Test Circuit

By Jay Gaulard

 There are a couple of major benefits to buying a used car online. You do not have to spend hours going from one dealership to another. Even better, you will not have to deal with overly pushy salespeople attempting to sell you more than you can logically afford. You can always look through your local newspaper’s online automotive classified website.

Tip #1 - Before Buying a Used Auto

Before buying a used car online, learn everything you can about what it should and could include. Learn about both standard and optional automotive equipment and the fair market value for the used car. Also, consider your budget. Knowing how much you have available before you start looking will help narrow down your choices. You will also be less tempted by an unaffordable auto.

Examine exactly why you want to buy a used car. The way you will use it can have a big impact on what type of auto you purchase. If you need an automotive for family outings or carpooling, a 2-seater sports car will not work.

Tip #2 - Questions to Ask Auto Seller

Ask the seller the following questions before buying an automotive online:

* Why are they selling the car? Beware if their reason seems unreasonable.

* Do you have service records? Having the service records will let you know what required services have and have not been completed. This will help you determine possible costs after you have purchased the auto.

* Is the title in the seller’s name? It can be difficult and time consuming to get the title changed from a previous owner. Another possibility is that you or the seller may be unable to locate the previous owner

* Are there any liens attached?

* Can I have an independent mechanic physically inspect the used car?

* Can I test drive the used car before buying it?

Tip #3 - Pictures of the Used Auto

Whenever possible, check out the used car in person. Otherwise, ask for pictures of the vehicle from every angle possible (inside and out), including the engine. Although not a sure-fire way to verify if the seller is being completely honest, this can help you to avoid some surprises. Even with pictures, you still need to be careful. Read over the original description of the used car and verify that it matches the one in the photo.

Tip #4 - CarFax Automotive Report

Ask the seller for the vehicle identification number, which you will need to run a CarFax report. This is a necessary step to protect you from fraud. A CarFax report will show you most major completed repairs and whether the car has been involved in an accident. If the report shows the vehicle has been in a bad accident, but the seller says the car is in tip-top shape, consider buying a different vehicle.

Tip #5 - Automotive Pricing

Before shelling out money or agreeing to a sales price, visit the Kelly Blue Book or Edmunds website to find the fair market value of the auto. Do this after you have seen pictures of the car so that you can be accurate about the car’s condition. Keep in mind that the sales price listed online probably does not include sales tax, registration, financing fees, or licensing and title fees.

Tip #6 - Where to Buy a Used Auto

You have several options regarding where to buy a used car online. Try looking through online automotive classified ads or on dealer websites. Another possibility is visiting online auto auction sites. Whichever way you choose, always follow the previously provided tips before making a purchase.

For many reasons, buying a car online can be much trickier than buying one in person. This is especially true when you decide to buy a non-local car, as you normally will not be able to see the car in person before you get it. Following the tips above can do away with many of the pitfalls.

Jay Gaulard writes for a wide selection of websites on various topics. He is a veteran of the internet and has come to be respected in his many areas of expertise. This article was written on behalf of AutoLeeg, a popular car classifieds website.

Active Safety Takes Occupant Protection To The Next Level
By Mike Trudel

 As experienced drivers and vehicle owners can readily attest, today’s vehicles are safer than ever before. Thanks to passive safety improvements like driver and passenger air bags, steel reinforced side beams, innovative seat restraints and frames that include engineered crumple zones, impressive reductions in vehicle accident fatalities have been witnessed.

According to statistics published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in 2005, there has been a dramatic decrease in accident-related deaths over the past 40 years. As the research shows, fatalities were reduced from 1965 through 2005, an era that coincides precisely with the development of most passive safety improvements. Also, injuries have seen a steady decline over the past 20 years.

It would be difficult to argue against the idea that passive safety measures have accomplished what they set out to do - save lives. Unfortunately, drivers still have accidents. In fact, NHTSA data shows that the actual number of vehicle accidents is virtually unchanged from 1988 to 2005. This is where researchers hope active safety technology will have its greatest impact.

Active safety technology product development is focused squarely on the types of products that can have the most impact on accident avoidance. Studies being conducted by the Transportation Active Safety Institute (TASI), located in Indianapolis, have identified “Zones of Greatest Opportunity,” which are high accident categories and thus product development targets for active safety technology.

Active safety technology addresses a major cause of accidents: driver error. According to another study by NHTSA, published in October 1999, the majority of accidents occur under benign driving conditions: in daylight, in normal weather conditions and at speeds less than 50 mph. In breaking down the cause of accidents to percentages, 24% of accidents were due to factors such as road conditions, vehicle defects and the driver’s physiological state. An overwhelming 76% of accidents were due to a mistake by the vehicle’s driver.

Helping reduce the actual number of vehicle accidents is the logical next step in automotive safety, and this is where active safety technology may have a tremendous impact. Building a “cocoon of safety” for the vehicle, with the ability to provide front, rear and side collision avoidance, as well as the technology to monitor the driver’s state, is the next technology frontier. And we are already catching glimpses of active safety technology that is either on the road today or well along in the development cycle.

The use of radar is perhaps the most exciting adoption of an existing technology that will drive many active safety systems. Many of these sophisticated systems will be on the road soon, including a new generation of radar sensors used for smart or adaptive cruise control, accident avoidance, pedestrian detection and collision warning. These newest radar sensor systems are designed to enhance performance at a lower cost, making this smart technology available across a larger percentage of vehicles.

Next-generation radar has a wide field of view and provides simultaneous long and medium range capabilities in a single sensor. There are also multi-sensor applications in development that incorporate both radar and visual technology. Radar is used to detect object range and range rate, while vision systems confirm the classification of identified objects such as vehicles, traffic signs, bridges and tunnels. In the rush to meet consumer demand and stay competitive, suppliers tend to be increasingly eager to develop ways to integrate these systems. As an example, the following technologies may involve integration of multiple functions and features on a single vehicle camera to decrease cost and increase functionality:

Lane Departure Warning - A lane tracking system that helps alert drivers when they unintentionally drift out of their intended lane. Using a camera and image processing to detect painted lane markers up to 25 meters ahead of the equipped vehicle, the system determines the vehicle’s heading and lateral position in the lane to provide the appropriate warning.

Rain Sensing - A true safety convenience, a camera operates the rain sensing function that activates wipers when moisture is detected on the windshield, with the addition of a small proprietary optical system.

Intelligent Headlamp Control - Another convenience system using a camera and intelligent headlamp control automatically activates the high beams according to lighting and traffic conditions and automatically dims headlights for oncoming traffic and when approaching vehicles from the rear.

Active Night Vision - Active night vision uses near infrared headlamps to illuminate the road scene ahead and displays an enhanced image in the vehicle. This system provides high-beam visibility without blinding oncoming traffic. The system provides more natural looking images to the driver than thermal vision systems and allows non-thermal-intense objects like trees and lane markers to be seen.

Pedestrian Recognition - Again, a camera enables pedestrian detection, a system that detects and classifies pedestrians. It predicts potential pedestrian impact and activates countermeasures to mitigate injuries. Pedestrian protection technologies are gaining much attention in Europe and other countries with densely populated cities.

Road Sign Recognition - An amazing technology that will have a positive impact for all drivers. Using a camera to recognize and read road and traffic signs, the system can alert the driver to varying conditions ahead such as speed limits and no-passing zones.

A reduction in accident-related deaths coincided with the development of passive safety devices from 1995 to 2005. Similarly, as automotive engineers innovate and introduce more active safety technologies to the mass market, another positive trend in automotive safety statistics is very likely on the horizon.

Mike Trudel, Freelance Writer.

Delphi Corp. is a leading innovator of automobile safety equipment and technology. To learn about Delphi’s safety advancements, visit www.Delphi.com/4safe.

Auto review - Ferrari California vs. Jaguar XK Convertible
By Anthony D. Morgan

 The new Ferrari California will satisfy even the most demanding of owners in term of its superb vehicle dynamics and driving pleasure. The new model will be available exclusively as a convertible with a folding hard top. Both chassis and bodywork are aluminium, in line with the rest of the current range. The California will be powered by a new V8 engine mounted for the first time in the marque’s history in the mid-front position.

As per the traditional Ferrari transaxle layout, the engine, which allows the Ferrari California to sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in less than 4.0 seconds, will be coupled to a 7-speed dual clutch transmission that boosts the car’s performance while enhancing the driving pleasure, improves ride comfort and reduces fuel consumption and emissions (c.310 g/km CO2). The comfort is further enhanced by a new multilink rear suspension system. The Ferrari California is also equipped with the exclusive F1-Trac traction control system which made its debut on the 599 GTB Fiorano and has been further honed to suit the typical driving conditions expected for this new GT. Brembo brakes featuring carbon-ceramic material disks as standard guarantee superbly efficient braking.

The Ferrari California is aimed at owners who desire a car which embodies everything the Prancing Horse represents in terms of sporty design and innovation, but also seek a car with greater versatility than ever. The car will be officially unveiled to the public at the Paris International Car Show. However, over the coming weeks, new photographs and further details about it will also be published.

The all-new Jaguar XK Convertible is visibly more assertive and sportier than the model it replaces, but in true Jaguar tradition it is also elegant, understated and mature. In hard-top guise it has classic, ground-hugging Coupe proportions, with long hood, steeply raked windshield and rear window, arch-filling wheels, and minimal overhangs. The front-wing power vents are a new Jaguar styling signature recently seen on the special edition XJ Super V8 Portfolio; the distinctive oval grille opening, prominent hood power-bulge and practicality-enhancing rear Liftback all echo the classic E-type, while details like the sweeping front and rear light shapes and powerful stance catapult Jaguar sports car design firmly into the 21st century.

The sleek Jaguar XK Convertible is an adept combination of style and substance. The car rides on a lightweight yet rigid aluminum structure, yielding a sporty nature with a quiet and sophisticated ride.

It has a powerful V8 engine, which drives the rear wheels with a six-speed automatic transmission that allows manual operation via steering wheel-mounted paddles. It has a high level of standard equipment and few options, including adaptive cruise control which maintains a set distance between the car and traffic ahead.

The Jaguar XK Convertible takes all the virtues of the V8-powered coupe and adds a power-operated ragtop for sky-high enjoyment.

Anthony D. Morgan is a auto mechanic and car expert for 8 years. You can read his reviews of Ferrari California and Jaguar XK Convertible on his daily autoblog.

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