Car Audio

Archive for February, 2009

Car leasing, personal contract purchase, contract hire, lease purchase and car loans are all different ways to finance the cost of cars and vans. Many people are confused by the differences in these financing options so I thought I would focus on ‘contract hire’ and explain how this technique works.

Leasing addresses one of the biggest issues associated with the acquisition of new vehicles and that is depreciation. As soon as you’ve been handed the keys to your brand new motor its value falls through the floor.

When you take out a car lease the residual value of your selected vehicle is calculated. The is the estimated value of the vehicle at the end of the agreed lease period based on the anticipated mileage during this time. The calculated residual value of your chosen vehicle is then deducted from either the current manufacturers retail price, or a value agreed with the leasing firm, and you will pay the remainder through your monthly lease payments. So the higher the residual value as a proportion of the current value, the less you will need to pay each month.

Contract hire is a popular vehicle financing technique that isparticularly beneficial for customers who are registered for VAT such as small businesses and self employed people. If your vehicle is used exclusively for business purposes you can reclaim 100% of the VAT. Even if you use your car or van for some personal use you can still reclaim 50% of the VAT.

In a contract hire agreement you actually hire the vehicle for an agreed period, usually for between 12 and 60 months during which time a fixed rental is paid, based upon the mileage. At the end of the agreed contract hire period, as in the case of car leasing, the vehicle is returned to the supplier. You will not be surprised by any unforeseen disposal or depreciation costs.

Contract hire can optionally include full vehicle maintenance which may include routine servicing and replacement tyres. Up to 100% of your contract hire rental charges can be offset against your taxable profits and minimal capital outlay is required.

It’s no surprise that contract hire is the favoured vehicle financing option for many businesses and self-employed people.

For cheap car leasing I recommend Nationwide Vehicle Contracts.

electric scooters

Before you purchase an electric scooter there are a few points that you may want to consider, as all of the electric scooters have their own unique features. How far are you going to be traveling? Is it for leisure or to commute to work? You also need to ask yourself if portability is more desirable than durability. Researching online and asking questions is a good way to find out which would be best for you.

So basically you need to consider the range of the electric scooters mobility, the rider’s weight, the terrain of the area where it will be used, its portability as well as the climate it will be used in. You also want to try a few out to make sure as you can have a choice of stand-up or sit down scooters and of course, you need to know what your budget will allow.

The average range on an electric scooter is said to be approximately 8 miles on a single battery charge; however, that is only under ideal conditions, such as flat land, no wind, rider’s weight, etc. so it is likely that the average will be a little less than that. A rider who weighs over 250 lbs will have fewer choices in electric scooters than a rider between 180 and 250 lbs, who can pretty much pick any one that they want.

The terrain is also a consideration when choosing powered scooters, obviously the flatter the land the better. If there is going to be hill climbing involved, then you may want to consider making sure that you purchase one of the 350 watt electric motor scooters. You also need to consider portability, meaning how much will you need to carry the electric scooter around? Most are small enough but some are also fairly heavy and not as easy to fold.

If you live in a climate that has extreme heat, extreme cold or even both, then you are likely to get reduced range on the scooter, as naturally the optimal temperatures would be warm and sunny. Many people ask if it is advisable to ride electric scooters in the rain. If you are stuck in the rain with no alternative means of mobility, then by all means ride the scooter back home, but avoid it if possible. Most scooter motors are sealed and a little rain should not hurt them.

If you own a business that requires delivering goods to your customers, when it comes to buying new delivery vans, you may have to reach deep into your pockets and hope you find enough. Especially during the current recession, it is becoming more and more difficult to keep your business afloat.

So, there you are thinking that you need new vans to keep your business going, but you don’t have enough for the ones you want, there must be a way. Well, there is another way, a way for you to get brand new vans at a reduce price. Van leasing is a great way for you or your business to get the latest vehicles to deliver your goods all for a monthly fee.

All you have to do is sign the contract, pay the monthly fees, and then once your contract is over, you can renew it and get a whole new model vehicle. You can even get some packages that have the vehicle maintenance already sorted, giving you one less thing to worry about.

You’re probably thinking, where’s the catch? But there simply isn’t one. Van leasing is simply a great way to get the latest vehicles, at lower cost. Also, because they are the newest models, they are far less likely to break down, giving you another thing you need to worry about. Aswell as that, when you buy a new car or van, they can quickly loose all their value, making you loose out when you have to sell them on, but with leasing, you have no problem with that because one your contract is over, you simply give the car back.

Overall, it has to be the best way to get brand new vehicles for your business, especially now that times are tight. So, what are you waiting for, there are some great Citroen, Ford, Nissan and Mercedes van leasing offers out there.

Nissan are planning on introducing their new NV200 compact van next week at the Geneva 2009 Auto Show. Nissan have said that the NV200 van has been designed from stage 1 for commercial and people carrier uses.

Because Nissan are aiming for both business and family use, they have designed 3 different versions. The Cargo, designed to carry as much as possible. The plush version is designed to carry up to 7 passengers, and finally there is the Combi version which is the best of both and is designed to carry both passengers and goods.

The NV200 is just over 173 inches long and has side sliding doors, a 78.8 inch loading bay with side hinged doors. The commercial Cargo version is able to carry a maximum cargo volume of 144.7 cubic feet. Nissan have said that the cargo version can carry 2 European standard sized pallets.

As for the Combi version, Nissan have said that the seats cannot be removed, however, they can be folded away to fit extra goods in. Both the 7 seat passenger version and the Combi version come with a top hinged tailgate, also, the Combi version can either come with sliding or hinged side doors.

There are 2 different engine types available, the Nissan Micra’s 1.6 litre aluminium petrol powered engine, or a Renault 1.5 litre diesel powered engine.

The inside of the NV200 comes with a few funky features including a “secret” compartment in the top of the glove box to store electrical items and keep them out of view, although the compartment is not very secret if they tell everyone. You can also have a rear view parking camera which is said to be a first for this van market.

The NV200 is planned for release in its home country, Japan, around summer time and then set for around Europe in autumn, as for North America, Nissan have not yet comfirmed that it will be going on sale there.

However, because of the current recession, will the NV200 be able to bring in enough sales? Certainly people are looking less at buying new vans and cars at the moment, although, maybe the NV200 will prove to be a sucess in the van leasing market. There are also some great Mercedes van leasing offers flying around at the moment, that’s if you really need a van before the NV200.

The car gadget industry is growing on how many are released every year. The most popular can be fitted and unfitted easily which is especially important when you’ve got a car contract hire. The gadgets listed are the ones I think are the best.

Time to show some messages at the back of the car.
A great way to tell people what you really think about them, even better write out how's my driving, I dont really care. A great way to have a laugh in the car.

Econav
Doesn't compete with the main rival tom-tom but it's great for everyone who loves to be environmentally friendly as ot chooses the most fuel-efficient route to take.

The in-car safe.
Good if you need to keep any other gadgets locked away. Many of these safe's can be attached to the car without any mess however, what happens if your whole car gets stolen?

The alcohol breath tester.
Brilliant for either a laugh or to see if you really have gone over the limit. Not sure that having it in the car is the best message to put out, but there you go.

More money gone to Dad
There is no way I can afford lessons but still my dad moans for having to take me everywhere I go, simple answer is buy me lessons! The money I do have will be gone with this gadget as it records how much you need to pay for every lift you get, hence the name. Brilliant for dad’s not so brilliant for everyone else.

The fan for the car.
A great idea for all those cars that don't have air conditioning. Keeps you cool for as little as £4, you cant argue with that.99 you can’t really go wrong.

The speed camera moniter.
These are perfect for the motorist, (most of them) who loves to speed in their cars. Goes off whenever you are near one which is perfect as you have time to slow down. However it cant tell you where the police are so watch out!

The Tom-Tom gadget
Really has got to be no other competition. Stops all arguments about being lost and you can have numerous voices installed onto it as well.

Most of these gadgets are removable which is brilliant if you are always changing cars. Car contract hire is a brilliant idea and you can carry the gadgets from perhaps a Punto all the way to as top of the range Audi with a Audi contract hire.

How far has car industry technology come in recent years? From being a luxury way back in the 1930’s to the cheap affordable way you can buy them now using car contract hire it is amazing just how far they have come.

The knowledge of the games industry is the best way I can talk about the change in technology. With this I am going way back to the days of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. I could cover the first ever racing game but seeing as I was only really around from the realease of the SNES it is best that I only cover the time after this. One of the first driving games I ever played was F1 pole position which was released way back in 1993, which, for it's time was brilliant.

In the short space of four years see's the release of F1 pole position 64 on the Nintendo 64. The jump between the two games is simply astonishing. The cars have gone from being 2-D to 3-D which for it’s time was a giant leap in technology. The next jump skips the next generation of consoles and forms itself onto the PS3 and Xbox 360 as some of the graphics on the driving games on these consoles are so realstic it is truly unreal.V.

Of course the transition did not just happen to the gaming industry, there have been many advancements in the technology of the car over the same period of time. The biggest and best in my opinion isn’t the amazing new Ferrari’s you see being released it is in fact the Hybrid car. They save on a lot of energy which is going to be useful when all the oil runs out in the not too distant future and in all honesty some of them look pretty awesome. The newer models of the Hyrbid enable you to put more charge into the battery when you brake the car.

Of course not to be forgotten is the brilliant to shut the kids up, T.V in the car as well as heated seats to calm the Mrs down during a heated 'you've got us lost' argument.

The Hyrbid car is only going to increase in sales (after the recession that is) and will certainly be the car of the future, but for nowl, you need a car that is both decent and afforable. Leased cars can work out a lot cheaper? The Audi contract hire looks pretty good as well as being as little as £214 a month.

Most of us have to keep an eye on our outgoings nowadays and one major expense is running our cars. The price of petrol seems to be forever going up and so there are a few rules we can follow to help save on fuel.

One thing a lot of us are guilty of is putting our foot down when we accelerate. If you drive an automatic it is best to accelerate at a fairly moderate speed in order to give the transmission time to move to the higher gears. Also if you accelerate away and brake right away this is a big waste of fuel.

One good way to save fuel is simply reduce your speed. As speed increases the fuel decreases!

Under inflated tyres are often overlooked. If they are not at the correct pressure they will need to use more petrol to keep the car moving. Get yourself a good tyre gauge and check the tyres at least once a month. One tip is to check them when they are cold because driving the car will warm up the tyres and also the air inside which increases pressure and gives a falsely high reading.

Check your air filter, a dirty one will restrict the flow of air to the engine which will affect performance and also economy.
 
New wheels and tyres may look really good and they can even improve the way that a car handles, but if they are wider they could create more resistance and increase fuel consumption. So it is worth thinking about keeping the old tyres for long road trips which will give you a far smoother ride and far better economy.

If you are thinking of changing your car then maybe this will be the ideal time to downsize a little. Nissan and Toyota are two of the leading manufacturers who have developed highly fuel efficient cars.

This may not seem obvious, but take a look in your car and give it a bit of a spring clean. We are all often guilty of hoarding rubbish in our cars and its surprising how this extra baggage mounts up in weight. The more weight that is in the car the more fuel is burnt.

Finally, more than likely not a very popular thing to say, but whenever possible why not simply walk?!!

Used BMW Motorcycle Parts

The first motorcycles were in fact just simply motorized bicycles that had engines attached to bike frames. Over the years they have developed into very complicated machines. Technology has developped and grown to increase speed, control, fuel economy and comfort. If you own a BMW motorcycle for an extended period of time, you are going to need BMW motorcycle parts, at some point. You can go to a BMW garage or buy new parts but used BMW motorcycle parts are often just as good and are available at a much better price. All parts have their own purposes, but nothing works without the parts around them.

A Small Lesson in Motorcycle Anatomy

The motorcycle chassis
This is one of the most important motorcycle parts. It includes the frame, suspension and front forks. The frame is typically made from welded steel or aluminum struts with the rear suspension included as an integral component. Expensive frames can even be constructed from carbon fiber or titanium. The frame includes the head tube that holds the pivoting front fork.

Suspension
The front suspension is often built into the front fork, but the rear suspension is optional. Chopper motorcycles usually forgo the rear suspension and use a rigid frame instead. The rear suspension can consist of several arrangements, including dual shocks, traditional mono-shock suspensions or soft-tail style suspensions. The front fork holds the front wheel and allows the rider to steer. Of all the motorcycle parts, the front fork is the most critical part for steering.

Other motorcycle parts

• the engine (vertical single, vertical twin, V-twin, opposed twin, in-line triple and in-line four)
• transmission (five or six forward gears, reverse gear)
• tires
• brakes (drum or disc based, with disc brakes being the most common on larger motorcycles)
• final drive (chain drive, belt drives or shaft drive)
• instruments (speedometers, odometers, tachometers and fuel gauges)

There are special companies that deal only in new or used BMW motorcycle parts, they are solely focused on the BMW brand. This means these kind of companies will probably be able to help you if you are looking for a special part. They usually can deliver quick and for a good price because they often have new and used parts right off the shelf.

Buying At Motorcycle salvage yards

If you want to save as much money as you can a real good option is a motorcycle salvage yard. There are many of these large businesses in the country and in fact all over the world, but its is best to build a relationschip with your local salvage yard. If they know you and they know what you are looking for , they can contact you if they have used BMW motorcycle parts they think will fit your bike.

Just remember that if you are buying used parts you will need to put a bit more effort into checking the parts before you buy them. You need to make sure a part is not damaged or deformed. You should be able to find great bargins that are exactly what you are looking for if you put just that little bit of time and effort into looking for the right used BMW motorcycle parts.

Frank Strider loves to talk about motorbikes and all the things related to it. Visit his website MotorBikePlace.com if you want to find out more about motorcycle salvage or about BMW motorcycle clothing for example.

Why You Need an Auto Insurance Quote

Auto insurance is a very important issue, one that every driver needs to be aware of, regardless of their age and driving experience. This is one of the most important things that you will ever do.

There are many reasons why you need an auto insurance quote, but more than anything it is for the safety and financial security of you and your family. Whether you get an online auto insurance quote or go through this in person, if you think you don’t need an auto insurance quote, here is why you are sorely wrong.

What You Need to Know

Even if your car is not all that expensive, without an auto insurance quote you will not be able to find the right auto insurance company for you. As a result, you are not going to have auto insurance on your car, and this means that if anything happens to it, you are basically completely on your own.

If your car gets stolen, is vandalized, or you get in an accident, you are going to be covering the damages – and possibly getting in trouble with the law – if you do not have up to date auto insurance.

How to Do it

Getting insurance quotes is probably much easier than you think. Many people fear processes like this because they think that it will take a lot of time and get them frustrated. Well, in today’s technologically advanced day and age, it is a very quick and simple process, and in fact you can do it all online.

You don’t even have to go from one place to another to get an auto insurance quote variation, and instead can go on an insurance comparison site, on which you will only need to input your required personal information once. After this, the company will take a few minutes to process it and will then present you with various results from the top auto insurance companies in your area.

As you can see, it certainly does not have to be hard to get auto insurance quotes. In just a matter of an hour you can find the right company, get signed up, and be ready to head out on the road in your vehicle. You will not only be doing things by the book by getting auto insurance, but as well you will feel much more at ease and relaxed and are less likely to be tense at the wheel and getting into accidents.

How to lease a new car?

Whether you lease a car to get into the latest models or have better purchasing flexibility, getting a good deal is always bound to give you a lift. Use these guidelines to help you spot one:

Check incentives: be on the look-out for factory –subsidized lease deals. Car manufacturers realise that consumers who lease vehicles from them are more likely to be repeat customers than those who simply purchase vehicles. Find a good Columbus auto insurance company to protect your car.
Through their leasing companies, they adjust the residual value and offer low financing charge. Other auto-manufacturers are also starting to give incentives on leasing, called leasing subventions. They offer these subsidies to put slow-selling models on the street, saving you even more money.

Getting Quotes

If you have access to the internet, then you are mere minutes away from getting quotes from every single [cheap auto insurance]

This R8 will surely cause controversy with the sister Lambo Gallardo as it moves Audi straight into the must have sports cars league.

The Audi team has really stepped up the latest version of their R8 to be viable competition with the other big boys on the circuit.With the V10 rated at 525 horse power, we are talking serious power. However Audi has taken the trouble of making the car very easy to drive.

This ultra powerful version of the R8 is capable of flying from zero to sixty mph in less than four seconds, but what makes it an even better alternative to the Porches, Lamborghinis and Ferraris of the world is that the power it brings is so nicely complemented by the incredible handling that you experience behind the wheel.

How Much? 

The price tag on the 2010 Audi R8 has jumped almost as much as the quality of the car and at nearly one hundred and fifty thousand dollars the price is another close point of comparison between the new R8 and the Porsche 911.  The 911 though was often consider a poor rich man’s version of the Ferraris or Lamborghinis of the world, but the new R8 brings with it much too much to be considered second rate to anything.For a sports cars the R8 V10 is the on the frienly side bugdet wise despite producing a competitive 525 hp. R8’s main attraction is the V10 engine which means those who liked the V8, will finally have their wish of the R8 unleashed.

The Look 

As should be expected from a car with such a lofty price tag, the 2010 Audi R8 is beautiful both inside and out.The first R8 was good enough to earn car of the year status in some countries, an achievement not so many sports cars can boost about.  The 2010 Audi R8 is all sleek lines and smooth contours on the outside and beautifully spacious leather interior with seats that it’s hard not to feel comfortable in.

The 2010 Audi R8 is most likely the only one of the super-cars that has enough space to stow enough luggage for a week long holiday with nearly seven cubic feet of storage available, and the space that is occupied is loaded with features you’d be hard pressed to find in a car with a smaller price tag.

There are any number of options in order to accessorize or customize the new R8, but in reality you don’t really need any of them – the stock model comes complete with heated seats, a GPS navigation system, an incredible sound system, automatic air and a built in alarm.

The 2010 R8 is off the charts when it comes to power, handling and performance but it also gets incredibly high marks in both safety and design further cementing its place at the top of the list for anyone who wants to own a super-car but has needs for an automobile that can be driven every day.

By M.E Bapela

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