Favorite Tech Features for Safety and Comfort!

Something that we absolutely love about the cars from Santa Ana Volvo Dealers is that most of them come standard with leather seats. It truly is the little things in life that make it worth living, and there are tons of features that you can put on your vehicles these days to make them the best thing since sliced bread. When you visit Palm Bay Lincoln Mercury to check out the great deals on the remaining Mercury merchandise, pay special attention to the options that your car comes with. Chances are that over time, you have figured out what you really can’t live without when it comes to owning a vehicle. Keep that list in mind when you find yourself choosing a vehicle at Pohanka Honda Of Salisbury, because a vehicle is probably the second most expensive item most of us will buy in our lifetime.

While it is not the most fun topic to talk about in the world, safety is a huge concern when purchasing a vehicle. Technology has come a long ways, and by 2012 all vehicles will come standard with electronic stability control. Until that happens, be choosy and make sure your vehicle has ESC. Also, if you are going to be driving in inclement weather, really think about getting all-wheel drive. Two heads are better than one, and four wheels spinning are better than two wheels spinning out of control. The last safety technology that will really make your life easier is having a back-up camera or even rearview camera in-dash. A lot of cameras are only active while you are in reverse, but sometimes you want to know what is behind you and the newer technologies also scan around your vehicle to make sure you won’t hit anything to your side.

For the better things in life, consider getting in-dash GPS navigation. This usually also includes a built-in hard-drive so that you can load and store all of your music right in your car. Now you don’t have to worry about suction cups falling off your windshield and breaking your portable navigation device, and you also don’t have to worry about forgetting your MP3 player when you are stuck in traffic. Another feature you might want to consider splurging for is back-seat entertainment. Yes, you can always get them installed later, but the dealerships do a great job and the whole system is seamless and streamlined.

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Electric Vehicles: The Future of Volkswagen

If you had a goal of becoming the best of the best by 2018, then you would probably be pulling out all of your technological tricks as well.  Nope, we aren't talking about Acura Burke, but we are talking about German made Volkswagen.  The newest vehicle class to take the world by storm are the electric vehicles.  While hybrids are still a great alternative to traditional gasoline vehicles, even American made Bethesda Chevrolet knew there was money to be made in the electric vehicle business.  There is no sense ignoring our future!  Volkswagen hopes to have their new concept car, Golf blue-e-motion, in production by 2013; this gives Arlington Hyundai some time to upgrade their current vehicle line up. 

Volkswagen has announced their global plan to start producing their own electric powertrains, and the Golf will be the first guinea pig model.  The Golf is already one of Volkswagen's most popular models so it makes perfect sense to be the introductory platform for electric vehicle technology.  Consumers are still a little unsure about the entire concept of electric vehicles, but by 2013 when we actually see the Golf blue-e-motion sitting at dealerships, perhaps Americans will be more accepting of the eco-friendly idea. 

Drivers of the Golf blue-e-motion will enjoy all the perks of having a completely electric vehicle free of polluting emissions.  They will get 115 horsepower and 200 pound feet of torque, which is plenty for a compact car.  Volkswagen is estimating that you can get up to 94 miles range per charge, and like all vehicles and mileage estimates, those numbers will vary with your specific driving habits.  The Golf blue-e-motion uses a 26.5 kilowatt-hour lithium ion battery.  It is always exciting when a concept car makes it into the world of production reality, and VW hopes to have about 500 produced by next year for testing purposes. 

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Lexus CT 200h: Luxury Hybrid Done Right!

When consumers are willing to borrow a Rochester Bad Credit Car Loan so that they can afford a brand new car from the luxury choices at Lexus, shoppers should be confident that they will enjoy their purchase.  That wasn’t the case with last year’s Lexus HS 250h, the company’s first try at hybrid cars.  Looking more to Alexandria Toyota Dealer and their Prius for inspiration, Lexus is going for a second hybrid attempt with their new 2011 Lexus CT 200h.  Drivers can count on getting the same Lexus touch of quality throughout the vehicle but with a new performance based twist on hybrid powertrains.  If Boston Volvo Car Financing ever enters the hybrid competition, we would expect to see something similar. 

The Lexus CT offers drivers EV mode, which allows you to operate as an electric vehicle.  This technology is similar to the Prius and you can only travel at a maximum of 23mph and only for short distances.  The CT weighs approximately 3,130 pounds which is heavier than the Prius but lighter than the Lexus HS.  It is challenging to keep hybrid vehicle weight down because the batteries weigh so much.  Pricing has not been released yet, but you can expect it to be around $30,000 for the base model and of course you can easily spend up to $40,000 when you consider all the extra features and packages. 

Under the hood you will find a 1.8 liter four cylinder engine that puts out 98 horsepower.  The hybrid components include a 650 volt battery that makes 36 horsepower; all in all, the CT offers 134 horsepower.  This is the same engine configuration you see in the Prius, but what sets this hybrid apart from the rest of the pack is its finely tuned handling.  You have the option of driving in normal, sport, or eco modes.  The quiet purr of the electric components is much easier to ignore when you actually enjoy driving your vehicle, and we guarantee this hybrid drives better than the rest of them out there.

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All New 2011 Ford F350

The Ford F-350 at Ford Lakeside, might be what some would say an expensive truck, but it compares in price to the Honda Ridge Liner. This F-350 comes with two available engine options. You can choose from either the 316 horsepower, 6.2 liter v-8, or the 400 horsepower, 6.7 liter v-8 diesel. While its horsepower is much more than what you would find in the Nissan Titan found, every bit of it is worth it. You can also choose to go with a 6-speed automatic with over drive transmission, or you can choose the automatic manual transmission. The F-350 has outstanding levels of diesel torque available at highway speeds and at low RPM's. With the 6.2 liter v-8 gasoline engine, it doesn't feel as powerful to handle big increases in towing and hauling, almost like trying to haul heavy equipment with an Acura Suv. This F-350 has the best driver information system among all full size trucks, and has excellent fuel economy for a diesel. It comes standard with hill descent control and electronic locking rear differential in the Fx4 off-road model, and comes optional with fifth wheel and goose neck trailer prep package for only $400 extra from the factory with a warranty, you can get the best deals at Executive Auto Center Dealer. Now the F-350 has improved steering that reduces driving effort, and a telescope steering wheel. Some not so good things about the F-350, is that the only way you can tell its the new super duty, is to see it head on, and the rest of the truck looks older.

The F-450 pick up has been downgraded in pay load capacity and shares most from hardware with the F-350. If improved with hydraulic body mounts, the ride quality in the crew cab and extended cab models would have much better quality ratings. The Ford F-350 is the third version of Fords heavy duty pick-up trucks in the last four years and the second version since Ford reworked the truck for the 2008 model year. Fords changes are critical to keeping it locked on the heavy duty segment where the F-250 three-quarter-ton and F-350 one-ton trucks rule the rest with 50 percent market share. Ford F-450 1.5 ton continues in a segment of its own, but with several major revisions. These heavy duty pick up trucks exist to tow and haul the heaviest loads. The 6.7 liter power stroke diesel will be the power pulling leader of the 2011 super duty line up. Two other gas engines will be available for the F-250 through the F-550 pick ups and commercial chassis cabs found at Commercial Trucks GA.

2011 New Technologies.

For all the buyers out there more interested in technology of a car, the 2011 Ford Fusion at Cincinnati Ford is the way to go. The 2011 Ford Fusion adds HD radio to its impressive list of technology features that include MyKey programmable vehicle key and available rear view camera system. The appearance and feature packages add a new level of style and sophistication to Fusion's highly acclaimed interior design. It comes with rain sensing wipers and HD radio. Integrated Blind Spot mirrors have been added to cars with out the optional Blind Spot. Information system (BLIS) and the award winning Ford Sync communication and infotainment system can now be integrated with the available touch screen voice activated system.Most car reviewers agree that the 2011 Ford Fusion is ideal for small families. It is practical for city drivers, looks good, prioritizes safety, doesn’t waste fuel and won’t break the bank. If price isn’t an issue, but eco friendliness and fuel economy are priorities, the Ford Fusion Hybrid is a great choice. Ranked at the top of the class, it has fuel economy ratings of 41 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on the highway. In addition to great fuel economy, buyers receive the same sprightly performance and high-quality interior finishing and amenities the 2011 Ford Fusion gasoline models offer.

The Mazda 6 of Mazda Oil Change has a pre crash safety system that detects on coming obstacles, alerts the driver and if necessary, automatically applies the brakes and pretensions the seat belts to reduce the risk of injury. The radar cruise control system uses a radar sensor to measure the speed and distance of the vehicle in front and automatically controls acceleration and deceleration to maintain a preset distance. Both systems are available as a factory installed set option on the 25ex grade and the 25z grade with automatic transmission.

The 2011 VW Jetta at Phoenix VW Certified now has some of the latest safety features. It comes with the anti lock braking system (ABS), hydraulic brake assist (HBA), electronic stability control (ESC), anti intrusion side impact door beams, and daytime running lights. It comes standard with driver and front passenger airbags. Driver and front passenger side thorax airbags, and driver and front passenger side curtain airbags. For safety to fit all passengers of any size, it has the 3 point safety belts in all seating positions with emergency lock re tractors, front and rear out board pretension with load limiters, front height adjustment, and rear center safety belt interlock. For child safety, it comes with the rear seat Lower Anchors and Tethers for children, also known as the LATCH system. The VW Jetta also comes with child safety rear door locks, tire pressure monitoring system, collapsible steering column, a trunk escape handle, and dual note horn.