Fox Layer

Owing to the economic necessity created by the First World War, which ended in 1918, Benz and Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschat signed an agreement of mutual economic interest, in 1924. The two companies merged on June 28, 1926, and a unique logo was designed for the car. The new emblem was a three-pointed star wreathed with a laurel. This merger brought prosperity to the companies. The production of Mercedes-Benz rose to 7,918 automobiles by 1927. Mercedes enjoys a global presence and as such, their dealerships promises great offers.

Among all Mercedes cars sold in Canada, the most convenient and road-friendly Mercedes Benz is the Mercedes C class series. The Mercedes Benz 2006 C class includes sedans. The sedans are available with the new V6 engine technology with a high-tech seven-speed automatic transmission.

The Mercedes-Benz SLK model, however, is designed for the rich and famous. A new generation of high-tech, scratch-resistant vinyl was developed for the SLK class to offer a more glamorous appearance. The SLK model runs on a super-smooth soundproof engine. A touch of a button on the key fob converts the car into a closed coupe with a hard top. The present day SLK is a sleek sports car, deviating from its original road cruiser design and is a popular Mercedes Benz variety.

The term classic auto or classic car in common parlance is used to describe any antique car belonging to an era gone by. But, the term ‘classic’ Mercedes Benz Toronto is expected to be much more specific in meaning at times. For example, authorities define classic cars as those, which have been manufactured between 1925 and 1948.

These cars are now strictly collector’s items and carry truly prohibitive price tags. Even then there are enthusiasts ready to shell out huge sums of money to get their hands on a classic car of their choice. The norms set by the CCCA for classification of a car as a ‘classic’ is, ‘… a fine or distinctive automobile, either American or foreign built, produced between 1925 and 1940.’

Other factors, including engine displacement, custom coachwork and luxury accessories such as power brakes, power clutch, and ‘one-shot’ or automatic lubrication systems, help determine whether a car is classic or not. The SLK model may not feature in this list but in the modern sense of the term Classic, it sure is a beauty to behold.

Article source: http://ezinearticles.com/5749199

Accessories are a great way to enhance the look of your classic car. A custom horn or stereo will make your car stand out at the next car show or cruise night you attend. We have compiled a list of some unique accessories for vehicle. These accessories will enhance the look and appeal of your car. Before installing any of these accessories be sure to read some car restoration manuals to see if your car has a 12-volt electrical system.

Some older cars do not have this type of electrical system. If that is the case, electrical system modifications will need to be made before installing some of these classic car accessories.

• Car Gauges/Instruments – Custom speedometers and tachometers are a great way to enhance the interior of your classic car. A lot of gauges come with features such as LED lighting and nostalgic instrument layouts. Look for custom gauges that compliment the overall look of your vehicle. SpeedHut and Black Cat Custom offer a variety of custom car gauges.
• Custom Horns – A custom horn is a unique accessory for a car. Custom horns are great for car shows and afternoon cruising. Car Cover Kingdom sells a wide variety of car horns. eBay Motors is another good site. Popular horn sounds include Dixie/Dukes of Hazzard, La Cucaracha and the God Father theme. Be sure your classic car has a 12-volt electrical system before installing any custom horns.
• Stereos/iPods- Who says your car has to be limited to an AM radio or an 8-track cassette player. Adding a custom stereo to your vehicle will allow you to listen to an iPod. Vintage Car Radio is a company that specializes in custom stereos for classic cars. Companies such as Belkin and Griffen offer power and cassette adaptors that allow you to connect an iPod to your car’s stereo.
• Car DVD Player – If an iPod is not enough for your classic car, you may want to check out a DVD player. Most of the major car stereo manufacturers now sell stereos that allow you to watch DVD movies. If you plan on installing a DVD player in your vehicle, be sure it has a 12-volt electrical system. Just Car DVD Players has a large selection.
• Navigation System – Adding a navigation system to your car is a great accessory, especially if you easily get lost. For classic cars, you have two options. You can install an in-dash system, which is similar to a car DVD Player. Or you can purchase a hand-held unit. Hand-held units are great if your car doesn’t have a 12-volt electrical system. Garmin and TomTom offer a variety of GPS navigation options with rechargeable batteries.
• Car Alarms – Installing an alarm in your vehicle provides some extra protection when you’re not around. Adding an alarm is important because it’s easier to pick locks on older vehicles. This is especially true if you have not changed the original key and lock system on your vehicle. If you decide to buy an aftermarket car alarm, be sure your classic car has a 12-volt electrical system.
• Floor Mats – Custom floor mats may not seem unique, but a nice set of custom mats will really enhance the interior of your vehicle. Many auto carpet specialists will embroider Ford, Chevy and other logos onto the mats for a custom look. Auto Carpet Originals as well as eBay Motors sell a variety of custom floor mats. Of course, there’s the added benefit that floor mats protect the interior of your car from dirt and mud.

Article source: http://ezinearticles.com/5707871

So you’ve bought the classic car of your dreams, but it needs a lot of work. Should you take your classic car to a restoration shop?

It depends. A lot of classic car owners, like to take their cars to classic car restoration shops. That’s because many classic car owners do not have the time to complete the job. Others prefer to buy one of those repair manuals for classic cars and do the work themselves.

Whatever you choose to do, it doesn’t hurt to take a look at the shops for classic cars near you. To help you decide whether a shop is right for you, we’ve come up with a list of some of the top things you should consider.

Read the list below to see if a restoration shop is right for you.

Plan Of Action

Before hiring a shop to fix your classic car, you want to outline some objectives. Take a minute to answer these questions:

• What is your budget?
• What do you want the car to look like when it is finished?
• What is your timeframe?
• How much work do you plan to do yourself?

Having a budget is the most important question to ask. If you don’t set spending limits, your budget can grow very fast. To help set a budget, think about the finished product.

Are you looking to do a complete overhaul of the engine, exterior, interior? Or are you looking to focus on one or two portions of the car?

Once you answer these questions, you’ll need to figure out your timeframe. Knowing your timeframe will help a lot when talking to mechanics and different car restoration shops.

Finally, be sure to think about how much work you plan to do yourself. Do you plan to buy a classic car restoration manual and do some of the work yourself? This will help cut down on costs at the restoration shop.

Research

Once you have a plan of action in place, it’s time to find the right car restoration shop. You can find out a lot about the car restoration shops near you by:

• Visiting websites of local car restoration shops and looking at pictures of their work.
• Going to local car shows and cruise nights and seeing what restoration shops people used.
• Check the Better Business Bureau ratings of the local shops near you.
• Talk with family and friends to see if they have any recommendations.

After you have identified several good shops, call the shops to discuss your restoration project. Be sure to cover your, budget, timeframe and how much of the work you plan to do yourself.

When you visit the shop be sure to ask for customer references. This is a very important step.

When talking to customer references, be sure to ask the following questions:

• What restoration work did you have done?
• How much did the work cost?
• How long did the work take?
• How satisfied were you with the work?

When asking these questions, think about how the answers fit with the plan of action you created.

Choosing The Right Shop

Now that you’ve got your plan of action and the research done, you’re ready to select a restoration shop. It is not uncommon to select more than one shop for restoration work.

You may select one shop for engine repair, another for body work and maybe even another for the interior. It all depends on your plan of action.
After you have identified several good shops, call the shops to discuss your restoration project. Be sure to cover your, budget, timeframe and how much of the work you plan to do yourself.

When you visit the shop be sure to ask for customer references. This is a very important step.

When talking to customer references, be sure to ask the following questions:

• What restoration work did you have done?
• How much did the work cost?
• How long did the work take?
• How satisfied were you with the work?

When asking these questions, think about how the answers fit with the plan of action you created.

Choosing The Right Shop

Now that you’ve got your plan of action and the research done, you’re ready to select a restoration shop. It is not uncommon to select more than one shop for restoration work.

You may select one shop for engine repair, another for body work and maybe even another for the interior. It all depends on your plan of action.

Article source: http://ezinearticles.com/5707973

We take a look at Porsches two-seater mid range sports coupé to see what all the hype is about. Journalists have been very kind to this car, and sales have proven to be very popular.

Since its release in 2006 the car has had two special editions, and a facelift. Many Porsche critics are now saying the “S” version is a better buy than the basic 911.

The car drives well and is affordably priced, with the base model starting at just under the Boxster.

The history of the car

The marketing men at Porsche thought they needed a car that would fit in between the Boxster and the 911. So they dreamt up the Cayman. After two years of development the car was launched in 2006 and shares parts from both of its brothers the Boxster and the 911.

At first glance it looks just like a Boxster with a roof, this is because it has the same front end, doors, and dash-board. But the Cayman has a totally different set up and more powerful engines.

Originally the car was released with two engines the 245 hp 2.7 litre flat six and the more powerful 295 hp 3.4 litreflat six. The base model came with the choice of a 5 speed manual or 5 speed Tiptronic gear boxes, the “S” had a choice of 6 speed manual and 5 speed Tiptronic gear boxes.

The 3.4 litre engine is a combination of the bottom end of the 3.2 litre engine from the Boxster which has been bored and the top end from the Carrera 3.6. This means that the Cayman gets the VarioCam Plus system which alters the valve time depending on throttle response. You either get good fuel economy or full power depending on how you’re driving.

What gives this car its driveability is the Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) that is fitted. This gives the car impeccable road holding and means you can throw the car into a corner without ending up off it.

Two special editions have also been released the “Design Edition 1″which was based on the “S” but came with no power up grades. It was to celebrate “Porsche design Time Pieces” and came in black only. The second was the “Cayman S Sport” this was to commemorate. The car was slightly lighter and came in limited edition non-metallic colors, power was upgraded to 303 hp.

In 2009 the car was face lifted along with the Boxster, both engines received increased power and new gear boxes. The cars came with Porsches twin clutch 7 speed PDK gear box, which is said to be faster.

Today the Porsche Cayman is still holding its ground with strong sales, the “S” version is faster than the Carrera 3.6 around Nurburgring and cheaper. This is probably why it sells so well around the world.

The current car

2009 saw the popular Porsche Cayman receive a face lift and engines and options upgraded. The car is now better than ever and looks the part too.

Cosmetic revisions include new lights, with front and rear with LEDs, and a re-designed front grille. To add to this the options list has been increased with more wheel and interior combinations available.

The engines have received increases in power firstly with the base model, this now comes with a 2.9 litre265 hp engine. This was because customers felt that the car could do with slightly more power. The basic car now feels responsive and the delivery is smooth. The “S” comes with 320 hp which pushes it closer to the 911.

The 5 speed Tiptronic has been replaced with Porsches 7 speed double clutch PDK gear box. For those who want to achieve the quoted 0-62 mph times launch control is available.

Both cars have been fitted with a Limited Slip Differential (LSD), this means that 911 drivers will be looking over their shoulders at track days.

The brakes have been made larger on both models and now ceramic brakes are an option. To cope with this the wheels have also been made slightly wider, with 17 inch on the Cayman, 18 inch on the Cayman S, and an option of 19 inch wheels for both models.

A new option inside the car is the Porsche Communication Management (PCM) 3.0 navigation system which comes with a 6.5 inchtouch screen. It is very easy to use and has an iPod connection and USB port.

The Figures (current model)

Cayman

Power 265 hp @ 7200 rpm

Engine 2.9 litre6 cylinder

Top Speed 165 mph

0-62 mph 5.8 secs (5.7 with PDK)

Cayman S

Power 320 hp @ 7200 rpm

Engine 3.4 litre6 cylinder

Top speed 171 mph

0-62 mph 5.2 secs (5.1 with PDK)

Options

As usual there is an options list that is a page long, you can customize your Porsche to give it an individual look or spec the inside up with the latest gadgets. This also pushes the price up, a car with a lot of options can cost up to 20% over the list price.

Here is some of what’s available:

Choice of 19 inch alloy wheels that come in 6 designs

Interior design package

Choice of 3 types of leather seats

PCM with navigation

TV tuner for PCM

PDK 7 speed gear box

Porsche Ceramic Brakes

PASM

Sport Chrono Package

The list is endless.

For those who are not satisfied with the normal colors and interior designs, Porsche offer the “Porsche Exclusive” package. This lets the customer choose from different limited edition colors and interiors. The combinations can be tailored to personal taste and even the wheels can be painted in a matching color to the body work.

Cayman Tuning

The Cayman’s affordable price means that customers of a younger age can afford the ownership now. This has led to a couple of big car tuning companies releasing a complete make over for the car.

Firstly RUF Automobile which have tuned Porsches since 1975, have released a 400 hp version of the Cayman S.

Secondly Techart have released a new body kit for 2010 consisting of a new front spoiler and lip, a rear diffuser and oversized GT wing, and sporty side skirts.

Both give the car a 911 turbo look and offer high performance upgrades, take your pick.

Article source: http://ezinearticles.com/5736303

Skoda Laura is known for its extra ordinary appearance and super performance and is becoming the matter of pride to the owner and envy to the spectator. Laura is the invention of Skoda Auto India Private Ltd. It’s the spacious interiors and impressive exteriors make the car more worth buying car to the car lover. Skoda Laura has won the award for being the ‘Midsize Car of the Year’ and at the Auto Bild India Golden Steering Wheel Awards 2010 as the ‘Best Variant of the Year’.

Skoda Laura has been drastically designed in terms of fuel-efficiency, safety and comfort. This beautifully crafted car with unmatched beauty is launched in India includes petrol and diesel engines. There are almost six variants of Laura are available in the Indian car market such as Ambiente 1.8 TSI, Ambiente 1.9 TDI MT, Ambiente 1.9 TDI AT, Elegance 1.9 TDI MT, Elegance 1.9 TDI AT and 2.0TDI L and K AT.

The newer edition of Skoda Laura is known for its powerful engine which carries out the pleasure with best-in-class power with highest top seed and class leading torque for top acceleration and comes with 6 speed manual transmission. All the variants are loaded with the turbocharged engines, in-line, liquid cooling system, direct injection systems and are transverse in front.

The exteriors of the Skoda Laura will give you the extreme looks. The features like alloy wheels, body color bumper, external mirrors, and door handles make the car more appealing and eye catching. Its chrome plated front grille frame adds four moons in the elegance of the car. The Laura is manifested in features such as soft-touch dashboard, which makes the car a pleasure to look and operate the car.

The best materials are being used in this Skoda Laura which ensure your comfort and make you feel like you are sitting on your drawing room. Apart from this, the car provides you the safe drive with its embedded safety features like Dual front airbags, Seatbelt pre-tensioner for front seats, Driver seatbelt warning light, Height-adjustable three-point seatbelts at front and rear, Anti Braking System (ABS), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), and Auto dimming Rear View Mirror etc.

Skoda Laura price in Delhi is comes under the bracket of Rs 13, 31,672* to Rs 17, 98,032. The competitors of the Laura in Indian market are from upper class models of Honda, Toyota and Ford.

Article source: http://ezinearticles.com/5704719

It is always safer and faster to travel by plane. The only time you should take the car out of your country is when you would plan a trip in which you have included several touristic objectives that you can find in your way. Otherwise, whether you are rushing to a perfect beach to spent your vacation, to a mountain resort for complete relaxation, or to a business meeting you should book tickets for a flight.

Once you arrive in the foreign country the fun begins. First you need to get from the airport to your hotel. There are three ways in which you can do that. One is to wait for the bus, like most people do. But that means first of all identifying the right bus, waiting for it, than carrying your luggage in it and spending the entire road from here to there standing on one foot because the buses are usually crowded. The second option is to take the taxi. This might be a very tricky thing because taxi drivers ask too much money for such a trip, assuming that you are a rich, stupid foreigner. But there are exceptions to this one.

The third option is to rent a car. Most of the companies renting cars have work points inside or near the airports. Even if you know the place it is advisable to also ask a map of the region and the cities that you need to go to. This solution can turn out to be very comfortable. All you need is to load your luggage in the trunk and drive. It will surely get you in good conditions wherever you need and without depending on anyone.

Once you have arrived at the hotel you will also need the car, to get to the meeting point. When you are in an unknown sign it is difficult to find out how you can travel by bus, and you can’t trust cab drivers. That is why it is better to have your rented car waiting for you.

If you are accompanied by a group of people, or if the luggage you carry with you is too bulky you can consider van leasing. This way you will manage to take your group to its destination or to move large goods to the place where they are supposed to arrive.

Article source: http://ezinearticles.com/5736447

When Mercedes Benz came up with the first patented petrol car, they changed the world of transport forever. After such an enormous achievement, many companies would be far too busy feeling smug to do much else of note. But not this one… Since their breakthrough with the petrol-powered car, Mercedes have remained at the forefront of technology and have introduced many new innovations to their vehicles over the years.

Here are ten examples of their continuing ingenuity -

1. Benz, Maybach and Daimler independently developed the internal combustion engine way back in 1886.

2. In 1924, Mercedes developed the first car to have brakes fitted to all four of its wheels.

3. If you thought that safety cages with ‘crumple zones’ were only developed in recent years then think again. Mercedes pioneered this idea back in 1951!

4. The first car airbags were created by Mercedes and introduced to the European market in 1980.

5. 1986 saw the advent of Traction Control systems. And three guesses who was responsible!

6. The 1980′s also saw Mercedes Benz’s creation of the very first ‘driverless car’. It created a great deal of excitement in the automotive industry and has led to much research into robot vehicles.

7. In 1981, the ‘S-Class’ was the first car to be fitted with seat belt ‘Pre-Tensioners’, adding a whole new level of safety to car travel.

8. 2003 was the year that Mercedes unveiled ’7G-Tronic’, the world’s first seven speed automatic transmission.

9. In recent years, Mercedes have also introduced their ‘Pre-Safe’ system. This actually prepares a vehicle with the optimal safety settings in the event of an imminent crash. It will even close the windows and sunroof, tighten the seatbelts and move all seating to its safest position.

10. Another modern innovation is the (W211) E320 CDI. This has a 3 litre V6 Common Rail diesel engine that can produce a jaw-dropping 224 horsepower. Unsurprisingly, it went on to three different world endurance records with an average speed of 139.70 mph!

Article source: http://ezinearticles.com/5698347

For a few dealers this year has been one of their best years of business. more than 600 dealerships on the chopping block in the second round of cuts by GM were re-established this year.

With reinstatement came new car incentives and new requirements which dealers had to fulfill, but these did not affect business negatively. Auto Sales shot up about 25 percent over 2009. GM’s auto product lineup has been remarkable after GM rebounded from its bankruptcy which customers noticed by increasing preference for GM autos.

GM has really come out with stuff people want to buy. A result of change in their policy – people buy what they build, and started building what people would really like to buy. The top-selling vehicle was the Equinox SUV. Other front-runners included the Acadia, Cobalt, Silverado and Terrain.

The GM product lineup proves to be strong. All the makes and models are running neck-to-neck as evidenced by a search for new cars online and it would be unfair to point out just one that is running the pack anymore. Another positive sign of improved business at the end of 2010 is that dealers are once again looking for technicians and interviewing a few in the coming weeks.

In Aurora, IL, Max Madsen Mitsubishi reported 2010 as its best year in its eight years of business. The dealership says its success is due to an attractive product lineup, popular incentives and its customer service. The dealership is selling about equal number of new cars and used cars. It carries approximately $1 million in used car inventory. They confirmed that their sales in 2009 were dismal but were a lot improved by end of 2010. Auto sales are up 20 percent over 2009.

The increase in auto sales all over has been slow but pretty steady throughout the year, which also saw the advent of the cheapest new car in 2010. There was not a single month in the last year that sale decreased than that of the previous month. New car sales of Continental Mazda, Audi and Acura of Naperville dealerships increased between 10 to 20 percent better than 2009.

A just reopened Mazda dealership in August 2009, did not have a true year-to-year comparison, But their Acura and Audi dealerships sales shot up 40 percent in 2010 with the best car rebates. According to local area dealers, a number of factors together push car sales today. These include incentives, better technology, and new or redesigned vehicles.

Fair Oaks Ford in Naperville reported an overall sales increase of 12 percent more than that of 2009. Market demand may be up due to the recent modernized products as well as more quality being built into auto designs.

Like Ford, the Jeep/Dodge nameplate has been driven by a new product, the 2011 Grand Cherokee. Sales of Naperville Jeep/Dodge were up about 10 percent this year. The increase in new-car sales both locally and nationally indicates that the economy will continue to recover.

The new Cherokee model helped increase car sales, as did the new improvements made in terms of the quality. The Christmas season and 2010 are finished strong with proving the idea wrong that car sales in December were dead. in the past 20 years business this December became pretty good. December has now become a solid No. 3 in terms of monthly auto sales. People have realized the benefits of the great incentives and end-of-the-year deals.

However, a word of caution at the end is that the consumer is going to temper the market demand with what they need not what they want.

Article source: http://ezinearticles.com/5696538

Honda City ZX is the true sedan model and especially designed according to the Indian road condition. This Honda car is the blend of marvelous styling, cutting edge technology and advanced safety features.This da car is the great example of more spacing for more comfort, vibrant and striking dual tone beige interiors, captivating leather upholstery with redefined convenience guarantying the safety of its riders with state-of-the art features.

Honda City ZX comes with the most stylish and sophisticated exteriors. The car ensures passenger safety with an advanced impact fascinating body structure, impact absorbing wiper pivots, a collapsible bonnet hinge, head restraints and adjustable headlamp beams. Where it comes for interiors the Honda city ZX score more and extra. It includes Electronic brake force distribution (EBD), driver seatbelt reminder, childproof rear door locks, Day/night mirror, Front and rear Speakers, Fuel Consumption display with warning etc.

The interiors and the exteriors of the car are extremely exciting, appealing and relaxed which makes the rider comfort from each side. The other comfort features of Honda City ZX are Center Console High Armrest, rear seat armrest, average fuel consumption, halogen headlights, green tinted glass, body colored bumpers, tilt steering column, Rear window de-fogger, etc.

Honda City ZX is powered with the 1.5 L i-VTEC engine which is fully fuel efficient and delivers 118PS. Its 1497 cc engine churns out 77 Bhp at 5000 rpm with 125 Nm of torque peaking at a low 2700 rpm. It is the completely astonishing car. Apart of its elite look, this car is gives a decent mileage of around 14 – 15 kmpl. This car available in the various variants such as Exi, Gxi, CVT,X VTEC and IVTEC. These all the variants are available in different price tags with more improved features.

Let’s discuss the prices of Honda City ZX variants. Exi price in Delhi is Rs. 669757.675, Gxi price in Delhi is Rs 716722.848, CVT price in Delhi is Rs 776750.045, VTEC price in Delhi is Rs 789520.041 and IVTEC price in Delhi is Rs. 809520.041. The all above mentioned price are may be indicative. To know the exact price range visit to the various online sites or contact the dealer of your location.

Article source: http://ezinearticles.com/5690250

Finding old muscle cars for sale is a difficult job. Firstly they are very old, some of them belong to the 1960′s and 70′s and if you are looking at classic cars for sale some of them are as much as 70 years old as they date back to the 1930′s. Hence it is very unlikely that you may find them in your neighborhood or in your personal network. This leaves you with mass advertising as the only way to find the classic cars for sale. Now, you may either approach a dealer or you may go to a for sale by owner listing. But both are more effective over the internet than in the physical form because it costs the owners money to get their ads printed in the newspapers everyday. But over the internet dealers could have a fixed website where they could just advertise newer cars as and when they come and the cost maybe very less. Even the for sale by owner listings are free at many websites. Hence it has been generally observed that there are always more old muscle cars for sale over the internet as compared to anywhere else.

Now once you have found out the source where there are many good cars available, you need to find out whether they have the exact model that you wish for. Not all old muscle cars for sale are the same. There are some models like the Ford Mustang which are iconic and hence even more difficult to get your hands on. A simple Google search will return extensive results as compared to physically hunting your town or scanning all the newspapers for an entire day. So if your search is model specific the internet is a better place.

The purchase price of the old muscle cars for sale is not the only cost involved. We all know that muscle cars are meant to be raced and have most likely been raced by the previous owners. Hence there is a high probability that the spares will deteriorate over some period of time. Finding these spares is a tough job since these vehicles are not in production any longer. In this case too, the dealers on the website have found out secure and stable supplies for the cars that they sell and have provisions on their website where you can just order spares and they will be delivered to your home at a very reasonable price.

Also old muscle cars for sale aren’t very good if you don’t know what to do with them. They are generally used by racing enthusiasts who hunt in packs too. There are many such groups where you need to take memberships so that you can accompany them on drag races. But, if you buy your vehicle from an online dealer, you will most likely get the membership along with the vehicle.

Hence buying old muscle cars for sale is the safest and the most convenient way to get the most variety for the best total cost of ownership.

Article source: http://ezinearticles.com/5690062