Confronted with the task of shipping a car? If so, the good news is it is a fairly painless process. That doesn’t mean, however, that there are some key things you need to know about transport companies.

Your car is a valuable asset. When shipping it, you need to take the time to make sure the company you are using is both legitimate and the right one for your particular vehicle. As with any business, some shipping companies provide a quality service at a fair price while others fall short. Let’s take a look at some of the factors you want to look at when evaluating the different car companies.

The first issue is to see whether a company is bonded and insured. These sound like boiling legal subjects, but they are vital when moving vehicles. How so? Well, the simple question is are there going to be funds to pay for any damage to your vehicle should it occur? You know there will be with a bonded, insured company.

What about licensing? Well, these days it is fairly simple to get licensed. Yes, it is a positive sign, but in many states it essentially means the company had the money to pay the license fee and that is about all. It is not indicative of the quality of their service nor does it provide any remedy to you should problems occur.

The second factor is one that is related more to common sense. Simply put, it makes sense to go with specialization. Let’s assume you have a motorcycle and need it shipped across the country. Are you going to go with a company that specializes in cars, but will do a motorcycle as well or a company that specializes only in two wheelers? The answer should be obvious. The company that specializes in motorcycles is undoubtedly going to do a better job.

In the vast majority of cases, most people will have no problem with shipping their babies [cars!]. This is particularly true if you follow the above recommendations.

Thomas Ajava writes for CoveredCarTransportQuote.com – where you can get a covered car transport quote for your car.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Thomas_Ajava
http://EzineArticles.com/?Things-to-Consider-With-Car-Shipping-Companies&id=3393408

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Transmissions are one of the most complex systems your car has. In fact, that’s the reason many auto repair garages will refuse to work on them. Some might perform minor repairs, but will refer you to a transmission shop for anything more extensive. There are a lot of parts involved in the system, and mechanics hate to cause bigger problems.

This level of complexity often makes transmissions one of the least understood components to drivers. Adding to the confusion, they’re designed differently. Some are designed for front wheel drive while others are designed for rear wheel drive. In this article we will look at some of the differences. I’ll tell you all about your transmission’s job and help you understand the pros and cons associated with RWD and FWD.

Understanding Its Job

Your car’s engine generates power through its 4-stroke combustion process. That power must be delivered to your drive wheels in order to turn them. Also, it’s worth noting that your engine has a range of RPMs in which it operates at maximum efficiency. Your transmission has two jobs. First, it needs to deliver the power generated by the engine to the drive wheels. Second, it needs to perform this task while keeping your engine operating within its optimal range of RPMs.

This is accomplished through several gears. In low gears, the engine must turn more quickly in order to power the wheels. In higher gears, it doesn’t have to work as hard. The transmission helps the engine advance from first gear to higher gears while keeping your car moving at higher speeds.

RWD Versus FWD

If your car has rear wheel drive, the transmmission will be located on the back part of your engine. A drive shaft will connect it to the rear axle. As your engine generates power and turns the crankshaft, that power is transferred though the transmission to the drive shaft and ultimately, to the rear axle. The rear axle spins, which causes your tires to rotate.

While the concept behind the power flow is similar, a front wheel drive car works a little differently. The transmission is still located near the engine. With the final drive, it forms a transaxle. A front axle connects to the transaxle, which in turn delivers power to rotate the front tires.

To keep the explanation simple, I’ve ignored the torque converter. In reality, power travels from the engine through the torque converter into the transmission. The other components work as described.

Is One Better Than The Other?

Modern vehicles usually have front wheel drive. An FWD weighs less, costs less to manufacture, and usually delivers higher fuel efficiency. On the other hand, an RWD distributes the weight more evenly across a car’s frame, which improves braking ability. Plus, because the design is less crowded than an FWD, it’s easier to service without taking everything apart. In the end, when choosing between RWD and FWD, consider your driving needs and the factors on which you place a high priority.

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Technorati Tags: automobile, Automobile layout, Drive shaft, Front-wheel drive, Torque converter, Transmission

Mercedes Benz luxury vehicles high-performance AMG line has come up with an E-Class model built especially for the Australian market and the Mercedes Benz Hornsby team is looking forward to its arrival.

The E63 AMG Sedan received a lot of attention from Australian buyers after it made its debut in the Frankfurt Motor Show. With the previous development of the limited Edition 63 of the C63 AMG model, it did not take long for the luxury car manufacturer to create a Mercedes E63 that met the particular requirements of the Australian market.

Power train
The new E63 AMG is fitted with a 6.3 litre V8 engine, which delivers a distinctive race-like, high revving sound.The powerhouse engine has a maximum torque of 630 Nm, and a peak output of 386 kW.  It accelerates from zero to 100km/h in 4.5 seconds and runs up to a top speed of 250km/h.

The V8 engine is supported by the newly developed AMG ride control sports suspension with electronically controlled damping and a new front axle.  The E63 utilises the AMG Speedshift MCT 7-speed sports transmission with 4 driving modes which the transmission shifts automatically.

Fuel efficiency
The fuel consumption of the E63 has been significantly reduced to 12.6 litres per 100 km, almost 12% lower than the previous model.

Exterior
Among other features, the Mercedes E63 AMG has 19-inch AMG light-alloy wheels at widths of 9 and 9.5 inches.

Interior
The E63 interior features a combination of functional sportiness and high grade materials.  These include the AMG sports seats in high quality Nappa leather and AMG sports steering wheel in a four-spoke design with AMG shift paddles.

It is also equipped with the AMG instrument cluster with an AMG main menu, door entry sills with AMG lettering and a sports pedal cluster brushed in stainless steel.

Additional features
To fit with the Australian lifestyle, the AMG has added convenient features to the Mercedes E63 such as the Reversing camera, Parking Guidance, Ventilated and heated luxury front seats, Active multi-contour backrest for driver and passenger, Panoramic support and Keyless GO mechanism in addition to the fully-loaded E-Class equipment list.

Safety features
Not to be forgotten are the active and passive safety features of E63 which are reputed to be of the highest standard. Some of these innovative features include the new drowsiness detection system called “Attention Assist”, the unique “Pre-Safe” occupant protection system, Brake Assist Plus, seven airbags, and crash responsive Neck Pro head restraint. Other unique safety features also include the Lane Keepig Assist and Blind Spot Assist systems, the Pre-safe brake and Adaptive Highbeam assist with intelligent lighting system.

The Australian E63 AMG is coming soon to Mercedes Benz Hornsby – Northside Star.

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Technorati Tags: Frankfurt Motor Show, Luxury vehicle, Mercedes Benz, Mercedes-AMG, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Mercedes-Benz W211, V8 engine

Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz set up Mercedes Benz in the 1880’s. It is said that these two men in fact had never met each other! They worked independently of each other with Daimler looking after the racing cars. A dealer from Austria called Emil Jellinek got the cars into races and was very successful. He named the cars Mercedes after his daughter.

Eventually Jellinek placed a large order from Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach. They were in agreement that Jellnek could change some of the designs.  1886 Benz built his first motorized tricycle. The first production car was the Benz Velo in 1894 which competed in the first ever recorded car race, Rouen to Paris. It was in 1895 that Benz built his first truck.

It is quoted that Daimler never enjoyed driving! In March 1990 he died which left overall control of the company to Wilhelm Mayback. In November of that year they had produced a special car, the Mercedes which was lighter and smaller than the average car of the day and was able to reach top speeds of 55mph.

At the start of the First World War both factories had to turn to the production of war materials, although both of them reverted back to the production of cars after the war. However with fuel very scarce plus a 15% luxury tax car production was affected badly.

The economy in Germany grew more desperate and a new Mercedes Benz would cost 25 million marks. It is interesting to read that 15 million cars were registered throughout the world in 1923 and over 80% of these were from the UK and over half were in fact Fords. The Mercedes was thought to be too expensive.

In 1926 a new insignia was designed in the shape of a 3 pointed star wreathed with laurel to signify the merger of Benz and DMG.

In the 1930’s their biggest & most prestigious car was introduced, it was called the 770 Grosser and was powered by an 8 cylinder, 7.6 litre engine. The cars in this era produced many wins on the racing circuits.

In 1945 after the war, the plant at Unterturkheim which had been damaged had to put their car production on hold and instead produced trailers for bicycles.

However in 1946 the production of cars was resumed and by 1949 a diesel version of the 170 was being made which became a best seller.

Alongside all of these elegant car models a number of vans have been produced which are used a great deal for Mercedes van leasing. One such van is the Mercedes Sprinter which has the reputation for being highly reliable and fairly economical.

By the 1990’s Mercedes became the first manufacturer worldwide to fit a 4 valve diesel engine in a car. This new engine offers enhanced performance and smoothness which is what the Mercedes name stands for.

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As automakers go, developing well received models is a chore all on its own. When a model becomes a hit, as has the Chrysler 300C, the result is favorable press coverage, high customer satisfaction ratings, and a “halo” effect that will extend to the entire product line. Chrysler’s 300C is a success, but the German-American automaker isn’t stopping there. A stretched version of the car is being developed, one that could find a following among fans, but only if the price is right.

So, why would DaimlerChrysler authorize a stretched version of the 300C? For many reasons including:

The Limousine Market – Although the 300C isn’t on the same level as the Lincoln Town Car or Cadillac DTS, the automobile does battle with the Ford Crown Victoria. Thus , taxi and limousine operators will be drawn to the stretched 300C as the car gives its passengers the room that they need.

The Pursuit Market – The Ford Crown Victoria is the most popular police pursuit auto followed by the Chevy Impala. Chrysler way back conceded this market when they give up building larger rear wheel drive vehicles. The stretched 300C could fit in nicely and give the automaker some further sales to lift market share. Look for a likewise stretched Dodge Charger to also be built once 300C demand has been proven.

The Luxury Market – No, the 300C isn’t a luxury car, but a model coming down the pike 3-4 years from now will be. Yes, the Chrysler Imperial will be returning and it, too, will be a stretched version of the 300C, but even longer and bigger than the stretched version of the 300C. Do not believe for a moment that DaimlerChrysler may not be measuring requirement for its new 300C to of the record, there are a couple of things that we know about the bigger 300C : the vehicle will be stretched only by 6 inches and all those gains will show up in the rear passenger area. In addition, think we know about the stretched 300C, instead an exterior provider will handle the job of taking existing inches and redoing them.

Prices for the bigger 300C haven’t been finished yet, but they may carry a premium of as much as $5000 over the shorter model. This is a concern, as the price could be more than what some livery drivers could explain. Maybe DaimlerChrysler will eat some of the expenses and hold the price down to a $1000 premium. If 00 over the shorter model. This is a rude awakening and find requirement for the stretched 300C to be luke warm at best.

Have you ever seen a supercar? Check out some of the coolest and most exotic cars in the world at thesupercars.org and also check have a look at used car Chrysler Cirrus.

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GPS navigation undoubtedly one of the best development for driving no matter what kind of GPS you use e.g palm GPS. But how does GPS navigation work?
How to get to a destination by car? Designed to help with navigation of more complex systems such as aircrafts, GPS devices match all the needs of a traveler. In the situation of GPS for cars, the receiver decodes a satellite signal and based on it, the location of the car is determined. GPS receivers are available in many designs, formats and models, with a higher or lower user-friendly rate. You save money with some cheap GPS units, they are easy to plug in and store, but the operation may be faulty or inconsistent. More money means more quality.

Car design is very important when shopping for a personal navigation system. For instance, the presence of a monitor for map display on the car dashboard may be very inconvenient or uncomfortable with some GPS for cars because of the vehicle design. The air vents should remain clear, and the view from the passenger seat should not be a problem. GPS for cars therefore have to be chosen so as to match the dashboard features and the entire interior car design for maximum of efficiency and convenience.

Multiple features! This is one other important criterion of choosing GPS for cars. There are people who prefer to have several ways available to get information on how to reach destination. You can navigate with some GPS receivers by selecting the data from a personal address book, others take the location directly from the map, while others can operate by intersection or directly by address. Moreover, in the same direction, you should buy a GPS for cars with features for both vocal and graphical directions. Besides the vocal messages, the GPS monitor can indicate the direction by arrows either in relation to the name of the street or with the car position matching the destination.

There are GPS for cars that provide information on points of interest, airports, ATMs, hotels, restaurants and many other sites. Such a complex device may seem a bit more expensive, but information is crucial when traveling a lot. Moreover, very advanced GPS systems can make updates about the points-of-interest from a certain region. Given the multitude of features, it may seem hard to find the right GPS for cars. The best way to sort things out is by going to a retailer that has demo units in-store so that you can check how the system works for yourself. Then, the features of a GPS unit will be a lot easier to appreciate!

Technorati Tags: GPS navigation, palm gps

Police could use text messages to switch off the engines of getaway cars.

They could be given the power to stop cars remotely as a result of trials being carried out by the Home Office.

It has asked for companies to come up with schemes for “vehicle stopping technology” which would enable officers to stop stolen and getaway cars.

The aim is to cut the number of high speed car chases, which have led to the deaths of officers and civilians.

“If new technology can help police stop vehicles more safely and more effectively then it is right that we look at all the options carefully,” the Home Office said.

“We have asked companies to propose possible electronic solutions and we will be in a position to say more once all the options have been properly tested and fully evaluated.”

According to Police Review, they could include “intelligent transport systems”, commercially available technology which enables owners to use a mobile phone to regain control of their cars when they are stolen.

This tracking system uses satellite navigation to locate a car, whose position is shown on a website. The car is also fitted with a receiver which can receive text messages.

Should the car be stolen the owner – or a company acting on his or her behalf – can use a text message to send instructions to the car’s on-board computer.

It can switch on the headlights, sound the horn, slow the car down or – if it is stopped – immobilise it completely.

According to Police Review, officers would welcome access to the technology as an alternative to devices such as “stingers”, which they currently use.

Stingers throw spikes into the path of the car, which burst the tyres.

Alan Jones of the Police Federation welcomed the Home Office initiative.

“If the police service can use technology to its benefit to improve policing and ensure it is far safer for both police officers and members of the public, then ultimately we should applaud those developments.

“But we also recognise that it is sensitive area and we need to have a proper debate and discussion about where it may go.”

A spokesman for the Association of Chief Police Officers added. “The police service nationally is involved in pursuits which, by their very nature, involve an element of risk, on a daily basis. Safe resolution of pursuits is essential and while current methods of stopping vehicles have proven effective, we must not be complacent.

“The service is constantly looking to improve practices and research technologies which may have the potential to offer new ways of delivering front line policing in a safer, more efficient manner.”

By David Millward, Transport Editor- Telegraph.co.uk