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Gas prices this year will drive a lot of us ? no, not to drink! ? to research how we can make things more affordable, either the car or the gas, so we can decrease our busting gas budget and bring it back to normal. Hybrid cars have found their greatest hour of fame because of the 2008 gas prices and the increase cost in just filling up your gas tank for the week. Driving down the freeway today, folks no longer stare as the hybrid that goes by ? there are lots of them. Eight years ago a friend bought a Honda Insight, when it was the thing. Hybrid cars were not well known at the time and friends and strangers stopped to pick his brains as he filled up. Now most of the big manufacturers have put out a hybrid car or two. Usually there is a coupe, very pared down with two seats, and another model, family style. Hybrids are not known for having a lot of room inside, so they are most popular for city driving, where you can un-cramp fast. It?s a pity, because where they really shine is on the long stretches.

Recent reports on these cars shows that they do save on gas. Mileages range from 24 mpg on the larger models to ? believe it or not! ? 64 miles. This larger number is for standard transmissions rather than automatic. But for savings like that, heck, who minds shifting?? Think of it ? you could drive from San Francisco to Sacramento on a gallon. At today?s predicted top prices, that would come to about $3.60! One caveat, though, almost all of the hybrids get incredibly better mileage in the country, where they speed along with no complicated stops. Hybrid cars cost more, often a lot more, but good old Uncle Sam will pay in the neighborhood of $1500 if we are good citizens and purchase a hybrid car, so the sticker price is not that much of a shock.

Good mileage like that mentioned doesn?t come without a price, however. Hybrid cars run on very little fossil fuel, partly because as they go down the road, the huge batteries that are under the hood (or in the trunk) are charging. You don?t have to plug them in, and the charge they get as you drive is free. Big problem, though is the day the batteries need to be replaced. That?s right, batteries don?t go on forever, no matter what the Energizer Bunny tells you. Replacement is expensive. Does the cost eat up most of the savings you made at the gas pump? It?s hard to get a concrete answer to this. A lot depends on the quality of the battery that is originally in your new hybrid car, but it pays to ask that question when you go to the dealer showroom

Want to hear another advantage in being a hybrid car owner?? Hybrids are ?green.? How?s that for snob appeal, these global warming days?

People who have to travel a lot yet they do not have their own means of transport mostly travel by public transport or they rent a car. Renting a car for your traveling is the most comfortable and time saving option. We see a lot of car rentals near the airport, as the people entering from outside usually require their services. There are many options in this; you can opt for a variety of cars at various rates. The market is extremely competitive and with the online booking and other facilities such as car hire package deals offered by airlines have led to even more competition.

There are numerous offers provided by rental companies from time to time to give the much required boost to their business. We see some big names in the market as well as small players. It becomes pretty tough for the small service providers to keep up with the rates of biggies. A lot of people are now avoiding keeping their own private cars and depending on renting as and when they require to use a car.
Hence there is a great growth potential in the car rental market.

Many people do not understand the terms of rentals, if they are new to renting cars. We should understand what we are being billed for and whether or not we should pay for it. Sometimes car companies have to pay for airport surcharge, which is an additional fee; if they are passing that on to the client then it should be clearly mentioned at the time of quote. Get a clear picture of the charges and timings. Mostly car rentals charge for 24 hours, so make sure you understand that from them before calling the cab.

A number of times the car service offers a ?super coverage? or ?damage waiver?. You can go for insurance, a third party insurance is always included in the quote itself, but make sure you are also covered with the vehicle. You would find that most good service providers are offering some great prices and if they are not there is no harm in asking for discount and getting a good deal. It is always a good idea to book your car in advance during holidays and special occasions, as you may not get a good offer in case there is a rush. Read your rental agreement properly and enjoy the drive.

If you think to buy a car in this day, I recommend you visit , this site is amazing and have a lot of free resources, there is no charge to setup an account and use all the services, search for information and important automotive news.

The site offer an amazing new car research, here you can do a free auto quotes, search for price of your desire auto and know for information about financing, insurance, warranty, calculator and make a comparison between cars.

If you want to buy or sell your used car, Edmunds used car price guide is the right place too, it give you the opportunity to sell your car and know the right price with the amazing ?Appraise a Car? tool, with this tool you find the exact price of your car, or if you buy a used car this is totally necessary to know if the salesman give you the right price or is cheating you.

You will find too the review of the latest cars in the market, consumer ratings, videos, auto shows and future cars, you can read what other car buyer think or write about a specific car and don?t forget the Edmunds used car price guide for a lot of tips in how to buy a car.

The thing that I like more is the Tips & Advice section, this section help me a lot, I learn about 10 steps to buying a car, and what the salesman think, But there is a lot of articles and bunch of information about car safety, fuel economy, family car guide and young car guide.

I think this is the best site about used or new car, this site help me a lot when I try to buy or sell my car, definitively you need to visit this site and read the Edmunds used car list to make the right decision or simply to know more about the auto market or if you try to save a lot of money and avoid the scams.

Car auctions are a good place to get good a bargain on cars. But buying cars from auctions can be very complicated. This is particularly true for the uninitiated. Of course the cars in auctions are generally cheaper. But they are cheap because they lack the guarantees that come with cars bought from dealers. The rules in auctions are simple, you bid an item, you pay for it, and you own it.

It is therefore not advisable for persons without much experience in motor vehicles to just go to an auction and buy a car.

What you'll need if you're planning to buy a car in an auction is a good eye, good observation skills and a willingness to learn the car auction process.

You can even make it a business by buying cars at auction and then selling them at a profit. There are several people who have made huge profits by buying and selling cars at auction.

There are basically two kinds of car auctions, local car auctions and online car auctions. Each of the auctions works differently. Each has a different set of rules so you must study them very carefully if you are planning to buy a car from either kind of auction.

If you want to buy a vehicle in a car auction you must first pre-register with the local auction you want to join. The pre-registration process won't take much of your time and will provide you all the essential information that you will need in order to buy a car. An auction site will often have an auction staff who will explain to you the rules of their auction site and the procedures and instruction on how to participate and bid on the cars.

It is wise to inspect the cars before the actual bidding begins. Ask the auction organizer or staff if they can allow you to take a closer look at the cars before the start of the actual auction. Another wise decision is to set your payment limit before the actual sale. This way, you won't fall victim to the trap of overbidding.

As in other auctions, it is very important that you signal your bids carefully to the car auctioneer to avoid confusion. Settle your transaction as soon as the auction ends. Look for the block clerk and settle your accounts with him. A car auction staff will usually be available to assist you when you are ready to pay for the vehicle you have won. He should also be able to guarantee you a good title for the vehicle.

You must also check the vehicle after you have won and settling your account. Take the vehicle for a test drive and make sure that it conforms to the guarantee and representation made during the auction.

Most auction sites would accept check or credit card if you cannot pay the car with cash. An auction staff will also usually give you a third party financing offer. It is advisable though to have your own finances ready before entering a car auction. Outside financing is usually cheaper than most in-house financing of auction sites.

Ask for an invoice copy from the auction staff. This will enable you to drive or ship your newly bought car to your location. Most car auction managers will give you good deals on shipping arrangements so inquire about this.

There really are no significant differences between a local auction and an online auction. Online car auctions work more or less the same way as local ones. The only disadvantage of online auction sites is that you won't be able to inspect the car as you would in an actual car auction. In participating in online car auctions be sure that you will be provided with all the necessary information about the car upfront and that there is an actual photograph of the vehicle.

Cars bought from an online auction are usually shipped to the buyer for a minimal fee. Inspect the car immediately upon arrival at your location to minimize risks.

You are now ready for your first car auction. Happy bidding!

ACURA RDX 2007
Acura blows it.

What's new for the 2007 Acura RDX: Brand new model.

Given the strong family ties between most Acuras, you'd expect the RDX to take all the best qualities of the MDX and squeeze it into a slightly smaller package. Well, they're both Acura-designed SUVs with strong performance, high technology, and almost the exact same features, but judging from the way things turned out, baby brother got some botched up DNA.

A lot of it comes down to Acura's decision to arm the RDX with a turbocharger. While this blower succeeds in squeezing 240 mighty horsepower from the RDX's little 4-cylinder engine, it also puts surges and spikes in the power curve that make the RDX annoying to drive, while also sinking fuel economy to about 19 MPG. Other problems include a too-busy automatic transmission and a stiff suspension that, while providing sporty handling, jerks everyone around too much. I also found the driver's seat to have an annoying bulge in the lower back.

But the RDX is comfortable otherwise. None of the other seats give anything to complain about, and the interior has all the rich detail found in more expensive Acuras. Get an RDX with the Technology Package (the only option) and you even get an awesome 5.1 surround sound stereo, a backup camera, and a perfectly designed navigation system with real-time traffic updates -- pretty nifty stuff for the RDX's mid-$30K price point.

Speaking of which, the RDX only has a handful of competitors, each with major deficiencies of their own. The Infiniti EX35 is cramped, the BMW X3 overpriced and less luxurious, and the Land Rover LR2 a piece of crap. Choosing between the Acura RDX and the others depends on which flaws you favor.