HOW TO GET BETTER GAS MILEAGE

by THE CAR LOAN KING



It seems that every where you turn, the price of gas keeps on rising. Buying and owning a car is certainly a drain on your budget.

Here are some very useful and effective ways that you can save money and achieve better gas mileage.

•A very key element in keeping gas costs at a minimum is to have your vehicle properly maintained for top efficiency. Keeping your brake pads in top shape, as well as spark plugs, and having your oil changed according to schedule will ensure that your gas costs are low and also benefit the environment.

•The most common and most often forgotten way to save gas if to make sure that your tired are properly inflated. Simply, tire pressure is critical in how much gas your car uses. If your tires aren’t fully inflated it causes rolling resistance, this resistance causes your car to drag and waste gas. Keeping your tires around the normal 35 psi will cut your gas costs. Keeping your tires at this recommended pressure will also make your car glide further, so all you heavy footed fast drivers can now take your foot off the pedal!

•Avoid spontaneous pedal acceleration. Try to maintain a steady hold on the gas and when in need of a fast acceleration, try do so steady and evenly. Obviously, when your foot is off the gas, the less gas will be used.

•There is a speed limit for a reason. This is mainly to maintain overall safety; however, if you drive at or around the speed limit, you will waste less gas than if you are driving faster.

•Put your car into neutral when driving down a hill. If it's a steep downgrade leave it in gear and coast that way. The transmission will help slow you down a little on steep downgrades, but in any event try to keep your foot out of the gas for as long as you can.

EVGENI MALKIN LIKES PORSCHE 911

Do you know what car brand and model prefers our reigning Conn Smythe trophy winner? Right now I am not sure. Maybe Geno Malkin has got a new one as a present from his owner Mario Lemieux, but as of spring 2009 he was driving white Porsche 911.


GENO entering his Porsche

Let's look into this one deeper. So please meet PORSCHE 911 Carrera 4

Showing the dynamic attitude typical of the brand, Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, are continuing the generation change of the 911 model series. Just a few weeks after the new 911s with classic rear-wheel drive, the all-wheel-drive versions Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S are now entering the market in both Coupe and Cabriolet guise.

A whole range of new technologies surrounding the engine, the transmission and drivetrain ensures an even higher standard of driving pleasure on much lower fuel consumption. Particularly the precision and fast response of the new, electronically controlled all-wheel drive offers an even more intense driving experience, above all in interaction with the likewise new flat-six engines with Direct Fuel Injection and the PDK Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe or double-clutch gearbox available as an option.

The features and characteristics of the new engines speak for themselves: Depending on the model, the new all-wheel-drive Carrera offers up to 8.5 per cent more power, up to 12.9 per cent more fuel economy, and 15.4 per cent lower CO2 emissions. Specifically, output of the 3.6-litre power unit is up by 20 to 345 bhp (254 kW). At the same time a Carrera 4 Coupe with PDK, to take just one example, consumes a mere 10.1 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres, equal to 28.0 mpg imp. The improvements on the 911 Carrera 4S with its 3.8-litre power unit are equally significant, with maximum output up by 30 to 385 bhp (283 kW) on overall fuel consumption down in the case of Carrera 4S Cabriolet with PDK to 10.7 litres/100 km, equal to 26.4 mpg imp.



In the new generation of the Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S electronically controlled PTM Porsche Traction Management replaces the former all-wheel drive with its viscous multiple-plate clutch. This superior system developed for the 911 Turbo and modified for the Carrera models combines the driving pleasure so typical of Porsche with an even higher standard of driving stability, traction and agile handling further enhanced by the mechanical rear axle differential fitted as standard.

The new all-wheel-drive sports cars come with sporting manual transmission featuring six gears. As an alternative the new models are available with Porsche's new Doppelkupplungsgetriebe replacing the former Tiptronic S automatic converter transmission and offering an even faster gearshift on less fuel. The Doppelkupplungsgetriebe or double-clutch gearbox comes with seven gears shifting electrohydraulically without the slightest interruption of traction and pulling force.

The new generation of the 911 model series stands out clearly through the discreet but striking modification of the front end and new lights technology. The new Carrera models come in all cases with bi-xenon headlights and new LED daytime driving lights.


Evgeni Malkin with Conn Smythe Trophy

The newly designed rear light clusters also feature LED technology and for the first time Porsche offers Dynamic Bending Lights as an option. It almost goes without saying that all Carrera 4 models come as before with their muscular rear end 44 millimetres or 1.73" wider than on the two-wheel-drive versions. And a new reflector trim bar between the LED rear lights gives the typical rear end of the car even more dynamic character.

New PCM Porsche Communication Management with its touch-sensitive screen improves operation of the in some cases optional navigation, information and audio systems to an even higher standard. And a further important point is that PCM is now compatible with Bluetooth, USB and iPod requirements.

Source: Porsche Press Releases

TIME TO BUY A NEW CAR

by THE CAR LOAN KING



Time to buy a new Car – What now?
Before you start to brainstorm about what kind of car is best for you, what deal makes the most sense, and where to turn to actually buy the car. It is very important to remember this tip:

The auto industry is a business filled mostly with honest folks, all of whom are trying to do one thing, sell you a car, as quickly as possible, without any complications. It is important for the buyer to be aware that Car Salesmen, Sales Managers and Finance Managers all work on commission. They are thinking about their pay checks first when selling you a vehicle and arranging car financing for you.

The buyer must always go into an auto sale with a plan. Our team here at the Thecar-loanking has over 30 years of auto sales experience. We highly recommend that you know this:

Car dealers make their living according to a selling method designed to influence you into making an emotional and costly car buying decision before you have a chance to think it through. So be Prepared!

Buying a car can almost be like a game of chance. It is not just you versus a car salesperson. When you walk into a car dealership, you face a professionally organized team of pros who perform their sales pitch every day.

In most recent, times, and thankfully for us at the Thecar-loanking, car buyers have turned to the internet to make an auto deal. The human, face to face interaction and the pressures of dealing with a manipulative car salesman are lost to the online space.

However, this issue opens up a whole new batch of questions. Mainly, can a car buyer really find the deal they need from a website? The answer is YES! The Thecar-loanking will provide you with all of the vital information you will need as a car buyer, to purchase a car from a traditional dealership and online.

Remember!
The Thecar-loanking will save you thousands of dollars, tons of time and a whole lot of hassle.

LET'S GET YOU A CAR DEAL - TOP SECRETS

by THE CAR LOAN KING



Right off the bat the Thecar-loanking will tell you that what a car dealer is willing to sell a car for depends a great deal on the supply and demand of that particular vehicle. That seems simple, right?

The higher end luxury cars are sold for more money, because there is a high demand for them. They are eye catching, they are higher performance vehicles, and they are usually better cars. Yet, when buying a car, expect the dealer to stand firm on their starting price. There is not much room for bargaining with a car salesman, because in most cases, the buyer is only buying one car, not multiple automobiles.

Obviously most car buyers want the most recent model, if they can get it. Yet, a very valuable tip is that in some cases, when very popular new models first come out and the supply is primarily low, some car dealers will only sell these new models way above sticker price, to move older inventory first. This is America, home of the American Dream, purveyors of materialism. There are always people willing to pay above sticker to get these new models.

A smart car consumer will buy a car from previous years without fret, and know they are getting a deal compared to a newer model.

The same rule applies if there is a low demand for a vehicle. Usually the dealer will be more willing to give a better deal for a lower demand car.

Shop around. Do not put all your eggs in one basket and go to one dealership. Check your local listings for the dealerships in and around your area.

Don't rush into anything. Go in with the attitude that you are expecting a big discount. Compare, and see what you can get out of them.

A key secret when negotiating for a vehicle only negotiate the actual selling price of the car. Monthly payment or trade-ins will only limit your knowledge of what you are actually paying and prohibit you from getting the best deal. Keep these side deals separate from the actual negotiation.

Remember, when you're shopping for a car you are in control of the whole process. The car dealer can't make you do anything you don't want to do. All you have to do if you are being pressured too much is to get up and leave.

Don't be persuaded to put any money down until after you've made your decision to purchase a particular vehicle and you've negotiated a firm price. A deposit is a real form of control that the dealer should not have on you. If you want the car bad enough, you will buy it. Putting a hastily deposit down may result in money loss if you end up finding a better deal.

There are plenty of car dealers out there who will appreciate your business. There is no need for you to put up with the high pressure tactics some car dealers use to intimidate you into buying and financing through them. Take your time, think things through -- in fact, sleep on any deal before you decide, and you'll get the car you want at the best price available.

Regards,
The Car Loan Kings

FOUR MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO CHECK WHAN BUYING A USED CAR

Hi Alex,

There are four things to check when buying a used car that can save you time and frustration.

Truth be told, there are dozens of things that you could check when you're looking at used cars, but that would take far more time than most of us have.

Looking at the four things to check when buying a used car listed in this article will take a fraction of the time and give you a good idea what kind of car you're about to buy.



1. Vehicle History

This is actually one of the easiest things to check when buying a used car. Services like the constantly advertised, Carfax, exist to make this as easy as possible, and any decent, reputable dealer will be able to provide a vehicle history.

If they don't, you should probably walk away, but you can run your own history with the VIN number. In either case, what you're looking for is a car that hasn't been in any accidents or needed major work done.

2. Exhaust Smoke

You need to have the dealer start the car up for you while you watch the exhaust pipe. What you want to happen is for there to be maybe a little white steam coming out of the car.

You shouldn't get smoke out of the exhaust, unless you're looking at a diesel, in which case a little black smoke initially is acceptable.

White smoke is usually an indicator of engine problems. Blue smoke means the car is burning oil, which is very bad news. Black smoke means there is something wrong with the way the car is burning gasoline. In any event, if the car smokes, you don't want to buy it.

3. Brakes

Another one of the crucial things to check on a used car is the brakes. You're going to need to take the car on a test drive to check this one.

What you want to do is to take the car to an area without traffic, then go around 30 mph and press down hard on the brakes.

You don't want to do this hard enough to slide, but you do want a quick deceleration. If the brakes vibrate or make any strange noises, they need replaced.

If there are any problems with the brakes, you should probably walk away; although these are easily repaired, they usually indicate a car that hasn't been properly maintained.

4. Interior

As far as things to check when purchasing a used car go, this one that doesn't get as much thought as it should. What you are looking for here is a disparity between the interior of the car and the mileage.

If the car has low mileage and a really beat up interior, this is a sign of either poor maintenance or odometer fraud. On the other hand, if it has high miles and a like new interior, this can be a sign the car was owned by somebody who really took car of it.

These four things to check when buying a used car will give you a good picture of the quality of car you're buying, and this will save you big money.
This should only take a few minutes, so make sure you follow the steps and get a car you can rely on.

With Taking the House Edge, you'll have an unprecedented edge before you ever step foot in the dealership.

To put it plainly, there's just some things you learn from the inside that no other "car experts" can tell you about. Dealerships have their sales process down to an absolute science, and only they know where every little psychological hot-button is.

Get Taking the House Edge today and take back control.

Talk soon,

John

ŠKODA AUTO - PROUD SPONCOR OF THE INTERNATIONAL ICE HOCKEY FEDERATION

This spring for the seventeenth time in a row, Škoda Auto is the official main sponsor of IIHF World Championships. The official fleet is made up of 45 Škoda vehicles.


SKODA OCTAVIA

The company is maintaining its position as the longest-ever main sponsor of any sports world championship, a fact that indeed earned Škoda Auto a Guinness World Record in 2007.

In 2008 tt was the very first time for the event to take place in the cradle of ice hockey and, quite symbolically, also the first time in the new-age history for Škoda vehicles to be the official vehicle of the event in the Canadian territory. A fleet of 45 official silver vehicles is made up of Roomster Scouts, Octavias and Octavia Combis, including a sports version (RS) for the International Ice Hockey Federation President René Fasel. Furthermore, the championships in Canada 2008 ans Swizz 2009 were the worldwide TV premiere for the latest Škoda Superb. Two vehicles were displayed in each of the arenas in Quebec and Halifax one year ago.

As usual, Škoda Auto is going to act as the official partner of the Czech and Slovak national teams. In addition to that, the Škoda emblem and logo are going to appear on the Russian team's jerseys and helmets. “This is more than symbolic for us,” says Head of Corporate Communications Martin Lauer and explains why: “Russia is one of our most important markets, a country that offers a huge potential for growth, which is why we opened a brand new Škoda assembly plant in Kaluga last year. Moreover, as an ice hockey superpower, Russia have been a tough sporting rival for the Czech Republic for decades.“

The 2008 IIHF World Championships in Canada marked the 100th anniversary of existence for the International Ice Hockey Federation, as well as for the Czech Ice Hockey Association, long-time partners of Škoda Auto. Škoda Auto has been a partner of the IIHF since the world championships in Czechoslovakia in 1992 when its products were the official vehicles of the event for the first time. One year later, the Company became the main partner of the IIHF World Championships. The partnership with the Czech Republic's national team also started in 1992.


SKODA FABIA

In addition Martin Lauer says: “The championships are going to see the world's best teams, and we wish every success to the Škoda brand and products, as well as to ice hockey alone. Our liaison with the world's fastest team sport is positive in terms of brand and product visibility and awareness which, along with a positive image, is the key precondition for good results of the entire Škoda Auto corporation."

The roots of this famous Czech automobile manufacturer lay in the bicycle manufacturing business established by Vaclav Klement and Vaclav Laurin in Mlada Boleslav near Prague. Within four years the company began the manufacture of motorcycles, moving into motor car production with the Voiturette A in 1905. In 1925 Klement and Laurin merged with the Skoda Company, a manufacturer of engines and industrial products, and soon established a reputation for the manufacture of luxury limousines such as the 1929 Skoda 860 and the technologically sophisticated Superb designed in 1934 and in production until 1949. During the Second World War Skoda centred its activities on the production of military transport and, in 1946, was nationalized and given a monopoly on passenger car production including the 1946 Tudor range. In the 1950s and 1960s the company manufactured a number of celebrated models such as the Spartak and the Estelle, followed by a period of difficulty in the face of stiff European competition until the introduction of the Favorit in 1988. With the softening of relations with the West, and the corporate goal of developing new markets, the company became a member of the Volkswagen group (incorporating Audi and SEAT) in 1991. The Felicia was launched in 1994 followed by the Octavia, produced in a new assembly plant in 1996. A new Design Centre was established in Mlada Boleslav in 1999 and the image of Skoda, previously often seen as a manufacturer of cheap, fairly basic models, was altered with the launch of the award-winning Fabia in the UK in 2000. This was followed by the launch of a more luxurious version of the Octavia in 2001 and another new model, the Superb (named after its successful 1930s predecessor), characterized by a spacious interior, comfort, and technological sophistication.

CAR HOCKEY. NEW SPORT?

Kind of joke, but funny!

ADVICE ON BUYING A FIRST CAR YOU SHOULDN'T IGNORE

Hi Alex,

Advice on buying a first car is hard to come by. Well, no, I take that back; good advice on buying your first car is hard to come by.

Bad advice is plentiful, but most of it, by dent of being bad advice, won't help you get the right car at the right price.
If this is your first auto you probably do need advice on buying a first car. Buying a car is a pretty involved process and doing it for the first time, just adds an additional layer of nervousness.

Getting the right advice will put you on the right track to getting the right car.
Your first thing you need to think about when buying your first car is whether to get a new car or a used car. Don't immediately discard the notion of buying a used car because you automatically think of old beat up cars.

Cars don't immediately fall apart after two or three years, but they do cost substantially less. You can often find a "like new car", at a huge discount, if you look around. This is often an easier purchase for the newbie car buyer, so you need to give it some thought.

The best piece of advice on buying a first car, that anyone can give you, is to do your research. You should always take the time to cruise the car lots to find out exactly what cars are being offered and find a few you like.
Once you've done that, you need to go online and find out as much as you can about the cars you like. This actually serves two purposes, both of which are important.

The first is that it will help you narrow down your choices and find out if the cars you like, are cars that will fit your lifestyle.

The second reason to do your research is to give you leverage when it comes time to actually buy.

If you don't have the information at your fingertips, you're going to have to rely on what the car dealer tells you. However, this will almost certainly mean that you will pay more than you need to.

Another neglected piece of advice on buying a first car is to look at your financing options before you start shopping. This will give you a good picture of what you can afford to buy, which will help you find the right car.
It will also give you another piece of leverage to use when you're buying the car. Many dealerships also provide financing and you can use the finance information you already have to help negotiate a good deal.

This last, but certainly not the least valuable piece of advice, on buying a first car, which I can give you, is to be prepared when it comes time to negotiate.
This means that you need to go in rested, ready and prepared to get the best price you can. Don't let the dealer intimidate you and remember that they need you, you don't need them. Just follow the advice here and you will be on right track
for buying your first car.

Beat the dealer at their own game - RISK FREE

Once you know where to spot the dealer's manipulative tricks, you'll finally be able to shop for yourself and make an informed decision on YOUR timetable, and on YOUR terms.

Get Taking the House Edge today.

Talk soon,

John

CARS OF THE SPORT STARS

Forbes.com - Hannah Elliott

The first time golfer Michelle Wie ever drove a car, she took a Hummer up a 60-degree ramp, rocked it over some felled logs and punched it through a mud flat--all with her parents sitting in the back seat.

'My parents were freaking out; they thought they were going to die. I loved it!' laughs Wie, who has earned more than $1.29 million since she turned pro in 2005, at the age of 17. Since then, the self-proclaimed car fanatic has acquired some considerably smoother rides. When she's attending classes at Stanford University, she drives a black-on-black BMW X5; at home in Florida, she buys groceries--her favorite non-golf pastime--in a diamond-white Mercedes-Benz GL550.


FOOTBALL STAR TOM BRADY AND HIS AUDI S5

Wie is not alone in her love of cars; it seems to come with the territory of being a pro athlete. Florida Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez owns six, including a Bentley Continental and Mercedes S63 AMG. He parks four at his home in Florida and the other two in the Dominican Republic.

Professional sports lends itself to a love of cars. After all, what's one to do with ample downtime in the off-season and a generous salary? While not every pro athlete owns a flashy ride--Atlanta Braves third baseman Chipper Jones drives a Ford F-150--one could argue that, in general, their cars tend to augment these celebrities' already-established reputation.

Just look at Lebron James. His customized Ferrari F430 Spider is indeed fit for a king.

Part Pleasure, Part Business


Seven-figure partnerships--sponsorships and endorsement deals between car companies and celebrity athletes--also contribute the car-sports connection. To wit: Tennis star Maria Sharapova landed a multi-year $2.16 million endorsement deal with Land Rover in 2006, and Tiger Woods earned a reported $7.57 million to represent Buick (though the deal was severed in 2008 due to cost-cutting at General Motors.

Professional sports generated $2.3 billion last year, according to Street & Smith's Sports Group. Sports advertising alone is a $29 billion industry, media broadcast rights bring in an additional $7.5 billion, and spectators spend more than $28 billion each year on tickets, concessions and parking.

Still, there's a powerful emotional element as well, one that extends from the on-the-field action all the way to the vehicles parked in the athletes' driveways.

'Sports is not only the physical games themselves and people watching those games, but it's also all of the Monday-morning quarterbacking, the conversations through the week,' says Audi CMO Scott Keogh (Audi just became the official sponsor of the New York Yankees). 'Everyone can identify with it, whether they play a marginal amount of sports or whether their father played sports. That cultural thing resonates with cars as well.'

In other words, cars help athletes establish an image with fans, potential sponsors and teammates. One of the first things Atlanta Braves pitcher Kenshin Kawakami did when he moved from Japan was buy a black Maserati Grand Turismo S. He already owned a Lamborghini Murcielago, but he needed something more understated for driving in the U.S. The Maserati costs $146,130 the Lambo costs $236,968 more.

'My favorite thing about the car is how it looks, how it's really luxurious but not too flashy,' Kawakami says. 'It's got a really refined, elegant look.'


SOCCER STAR CRISTIANO RONALDO. BENTLEY CONTINENTAL GT SPEED

Rising Star, Same Car

Tom Brady, on the other hand, probably wouldn't make such a change. He drives a $55.18 Audi S5, which has an athletically smooth styling that echoes the quarterback's agile prowess on the field.

Sure, he also drives a rare $123,587 R8, which matches his celebrity status as the MVP of two Super Bowls (winner of three) and husband of Gisele Bündchen, the highest-paid model in the world. But even though Brady currently has an endorsement deal with the German automaker, he owned Audi vehicles long before Audi approached him. It's a match made in heaven, Keogh says.

'He's very successful, he's very passionate,' he says. 'Most importantly, from a driving image, he's just not your central casting star and all the negative baggage that sort of comes along with that.'

Wie, on the other hand, doesn't have a partnership with an automaker; she drives the Benz and Beemer because she loves them. For those automakers--and Wie's fans--that might be worth more than a formal endorsement anyway.

DISCUSSING OPEL FUTURE...

BERLIN (Reuters) - The German government has seen encouraging signals in recent days in negotiations to take over Opel and has "positive expectations" for talks this week, a government spokesman said on Monday.



Canada's Magna and RHJ International , a Belgium-based financial investor, are locked in a takeover battle for Opel, in which General Motors is relinquishing control in return for state support for the local carmaker.
GM, which holds 35 percent of Opel shares, and Germany, which will provide state aid, must agree on the buyer but so far the two have disagreed. Germany prefers the Magna offer and GM likes RHJ's bid.
"There have been encouraging signals," government spokesman Klaus Vater said of recent negotiations with the two suitors.
"As a result, the government has positive expectations with regard to the talks that are taking place this week," he added at a regular news conference.
Government sources said earlier that government officials and GM representatives will meet Magna and RHJ on Tuesday to work on forging a deal.
An Economy Ministry spokesman confirmed talks were planned for this week but gave no further details.
The "encouraging signals" Vater mentioned relate to contact between the German government and GM, government sources said.
Chancellor Angela Merkel's economics adviser, Jens Weidmann, held talks on Opel in the United States last week that were regarded in the government as constructive, the sources added.
GM's new board meets later on Monday and industry sources have said Opel will likely be discussed.
German Economy Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg said in a weekend newspaper interview the two suitors must improve their bids to win government backing.
Magna, a Canadian auto parts supplier, wants to expand Opel's full-scale car assembly business and forecasts high growth rates, particularly in Russia, home of its bidding partner, state-controlled bank Sberbank .
RHJ aims to shrink production to return Opel to profit and may be open to selling it back to GM at a later date.
In a blog entry posted on GM Europe's website last Tuesday, chief negotiator John Smith said he still expected a deal to close by the end of September.
The German states that are home to Opel plants and the federal government have expressed a preference for Magna's bid.