In our everyday lives, driving can often be a chore. We drive to work, to go shopping and to do the school run. It’s not often that many people in the UK drive for sheer pleasure. Our congested roads, high petrol prices and urbanised environment mean that it’s difficult to imagine driving for fun. However, this isn’t the case everywhere. There are many roads in the world that are a joy to drive, while you relax and enjoy the scenery.

Atlantic Road, Norway

Voted the Norwegian construction of the century, this road bridges small islands and crosses wild seas, making for a thrilling ride as the waves crash beneath you.

Route 6, New Zealand

Taking you through the southern Alps, where much of Lord of the Rings was filmed, this road winds its way past glacial lakes, through narrow mountain scenery, and then descends down to the coast, where you can unwind on the beach after the drive.

Route 6A, New England, USA

A scenic drive through one of the most historic parts of America, this road trip New England will take you through an older America, free from modern commercialisation. The route hugs the coast and is lined with charming villages, salt marshes and open land.

Great Ocean Road, Australia

This road follows the south Australian coast for around 155 miles and combines the best of both worlds: ocean scenery with mountains. There are lots of places to stop along the way when you want a break, and with the beach on one side of you and a pristine national park on the other, there are lots of opportunities to explore.

Col de Turini, Austria

This is not a road for the faint hearted, but one which will be remembered forever. The mountain views will take your breath away. Soaring to 5,275 feet, the road is narrow and twisting – drivers need to concentrate hard to negotiate it successfully. Those that do will be in good company – it has been used as part of the World Rally Championship for the last fifty years.

Route 66, USA

The historic Route 66 from Chicago to Los Angeles no longer appears on maps, but it is still possible to drive it using a guidebook. Route 66 holidays will take you between east and west through six states. You’ll see a microcosm of America, both good and bad, along the way, as you follow in the footsteps of the many migrants who have worked their way from the east coast to the west.

The cost of purchasing a car nowadays can sometimes escalate into ridiculous figures – some cars can cost as much as a small house. Considering the drastic rise of car prices during the last decade or two, more and more people are now relying on buying used cars for their transportation needs. Buying a used car is a proposition that makes a lot of people nervous, especially because the idea of getting into a bad deal or getting burned with a car that does not perform well is a common fear. Let’s consider some of the steps you can take to make sure you have a successful deal.

Things to keep in mind

For the sake of clearness, here is a list of maxims you should keep in mind at any time during the process of buying a used car. Take this with a grain of salt though, these are only general rules that can guide the selection process. Before breaking them, however, it is best to learn them well.

• Make sure you look at used cars in broad daylight. You will rarely end up making your purchases during the evening, but it is always good to remember that you need to stack the odds in your favour and make a decent inspection of the vehicle. Poor lighting doesn’t help that process one bit.
• Don’t buy a car older than 5 years. Bear in mind that the actual number of years will change depending on the market and your location. The main thing to keep in mind is that you don’t want to buy a car so old that will have no residual value when you want to sell it on. Re-selling your purchase is one of the best ways to make up for the cost of the car and get a newer model.
• Don’t buy a car that has more than one previous owner. The standard reasoning is that, the more owners the car has had, the less the value of the vehicle and the more chances it has of having been mistreated.
• Buy a well-reviewed car model. This does not necessarily mean a popular car, but a car that has been well received and is well remembered by the people that have owned it for providing a satisfactory driving experience. You might have to do some research into this, luckily the internet is bustling with forums and websites that can give you accurate reviews about specific car models. Not every discussion is about fancy Ferrari driving, after all, you are not the only one looking to buy a used car.
• Buy a car for which parts are readily available. Cars that are very old or that have been particularly unsuccessful in the market might be struck off the manufacturer production line, which will make getting new parts (in the case of an accident or merely for maintenance) a big problem. Always assume that the car will eventually have problems (every car does) and that you’ll need easy access to new parts for completing the repairs.

]]> http://www.voxturbo.com/how-best-to-choose-a-used-car.html/feed 0 http://www.voxturbo.com/visit-your-local-junk-yard.html http://www.voxturbo.com/visit-your-local-junk-yard.html#comments Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:43:38 +0000 admin http://www.voxturbo.com/?p=212 If you like to save money and don’t mind getting a little down-and-dirty to do so then visiting your local auto recycling yard is a great way to keep your old junk car running better and longer! Don’t fall into the trap of forking out thousands for a new car because your old one has a few bumps and bruises. If you have a local auto junk yard that is trustworthy they can extend the life of your old car by many years and at a much lower price than buying or leasing a new car.

Make sure to bring your own tools and look for a junk yard that offers a self service section because those are where the best deals are had. One of our local auto recyclers even has a ‘free parts day’ a few times every year and you pay one flat fee ($49.95) and you can leave with all the parts you can carry! Now that is a sweet deal and by saving money on my car it allows me to take at least one extra vacation every year. Ask around your local area and find out if there is a good junk yard nearby.

For 2010, Chevrolet has once again resurrected the Grand Sport name, introducing a new Corvette Grand Sport production model at the 12th annual C5/C6 Corvette Birthday Bash, held at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Available in coupe or convertible body styles and with a 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic transmission, the new Grand Sport model offers a host of performances.

The Grand Sport borrows from its big brother, the Z06, to offer Vette drivers something a bit less hardcore but with similar visual appeal. The front fascia with the center mounted scoop and wider rear fenders are common to the Z06. The front fenders, however, get a new side scoop design unique to the GS with a chrome badge along the top edge. Unlike the Z06, the GS retains the standard steel frame of the base model, meaning it is available in both removable roof coupe and retractable roof convertible bodystyles.

Filling up those wider wheel wells are the same size Goodyear Eagle F1s fitted to the Z06 – 275/35ZR18 in front and 325/30ZR19 at the back. However, the GS gets a unique five spoke wheel design to show off bigger brakes also borrowed from the Z06. The alloys are available in the usual silver and chrome finishes, but the real winner is probably the Competition Gray, especially when contrasted against the white or silver body colors.

This type of cars needs a special insurance, requires insurancespecialists.com , and like we know all, new cars are built to be safer than ever, banks with air bags, pre-tension seat belts and side door impact beams, of course we are not talking about 2010 Chevrolet Corvette because this car contain dozens of  features that made our life safe . Features like these are the accounts of dozens of lives saved in car accidents, while across the country, laws are in place to penalize those who do not wear seatbelts. Auto insurers take into account these factors in determining insurance rates and auto insurance buyer can save money by making wise the same. You can learn to save lots of money on car insurance, while you and your family safe.

And that’s the best explanation we can come up with for this, the FAB Design Full Broadside Porsche Panamera. The “extrovert Wide Bodykit” is fashioned entirely from carbon fiber, not that it helps any. If we have anything nice to say, it’s that we don’t mind the wheels or three trapezoidal exhaust tips. Nor do we mind the upgraded engine doing 690 hp. But that wrapping… oh, the humanity…

FAB suggests this is what its customers want, saying that its tweaked Panamera is the first of its new FAB Exclusive line. Praise be it will be limited to 15 units. The press release is after the jump, and to those that can, have a look at the FAB Panamera from every angle in the gallery of high-res photos below. Hat tip to Johannes

While the the 2,700 mile trip could be completed in a few days in conventional car, it will take two and a half weeks for the Roadster. According to Tesla’s announcement, ” We are out to prove the Roadster is tough and durable, and that range anxiety is for the weak.” While the Roadster may be durable, part of the reason the trip is taking so long is the need to stop and spend several hours recharging every couple of hundred miles. Of course Telsa staff will be using those charging opportunities to show off the car and drum up a few sales.

Speaking of sales, an anonymous source claiming to have knowledge of the situation tells us that Tesla is currently selling about 20-30 Roadsters a month. New Tesla spokeperson Khobi Brooklyn says the company is currently building about 25 cars a week, but declines to comment on the sales figures.

That was the last we heard of the issue until AB reader Billie informed us that talks regarding output shaft failure were once again heating up over at the owner discussion forums of Camaro5.com – so much so that GM’s own John Fitzpatrick, the marketing manager of Chevrolet’s performance cars, chimed in with a statement on behalf of the automaker, the text of which you can read after the break.

Basically, Fitzpatrick says that after a review of the issue, GM is confident that failure rates “under normal driving conditions are very low… even in the most extreme driving condition, the probability of failure does not significantly change.” In any case, Fitzpatrick assures that GM will continue to stand behind their five-year/100,000 mile warranty coverage.

For the most part, it seems like Fitzpatrick’s comments have assuaged the concerned parties on Camaro5 (there are definitely still a few disgruntled folks), but if nothing else, it’s nice to see another example of an automaker wading into the internet fray to directly address customer issues.

With modified pistons, crankshaft, cylinder heads, and a bit more black-art-ness, the gullwinged monster puts 1,050 horsepower to the ground through a 3-speed transmission and rear tires 15 inches across. The 1/4-mile rolls off in 8.1 seconds at 166 mph. If nothing else, at that speed he shouldn’t have any problem with keeping the car’s interior cool, a problem the originals were known for…

Despite the clear heritage link to the outgoing model, there are a number of new technologies under the skin that represent firsts for the brand, including full LED headlamps that adjust their direction and throw based on the navigation system, a new development of MMI that includes a handwriting recognition feature, and an updated 4.2-liter FSI V8 engine with more power (372 horses) and an eight-speed Tiptronic gearbox. Despite being more powerful, the A8 is also more fuel efficient, with a claimed improvement of 15 percent with the aforementioned gas V8.

The slippery new shell once again rests on the brand’s Aluminum Space Frame (ASF), and Audi says the car is longer and wider than its competitors, yet it sits lower. The sleek new bodywork is good for a .26 coefficient of drag. When it comes to America late next year, the new A8 will arrive in both standard and extended-wheelbase models, and we have it on good authority that both TDI and hybrid variants will also come to the States – although the alternative fuel powertrains aren’t likely to happen right away.

While you’re waiting, check out our high-res galleries below as well as the official press release. We’re working on uploading video of the new A8 as well, so check back soon.

Based on the 308 GTB, the Super 8 made our Top 10 Mid-Engined Hatchbacks list, but that’s just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Sbarro’s done everything from converting a 365 GT4 into a Mille Miglia spyder to giving the 550 Maranello the wide-body treatment. Among the most intriguing of his projects, though, has been the Alcador series. The first Alcador, based on the Testarossa, debuted at the 1995 Geneva salon. The second, called the Alcador GTB, came a baker’s-dozen years later at the 2008 Geneva show, borrowing its chassis and engine from the 348. Sbarro tweaked the design and came back to the Palexpo the following year with a new Alcador GTB based on the 360 Modena.

Now, a Swiss collector by the name of Lienhard has commissioned the coachbuilder to craft him another example, and the result was unveiled to the public this past weekend at the Essen tuner expo in Germany. Strangely called the Lista Office, Sbarro’s latest is underpinned once again by the 80s-era Testarossa, packing its 450hp 5-liter boxer 12. Say what you will about the styling, but one thing’s for sure: it doesn’t look anything like a 512TR. See for yourself in the image gallery below.