Damox's Car Blog

I've been blogging a lot about car loans and financing recently, I thought it might be time to add in a little something about car insurance. It's the main expense of owning a car, after the purchase of the actual vehicle. If you are looking for Car Insurance, you owe it to yourself to shop around. Check out the ASDA car insurance plans.

ASDA has comprehensive plans for people both over and under 21 years of age. They even have special van insurance for people who really like to rock out like it's 1975.

JC Whitney is one of the most popular names in auto parts. http://www.encyclocentral.com/7108-JC_Whitney.html has been around for over 50 years, and if you've ever watched more than an hour of the Speed Channel or the Power Block on Spike TV you've seen their commercials.

Some of their products include AC and heating, fuel systems, engine cooling systems, brakes, suspensions and various products for your garage like tools, jacks, chargers and cables, diagnostic equipment, and more. Click on the link in this post for more on this company from Encyclocentral.

Anyone who has done a guest spot on a car-themed poscasting show knows how slick this podcasting technology is. Most people I know have everything they need to listen to a podcast, and even to make one of their own. What are they missing? Free Podcast Hosting. Not everyone has a place to host their podcast, and they don't want to a pay a lot of money to set up their own hosting. Now they don't have to, with this free service.

I want everyone out there to try making their own podcast. Get together with other car enthusiasts and put your shows together. Maybe sometime in the future we can feature them on this site.

I've been writing a lot this week about financing car purchases, and sprinkling in some supercar videos and news to make you drool over things you know you can't afford. For the cars that you can afford, with proper financing, check out how:Car Refinance at rateGenius is a great place to start if you are looking to pay a lower rate for your car (and who isn't).

RateGenius has a network of lenders that they use to find you the best rate on you car loan. That means a lower interest rate and lower monthly payments on your loan. If you think you're in over your head, start with their Frequently Asked Questions section, where they will explain exactly how refinancing works and when it's best for you.

Everybody loves new cars. They have that smell that everyone associates with "new", and all the gizmos and gadgets actually work. The paint looks like it's wet all the time, and the drive is smooth.

Nobody should like paying for a new car. They are usually 25 to 50% more expensive than used versions of the same car from a few years before, and they'll lose 10 to 20% of their retail value the moment they're driven off the lot. Who likes new car purchases? Banks and credit card companies.

My friend bought a brand new car, but he didn't have the money to pay for it. Not even close to enough money. No problem, he thought. I can get a loan, and I've got good credit.

Fast forward three years. That friend still has the car, although it doesn't run as smoothly as it once did. He's still paying for each month, with a bill that would make most people cringe. He fell on some hard times, as many of us do, and missed a few payments. He used a credit card to cover a few loan payments, then missed some credit card payments. He's in credit hell right now.

Bad credit auto loans are a part of life for many people. Getting out of this credit nightmare is a struggle faced by millions of Americans each year. If you are not in that situation, remember what I just wrote about my friend before you buy that new car, or even that house that's really nice but too pricey for your salary. Just because you can get a loan does not mean you should take it. Remember that your credit rating will follow you wherever you go in life. Don't ruin your future just so you can have something nice now.

It's no secret that rich people usually prefer to date other rich people. It's just easier to trust that people in your own class are really into you, and not just your bank account and the Italian sports car in the garage.

www.dateamillionaire.com is a dating site like Match or any of those other sites you see advertised on TV, except its target is millionaires.

If you are not a millionaire, I guess you could always join the site and find one. Heck, maybe they'll even pay for your Ferrari, because god knows you won't be paying for it. Of course, if you are already a millionaire and wrote the Ferrari check for yourself, there's no better way to get your name out there then with this site.

General Motors engineers and executives are debating the engine layout of the next generation Corvette, the C7. Engineers want the mid-engine layout. It would allow them to balance the car easier, giving it a much more sporty ride. This would make it much more like the European sports cars it competes against.

Executives are aware of the Corvette history, and the possibility that a mid-engine Corvette could really turn off fans of the model. One columnist has suggested that the C7 will remain front-engine, but a concept Corvette will be built with a mid-engine, and possibly go into very limited production as a "statement car," which is a car that manufacturers make essentially to create buzz and show where the company is going in the future.
GM contemplates mid-engine Corvette | Leftlane - Car News For Enthusiasts

I'm sure many of you have tried one of those sites that claims to give you quick car insurance quotes with a comparison to other online car insurance sites. You often have to wait to get an email or phone call for the results, which will usually be packaged in with a sales pitch. If you live in the United Kingdom, you now have a better option.

With the Quote Zone system, you get quotes for the cheapest car insurance in the UK in about 2 minutes. They don't just scan a couple competitors for your comparison, they have over 30 different companies to compare with. You'll get the cheap quote you want, with a lot less hassle. That will be sure to save you both time and money... which you can then spend on your car!

Ford has unveiled the first drivable fuel cell hybrid plug in vehicle. It has both a hydrogen fuel cell and a lithium ion battery. High speed on this concept is just 80 mph, and range is 225 miles. I'm sure Honda and Toyota will come up with something much better, but it's good to see an American car maker is at least thinking about the future.
Ford unveils Edge-based HySeries Drive concept | Leftlane - Car News For Enthusiasts

A 1966 Shelby Cobra Super Snake, custom designed by Carroll Shelby and used as his personal car for decades, hit the auction blocks this past week at the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car auction, and it ended up selling for $5.5 million (including commissions).

This is one amazing car. It has dual superchargers making over 800 horsepower on a 427 cubic inch Ford V8. Considering that the monster engine is shoehorned into a rather tiny car body, I don't doubt Shelby's claim that it could go 0-60 in about 3 seconds. Ron Pratt of Chandler, Arizona was the buyer.
Inside Line: -

I found this picture of a Porsche that apparently hit a bird while it was going 155 mph. The bird has completely caved in the windshield, probably sending tiny splinters of glass all over the interior at impact.

This just goes to show, even if you're a great driver, have a fast car, and the Autobahn is your playground, you can still get struck down by the big guy up there (you know, the Flying Spaghetti Monster, who wrecks your Porsche with his noodly appendages).
"This is what happens when you hit a bird in a Porsche at 250kph." [155 mph for you Yankees] - CollegeHumor picture

People are constantly sending me emails, asking if I know where to find this car or that car. I don't, but I do sometimes come across some helpful sites that do have listings of used cars.

www.used-toyotacars.co.uk has a wide selection of used Toyotas in the United Kingdom. I know this can be really useful, because most people searching for a used Toyota will have to sort through hundreds of listings far cars in the US before finding that one in the U.K. Did I mention they also have Toyota news and reviews?

Toyotas are increasing in popularity in the U.K., because they combine a lot of things people want: small size, good gas mileage, and some zip. The used car site that I link to above allows you to sort by model, keyword (such as specific model tag), price range, and distance you are willing to travel to buy one. They also can search for specific engine types.

With the gas situation the way it is, people need cars with better mileage, but they might have trouble buying a new car, despite the strength of the pound. www.used-toyotacars.co.uk just happens to be the best organized site I've found for this purpose, whether your next Toyota will be an Amazon or a Yaris Verso, or anything in between.

The second "M" station wagon will be coming next year, with the 2008 M5 Touring. Aside from having lots of room for groceries, this is the ultimate sleeper car. It packs 507 horsepower under the hood with a massive V10 engine. It will definately be sold in Europe, particularly the U.K., but there has been no confirmation of a U.S. release.
2008 BMW M5 Touring revealed | Leftlane News - Car News For Enthusiasts

I'll have pictures of this car later, but I just got news of the Acura Advanced Sports Concept. This car is very "conceptual," you'll see what I mean. They claim it's the successor to the NSX, but I think it just looks hideous, kind of like the futurisic cars used in movies from the 1980's, like Back to the Future Part II.
Nihon Car & Bike - NAIAS 2007, the Acura Advanced Sports Car Concept

Xenon headlights are very popular with car owners these days, and with good reason. The HID (High-Intensity Discharge) xenon lights shine brighter and last longer than the headlights that come with most cars from the factory. Many HID kits do not even require you to make any modifications to their headlights. I know many of you fear cutting into your car, especially if you bought it new, so that is certainly good news.

I like the fact that when you select which lights you want you can find a kit that emits the color of light you want from your headlights. You've probably seen cars with those yellow or blue headlights, and they really stand out from the rest of the cars in traffic.


That site will price match to online retailers on HID kits, and they seem to give one away each month. Take this advice from a man who can't see well in the dark and nearly ran over half a dozen children while driving an old car today: get some decent headlights on your car. Not only could you save a life, but you could avoid an accident that will cost you big $$$.

The specs on the new Lexus IS-F are nice: 400 horsepower, 8 speed automatic transmission, 0-60 in 4.9 seconds. I just can't figure out why they didn't pay someone with a little talent to design the exterior of this car. It looks like a Mazda 6, but it's supposed to be competing with the BMW M3 and the best from Mercedes-Benz.

Not much new to add here, but I did find a picture of the new Chevrolet Volt, the electric car with a gas reserve tank. I know concepts never end up looking as sleek when they are put into production, but it would be nice if Chevy kept the low stance of this car and curled-over hood/grill. It kind of reminds me of that Dodge Copperhead Concept from the mid-90's. I always liked that car.

A concept car from Mitsubishi called the Prototype X is the official prototype of the car that will become the 2008 Lancer Evolution X. The car has a turbocharged 2.0 liter 4-cylinder engine making 300 horsepower, and would compete in the market with such cars as the Subaru Impreza WRX Sti. A sequential-manual gearbox would be an option, with Super-All-Wheel Control standard. This would be the greatest leap in technology between two Evolution generations.
Updated- Mitsubishi Prototype X breaks cover: 2008 Lancer Evolution X preview | Leftlane News - Car News For Enthusiasts

GM may have conspired with big oil to kill the electric car, but they have managed to ressurect it following intense pressure from consumers.

The Chevrolet Volt will be part of what should be a new wave of electric cars. This one will be completely electric, although it will have a small gas tank that can be used to fuel a backup generator. That gives this car an incredible range, which in the past has been a downfall of electric cars. It also means the car can be refueled at a standard gas station if the driver does not want to plug it in for 6 hours or if no outlet is available. That's a huge advantage over many other attempts at the electric car.

It's good to see that GM is finally looking forward with innovative ideas, instead of trying to make cars that sold well 3-5 years ago.
Wired News: GM Resurrects the Electric Car

Chevy showed off their latest concept, a convertible version of the new Camaro that isn't even in dealer lots yet. I really like the design, it almost looks like a resto-modded classic Camaro.
Chevrolet Camaro Convertible concept revealed | Leftlane News - Car News For Enthusiasts