new growth spots.

A MPV combines together household and business purposes, which blurs the line between discretionary consumer products and capital goods. In this year, the growth rate of MPVs will exceed the average growth rate of passenger cars industry, but we consider its potential is less than SUVs market. Currently some automobile enterprises invest in MPVs, so we believe family style MPVs will occupy some market share of family passenger cars.

Commercial vehicles

In segmentation of commercial vehicles, the trend to getting "heavy" is obvious. Heavy vehicles, coach and heavy tonnage with semi trailers noticeably increased faster than other segments of commercial vehicles. Among commercial vehicles, freight vehicles cyclicality is relatively long, and the bus industry steadily develops with sales growth almost maintaining 20% per annum.

Commercial freight vehicles shall benefit from future factors such as GDP of China growing at above 10%, continuing high growth in fixed asset investments, further expansion of weight-based charges, increasing freight vehicle demand from new rural construction among towns and villages, and export market opening for leading enterprises. In general, commercial vehicles will maintain about 10% growth, due to booming of heavy vehicles industry this year. but total sales growth next year will be less than current year on pcp. Sales structure of heavy vehicles will be further changed, with bigger proportion for high power and large capacity heavy vehicles, and export of high-grade trucks is estimated to expand further. In future, two growth spots for the truck industry will be large capacity, energy-saving heavy trucks and export market.

Bus industry maintains constant growth. Due to the large population of China, and road passenger transportation volume increasing, replacement of sightseeing buses has become one of driving forces for bus industry development. Similar to truck industry, buses as a segment of commercial vehicles are popular among foreign importers due to its high price/performance, and now mainly exporting to regions such as Middle-East and Cuba. There is still a significant gap of automobile technology between China and European and American mature markets, so it is difficult to export buses to the developed countries. Automobile industries in developing countries are relatively behind, but with transportation demand increasing, it should be beneficial to the commercial vehicles export of China. Export price per vehicle is higher than that in domestic industry, which could help improving the gross profit of producers.

HHO Cars and the Oxyhydrogen Engine

To build your own oxyhydrogen engine is not hard and has many benefits. One just has to go online under any automotive category and you`ll see many offers to convert your vehicle into an HHO car.

An oxyhydrogen engine is simply your own vehicle`s gasoline engine converted to burn oxyhydrogen gas, which is two parts hydrogen to one part oxygen. Also referred to as HHO car conversion this technology is fast becoming very popular due to rising fuel prices globally.

The history of this fuel-saving system runs back about 20 years when the first devices were invented but were only available as ready-built kits that cost over $1000. Now-days you can build your own to HHO car technology due to it having being simplified and being sold on the internet.

An oxyhydrogen engine conversion can be done in about 20 work hours provided you follow your instructions. The guides are sold by many reputable companies on the net. Parts are readily found and can be bought at any local hardware store. Some things you will buy are: solder, various electronic parts, medium container, tubing, wiring etc.

To install the HHO car components is simple and afterwards you`ll be shown how to adjust your vehicle`s timings due to the different burning characteristics inherent in an oxyhydrogen engine.The result of a conversion will be increased gas mileage, this is certainly proven. Also, your engine will be "cleaned" by the effect of an HHO car conversion due to the burning of hydrogen gas and its effects on engine parts.

Driving Habits Contribute to Car and Truck Crashes

Personal injury attorneys and safety groups work to heavily promote the dangers that the big 18-wheeler trucks create on our highways and interstates. Major news outlets do their part in this promotion as well.

Safety organizations calling for more federal regulations to be placed on truck drivers, state that fatigue is a contributing factor in as many as 30-40% of all heavy truck crashes. The problem with this statement is that it is false.

Commercial trucks are involved in 2.4% of all car accidents and more than 80% of those accidents are the fault of the non-commercial driver. Furthermore, only 16% of all truck driving accidents are due to the truck driver's fault and of those death related accidents, only 4% of trucks are fatigue related.

The truth as it relates to car and truck crashes, is that the driver of the car is at fault over 80% of the time. This is all the more reason that driver education should include training in how to drive around big trucks and parents should help educate their coming-of-driving-age kids on the major driving habits that are the cause of car and truck crashes.

The most serious problem that non-commercial drivers face is the misunderstanding of the mechanics of truck driving. Other factors include basic safe driving skills such as obeying the speed limit, lane changing and respect for other drivers.

The most common causes of car crashes with semi-trucks are:

• Driving in the truck's "No-Zones" - All 18-wheelers have "blind spots" where the driver can not see the car due to the size of the commercial vehicle. These "blind spots" include directly behind the truck, in front of the truck which includes the lane that the truck is in as well as one lane to the right and a "blind spot" beside the truck's right door. In addition, there is a "no zone" on each side of the truck that can span for several lanes.


• Pulling out in front of a truck without proper acceleration - It takes an 18-wheeler a longer distance to stop. As a rule of thumb, it takes a semi tractor-trailer 40% longer to come to a stop than it does a car. Depending on road conditions, loaded weight and other such factors, it can even take longer. For example, the stopping distance for a tractor-trailer that is fully loaded on dry pavement going at 60 mph is approximately 335 feet, nearly the length of a football field.


• Driving between or along-side big trucks - This is one of the most dangerous habits one can do as large trucks create an air flow which can pull the car into the rig. If necessary, increase your speed in order to get past the truck as soon as possible to avoid any possible air turbulence.


• Maneuvering to the right of a truck that is making a right turn - When you do this, the driver of the rig at some point, can not see you due to the "blind spot" that this maneuver creates.


• Changing lanes abruptly in front of a truck - Again, due to the size and weight of these large vehicles, their stopping or slowing down process is greater and simply through inertia and the laws of physics, will not be able to stop in time to prevent a crash.


• Misjudging an approaching truck's speed at an intersection - Many crashes between cars and trucks occur at intersections while the truck is approaching for a turn. Due to the size of the commercial vehicle, its speed can appear to be much slower than it is actually moving; much like a large airliner flying through the sky; it appears to be moving very slowly, while we all know that this is not the case.

The list of causes for car and truck accidents could very well be endless, but these are the top serious driving habits non-commercial drivers perform which result in the 80% of auto drivers being the direct cause of car and truck related crashes.

Other factors include:

• Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• Ignoring road conditions
• Talking on a cell phone and/or texting while driving
• Speeding
• Reckless driving/moving in and out of traffic
• Simply not paying attention

If the driver education course is going to fail to teach our kids how to drive around the big rigs, then the parents must take on this task because the life they save could be their very own children.

Finding Graco Car Seat Parts on the Graco Website

Are you looking for hard to find Graco car seat parts? You may have problems looking for these parts. You may not even know where to start. Does this mean that you have to out and buy a new expensive car seat for your child? Fortunately, you do not have to do this. Thankfully, there is an easy way to get these parts and have the child car seat repaired.

These seats are important in keeping our children safe from harm. We all know the dangers that can happen while driving. After all, it is most likely for you to have an accident while on the road compared to having accidents on the air. This is the reason why these seats are so important.

Like any device, these seats can get damaged. There will be times when you will need replacement parts to get them repaired. However, how do you go about this? The first thing you have to do is get the seat's model number, serial number, or the date when it was manufactured. After getting these numbers, you will now have to log on to Graco's website.

On their website, there is a link that directs you to product replacement parts. On this page, you will have to enter in the numbers required. Once you enter in this information, you will get to know if there are available parts and where to get them. There is even an option to buy the parts from the website and have it shipped to you.

Having these seats are important in keeping our children safe inside our vehicles. If ever they do get damages, there are ways to find parts for their repair. You can do all of these on their website. This is how you find Graco car seat parts on the Graco website.