With the introduction of the first Grand Cherokee, Jeep defined and created the luxury sport utility vehicle (SUV) market, but in spite of this grand tradition the model is currently experiencing some difficulties. Jeep not only defined what an SUV was, it was the SUV market in the USA with the inception of the Cherokee and later on Grand Cherokee. This is no longer the case. The growing list of strong competition has intensified, and along with high fuel prices, this has lead to some serious challenges to Chrysler in spite of Jeep’s combination of legendary 4×4 capabilities, on and off-road refinements, and technological innovations.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee was one of the pioneering SUVs that ushered in the modern SUV market in the early 1990s. When it debuted, the Grand Cherokee represented a bigger and more refined version of Jeep’s smaller but popular Cherokee. The company’s designers wanted the Grand Cherokee it to be maneuverable enough for city driving, roomy enough for the whole family, stylish enough to take out on the town and rugged enough to reach those remote camping areas. The Grand Cherokee certainly met all of these requirements and, we feel that Jeep continues with this tradition in its current Grand Cherokee version.

The 2005/2006 version of the Grand Cherokee, which is the model’s 3rd generation, is one of the best SUVs made, and as one critic put it “arguably the most desirable”. With some of the outstanding available features of full-time four-wheel drive, independent front suspension, rack and pinion steering, a five-speed transmission, and an available 5.7-Liter HEMI V-8 with MDS, which deactivates up to 8 cylinders when not needed for better gas mileage performance, the Grand Cherokee is featured packed. Safety features include Electronic Stability Program, SmartBeam ™ headlamps that automatically and quickly adjust high-beam brightness and intensity, All-Speed Traction Control System, and advanced multi-stage air bags with an Occupant Classification System. The look and feel of the body was also updated to give it an edgy angular look, which looks new and contemporary while retaining that Grand Cherokee style with the famous 7-slot Jeep grille. Chrysler also gave the Grand Cherokee an updated suspension system that delivers better corning turning performance and a tighter turning radius.

In spite of these top-of-the-line features, Grand Cherokee sales in the USA for 2006 (ending December 31, 2006) were 139,148 units, which were down from 213,584 in 2005. This represents a decline of 35%. Jeep’s smaller SUV, the Liberty, also saw its numbers drop dramatically in 2006 with unit sales of 133,557 versus unit sales of 166,883 for 2005, a 20% decline. While it doesn’t necessarily make Chrysler feel any better, they were not alone in decreased sales in the SUV segment. Other USA car manufacturers also experienced declines. Ford experienced a 25% drop in its SUV sales for the USA, while GM’s truck sales were down 9.6% (2,499,269 for 2006 versus 2,765,809) (detailed performance reports for GM’s SUVs was not available). The decline in SUV sales, especially mid-range models, was affected by the dramatic price increases in gasoline during 2006. This along with luxury SUV models by BMW, Lexus, Mercedes, and Porshe, and mid-priced SUVs by Mitsubishi, Toyota and others experiencing a surge in popularity is creating a sizable challenge to Chrysler. With its outstanding features, Jeep tradition, and the Daimler-Chrysler technology behind it, we look for the Grand Cherokee to make a strong return in the future.

With the issue of global warming taking on international importance in recent years, unsurprisingly the focus has fallen on car drivers, with cars seen as one of the major contributors towards global warming. Green cars have been held up as a potential solution, one that motorists should be embracing.

But are green cars actually ‘green’?

Firstly, let’s take pure electric cars. Unfortunately these electric cars are anything but good for the environment. The electricity that they run on is produced in power stations, where only 30-40% of the energy is converted into electricity. Transferring this electricity along electric cables then results in a further 30% being lost to heat energy. So by the time this electricity reaches an electric car a huge amount of the energy has already been lost. Good for cutting down inner city pollution but efficient it certainly isn’t.

Recently hybrid cars have been preferred, cars that contain both an electric motor and a petrol engine. The battery for the motor is powered by the energy generated from braking. When it comes to being ‘green’ these cars in theory offer many more environmental benefits.

In practice this isn’t necessarily the case. Consumer magazine Which? tested four hybrid cars by driving them throughout London. The results were disappointing, as mentioned by George Marshall-Thornhill, senior researcher for Which?, “Some of these should have performed much better.” And this is all without mentioning how to dispose of troublesome electric batteries.

Then there’s the cost of hybrid cars. The Toyota Prius is the most popular hybrid car and can be purchased for around £17,000. However, with fuel economy claims in doubt and 55% of people believing that green cars are too expensive, there is still some way to go before green cars arrive on a large scale.

The facts are that green cars use more energy to produce, are harder to dispose of, their fuel economy claims have been doubted, and they are simply too expensive. The age of the green car has not arrived yet.

Every car commercial tells you that their car has a five-star safety rating. Does this score really mean anything? What tests are being performed and who does the measuring?

The Organizations

In the United States, there are two organizations that score cars on safety ratings, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The NHTSA is run by the Department of Transportation and is sometimes called the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) or the government five star rating.

Frontal Collision Ratings

The NHTSA gets its data by running a car directly into a wall at 35 mph. The IIHS does a different test, where the impact is offset, and not directly in the middle. The IIHS test does a better job of mimicking real-life accidents. While most cars do well in directly head-on collisions, most real-life collisions are offset.

The NHTSA scores with five stars. Five stars means that there is ten percent or less chance of injury. Injury is defined as something life-threatening or for which you will need immediate hospitalization. Four stars is between eleven and twenty percent chance of injury. Three stars is between twenty-one and thirty-five percent chance.

The IIHS score is not in a five star format. They rate a vehicle as Good, Acceptable, Marginal, or Poor.

The NHTSA and the IIHS scores should be looked at in conjunction with one another. Remember, both these scores only rate what would happen if you collide with another vehicle the same size as yours. However, many crashes involve only one-vehicle, so these tests are useful.

Side-Impact Ratings

Again, the NHTSA and IIHS uses different side-impact tests. The NTSA crashes a giant beam into the side of a car and measures the shock on two male-sized dummies. They then make a star rating based on the chance of chest injury to the dummies. Five stars means less than 5% chance of injury, four stars is 6%-10%, and 3 stars is 11%-20%. They don’t gage the damage to the head in this star rating, but if they think that it is excessively dangerous, they will add a safety note to their report.

The IIHS uses dummies that represent adolescents or small-statured women. This helps assess the safety of people other than men in the car. They also use a larger beam. They score their rating based on injury to the head, neck, chest, abdomen, pelvis, and femur. This is arguably a more comprehensive test than the NHTSA test.

Rollover Ratings

The NHTSA is the only company that does Rollover ratings. Rollovers are often the most fatal type of accident. The NHTSA measures the chance of a car rolling with no external catalyst, and the chance of it happening for a reason (hitting a shallow ditch, hitting the curb, going onto the shoulder). 95% of rollovers are “tripped,” and have some external element.

Recent NHTSA testing has proven what we know about SUVs being much more likely to rollover than sedans or other cars.

Low-Impact Bumper Test

The IIHS performs a low-impact bumper test to see how much repairs would cost you if you gently hit something by accident. They rate the cars accordingly. Although this is not necessarily a safety rating, it will tell you what you can expect for possible repairs for your car and is something to keep in mind while purchasing a car.

When you shop

Considering the safety ratings of cars is important. But it is also important to know how these ratings are measured so that you can make the most informed decision about your purchase. Maybe you want your car to be cool, or to be functional, but most of all you want it to be safe.

Today’s vehicles are equipped with an array of warning lights. Of course we’re all familiar will the seat belt warning and the door ajar indicator; however, with the automotive industry’s technological advancements there are a number of warning lights that can be quite alarming.

Following is a Question and Answer Guide on some of the more common Warning Light concerns. Note: due to the frequency of the Check Engine Warning Light, it has a section all its own. Visit www.repairtrust.com/check.html.

1) SRS Light (Supplemental Restraint System): the supplemental restraint system is your Airbag System. It may incorporate a variety of active, passive, and even pre-safe technology depending on the vehicle. Given that the SRS System is a safety system, it is well monitored with numerous sensors and automatic self-tests. The slightest malfunction in this system illuminates the SRS light.

“Can the vehicle be driven with an SRS Light on?” Yes, at the owner’s risk. There are thousands of vehicles on the road without SRS technology.

“Is the airbag going to blow up?” It’s unlikely. When the SRS Light is on the system is inoperative.

2) ABS Lights: The Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light is another common occurrence in today’s vehicles. The ABS system helps to keep you from skidding out of control during braking by limiting your wheels from locking up/skidding.

The ABS system is often integrated with traction control and stability systems, all of which are designed to keep you safe during panic stops, wheel slippage, and handling.

“Do I need brakes?” You might, but that’s not why the ABS Light is on. The ABS Warning System does not monitor disc brake pad or disc brake rotor wear (see the Padlight Warning section below)

“Can the vehicle be driven?” Like the SRS system, the vehicle can be driven at the owner’s risk as there are many vehicles still on the market without the enhanced safety features of ABS.

“Why is my ABS light on? How do I reset the ABS Light?” These are simple questions with a multitude of answers depending on the vehicle in question. For a QUICK and FREE solution, follow the information and guidelines for Resetting Check Engine Light, and apply them to your ABS light.

3) Low Coolant Light: The Low Coolant Light will come on when the coolant drops below the coolant level sensor—generally one to two quarts. If this light is on, there are two primary possibilities. The most common is a coolant leak. The other is an electrical fault in the warning lamp circuit. Have them checked out.

“Can it be driven?” If there are no major leaks, the vehicle is not overheating (and does not start to overheat), and there is still some evidence of coolant in the overflow bottle, it can be driven. If you can see coolant leaking on the ground—tow it. When in doubt, always tow it!

4) Red Oil Light On: Stop driving immediately and shut the engine off! If a Red Oil Warning Light comes on PAY ATTENTION.

The best case scenario is that your engine oil is a little low. The second best case scenario is that there is an electrical issue with the Oil Level Warning System circuit.

First, follow your owners’ manual’s instructions to check your oil. If low, add as recommended—make sure you don’t see it dripping or pouring out on the ground, which would indicate a “major” engine leak.

If the oil is not low and your engine is making ticking, knocking, or unusual noises, Tow it!

If everything appears ok, and you’re a bit of a gambler, it may just be an issue with the warning lamp circuit. In this case, get your vehicle checked out at your earliest convenience.

The worst case scenario is internal engine damage.

Note: many of today’s vehicles have very sensitive and sophisticated Oil Level Warning Systems. You may be alerted of oil level too high, or oil level too low. Again, refer to your owners’ manual’s instructions.

So whether it’s a 1993 Ford Aerostar Check Oil Light, or a question of “Why does oil light flash in Saab automobile,” PAY ATTENTION!

5) Red Brake Warning Lights: Generally, Red Warning Lights mean DANGER. In the case of a Red Brake Warning Light, there may be a hydraulic brake fluid leak. If the brake pedal feels abnormal or spongy—don’t drive—Tow It!

“Can I drive it?” If the car is stopping ok, and you’re a gambler, go ahead. If the brake pedal feels different than usual, or if the vehicle is not stopping properly, don’t drive it!

Note: make sure that your emergency brake is not on or partially engaged, as this will illuminate a Red Brake Warning Light.

6) Yellow Brake Warning Light (Padlight): This is an early warning system for brake pad wear. Essentially, as your disc brake pads wear down, at a certain point a sensor is tripped to alert you that you will need brakes soon.

“Can I drive the vehicle, and for how long?” Yes, you can continue to drive. How long depends on your driving style. City drivers (city driving is generally harder on brakes due to the constant stop and go) will likely need their brakes addressed before someone who does primarily highway driving.

“Will I do more damage to the brakes?” Depending on how long you continue to drive you could conceivably wear your disc brake pads down to the metal backing plate, which could then damage your disc brake rotors and, in rare cases, the disc brake calipers. However, with many of today’s brake systems, the replacement of the disc brake rotors along with the disc brake pads is required or strongly recommended.

Important: It is better to have your brakes checked early to increase the possibility of saving money by not having to replace the rotors. However, many of today’s brake disc pads and rotors require replacement not due to wear, but due to rust and corrosion; thus rotor replacement is often necessary anyway. Brake calipers rarely need replacing during regular brake work.

7) Air Suspension Lights (Airmatic, Air Ride, Hydraulic Suspensions): Suspension Warning Lights illuminate when the suspension’s monitoring system has detected a fault. Often there is a leak—either air or hydraulic fluid.

“Can I drive it?” Sometimes. But if the suspension is lower than usual, and/or the vehicle just doesn’t feel right—Tow It! Extensive damage could result if the suspension drops too low while driving.

Note: air suspension system repairs are best left to the best, state-of-the-art service center you can find, preferably a dealership.

Tire Pressure Warning Light: This recent technological development causes quite a bit of confusion. Put simply, if your tire is getting low on air, your car lets you know via sensors mounted in various places depending on the model.

“What is the low tire pressure warning light reset procedure?” Sometimes the reset procedure is as simple as pressing a button. Other times one has to set the tire pressures, recalibrate the on-board computer, genuflect and cross two fingers. Check your owners’ manual or call a specialist or dealer.

Note: Local shops and franchises (for the most part) lack familiarity with Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems given that this is a fairly recent technological development. You can refer to How to Reset Check Engine Light, and follow the tips, and suggestions for getting it reset.

9) Emission Warning Light: This light is similar to the Check Engine Light. Many European models such as Volvos have this type of Warning System. It’s essentially letting you know that an emissions component has failed or detected a fault. Follow the Check Engine Light information and tips to address this particular warning light.

Note: make sure you take it to a shop equipped to handle emissions work.

10) Resetting Oil Lights (Oil Change Warning Lamps): Whether it’s a Toyota Oil Light Procedure, an Oil Change Warning Light Reset 2005 GMC Envoy, or the process to Reset 1999 M3 Oil Service Light, all require a specific course of action.

Most owners’ manuals have this information. You should find it under maintenance or oil service. You can also call your local mechanic, who resets oil service lights everyday on a variety of models. A dealership will certainly have the information; however, finding someone in a dealership who can translate it effectively may be difficult.

If the above fails, see the process for Resetting Check Engine Light.

Note: several European models require special tools to reset the oil service light, thus it’s best to call or visit a specialist or dealer.

Note: This information is not a substitute for your vehicle’s owners’ manual. It is meant to be a general guide. Always refer to manufacturer vehicle-specific guidelines.

Note: PAY ATTENTION to how you are billed for any of the above warning concerns. Because of their technical nature they can get “unnecessarily” very pricy, quickly.

Problems in auto financing usually occur when the contract is prepared in the finance and insurance office, called “F&I” room. So when your deal goes wrong, chances are it’s about something that occurred only at the time when negotiations are almost over. This is because the F&I room is where you, the car buyer, can see much of the potential savings regarding your auto loan go up in smoke. So you see just how important this so-called F&I room is?

Downer #1: Ignoring the F&I Room

Now, the thing with car buyers is that they rather have this not-so appealing tendency to focus on the car they want to buy, and just ignore the F&I room as nothing but tedious paperwork. It’s not very appealing because it is, after all, your money being held in negotiation here and if you don’t pay attention to it, there’s a chance you’ll lose a big chunk of it.

Upper #1: Focus on Financing

While it’s true that the whole point of car buying is to own that new car you’ve been eyeing, it’s not wise to ignore the financing aspect of it as well. The two must necessarily go hand in hand or in you’re in for a tough spot with a bad investment on a car loan. Don’t view the financing part as paperwork that should be completed as quickly as possible so you could drive away in your new car. Don’t make the same mistake other car buyers are making. Be aware of how vital the F&I experience is to car buying.

Downer #2: Inflated Interest Rates

Top on the list of the things you must do involving auto financing is to have the deal agreed upon by you and the salesman be put in writing in a binding contract. Often involved at this part of the procedure is to determine monthly auto loan payments based on an interest rate. Now, as you well know, the interest rate varies from car buyer to car buyer. Your credit is only one of the factors and if the interest rate a car buyer qualifies for is inflated, then the dealership can make extra profit off your loan. That’s merely one of the pitfalls in auto financing.

Upper #2: Get Independent Auto Financing

Fortunately for you, there are solutions to that particular problem. One way to do it is to obtain independent auto financing BEFORE going to the dealership. When you have the approved auto financing option on hand, you can then proceed with the deal as a “cash buyer” so to speak since you already have the cash in hand from the loan and you are merely buying the car from the dealer with that money. No other relation exists between you and the dealer aside from that of a seller and a buyer. No such thing as a debtor and a loan creditor.

Another advantage to this particular solution is that you can negotiate with the car dealer only upon the price of the car. You don’t have to worry about getting approved for financing with him since you already have that, thanks to your conscientiousness and foresight. Car salesmen prefer customers to be “monthly payment” buyers as this makes it easier for them to obscure the total cost of the vehicle, to the detriment of your savings. So wizen up and take that independent auto financing option available.

Downer #3: I Don’t Know My Credit Rating

Now, that’s a very common statement car buyers make. They know their blood pressure level. Heck, they even know their blood count. But credit rating? Only a tiny smidgen of the population knows that. Yet, it cannot be stressed far enough that knowing your own credit rating could very well mean the difference between a good investment and a bad one.

Many car buyers don’t know their credit status when they apply for an auto loan. I don’t know if they’re just lazy or simply don’t know that determining the kind of interest rate you get depends largely on your credit score. I’m praying for the former because that can be cured. The latter just answers itself. Therefore, it’s critical to obtain your credit report before shopping for a car so you will know exactly where you stand when it comes to your auto financing options.

Upper #3: Where to Get Credit Report

The solution to not knowing your credit rating is to get a copy of your credit report. And where can you get that copy? There are a number of sites that offer it for a minimal fee. These sites are:

• http://Equifax.com

• http://Experian.com

• http://TransUnion.com

Order a copy of your credit report from the above sites and look for items that may stand in the way of you getting a good rate. In case of any errors, correct them promptly and make sure that all your lines of credit are in good standing. Also, while you’re at it, watch out for any signs of identity theft as this crime has become rampant these days, and then contact the credit bureaus for help on this particular issue.

Downer #4: The Last Temptation of Mr. Car Buyer

Granted you are a really conscientious buyer and so far you’ve managed to avoid many of the pitfalls and downers we’ve outlined above. You made it. You have an approved auto financing program from an independent auto financing company and are now on your way to the dealership. Nothing can possibly go wrong now.

Ah, but how wrong you are. Because once you get to the dealership, the smooth-talking salesman will try to egg you into overspending.

Upper #4: Set a Price Range

Having a budget is the sensible thing to do. If you set a sensible price range for yourself, then you have less reason to go beyond that range and succumb to the temptation of overspending. If you’re really firm on that budget, no amount of sales talk can sway you.

Creating a budget for a car is easy once you have some idea on what financing options are available to you and the price of the car that you want. Remember that the dealer’s offer is often marked up – that is, it is a percentage higher than the real price set by the car maker. One good tip is to make sure that your monthly car payments and related expenses do not exceed about 20 percent of your monthly net income.

Downer #5: Discounted Financing vs. Rebate

Here’s the dilemma to car buying: Many dealers offer a choice between discounted financing or a rebate, but not both. Discounted financing means that you get zero-percent financing while rebate means that you get a certain amount of cash some time after purchase. The common error many car buyers make is that the zero-percent loan will deliver the most savings. But will it really?

Upper #5: Get the Cash Rebate

In most cases, it’s better to get the cash rebate and apply it against the purchase price of the vehicle. If you already have a pre-approved car loan, then that’s even better since you have positively no need of additional financing from your dealer. Just use your car loan to finance the car and let the rebate handle some of the charges.

Are you looking for women’s motorcycle helmets? Before you do your search, you should be aware of what makes them different from the men’s. First of all, most of women’s motorcycle helmets are made as slightly smaller than your average men’s motorcycle helmets. The designs are made to match the likings of the women to provide more appeal. But all of these should not take away the protection that such helmets should offer.

Women’s motorcycle helmets come in more attractive colors such as bright pink to polished purple. Women’s motorcycle helmets do not hinder any woman from trying to flaunt her femininity while wearing such headgear. In fact, sex appeal comes into consideration also when designing motorcycle helmets geared for women riders.

Looking for the right motorcycle helmet for women would require you to know about the proper sizing and fit. Men and women helmets follow different size measures to prevent one from mistaking the other. But when looking for the best size, nothing still beats fitting them personally before purchasing any helmet. There are some tips that you can follow in order to determine the proper motorcycle helmet fit for you.

First of all, you should try to make use of the manufacturer’s fitting chart to guide you with the sizes available. Find the corresponding helmet size categories that are made available to you. Put them as small, medium, large or extra large. When fitting a certain motorcycle helmet, tug at the chin straps outward in order widen the helmet and place it over your head. Once worn, keep in mind that it should fit snugly and comfortably without moving.

To determine the right fit for your motorcycle helmet, it should be resting tightly on your forehead. It should be tight enough that you will not be able to wedge your thumb between the helmet and your forehead. Once you have made the right fit, adjust and fasten the chinstrap. Do not allow it to restrain your neck.

Once you have the helmet fastened, give your head a little shake to make sure that the helmet doesn’t shift unnecessarily or fall off your head. Once doing that, try mounting your motorcycle in your riding position. Make sure that the top of the helmet won’t be affecting your field of vision while doing this. Along with this, you should also have an unhindered field of vision from both sides while mounting your motorcycle.

If you wear glasses, make sure that your helmet is able to accommodate your corrective eyewear and still fit comfortably. Try pressing down on the helmet and check if the helmet feels comfortable and is able to surround your head. Also check for added comfort, convenience and other safety features before you purchase and take that motorcycle for a ride.

Not every person who drives a luxury car is wealthy. The guy next door who drives a BMW or Mercedes may have received the car as a gift, inherited it, or won it in a bet or a raffle.

If you don’t have any rich relatives likely to give or leave you a Jaguar, or if you don’t fancy your luck in games of chance, there’s one more option for you. Get a government-seized car on auction, and you’ll be able to drive the car of your dreams without paying an arm and a leg for it.

What is a government-seized automobile? When criminals are caught, the government seizes their property, including their automobiles. The government then auctions these automobiles off.

As you might imagine, a lot of criminals drive expensive or highly customized vehicles, and these are the kinds of vehicles that end up in government-seized automobile auctions.

How do I find a government-seized auto auction? These auctions are held at frequent intervals in different parts of the country. There is likely to be one near you, but if you’re willing to travel, that expands your range of options considerably.

You can look for auction listings in newspapers or online. If you decide to look online, you can either do your own search or use an online auction directory service (for a one-time fee). If you hire a directory service, make sure you get a money-back guarantee.

How can I participate in a government-seized auto auction? When you’ve found an auction you want to participate in, get in touch with the auction administrators and ask about registration requirements. In most cases, registration is free, and a photo ID is all that’s required.

How do I pay for my purchases at these auctions? Most auctions accept cash, cashier’s check, and credit card (Visa or MasterCard). Payment terms differ from auction to auction. Some auctions will require a deposit on the day of the auction and the balance the following day.

Other auctions require immediate full payment for all purchases. Auctions that allow deposits on the day of the auction might require immediate full payment for purchases worth less than a certain amount, say, $5,000. Before you go to the auction site, find out what modes of payment the auction allows.

Are these auctions for real? It’s possible to get good deals at these auctions, but you will have to do your homework. Don’t go in there before you’ve armed yourself with information about the kind of car you want and the kind of prices such a car would fetch on the market.

The best deals at government-seized auto auctions are usually on older, well-maintained vehicles.

There are several downsides to acquiring vehicles at government-seized auto auctions. First, the selection changes all the time. You can’t specify the kind of vehicle you want. You have to settle for what’s available. And because of the constant changes in selection, you can’t expect detailed information on descriptions and prices.

What information you do get is not necessarily reliable. It would be best to check out the vehicle yourself. If the auction is far from your place of residence, you will have to travel to the auction site at least a few days before the day of the auction to inspect the goods.

Second, you won’t be able to test-drive the vehicles. You’ll be able to look the vehicle over and ask questions, though. Vehicles aren’t available for inspection on the day of the auction, but there are auction previews, usually a day or two in advance. This is another reason to travel to the auction site at least a few days beforehand.

Third, these auctions don’t offer warranties. So be sure to get as much information as you can about the car you want. Ask the auction administrators for the car’s Vehicle Information Number (VIN) and use it to get a CarFax report on the car.

The CarFax report will give you valuable information, including odometer readings and history of flood damage or accidents.

Finally, bidding can get extremely competitive, especially if the car you have your eye on is new, popular, or well-maintained. You may find yourself bidding against used-car dealers, many of whom search these auctions for bargains that they can resell in turn.

Furious bidding can push auction prices up, sometimes close to or even exceeding the actual value of the automobile. When this happens, there’s little point in acquiring the automobile at an auction. You might as well buy it somewhere else.

Luxury car is a term that is widely used, but does anyone truly know what it means? When it comes to cars, luxury is in the eye of the beholder. What a car dealer’s ad touts as luxury may be different from what a car rental agency categorizes as a luxury car, and both may conflict with your personal perception of what a luxury car is.

In economics, a luxury item is one that is in higher demand among people with higher incomes. A luxury car is a status symbol, and status varies depending upon the socioeconomic or demographic group to which is applies.

A luxury car may simply mean a high-priced car. A luxurious car may not necessarily be considered a luxury automobile. For example, because of its high price, a Hummer is often considered a luxury car, even though the original Hummers are heavy duty military trucks without emphasis on comfort.

A luxury car may also simply be an automobile made by a manufacture known for making luxury automobiles, even if the specific vehicle is less expensive than its usual models. For example, all models of Mercedes and Jaguars are considered to fall into this category, even the least expensive versions.

Most people would agree that an automobile costing more than $100,000 would be considered a luxury automobile. Almost all cars made by Rolls Royce and Bentley, for example, fall into that price range. Exclusivity is on of the few agreed characteristics of a luxury vehicle.

Typically, luxury automobiles enhance comfort and operation. Leather, adjustable, heated seats are an example of luxury appurtenances. High-performance vehicles such as sports cars, for example Corvettes and Vipers, are prestige autos, but not everyone would call them luxury vehicles. An automobile may be luxurious by virtue of its amenities and its comfort level without being expensive, even though to most people a luxury means something they really can’t afford.

Owning a Harley-Davidson is not simply a owning a motorcycle. Owning a Harley-Davidson is owning a piece of machine that has been hailed to be one of the most sought after motor vehicles ever existed. And because any Harley-Davidson motorcycle is entitled each owner to a great pride that comes along with each, no rider would want a Harley to be ill maintained.

This is why, whenever the time comes when you, the owner of a great Harley-Davidson motorcycle, need to get Harley-Davidson parts, you can be assured to have whatever part you need.

Harley-Davidson motorcycle parts are quality motorcycle parts that match the tough image and quality of the legendary motorcycle. Each Harley-Davidson motorcycle part promises to be durable and dependable and would certainly last for a long time. And like the motorcycle itself, these parts can perform through different demands.

Harley-Davidson motorcycle parts can be acquired both online and offline.

Offline, each Harley-Davidson dealers across United States sell parts for each model regardless of the year it is manufactured. Dealers also service costumers with other merchandise. The Harley-Davidson of America is a reliable source when it comes to quality Harley-Davidson motorcycle parts.

Online, there are several websites that are dedicated in providing motorcycle parts exclusively for Harley-Davidson motorcycles. These sites may be the authorized dealers themselves. There are also sites that offer Harley parts together with other motorcycle parts of different brand. This is not a concern since parts are made differently from one motor brand to another. Each site provides a wide inventory of parts to serve as many Harley owners as possible. Online parts stores provide a more convenient shopping experience than that of the traditional way, which is personally visiting each store to find a particular part.

Thus, online shopping for Harley-Davidson motorcycle parts are more popular among costumers because it saves time, energy, and of course money.

Some stores only offer brand new parts while others sell used Harley parts. These parts are a lot cheaper since they are already used but not necessarily be in poor quality. Used Harley motorcycle parts can well be lined-up with brand new ones in terms of quality. Remember that each Harley-Davidson motorcycle part is built tough. Thus, even if they have already been used, they are still in tiptop condition.

Whether online or offline, used or brand new, big or small, you will have no problem finding the right one you need.

The truth about fallacies of many car owners believing that the insurance premium coverage for their new car is covered, and maybe the truth just might make you change course. (1) “No-fault insurance means, is it not my fault?” That means that your insurance company pays for your damages regardless of who’s at fault. No they don’t!

(2) “Can the color of my car affect my insurance rate?” No! What do influence your rate are your vehicle’s year, make, model, body type, engine size, credit history and driving record.

(3)”If I lend my car to a friend and that friend is in an accident, his or her insurance company will pay for the damages…right?” Wrong!

Your car is your responsibility! And guess what, even though you weren’t present at the time of the accident, you still will receive a mark on your insurance record and your insurance premium could possibly go up.

(4) “Is my insurance rate is set by the government?” No! The government has nothing to do with your car insurance rate. Where you live, your credit score, marital status and your driving record is what actually affects your premium.

(5) “I recently paid my insurance premium. Is my new car I just purchased is covered?”

Not necessarily. Most automobile policies require that the policyholder notify the insurance company or agent within a specified number of days, if indeed coverage is desired for the newly purchased vehicle.

(6) “Is it a fact that male driver under the age of 25 pay more for auto insurance?” Yes! Male driver under 25 years old can potentially pay more for car insurance than female drivers. However, across the board, teenagers and mature adults pay more for auto insurance, due in large part because these age groups are typically involved in more automobile accidents.

(7) “Can my credit score have any affect on my insurance rate?” Your credit score really does matter! Many Insurance companies take your credit score into consideration when deciding to increase or renew your auto insurance coverage.

(8) “Even without comprehensive coverage, am I still covered for theft, windstorms, and hail and deer accidents?” Many drivers believe that if they only purchase collision insurance, which covers accidents involving objects, that they will also be covered for incidents that involve vandalism, hail, animal accidents and fires. That simply is not true. You need to purchase both collision and comprehensive coverage in order to fully protect your vehicle from all of these situations.

(9) “Can my personal auto insurance cover both my personal and business use of my car?”

If you occasionally use your personal car for business purposes such as transporting clients, going to and from meetings or hauling business equipment, then you will more than likely need to extend your personal car insurance to cover your business use as well. Plus, if your employees use their car while working for you, you will want to also obtain a separate non-owned car insurance policy.

(10) “I’ve never had nor been involved in a car accident, do I still need automobile insurance?” Yes!

Some drivers are lucky enough never to have been or to be involved in an accident. However, if by chance you do have an accident; your risk of losing everything is great. Car insurance is the best protection you can have in the event an automobile accident occurs. It’s also a legal issue - you are required, by law, to have some basic form of auto insurance, and failing to do so carries some fairly strict punishments.