December 27, 2007. The Hyundai Motor Company selected St. Petersburg for as a site for their first manufacturing plants in Russia.

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Whether to buy a new car or buy a used car is often times the first decision that needs to be arrived at before you can actively begin perusing purchasing your next vehicle.

Let’s take a look at some tips, pros, and cons when it comes to making this decision.

First of all, having been in the automotive business for many years, I almost always lean toward finding a good used car that fits what I am looking for. For me, I believe that used cars offer the best value for your dollar. In most cases, you’ll find used car departments are much more used to and willing to negotiate the price that they have posted on the car. From a negotiating standpoint, most used cars won’t have all of those superfluous dealer ‘add-ons’ stuck on the window either that will just never do.

In the automotive market, used cars will most certainly come with a lower initial price tag than a comparably equipped new car. And not only will the price be lower, you may also find that so is your cost to insure the used car as well as the tags, and taxes. Depreciation being what it is; means that with a car a couple of years old, the biggest depreciation hit has already occurred. And from a tangible perspective, you may have a better chance of getting those upgrades you’d like to have on the used car that you couldn’t otherwise afford going with the new.

Yet, with all of this, buying a used car isn’t for everyone. Finding a used vehicle that fits one’s entire car buying criteria can be a tough exercise in balancing what you want with the value versus risk inherent when it comes to used cars.

Not so many years ago, reliability was a major concern when purchasing a used car… and rightfully so. Today however, reliability problems are a fraction of what they used to be. Today’s vehicles, when properly maintained will easily go for 100,000 miles and it’s not uncommon for vehicles to be motoring along as they approach 200,000 miles or more. And with all of the information now available online, the risk factor is again reduced even a bit more.

Even though more reliable today, buying a used car for people means buying a car that is probably out of its original bumper to bumper warranty. This alone, is enough to repel many potential car buyers back to the new car side of the dealership.

As you know, if you are looking at buying a used car, you are probably looking at a car that is outside the factory warranty or at least would have very little remaining. With no warranty you’ll be on the hook to pay for any needed repairs out of your own pocket. However, the biggest expense for most all cars today are the things that aren’t covered by any manufacturer’s warranty anyway; items such as brakes, tires, alignment, batteries, etc.

Of course nobody can guarantee that you won’t encounter a lemon. No matter what the make and model, no manufacturer can produce a vehicle that can withstand years of neglect and/or abuse. Always, always, always give the used car a thorough inspection both by yourself and a qualified mechanic; doing this will catch most problems that may be looming on the horizon.

When it comes to financing the purchase of a used car, you find that the going interest rates will typically be higher than new car rates. This is definitely a piece of the puzzle you’ll want to check out. There is no rule of thumb as to what the difference in the interest rate will be between the two because there are just too many determining variables involved such as; the economy, rebates and incentives involved on the new car side, your credit, length of financing, and even the type of used car you’re looking at. Be sure to crunch the numbers for both sides.

With used cars, insurance can save you some money as well because you’ll typically pay less for your insurance on a like model from a few years past. The reason is simple; less cost of replacement for the insurance company and used cars are generally not high on the stolen lists.

And finally, (the latest) safety features could be a concern if you’re looking at used car (particularly if you’re going back a few model years).

All in all, if the touch, feel, and smell of a new car, isn’t a top priority for you, I think you’ll find that a well thought out used car purchase you can get more car and features and still be within your budget.

Since 1984 Formula One teams have been required to build the chassis in which they compete, and consequently the terms “team” and “constructor” are more or less interchangeable.

This requirement distinguishes the sport from series such as IRL, Champ Cars, and NASCAR, which allow teams to purchase chassis, and “spec series” such as GP2, which require all cars be kept to an identical specification.

In its early years, Formula One teams sometimes also built their engines, though this became less common with the increased involvement of major car manufacturers such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Renault, Toyota, and Honda, whose large budgets rendered privately built engines less competitive (and redundant).

Early manufacturer involvement came in the form of a “factory team” (that is, one owned and staffed by a major car company), such as those of Alfa Romeo, Ferrari (FIAT) or Renault. Companies such as Climax, Repco, Cosworth, Hart, Judd and Supertec, which had no direct team affiliation, often sold engines to teams who could not afford to manufacture them. As the manufacturers’ deep pockets and engineering ability took over, almost all engines are now produced by major manufacturers.

After having virtually disappeared by the early 1980s, factory teams made a comeback in the 1990s and 2000s, and now form half the grid with Toyota, Ferrari (FIAT), Honda, Renault and BMW either setting up their own teams or buying out existing ones. Mercedes-Benz (DaimlerChrysler) owns 40% of the McLaren team and manufactures the team’s engines. Commercial engine supplier Cosworth exited the sport at the end of 2006. Thus all the teams will run on factory supplied engines from 2007.

The sport’s 1950 debut season saw eighteen teams compete, but due to high costs many dropped out quickly. In fact, such was the scarcity of competitive cars for much of the first decade of Formula One that Formula Two cars were admitted to fill the grids. Ferrari is the only still-active team which competed in 1950, and as of 2006 eleven teams remain on the grid, each fielding two cars. Although teams rarely disclose information about their budgets, it is estimated that they range from US$66 million to US$400 million each.

Entering a new team in the Formula One World Championship requires a £25 million (about US$47 million) up-front payment to the FIA, which is then repaid to the team over the course of the season. As a consequence, constructors desiring to enter Formula One often prefer to buy an existing team: B.A.R.’s purchase of Tyrrell and Midland’s purchase of Jordan allowed both of these teams to sidestep the large deposit.

Each car is assigned a number. The previous season’s World Drivers’ Champion is designated number 1, with his teammate given number 2. Numbers are then assigned according to each team’s position in the previous season’s World Constructors’ Championship. There have been exceptions to this rule, such as in 1993 and 1994, when the current World Drivers’ Champion (Nigel Mansell and Alain Prost, respectively) was no longer competing in Formula One. In this case the drivers for the team of the previous year’s champion are given numbers 0 (Damon Hill, on both occasions) and 2 (Prost himself and Ayrton Senna - replaced after his death by David Coulthard and occasionally Nigel Mansell - respectively). The number 13 has not been used since 1974, before which it was occasionally assigned at the discretion of individual race organizers.

Before 1996, only the world championship winning driver and his team generally swapped numbers with the previous champion – the remainder held their numbers from prior years, as they had been originally set at the start of the 1974 season. For many years, for example, Ferrari held numbers 27 & 28, regardless of their finishing position in the world championship. As privateer teams quickly folded in the early 1990s, numbers were frequently shuffled around, until the current system was adopted in 1996.

Michael Schumacher holds the record for having won the most Drivers’ Championships (seven) and Ferrari holds the record for having won the most Constructors’ Championships (fourteen). Jochen Rindt became the only posthumous World Champion after a fatal accident at the 1970 Italian Grand Prix.

The automobile has been our friend ever since the Frenchman, Nicolas Joseph Cugnot, built the first car in the year 1769. It was a steam powered, three wheeled vehicle with a top speed of six kilometers per hour that was built in the French Arsenal for the purpose of moving cannons. Cars have come a long way since then and a lot has changed about them but one thing remains the same; They save us a lot of tread on our shoes. Unfortunately, they do use some tread on their tires, and to safely drive your car, you need to add fresh tires on occasion.

When the time for new tires arrives, it is time to get the bet price by shopping for a car tires quote at various dealers.

What Should Your Quote Include?

The first thing to look for in any car tires quote is the number of tires included in the quote. Does the quote include a whole set of tires and, if so, does it include the fifth tire for a fresh spare or is the quote merely on a per tire basis. Paying attention to what may seem a trivial detail in your car tires quote here can save you a lot of money and trouble down the road.

The next thing to consider is the tread type to be used on the vehicle you are getting a car tires quote for. Do you travel mainly on paved streets or muddy back roads? Do you live in an area that rarely sees rain or do you look out your second story window and stare a Sherpa in the eye? The conditions you travel in effect your choice of tires and treads and will thus change your car tires quote accordingly. A set of street radials may have a very sweet looking price tag but paying the towing service to pull you out of a snow drift every few days would probably show you that the mud and snow tires might have been a better value.

Another very important thing to look for in a car tires quote is the cost of labor and warranties. Does the price include removing your old tires, mounting and balancing the new tires and installing them on your vehicle? Is there a fee to leave your old tires with the shop for disposal or a surcharge to take them with you for your own disposal? Is there a road hazard policy covering such things as punctures and flat repair or warranties against blow outs or defects?

In conclusion, shopping for car tires quotes does require a bit of research and asking questions of your prospective dealer but you will find that the investment of time you make while researching car tires quotes will pay off with a great deal on your new tires and the added safety it will provide for you and your loved ones.

For the private owner to market a car for sale while avoiding the risks associated with selling it privately is no small undertaking. The following points should be considered:

Secret #1: Evaluating Personal Circumstances

The kind of person you are and the circumstances you’re in play a key role in the decision to sell your own car. Before setting out to sell your car yourself, make sure that you have confidence in negotiating with prospective buyers. Test-drives and phone calls are part of the process, so it’s vital to be prepared to handle these as well. Simply knowing yourself and what you’re going to face is absolutely critical.

Secret #2: Being Armed With Knowledge of the Market

The best way to begin when first planning to sell a car privately is to know the market–to be armed with enough information. This ca be done by simply determining how much the old car is worth. Try to determine the answers to these important questions: Is the car going to be easy to sell? Is it a popular commodity? Is it likely to receive multiple offers? What kind of buyer is most likely to be interested in this kind of car? In order to answer these problems with accurate results, the first step should be to check some car ads online.

Several online used car guides are now available on the Internet. By knowing a car’s make, model, mileage, and general condition these Web sites will doubtless prove to be a good place to begin determining the value of the vehicle. Based on those basic details it is quick and easy to secure accurate estimates for things such as how much a local dealer is likely to offer for it as a trade in. It is also helpful for determining how much to expect to make by selling your car privately by visiting and examining the used car guides on the Web.

The used car price guides that are now commonly available at libraries or bookstores are useful in addition to checking the online used car guides. The local newspaper’s automotive advertising section can also be checked for similar vehicles. By combining information from all of these sources it will become easy to gain the knowledge needed to be fully prepared for private automobile sales.

If you finally decided to get rid of your old and ugly car, don’t jump into a car buying without calculating.

It’s o.k. that you already know what you want. The latest Ferrari model, of course. The red one you saw at http://thecarofyourfantasies.com. But maybe you should reconsider it. By the way, did you know that red cars and sports type cars are stopped more often?

Purchasing a new car is a complicated financial operation and a highlight of your life. Take it seriously.

First, have a look at your family budget. Sit down and check all your household expenses, as well as cash on hand and your take-home pay and determine what you can reasonably afford to pay for a new car. According to the experts you shouldn’t spend on your car more than 20 percent of your monthly income.

Afterwards check your credit. Start this process months before you plan to purchase, if possible, because if you have incorrect or outdated information that’s lowering your score - and therefore raising the interest rate you’ll have to pay - it can removed, but it takes at least 60 to 90 days.

To calculate monthly payments, you should factor in proposed purchase price, the down payment, interest rate and term of your loan. All will affect how much you can afford to spend on your car.

Don’t worry if you can’t get a standard loan, there are alternatives. If the banks, building societies and credit unions won’t lend to you because you’re self employed, newly arrived in the country or have a poor credit history, consider the booming non-conforming and "low doc" loan market.

A number of non-bank lenders offer loans which especially cater for this type of borrower. The interest rates on non-conforming loans are generally higher but come down after a few years of on-time repayments.

Think about all the expenses of a car: Insurance rates, fuel costs, maintenance, repair and not only the purchase price. Some luxury cars and not American-made cars cost more to repair.

Decide if you want to buy a new car or a used one. Both have pros and cons. A used car costs significantly cheaper but there is no comprehensive new-car warranty, not as many safety and convenience features but a questionable maintenance.

As for the timing, the two best times of the year to buy a car are the end of December (when dealers are competing for Christmas shoppers) and between July and October (when dealers are making room for new models).

You should also consider what’s the primary use of the car, who’ll drive, where will you use the car and so on.

When you next go on vacation the best way to explore a new country is by car. Renting a car allows you to sightsee at your own pace to tourist spots of your own choice. You can easily rent cars from car rental services, but there are certain things you should keep in mind when you are renting a car abroad.

* It is a good idea to make all arrangements from the USA itself before you embark on your vacation. If you rent directly in a foreign land the language and cultural barriers, the foreign currency conversion rates, unfamiliar rental rules and other differences may utterly confuse you. Instead if you rent right from your home country, you are more likely to catch the hidden costs such as late penalties, gas charges and others.

* Make sure your billing starts right from the time of the drop-off. Remember, there are agencies that charge on a full 24-hour basis, even if you use the car for lesser hours per day. Avoid these types of car rental agencies.

* There are various types of discounts that are available on car rentals internationally. For example, the frequent flyer discount, credit card discount, AAA discount or senior citizen discount etc. are the most common type of car rental discounts. Insist on getting the discounts if you qualify for them.

* When you are booking in advance, consider the prospective size of your luggage and the number of people traveling with you. In case the luggage and the size of your group are small you can consider a smaller car. But if you feel you are going to travel with a big group or have big or quite a few luggages, then book a roomier car.

* You should carry an international driving permit with you. It is recognized by some 150 countries. However you must be at least 18 years old to obtain an international driving permit. In the USA, two agencies are authorized to issue the document: the American Automobile Association and the American Automobile Touring Alliance.

* Do not expect to rent a luxurious or automatic car in other countries as you would expect to rent back home. For example, if you rent a car of European make, there is a high possibly that you have to drive a manual stick shift car. However, since you are not familiar with your way around in a foreign city it is better that you insist on renting an automatic car even though it comes at a higher price tag.

So you see, driving in the foreign land is much more than laughing about driving on the wrong side of the road! Be prepared and carry the right documents for safe and happy driving abroad.

If you are a prospective car buyer, finding just the right car for you is a decision not to be made lightly. Everyone’s needs are different and when you factor in personal tastes, there’s just no telling what will push you into making the final decision.

It’s easy to get carried away when you shop for a car: the smell of the brand-new upholstery, the satisfying purr of the motor, not to mention the slick salesman promising you outrageous deals, all conspire into making you part with your hard-earned money. Hopefully you will find a great deal for the amount of money that you are willing to pay. However you put it though, buying a car will cost a fair amount of money; you do want a car that is in decent condition and that will last for several years don’t you? It is of utmost importance then to do research on the particular models you are most interested in, know the current market trends in car sales and weigh your options carefully so you are confident of making the right choice when it comes time to whip out your checkbook.

The type of car you choose will be dependent on several factors: are you looking for a roomy, comfortable way to truck your kids to ballet class or soccer practice or are you searching for a rugged, off-road trail warrior who willingly follows were your adventurous spirit leads? Maybe you want to tear it up at the racetrack in a screaming blaze of high-octane performance or perhaps gas mileage and ecological-friendliness are your primary concerns. Either way, consider what your expectations and projected requirements are for your planned vehicle and anticipate your need in the future. You’re family may grow beyond it’s current size or you may have a need to use your vehicle for an expanding business. Think of what’s best for your needs and choose a solid, practical model; this year’s flashy, 2-seater with day-glow paintjob and shiny designer rims might get your pulse racing but is it really what you need and can use many years down the line?

Get up-to-date on the latest models though, so you at least know what’s out there and get a feel for current market rates. Check out what new features and innovations have come out recently; the automobile industry is a fast-paced one and new enhancements are coming out all the time.

Before you rent a car for the first time, try to make an accurate assessment of what your needs are. Consider whether you’re traveling alone or with other passengers. Decide how much storage space your going to need. Do you need a compact car, a luxury vehicle, an SUV or truck? Take into account where you will be traveling and your budget for travel expenses.

After you’ve got a short list of your car rental needs, start shopping the different rental companies in your area (or the area you’ll be traveling in). It’s very simple these days to look up these companies on the Internet. All of them have websites, and most even do locally based advertising via Google Adwords.

Pick the company that seems to have the best combination of price, terms and service. Remember the old adage, “you get what you pay for” holds true in this industry as well as any other. If one company is considerably cheaper than the others, they’re probably going to have problems in other areas. It’s hard to go wrong, however picking one of the large well-known chains. If the businesses in your area aren’t any of the well known national firms, a quick call to the Better Business Bureau wouldn’t hurt.

If budget is your primary concern, look for a corporation like Rent a Wreck. They’ve been around a long time and provide very good rates on used cars.

When you make your rental reservations, you will need to have a valid, unrestricted license. You’ll also need insurance, either your own or you may buy a policy issued at the car rental establishment. Be sure to check with your insurance company to see if your insurance covers a rental. If it does, don’t buy it through the rental agency. There’s no need to pay for it twice. You will also be required to have a credit card for a deposit.

In some countries, you may need an international driver’s license.

Once you have determined what you need in the way of transportation, chosen a prospective car rental company, and gathered the information and documents you need, you are ready to book your car.

You can walk in most car rental companies and rent one on the spot, but there are advantages to booking the vehicle in advance. Making advance reservations can save you time, money and lots of headaches. Often, there are packages and special offers that will save you a bundle by planning ahead. Ultimately, you save time and reduce anxiety because you know you have it all arranged and are confident that the car rental you want is available, reserved for you. Nothing is worse than scrambling at the last minute trying to get transportation when none is available.

You can make reservations by visiting the rental location in person, by phone or online. Many people, including this author, prefer to shop online to be able to look over prices and specials at leisure. Many reduced rates are only available through an online reservation.

Arrange to arrive to pick up your rental car with time to spare. There are often unexpected delays that could cause you to miss a flight, appointment or cause undue aggravation. Avoiding these with a little planning will make a trip flow much more smoothly.

Before driving away, thoroughly check the contract, review the charges, and inspect the vehicle. If there is any damage inside or out on the rental car, make sure that the employee duly notes it on the contract and signs off on them. If anything is missed at this stage, you’ll be charged for it when you return the car.

Make sure you have the appropriate contact numbers in case of emergency or other concerns with your rental car. You never know when a breakdown might occur. If you’re in a strange town this can turn into a minor disaster without knowing whom to call.

Finally, be sure you are comfortable with the rental terms, deadlines and restrictions before you head off to your destination.

With congestion continuing to rise on Britain’s roads a number of solutions have been proposed, raising tax being the main one. However, every day in the UK there are over 10 million empty seats on the roads. Worse still, the vast majority of these empty seats are during the rush hour, with average occupancy for commuting only 1.2. The solution appears to be simple – car sharing. This is further supported by recent research which found that over 50% of commuters would car share on their way to work if they could find someone suitable to share with.

Car sharing has often been talked about but only ever considered to be a small scale solution, unlikely to have a significant effect on congestion levels. Again, the evidence suggests otherwise. A 25% increase in car occupancy levels would result in the number of commuting cars on the road falling by 21%. Put another way, if everyone shared a journey to work just once a week then the effect would be similar. With over 50% of people happy to try car sharing out this could be an attainable target.

So why has car sharing failed to take off in a big way? Put simply, a lack of funding. Without the money to raise awareness of car sharing and the ways to go about finding someone to share with, the concept of car sharing is always going to be doomed to being an insignificant solution.

Why hasn’t the funding been provided by the government, particularly in light of the many reports that have come out over recent years highlighting the potential of car sharing? One can only speculate but to governments the idea of car sharing isn’t so attractive. It generates no additional government revenue and is in fact likely to reduce it, particularly with the decline in fuel consumption. Compared with the prospect of continuing to dramatically increase taxes on motorists, many of whom have no choice but to use their cars, car sharing doesn’t stand a chance.

The benefits of car sharing are also often vastly underestimated. Car sharing does hugely reduce petrol consumption for the individuals involved and if promoted in a large way then congestion and pollution could be reduced significantly. Other benefits include reduced parking problems and the lower mileage done by each car means that they depreciate less rapidly.

However, one statistics that is overlooked is the impact of car sharing on road safety. The number of speeding fines handed out in the UK in 2005 reached the 2 million mark. With road safety being of such apparent importance the statistic that the likelihood of having an accident is reduced by 50% if there are two or more people in the car should make the relevant authorities sit up and take note. The way to increase road safety is to promote car sharing. The added fact that it is also makes driving cheaper for the individual, and reduces congestion and pollution, should encourage people to take car sharing seriously.

Becoming involved in car sharing is very straightforward. Liftshare.org was established in 1997 and now has over 130,000 members one million journeys registered. It’s also free to join, with a simple registration form to complete before you can register a journey and begin searching for travel companions. Whether you’re traveling to work, a festival or a sporting event car sharing is possible.