Automotive News, Car News

With the current economic turn down and the world’s call to combat global warming, majority of the car buyers now consider buying used and eco-friendly car to save some amount of money and the environment all at the same time. If like them, you also want to have your new car but want to save money and the environment, you can opt to buy your new used car to many of the car dealers online like Motors.co.uk or head to any brick and mortar local used cars dealer near you. However, before you proceed and purchase you desired used green car, let us know first the best used green car for you.

Supermini

If you are into super mini cars, the Toyota Aygo can be your best choice. Running on 61mpg and has CO2 emission of 109g/km, this surely will help you combat global warming even in your own little way. In addition, the Toyota Aygo also has the cute looks making it ideal for daily use.

Small family car

If you have plans of buying one for your small family, then you must be aiming to buy the Volkswagen Golf. With only 163g/km CO2 emission and with a 41.5mpg mileage, the Volkswagen Golf is surely an economical and eco-friendly car and is ideal for the whole family with its classy look yet affordable gas consumption.

Family Car

Another great family car you might want to consider is the Mazda 6 1.8 4dr. You can see a lot of used Mazda 6 in different used car dealership. This is a lot greener than the 2.0-litre Mazda 6. The 36mpg gas mileage and the 185 g/km Co2 emission, you will surely be happy to have done something to save the environment and save some amount of money on your gas consumption, as its mileage will definitely lower your gas bill.

Compact Executive

Show the executive in you without harming the environment and your budget with the used BMW 316i. Shop from one dealership to another and you will definitely find one great deal on used BMW 316i. This 1.9-litre engine car has CO2 emission of 187g/km and gas mileage of 36mpg. Know how to haggle prices and you will surely end up owning your new used compact and eco-friendly executive car.

4×4

Hit the road with your four-wheel drive car as you help save the environment with the Subaru Forester 2.0. Better mileage and low carbon emission made this car ideal for purchase if you want to help clean the air we breathe. With 31mpg gas mileage and 214g/km CO2 emission, owning the used Subaru Forester is your way to saving the environment and not blowing out your budget.

The author is serious enough in informing his colleagues about eco-friendly and used cars. He loves to do guest posts to different eco-friendly and used car blogs like the Motors.co.uk. He even owns a used car of his own bought from a local used cars dealer that has better mileage and low carbon emission and is aiming to spread the benefits of low gas bill and low carbon emission that he was able to enjoy while driving his used and eco-friendly car.

Inspite of a $2 billion lawsuit launched by several U.S. hedge funds, the integration of Porsche Automobil Holding SE into Volkswagen AG is well on track, assured VW’s CEO on Tuesday.

“We will stick to the (2011) timetable for the integration of Porsche,” said Martin Winterkorn, who also serves as CEO of heavily indebted Porsche SE.

Following a takeover fiasco of the much-larger VW Group, Porsche SE was forced to turn to Europe’s largest automaker for a bailout after amassing more than 10 billion euros in debt.

 Winterkorn said the timetable for a truck alliance of Scania and MAN, which both have VW as their largest shareholder, involved “very concrete” steps, but he declined to share further details.

Cars are no longer just a style statement but are an integral part of our life. Buying a car can be a very nerve wrecking decision. Most people desire to buy a brand new car but due to many factors like budget, they have to opt for used cars. Even though, used car is cheaper than a new car it doesn’t mean that you have to compromise on quality.

While deciding a used car, it is essential to look at certain areas of a car. You should always check the engine of the car and check if it has been taken proper care of by the previous owner. If you notice rust then it means that car was not maintained well. Same can be said for any oil leakage. Also, the oil should be clean and of the right amount.

While inspecting used cars for sale, you should also check the tires. If the tires are worn out then it means it is very old or has been used a lot. Now, it’s time to get bit dirty and take a peak under the car and check carefully for any signs of rust and wear and tear. A tailpipe can also about the car’s situation. Make it appoint to check latest emission tests certificates and if possible have the car undergo emission test. This can save you considerable amount of money in repair afterwards.

While test driving the car, check the car’s handling and any unusual noises & vibrations. Also, notice car’s body motion control, ease of operating the steering wheel. Brakes are very essential for a safe drive, so check the brakes thoroughly.

Once, the car has been checked for its road worthiness, you can go ahead and negotiate the deal with the owner.

General Motors Co. plans to build a new midsize Chevrolet truck in Thailand for export to Europe and parts of Southeast Asia as the brand makes its first push into the two regional pickup markets.

GM expects to sell at least 100,000 units of the new truck in the first year, with global production of the vehicle concentrated in Thailand and Brazil, Martin Apfel, executive director for GM’s Southeast Asian operations, said in a phone interview today.

“The logical consequence is to build where the customer wants it, as that keeps your costs down,” Bangkok-based Apfel said. Thailand and Brazil are “the two centers of gravity for midsize trucks,” he said.

It is a common reaction to have a hard time being approved for a loan or lease after bankruptcy. However, despite of the bankruptcy record that one has, he or she will still be able to get the right leasing car deals for his or her needs. If you are one of those who want to lease a car and be approved to the best possible terms you can after bankruptcy, then it is important that you must first know a lender’s credit guidelines. In this way, you will not be wasting both yours and the lender’s time.  Another benefit that you can get in knowing a company’s credit guidelines is your chance of avoiding the chance of lowering your FICO credit score, which is up to 12 point per inquiry.

Knowing a lender’s credit guideline can be started by asking if they are open to people who filed for bankruptcy. If you happen to get a positive answer, your next question must then be on what terms. It is important that you will tell the lenders on the first place that you once filed bankruptcy because there are lenders and dealers that are not willing to do business with people who filed bankruptcy. On the other hand, there are also some lenders and dealers that lease only to people with bankruptcy, while others used to offer purchase financing only. However, others offer a combination of the two.

After you have known the credit guidelines of your newly found lender or dealer, it is now time for you to purchase your FICO credit scores. When you talk to a car dealer, it is important that you have your recent credit scores with you in order for you to take charge, as this will make a dealer representative think that you are a well-informed consumer, resulting them to hesitant in taking advantage with you.

The next step that you can do is to sit down and interview the rest of the car dealers on a deeper level. You can start by asking questions like the right credit reporting agency to use in order to make a lending decision, the minimum credit score required to get approved. In addition, ask your preferred lender about the desired credit score to land with the best interest rate, if your desired lender with offer lease or purchase financing debtors who are bankrupt like you and the incentives at stake if you lease right at the very moment.

Workers at a lock manufactring factory for Honda Motor Co. cars in China were back on the job early Tuesday, temporarily suspending a six-day strike as negotiators tried to reach a new agreement on pay.

The strike is the latest in a series to ail factories around southern China’s Pearl River Delta and a few other regions by workers demanding better pay. Currently, the workers are mostly paid paltry wages and their rights are almost negligible. 

The string of strikes, most of which have been resolved, prompted the AFL-CIO, the largest U.S. labor group, to consider asking U.S. President Barack Obama’s administration to investigate whether China gains an unfair trade advantage by denying workers’ rights.

At the Honda Lock factory, one of the last where a strike has yet to be resolved, hundreds of workers trooped back into the factory on Tuesday for the morning shift in the South China city of Zhongshan.

The string of strikes have raised many concerns in the Auto industry which have been setting shops in China of late.  Meanwhile, neighbouring country, India has also emerged as a prime auto and auto parts manufacturing hub with much better skill sets and friendlier labor laws .

General Motors Co. is disclosing that seven executives will get almost $7.5 million in company stock as part of their pay packages.

The executives include North American President Mark Reuss, Vice Chairman for Product Development Tom Stephens and President of GM Europe Nick Reilly, the company said in regulatory filings Monday.

Previously GM had only disclosed a $9 million pay-and-stock deal for CEO Ed Whitacre, $6.2 million for Chief Financial Officer Chris Liddell and $5 million for Vice Chairman for Corporate Strategy Stephen Girsky.

GM officials have said the company could sell stock to the public late this year. No date has been set.

The U.S. government owns 61 percent of GM because it gave the company roughly $50 billion in aid. GM has repaid $6.7 billion, with the rest converted to stock.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says it is looking into allegations that accessory rubber floor mats offered by Ford for the automaker’s Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan models could become dislodged and force unintended acceleration.

NHTSA’s official release says that the investigation focuses on concerns that an “accessory floor mat may entrap the accelerator pedal.”

The rubber all season mats are specific to 2010 model year Fusions and Milans. NHTSA has advised drivers to remove the mats from the driver’s foot well until the investigation is complete.

“Any Ford ‘all weather’ optional floor mat should be placed in the driver’s side foot well only after first unfastening and removing the standard, carpeted floor mat,” NHTSA said in its statement.

NHTSA says it has received several complaints from 2010 Fusion drivers that the rubber mats can slide forward to trap the accelerator pedal if stacked on top of the standard carpeted floor mats. Ford says it doesn’t recommend that both the rubber and carpet mats be used at the same time in the foot well.

“We do not recommend stacking floor mats in any vehicle from any automaker,” Ford’s Said Deep told the Detroit News.

So you’ve found your dream used car and you’re ready to discuss the price with the seller to get the best deal. It may happen that you will feel that the car can be bought for a better price but you are clueless on how to negotiate. If this is the case, then read on to find how to save some dollars using a bit of common sense.

To start with, zero in on the major defect in the car. If the used car’s body is damaged, then how much it will cost you to repair it? Tell the seller the exact cost you will incur in mending the car in question which in a way could help you to bring down the price a little.

Other things to check will be tires and maintenance. If the tires are worn out, then you will have to buy a new set of tires. Everyone knows the importance of tires from the safety point of view. New tires mean extra expenses. Bringing this to the seller’s notice will put you in a better bargaining position and will help you to shave off few more dollars. Also find out when was the used cars you want to purchase was last serviced. Fixing items like brakes, water pumps, fluid changes and timing belts will require more money from your pocket. Getting to know the cost of these items from a local garage will help you estimate the fair deal for your car.

Car detailers, car dealers, and car washes encounter cars with paint chips and scratches, but most don’t have a paint touch up system to fix them with. Most systems are needlessly complex or expensive. Applied Colors has produced its ScratchOut system for these very businesses. For just $1095, its touch up paint system matches every color of vehicle on the road. Choose a color match from their Color Deck, place 20 drops of paint in a cup, and touch up all rock chips and scratches with a precision tip touch up brush. When necessary, use a squeegee, gloss additive, excess paint remover, and fill putty for a neat, tidy, and professional looking repairs. Visit their website to see videos of actual repairs.

If you are one of those who are aiming to buy used Toyota cars with hybrid motors, let us first check below explanation about the certified hybrid pre-owned program offered by Toyota. In the explanation, you will find things about the warranty program of the manufacturer, the pre-owned vehicle’s age, and some other benefits that you can expect or get from the manufacturer’s certified pre-owned program.

When it comes to Toyota, buyers will surely get some treat that they cannot get from any other car company. Toyota has its own certified pre-owned program for used hybrids established, resulting them to be the first manufacturer to do thing as such. Between the hybrid program and the regular Toyota program, their basic different is the 14 additional inspections done in examining the key hybrid components like the hybrid transaxle, control modules, and battery. Another added awareness that the hybrid program brings is the pre-existing eight-year/100,000-mile factory hybrid battery warranty.

According to Toyota, they have sole more than 2.4 million certified used vehicles in the US alone.

Each unit of pre-owned Toyota hybrid sold comes with the following:

• A 3-month/3,000-mile comprehensive warranty
• A 7-year/100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty
• A 7-year/100,000-mile roadside assistance
• A 174-point quality assurance inspection
• A CarFax vehicle history report

According to Toyota, like brand new car buyers, certified pre-owned customers are also eligible for new car financing rates and these rates are subject to change without prior notice.

Toyota vehicles have an excellent reputation for so many years now. However, even if Toyota have this kind of reputation and you are buying a certified pre-owned car, this does not mean that the car that you are about to buy is entirely free of trouble. It is best that you will do your homework and see to it that you will not end up buying a lemon.

However, if you were to buy your pre-owned hybrid cars through Toyota certified pre-owned program, your risk will be a little bit lesser with their three CarFax report provided, which will allow you and all the other buyers to know all recall work that has been done with the unit you are purchasing. In the three Carfax that Toyota will be providing, all work completions or has been done or all of the repairs done should be indicated. In this way you will know the common problem or repair the car that you will be buying has.

My dad has been driving me crazy all winter to get rid of the old 92′ Camaro I have parked in the back garage. I bought it four years ago for $200 and had a tow truck bring it over to the garage for another $75. My goal was to spend a year restoring and repairing it until I could drive it. Of course my girlfriend ended up pregnant and we got married and we are both living here with my dad till I finish college then we will be getting married and moving out. But it did leave me with little money to put into fixing up the Camaro. So now I have to get rid of it or my dad said he will kick me out of the house.

I called around and found an amazing junk car program that will not only pick up my car for free but they offered to give me the $200 I originally spent on it!! That was great news and the car was picked up yesterday and my dad is so happy he is taking me on his next fishing trip up to lake Woogaskoo. I still want to spend some time as a hobby fixing up old junk cars but i will wait a few years till I have a place of my own.

Land Rover is planning the launch of the first front wheel drive model from its stable.

The first front wheel drive model will be the so called Compact Range Rover, due to be unveiled later this year.The two wheel drive machine will be an addition to the range of all wheel drive compact Range Rovers planned, serving as an entry level model that will focus on lower running costs and improved fuel efficiency.

Low emissions are also promised, with the car producing less than 120g/km of CO2 – all of which will be achieved without the need for hybrid technology.

Land Rover will also benefit from the new two wheel drive powertrain. Land Rover is also working on a hybrid evolution of both this car and the Compact Range Rover – due for launch in 2013.

Land Rover currently has around 100 engineers working in its newly formed hybrid and alternative propulsion development division – the team is currently researching hybrid, full hybrid and range extended electric vehicle technologies for both Jaguar and Land Rover cars.

By the end of this year, the firm will have a test fleet of all three vehicles, including a full hybrid Range Rover Sport called the range_e, and a range extended electric vehicle based on the Jaguar XJ.

The range_e gets a new eight speed automatic gearbox, V6 diesel engine and 190nm electric motor. The range_e’s engine will drive the car’s wheels directly. However the car is still aiming for an electric only range of around 50 miles.

The European Union has imposed interim anti-dumping duties of up to 20.6 percent on imports of aluminum wheels imported from China following a complaint of unfair competition from European manufacturers. The European Commission, the executive arm of the 27-nation EU, said on Tuesday an investigation had revealed that imports of Chinese aluminum wheels, used by car makers such as Renault and BMW, harmed European producers.

It said EU manufacturers has suffered a significant decrease of production and sales, loss of market share, as well as price depression due to cheaper imports from China.

“A provisional anti-dumping duty is hereby imposed on imports of aluminium road wheels … originating in the People’s Republic of China,” the Commission said in the EU’s official journal.

Recently, Nissan has become the first company to launch on its eco car in Thailand with its new March at the Bangkok Motor Show event. Japanese car makers like the Toyota and Honda are expected to soon follow suit and showcase new concept at the Thailand car show event.

At the same time, Volkswagen and Suzuki are likely to be helping out each other to be successfully developing an eco car in Thailand according to the news in the industry. Recently a news report stated that a senior official at the Thailand’s Board of Investment had confirmed that the German and Japanese automakers were negotiating about the collaborative possibilities.

Meanwhile, Volkswagen was among seven automakers applying for promotional privileges from the Board of Investment. The industry source did also say that Volkswagen had embarked on the new push and was negotiating with the Suzuki about the jointly developing on the small and fuel efficient cars in Thailand.

VW has revealed a plug-in electric version of the Golf, previewing the zero-emissions driveline and lithium-ion battery technology the company intends to put into a production version of the new car. Volkswagen chairman Martin Winterkorn stated the plug-in Golf will go on sale in Germany and other key markets, including North America, in 2013.

Called the Golf Blue-E-Motion, the car forms part of a broad-based electric-vehicle offensive by VW that will see similar versions of the Mexico-built Jetta and the Chinese-market Lavida also going on sale in 2013.

Before they arrive, however, VW plans to kick things off with the introduction of the Up Blue-E-Motion, a car described by Winterkorn as a “city specialist” and previewed in concept form at last year’s Frankfurt motor show.

The Chrysler Sebring will be getting get a new name later this year: Nassau.

The midsize sedan is due for an update, including a all new interior. Chrysler, though, is not commenting on the possible name change.

“[We] definitely don’t have anything to announce about the possible name change later this year,” spokesman Rick Deneau said.

The Nassau should sound familiar to car fans. It was the name of Hemi-powered, four-passenger luxury concept shown at the 2007 Detroit auto show. With striking looks and a prominent grille, the concept displayed a dash of panache, potentially for a future Chrysler. The concept rode on a 120-inch wheelbase and was meant to look more visually compact than a comparable Chrysler 300C, summoning the style of a shooting brake.

Still, the Sebring makeover is more of an update, so look for the name change to be the extent of the Nassau genetics that make it onto the new sedan. The Nassau name was also used famously by Chrysler in the 1950s.

Porsche is recalling all 11,300 units of the 2010 Panamera to fix a problem with the front seatbelts.

According to Porsche, the Panamera’s seatbelt mounts could fail in a crash when the front seats are in the full forward position. This is a precautionary move and no injuries have been reported.

Porsche says the repair is simple – adding another mounting point for the front belts – and shouldn’t take more than 15 minutes at a dealership. The repair will be done free of charge.

Owners can contact Porsche their local dealers to set up an appointment for the repair. Scheduling or other questions can be answered through the customer service center, which can be reached by calling 800-PORSCHE (800-767-7243).

Population growth is a huge problem currently been faced by mankind and nobody is without a blame. Every invention and innovation is centered on making life a bit easier for us. And Car is one of them.

While we are discussing cars, let’s visit a question. Why do we need a 7 Seater? Answer is to accommodate you friends and family. If you are people person and like to go out with your family and relatives then your regular sized car can be very crampy.

But that can not be the only reason, also decide your usage pattern. If you go out frequently with large number of people then a 7 seater will suit you. If you absolutely feel the need to but a big car then go ahead and buy yourself a one. If you are driving just 2 out of 10 times with more than 2 to 3 people, then it’s not advised to buy any of the 7 seater cars.

Not just the cost of a 7 seater is more; even the running expenses are higher. Fuel is one major component. Other is the garage. Do you have a garage to house a big car?

If the answer for above question is yes, then the next big thing to be answered is about your budget. Does a 7 seater fit well in your pocket? Big cars are very expensive, both during the purchase and maintenance. Thus you should mentally and economically be prepared to pay for those extra expenses

Volkswagen’s BlueMotion line of diesel cars has won the 2010 Green Car of the Year by the World Car of the Year group. VW design chief Walter de’Silva accepted the award during the New York auto show.

The Toyota Prius and the Honda Insight were among the the other contenders for the award this year.

The winner was chosen by a 59-member international jury of auto journalists. The jury includes AutoWeek contributors Greg Kable and Michael Taylor.