New battery-electric vehicles that will released for the model years of 2018 and 2019 could possibly shift the attention of consumers away from Tesla. Audi, Hyundai and at least a couple new manufacturers finally matured enough to make their own all-electric cars in the crossover SUV bodies. This video can serve as a quick overview of current market situation. Some cars are already on sale in the USA, Canada, Europe, Asia and China, so we were able to add prices and final technical information about them, while some are waiting for their first public debuts (companies already confirmed their production, though). Short list of things this video presentation will teach you (information about the sourced used in making this video are in the end of the presentation; image by autoblog.com/2018/02/27/hyundai-kona-electric-suv-revealed): – Porsche Mission E Cross Turismo can finally set the company to the path of electrifying their whole lineup. The 600hp E Cross Turismo SUV will be good for urban and offroad driving thanks to rugged tires and 310 miles of range; – Jaguar I-Pace is slightly bigger than most of cars on the list. Despite this, it will still show great range and be slightly cheaper than Tesla’s SUV. – Hyundai Kona is the competitor for the domination among more affordable EV options. Hyundai are known for making cars with competitive pricing and good specifications, so Kona Electric is the first long-range option to Bolt EV. – Chevrolet Bolt EV is usually described as the uncool all-electric car. Customers, who are not chasing the hype could have the time of their lives driving this car: it has the range of over 200 miles and low price compared to most of the competition. – Nio ES8 is the cheaper alternative to Model X that was created for the Chinese market. The main selling point of this big SUV is its pricing. For the smaller amount of money, you get cars that are not less advanced than ones created by Elon Musk’s company. – Audi Etron is scheduled to start rolling out of the production lines in the second half of 2018. Consumers in Europe can already place their reservations for Audi’s first long-range SUV. – Tesla Model X: no list is complete without this product. Although everyone is chasing Elon Musk, in 99% of cases Tesla remains on top. Let’s see if anything changes for them this year.
Tag Archives: car
Super Cheap Ways to Make your Car Look Great
Your car is a huge investment and if you want to make it look great then there are a couple of things that you need to take into account. After all, you need to make sure that it is accessorised and you also need to make sure that it is clean and polished as well.
Cleaning your Car
Every time you get out of your car, make an effort to take any rubbish out. You also need to try and focus on your interior detailing as well. For example, are there any marks that you could cover up? Is it possible for you to replace the gear shifter knob? Little things like this can make a huge difference to your car and by simply dusting your dashboard you can really improve the general appearance of your vehicle. Organizing your car also helps and you don’t have to spend a ton of money on organisational tools or spiffy hardware. Try and consider using ziplock bags to keep all of your car manuals together, or even use cable tidies to keep your phone wires together. Of course, it’s understandable that you won’t want to wax your car every month, but do consider doing it a couple of times a year. It also won’t hurt to put it through a car wash from time to time, and make sure that you give the alloys a good scrub as well.
https://www.pexels.com/photo/blue-bmw-sedan-near-green-lawn-grass-170811/
Floor Mats
The first thing that will get ruined in your car is probably going to be your floor mat. If your car has the original floor mat that it came with and it is in great condition then you have nothing to worry about here, but if you don’t or if you know that your car mats are in bad condition then you may want to get these replaced. When you do get them replaced, try and opt for rubber mats. Felt mats can store mud and moisture, and all of this can lead to a mould build up. Eventually you’ll have to buy a brand new set and this can cost you a ton of money as well. Rubber on the other hand, can be cleaned time and time again.
https://www.pexels.com/photo/adult-automotive-blur-car-13861/
Car Body
If you have dents or dings in your car then why not consider getting them fixed? A Jeep rear bumper for example is very easy to buy and very easy to replace as well so you can easily bring your old car back to life. If you haven’t cleaned your windshield wipers in a while then you need to get a microfibre cloth so that you can get all of the dust and debris that you have accumulated over the years. This will help to keep your glass clean and it is a great way for you to really boost the general appearance of your car.
Other things that you can do include replacing the alloys, the door handles or the trim underneath the car. These things are a little bit more expensive but they can make all the difference.
3 Reasons You Should Lease Your Next Car
Image Credit: Pexels
As the technology that goes into cars gets better and better, they are also gradually increasing in price. While this is part and parcel of creating some incredible new vehicles and pushing the boundaries, it is problematic for people who are passionate about cars and love driving but simply can’t afford those prices. This means that if you are looking for a new car – hybrid, electric or otherwise – you should start considering other methods for funding your transportation.
In the future, it seems very likely that we won’t have our own cars at all. Self driving vehicles are looking increasingly viable as a wide-scale option, opening up the opportunity for people to effectively hire the nearest car rather than owning their own. This lifestyle makes a lot of sense on both an economical level and an environmental level.
But this future doesn’t have to be that far away. In recent years, car leasing has become more and more popular. You get to lease the perfect car for you and in a few years time you can switch it up for a better model, incorporating new technologies and more green credentials. While we don’t have self-driving cars just yet, we can certainly start to learn how to share assets much better and begin to let go of the notion of ownership.
So, what is so good about leasing?
Fit in With Your Monthly Expenses
Leasing is one of the best ways to get a car when you don’t quite have the money to buy one. Cars are expensive and getting more and more expensive as time goes on. This can make it quite tricky for people who require a car but aren’t earning enough just yet to acquire the savings in time, like first time car buyers.
As a good compromise, leasing allows you to figure out how much you can afford to spend out of your monthly budget on your car. With this money, you can then lease a car without having to put down a deposit to begin with. In other words you get the car you want, right now, without having to save up for one first.
Fitting any large expense into your monthly budget can be quite difficult but luckily there are a wide range of cars available to lease. At the end of your lease, you can choose to either swap your car for a new model that will suit your new needs, or you can lease your same car again. This is slightly different to paying for a car on finance as you won’t own your leased car at the end of your contract. However, the monthly payments are quite a lot cheaper so this could be a better option if you are shorter on cash. You can read a little more about the differences between leasing and financing online at www.wcvolvocars.com.
Upgrade to Enjoy a New Car at the End of Your Lease
One of the most exciting things about your lease is that once it ends you can upgrade to get a better car that will suit your needs. As technology and cars are moving along at a rapid pace, this is a really good advantage to have as in a few years time, you can’t even imagine what kinds of changes will have been made. Having the ability to join in straight away will be really very exciting!
This might sound a bit weird if you haven’t thought of leasing a car before, but think of it like a cell phone. We all know how quickly cell phones have suddenly taken off with brand new technologies seeming to appear almost every month. The car industry may be a slightly slower industry given that a car is a much larger investment for anyone to make, but it is rapidly catching up and now this attitude to leasing rather than owning is taking off. And, when you think about it that way, it makes a lot more sense.
Your Car is Protected Under Warranty
One of the biggest worries that drivers have is that should anything go wrong with their car, they will have to pay to get it fixed again. This is particularly worrying when you have already spent pretty much all you have on buying the car in the first place!
With a lease, the car you are driving will be protected and covered so that if there are any problems, this won’t be coming out of your pocket, but will be paid for by the warranty. This means that while you should certainly continue to take excellent care of your car and drive sensibly and safely at all times, if there are any problems, you won’t need to worry about covering the cost.
This is a huge bonus if you are looking for an electric car or a hybrid as these cars are generally much more expensive to fix when they go wrong as they contain specially made parts that can often only be fitted by a particular garage or technician. Knowing this will also help to bring your insurance cover down as your insurer will not be shouldering the cost of these repairs either.
Leasing a car might not sound like it’s for you, but even if you only look at these three reasons to lease your next car, it is clear that there are a few significant advantages at play as the technology in cars improves at a rapidly increasing rate, you don’t want to get left behind the times when you know that the next awesome breakthrough in efficiency is coming. Being able to change your car regularly will allow you to stay on top of the trends without breaking the bank or having to save up a ridiculous amount for a deposit.
Take control of your car and take control of the future. Leasing is a trend that will soon be working for everyone and the sooner you climb on board, the more likely it is that industries will work to develop a future where everyone has a way of travelling around easily and efficiently – where you don’t need to be wealthy to have a stake in the best of the city.
A Beginner’s Guide To Classic Car Restoration
Whether you have a passion for restoring them or driving them, there are many classic car lovers out there. Bringing a classic or vintage car back to life can be a labor of love and can be an incredibly rewarding experience. It could be to sell the car on, and the process is what you enjoy. It could be to then keep the car yourself and enjoy it as a weekend vehicle.
But if you’ve not done it before, but quite fancy the idea of it, then where do you start? Here are a few of the steps you should take if you’re interested in a classic or vintage car restoration. Then, no matter your previous skills or experience, you can be on the right path to getting the project done well.
Do Your Homework
A vintage car restoration is not a small project. So you need to take some time to figure out how much it could cost you and what you have available to spend on it. What are the tools you need for such a project? Do you have the right ones? If you know someone that has done it before, then that could come in really handy.
Choose the Right Car
Choosing the right car can be one of the trickiest parts of a car restoration. It isn’t always going to be straightforward; the chances are that you will find one with a few problems. But you don’t want to have too many problems that will cost you a lot to fix. So take your time checking out what is for sale near you. Looking up ‘car auctions near me’ could be a good idea too, as you can often get a good deal at an auction. Classified ads, local papers, and car garages can be good places to look to. Be sure to ask plenty of questions for the previous owners.
Original or Personal
When it comes to classic cars, there are some stalwarts that believe you have to recreate the car back to its original form. But will that be the route that you take? You could opt for classic, or add some personality to the car. Making a plan and deciding what you want the car to look like is really key. It can be a good idea to know what you want to do beforehand, so that you can plan the right tools and design.
Space
You might have grand plans for your car restoration, but have you thought through where it is all going to go? Do you have space in your own garage, or would you be placing the car elsewhere? If so, you’ll need to check the security of the place, as well as check on insurance (though if the car isn’t driveable yet, it can reduce the insurance).
The thing to think about is why you are doing it, as classic car restoration can take a while. It should be a labor of love, as that will make it more appealing, and get you out there each week, rather than putting it off and wasting your money.
Are You a Hazard on the Road Without Even Knowing It?
Driving is one of those things in life that can be daunting at first, but can quickly become second nature if you do it enough. Many spend a lot of time each day on the road. Whether it’s ferrying their kids around to school or commuting to work, driving is just something we do on a regular basis. However, once we get accustomed to it, we might start developing lazy habits that are surprisingly harmful to our safety.
Let’s face it; how many of us have neglected to put on our seatbelt now and then because we’re only driving down the road or in a relatively safe neighbourhood? What about answering your phone? Perhaps you see that your phone is ringing on the dashboard and it’s your partner, so you decide to answer it and disregard driving rules set by your state or country. There are small things like this that might not initially seem harmful, and the more you do it the more likely you’ll repeat those actions and eventually become desensitized to those dangerous habits and become a hazard on the road.
But how do you know when to stop? Let’s take a look at some of the most common habits that drivers have which turn them into dangerous hazards on the road.
Source: Pexels
Neglecting Laws
Laws are made for a reason. They’re rules that we need to follow or else we lose order. However, laws are also designed to protect us. There are different rules in each state, and it’s important that you follow them else you risk getting in trouble with the law or potentially hurting yourself. The last thing you want is to be pulled over because you didn’t realize what the laws in your current state are. Make sure you check up on the driving laws of each state to make sure this doesn’t happen. The laws should also make sense because they’re made to protect you.
With that out of the way, let’s take a look at some of the ways that you become a hazard on the road without even knowing it. Some of these are going to be basic knowledge for people, but others are going to be interesting and you might learn a thing or two about driving safety.
Driving With Passengers
One of the most common ways to get distracted is to have people in the back of your vehicle. Of course, it’s absolutely normal to drive with people, but you need to remember that they can become distractions. Whether it’s someone asking you to change the music or speaking to you about subjects that you need to think about, anything that takes your mind or attention off driving can ultimately distract you. That’s how easy it is to actually become distracted. All it takes is a split second and you might miss a light, you could miss the pedestrian crossing the road or you could take a wrong turn.
You want to avoid car accidents as much as possible especially when there are other people in the vehicle with you. No one wants to be responsible for several people getting injured, so here are a few tips to help you stay focused when driving with others in the car:
- Diffuse arguments quickly. If you’re arguing with someone in the car or your child is disagreeing and having a tantrum, do your best to stop the argument so you can continue focusing on driving.
- Stop driving if your passengers are annoying you. Whether it’s someone playing with your seat and moving it or changing the songs on your radio, stop immediately if you’re getting frustrated with the people in your car.
- Don’t play around in the car. Driving with friends can be enjoyable, but if they’re doing silly things like dancing around or screaming loudly then stop them immediately.
- Drive slowly. If you find it hard to focus with people in the car, driving slowly can help give you more time before important driving decisions.
Source: Pexels
Vehicle Maintenance
You’d be surprised at just how many vehicles on the road are in need of some dire maintenance. Whether it’s an indicator light that isn’t working or the seats being a little unstable, it’s important to get the best out of your vehicle and keep it well-maintained so that you don’t risk it breaking down or becoming dangerous when you’re out in the open. Many people that have owned their cars for a long time will quickly forget about keeping their vehicle in good condition, so make sure you don’t neglect this as an important concern.
For example, a used car can sometimes come with bad tires or flimsy brakes. Make sure you fix these as soon as possible to prevent them from becoming a major issue. In addition, perform a regular maintenance check on your devices to guarantee that all of your lights are working and that you can correctly show your intent to other drivers on the road. vehicles need to be kept in good condition before they should be used on the road, so don’t drive a vehicle that is broken or in poor condition.
Driving While Tired
Everyone has driven while tired a few times in their life. Whether it’s trying to shake off the morning grogginess or driving after a long and rough day at work, it’s important that you try and drive only when your mind is focused and you’re not falling asleep. Driving while drowsy is actually a huge safety concern and it is similar to driving while under the influence of alcohol.
You might be tempted to drive while drowsy, but it’s important that you consider the safety concerns and the danger that you might put yourself in if you do it. Try to plan your driving in advance and make sure you take regular breaks if you’re driving a long distance. There’s nothing wrong with stopping someplace, pulling over your vehicle and taking a small nap before you continue driving.
Does Fixing The Car Have To Be So Expensive?
They are one of the most expensive things we will ever own. In fact, for the majority of people, their car is the most valuable and the costliest of all their possessions except for the home. The amount they have to spend on their mechanics is a big part of that, as well. Cars are complex and fixing them isn’t easy so it’s no surprise repairs can be costly. But is there any way to at least make them more manageable? Does keeping your car in good condition always have to be so costly?
Not if you take care of it
Everyone can reduce how much they spend on repairs. The simple fact is that most drivers are too busy or simply not willing to put in the time to show their own auto a little more care. We can all do more to maintain our cars. Changing spark plugs, checking tire pressure, changing the oil when necessary. You can do all of these and more with the expensive help of a mechanic. If you own an electric car, you can still clean and polish it, lessening the risk of rust, and you can take care of the battery. The more time you put into the car, the less money you have to spend on it.
Not if you shop around
Make sure you’re not going to the most expensive garage in town. Even if they’re a legit business and not resorting to tricks, you could save money by going to their competition, especially if they’re a shorter distance away from you. Shop around when it comes to your parts and maintenance equipment as well. Suppliers like CTI Supply that sell directly to garages and other auto businesses could offer much better prices, especially if you buy in bulk. Don’t always let the garage find your replacement parts for you, either. It’s not entirely unheard of for mechanics to mark up the car parts they source and find for your vehicle. Of course, you shouldn’t try to go too cheap with replacement parts, as that can only end up making them more likely to break and need another replacement in short order.
Not if you prepare
One of the most expensive parts of car repair isn’t the bill, but how unprepared the majority of car owners are for them. If your car has a malfunction or accident and your insurance isn’t paying, you may find that you don’t have the funds readily available. A lot of businesses will let you make repairs on credit, but often with interest that marks up the overall price significantly. By putting aside a car maintenance fund as shown at The Nest, you can avoid going into debt and have the cash ready to go when you need it.
As well as the tips above, you do want to make sure you’re being taken for a ride by your mechanic. Take a closer look at your bill the next time you visit and make sure you’re not getting any extra charges you shouldn’t.