In tough economic times people cut back on things they consider to not be essential. Those expenses that we consider splurging. Think about the long term, though. Saving money on the care and maintenance of your car could be doing harm that will cost you more in the end. So you have decided to cut out that weekly visit to the car wash. After all you can do just as good a job at home, in your driveway, for a fraction of the cost.

So you pick up the things you need to wash your car at the local Wal Mart or auto parts store. Or perhaps you already have the cloths, sponges, a bucket, some soap and a hose at home. It can’t be that difficult, can it? And you’re saving money, which is always good, right?

Actually, you may be harming that beautiful factory finish more than you realize in the long run. Even with good care and thorough cleaning, those sponges and towels that you use can eventually get contaminated with dirt and particles. These will scratch the paint and the clear coat, causing your car to be less shiny and allowing water and dirt in. You may not be able to remove all of the detergent that you’re using with your garden hose, because it’s not powerful enough. Soap reside that stays on your car can get baked into the finish.

Mercedes -Benz and the Technological Institute of Munich performed a study that showed that a wash at the local auto wash is by far the best way to protect the shine and luster of your cars factory finish. Two identical sedans were covered with a variety of dirt and road grime for the test. Then individuals were asked to clean the cars using whatever means they normally employed. These individuals were not informed beforehand of the purpose of this study.

Electron microscopes were used to determine the thickness of the factory finishes and after the washings noticeable scratches were visible on the surface, some of them went as deep as 10% into the finish. The dirt and particles trapped in the cleaning materials, like sponges and cloths, were deemed responsible for the scratches.

Next they took the same cars to commercial car washes for a cleaning. There were no appreciable scratches or degradation of the paints surface.

If you take good care of the exterior surface of your car, it will continue to look new for years. One caution, though. Some commercial hand car washes use dirty sponges and rags. This will have the same effect as washing it at home with dirty materials. Some of the automatic car washes use plastic brushes that can also damage the paint. Sponge brushes are softer, so look for an automatic car wash that uses those. Better still, use a touchless car wash, which cleans cars with water pressures and no brushes or rags at all.

You also need to remember to keep your car waxed. Each time your car is washed, some of the wax will be removed. From time to time you need to replace this wax in order to protect the paint and keep your car looking its best. You may save money by washing yourself but protecting your cars finish can help you obtain more money when and if you sell or trade in your vehicle.

When you’re ready to get a brand new car to wash, to to Ford Orange County for a shiny new F150 or Mustang!

Jumping into the real meat of these cars; the Series 4 and Series 5 sport a Hurst Supercharger which is essentially a Vortech unit.  The spent exhaust exits through a Magnaflow stainless steel cat-back exhaust and a K&N intake feeds fresh air into the supercharger.  These 2 power upgrades combine for over 570 horsepower and 525 lb-ft of torque.  This represents a 150 bump in HP and 100 bump in torque over the stock Hemi powered 2010 Dodge SRT8.

Moving to the exterior the car rocks sweet 20 inch forged rims with painted inserts.  These rims are wrapped in super sticky BF Goodrich KDW tires.   Out back a Hurst Airspeed spoiler adds to the appeal of the car.  Any self respecting modified car has to be lowered and the 2010 Hurst Hemi Challenger Series 4 rocks a full Eibach adjustable coil-over suspension with sway bars.  There are also 2 limited edition colors to choose from; black with gold racing stripes and silver with black and red racing stripes.  Special badges and graphics round out the exterior mods.

On the inside you get a limited Hurst Hard-Drive pistol shifter that comes anodized red.  Katzkin has created black leather interior with cool red stitching and Hurst logos.  There are special floor mats and dash badges that have the limited number info on them.

The cost of the Series 4 upgrade that includes all mentioned above and more comes in at $29,000 and that’s after you buy a new Dodge Challenger!  But you can bet that these cars will one day be collector’s items.

Read more at the Hurst Website

When the 2011 Ford Fiesta returns to the states, Americans will be pleased with its playful appearance, fuel efficiency and nimble handling.  Available in either a hatchback or sedan the new Fiesta has an ultra sporty design.  Its teardrop shape, tight body panels, flattened grill, low flexible chin and decklid spoilers were crafted to be aerodynamic as well as aesthetically appealing.   The Fiesta will be available in six matchbox-esq colors including plenty of metallics.

The Fiesta interior incorporates sound-deadening materials in the windshield, doors, headliner and pillars to reduce the amount of wind noise. Unlike others in its class the Fiesta has available features such as a powered moon roof, heated front seats with leather trim and seven interior lighting colors to choose from. The center console displays audio settings, phone info and other data on an easy to read 4” multifunctional LCD display screen.  Plenty of Ford’s innovative technology is on board as well including SYNC hands-free communication and their Intelligent Access with push-button start.

The fuel efficiency of the New Ford Fiesta can be attributed to a 1.6-liter twin-independent variable cam timing (Ti-VCT) Duratec 14 Engine.  When combined with the optional PowerShift six-speed automatic transmission the Fiesta could achieve a highway fuel economy of 40 mpg.  The “fill for life” transmission fluid is designed to last up to 150,000 miles and is virtually maintenance free-good news for those that want to reduce the number of service visits. The Fiesta’s electric powered rack and pinion steering with AdvanceTrac makes the Fiesta quick, ultra responsive and fun to drive.  Ford also spent extra time ensuring that the Fiesta is a safe vehicle.  Unlike any other car in its class the Fiesta comes equipped with seven airbags.  One of which is a driver’s knee airbag to provide a cushion between the driver and the instrument panel.

Overall the completely new and abundantly enhanced Ford Fiesta is a great car for around $13.500.  It is scheduled to arrive at dealerships in Spring or Summer 2010 and will surely turn some heads.

So how did they get this Trans-Am Concept car? Well start with one brand new 2010 Camaro SS and an LS engine that measures 455 cubic inches! Boar that bad boy out and stuff it with some pistons and a forged crank, top it off with some ported and polished LS7 heads and you get a healthy 655 HP and 610 lb.-ft of torque.

The exterior features some classic elements from the 1971 Trans-Am. The most evident Trans-Am throwback is the edition of a Shaker Hood that was made so famous by Smokey and the Bandit. A new front bumper, fender vents, and rear spoiler round out the body modifications. Top this off with a cool blue sports stripe and viola we have a new trans-Am.

The interior is all retro throw back. Everything was custom made to look like the 71’ Trans-Am including the dash, console, seats, door panels, carpets, and instruments. Rounding out the changes are a set of 20-inch Honeycomb rims with Nitto tires.

The New Pontiac Trans-Am Concept by Lingenfelter Performance Engineering was one of the biggest hits at this year’s SEMA show.

Source:http://www.lingenfelter.com/engine-packages/camaro-gen-5-2010/lingenfelter-2010-camaro-lta-concept-car-sema-2009

There are several reasons that electric cars have not already replaced the gas engine, and they’re challenging to overcome, especially in the short run. The first is range. How far away from home can you get, and will there be a place to recharge along the way? How much does the car cost to buy and operate? Does it have guts?

The new Nissan Leaf can drive up to 100 miles on a full charge. That’s a lot further than most people drive in a day. Drivers would plug it in at home to charge overnight. It only takes 4 to 8 hours to fully charge the battery. You can even program the car to charge late at night when demand for electricity is low. For those occasions when you need to go further than 100 miles in a day, Nissan is working with various cities to install quick charge stations that can charge the battery 80% in about half an hour. You could find these quick charge stations with the Leaf’s navigation system and charge your battery while you stop for a meal.

Before you invest in one, check for quick charge stations in places you might travel. Over time they’ll become more available. If coverage is weak in the places you drive, you might not want your new Leaf to be your only car. Still, in a two car family, an electric car would be an ideal day-to-day commuter car.

Because of the expense of an electric battery, electric cars haven’t historically been able to compete with gas engine cars on price. The Nissan Leaf hasn’t yet announced its retail price, but some experts anticipate a price of around $25,000, including the $7,500 tax rebate. That puts it within reach of the average family. The battery lasts about 5 years, so you’d have to figure in the price of a battery every five years against the gas savings.

What about power? We’ve all driven electric golf carts. Is that how an electric car feels?  Not this one. The Nissan Leaf accelerates like a V-6 gas powered car. Nissan’s U.S. tour will show these electric cars in Los Angeles in November. Mass production will start in the U.S. in 2012. The new 2011 Nissan Leaf will be available on a limited basis in selected U.S. cities in 2010. You should be able to buy one at many Southern California locations, since this is one of the areas where Nissan is working to offer quick charge stations. Soon you’ll be able to test drive a Nissan Leaf in Redlands, San Diego, or Los Angeles. Only time will tell if electric cars will become the norm, but the Leaf seems to have a good chance at breaking through that barrier.

The new Coupe will showcase functional ground effects and emphasize on driver comfort and control with all HKS electronics. Some of which include, a CAMP2 which monitors up to 24 data signals from the programmable calculations for fuel cost, averaging the fuel consumption and fuel efficiency in real time. The HKS Genesis Coupe includes many new features like: a HKS GT Turbo upgrade engine (to maximize horsepower and torque), HKS engine intervals, HKS limited-edition turbo exhaust system, HKS Super Mega Flow Intake System, HKS Engine Management, and HKS Hipermax III with fully adjustable suspension.

Partnering with an industry leader like HKS is a excellent way for Hyundai to expand on the performance of the already great Genesis Coupe. This new vamped up Coupe is the ideal vehicle for driving enthusiasts. And the SEMA HKS Hyundai Genesis is a great car to showcase just what a Genesis can be!

The Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive System is mated to a power control unit that manages fuel consumption by recharging the battery when slowing down or braking and delivering an electric assist when accelerating.   According to Lexus, the HS 250h can accelerate from 0 to 60 in 8.4 seconds.  Lexus also promised that the HS would be the most fuel efficient luxury vehicle in the world with an EPA fuel economy rating of 35mpg city and 34mpg highway.  The Lexus HS250h’s’ 0.27 drag coefficient alon with a couple of spoilers and diffusers seem to support Lexus’ claim.

As for styling and the green theme,  30 percent of the Hybird’s materials are derived from plant-based materials and 85 percent are fully recyclable.  Luxury vehicles are always jam packed with features, and this luxury hybrid includes a wireless cell-phone link, a navigation system with rearview camera, a Heads-Up Display, adaptive cruise control, adaptive headlights, auto-dimming headlights, ventilated front seats, and keyless access and starting.  Also offered on the Lexus Hybrid car is a wide-view front camera that shows the view to the sides when pulling out from between two cars, a lane-departure warning system that alerts the driver and can correct the vehicle’s path if it drifts out of its lane, and Lexus’ new Enform System with Safety Connect, an assistance system with convenience, safety, security, and emergency-response features.

Super Snakes will be built per model year at Shelby Automobiles in Vegas but it is unclear as to how many of these special Mustang’s will be manufactured.  Shelby Automobiles designed an aggressive suspension and engine package made specifically for the car. The Ford Mustang GT500 Super Snake package will include features like a 6 speed manual transmission with 3.73:1 rear axle ratio, a Ford Racing performance exhaust system and upgrade kit with over 600hp and 590ft-lbs of torque, tuned stabilizing bars, front strut tower brace, Alcoa 20inch wheels, short throw shifter from Ford Racing, Baer 6 piston brakes including Shelby cast calipers and larger rotors, front brake cooling ducts, carbon composite hood, Shelby emblems, and Super Snake badging.

Carroll Shelby reportedly stated that Shelby Automobiles is always working on new ways to build better performing cars and that by partnering with Ford they’re giving driving enthusiasts a Mustang with amazing blow-you-away performance.

The Essence exterior is beyond sleek.  Its fluid, seamless structure gives the appearance of molten liquid being hurled through space.  The exquisite design is a culmination of 20 years of Infiniti craftsmanship and is a pre-curser to future production models.  The Essence gives us our first peak at Infiniti’s newest Safety Shield technology, designed with the intent to create the first collision-free car.

The Essence interior embodies Infiniti’s emphatic sense of style and attention to detail. The plush leather seats and molded cabin structure cocoon both driver and passenger in comfort and luxury. However, the icing on the cake is the inclusion of a three-piece Louis Vuitton luggage set, fitted perfectly in the vehicle trunk.

Read more about the Infiniti Essence or see great Infiniti Specials
Infiniti of Texas | Los Angeles Infiniti

As the name suggests the new Genesis reflects the Hyundai evolution. Over the last two decades Hyundai has made continuous improvements, added innovative engineering and truly listened to what their customers want.  Today the Hyundai line is synonymous with affordable quality and reliability.  Safety is a key element as well, the Genesis also earned the highest 5 star safety rating from the NHTSA this year.

But don’t mistake the Genesis for just another well made sedan.  This baby can hold its own against racing legends such as BMW and the Porsche Boxter with 290 horsepower, V-6 and 0 to 60mph in 5.7 seconds. Innovative technologies such as five-link front and rear suspension and adaptive front lighting (AFLS) which matches the vehicle’s turning angle for the best possible visibility, further enhance the driving experience. The ultra comfortable interior has features such as a heated and cooled driver’s seat, and a Lexicon Discrete 7.1 surround sound system previously reserved for Rolls Royce owners.

Remove the Hyundai badge and the Genesis sedan could easily be mistaken for a luxury vehicle with a price tag in the $40,000 to $50,000 range.  But as always, the Hyundai price point is palatable and realistic. A breath of fresh air in the current economy.  The base price for the 2009 Hyundai Genesis Sedan is around $33,000.  For around $36,000 the vehicle comes with upgraded wheels, leather trim and a sunroof.