Autodecide

Best Engines — Engines are an important buying factor

You may not know that, but based on research I came across years ago, in the US car buyers rank engine size and quality as one of the more important factors in their car selection. In Europe, styling is more important — a stronger factor in selecting a new car, while in the US, engines rule.
So, the recently published ranking Ward’s should be something of importance to readers in the States. According to Ward’s the best ranked engines are:
Audi AG 2L turbocharged DOHC I-4 (Audi A3)
BMW AG 3L DOHC I-6 (Z4 3.0si)
BMW AG 3L turbocharged DOHC I-6 (335i)
DaimlerChrysler AG 3L DOHC V-6 turbodiesel (Mercedes-Benz E320 Bluetec/Jeep Grand Cherokee CRD)
DaimlerChrysler AG Hemi 5.7L OHV V-8 (Chrysler 300C)
Ford Motor Co. Duratec 35 3.5L DOHC V-6 (Ford Edge/Lincoln MKX)
Ford Motor Co. 4.6L SOHC V-8 (Mustang GT/Mustang Shelby GT)
Mazda Motor Corp. 2.3L DISI turbocharged DOHC I-4 (Mazdaspeed3)
Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. 3.5L DOHC V-6 (Infiniti G35)
Toyota Motor Corp. 3.5L DOHC V-6 (Lexus IS 350)

If you notice the new Ford Edge uses one of the listed best engines. All in all you could use this list as another important selection criteria filter. So the Lexus IS 350, Infinity G35, Mazda speed 3, Mustang GT, Ford Edge, Chrysler 300C, Mercedes-Benz E320, Jeep Grand Cherokee, BMW 335i, Z4, Audi A3….are vehicles to consider in the final list…
Going forward we will look at additional criteria and data to help you make the important Car Purchase decision.

Renting a car overseas and dealing with car insurance

If you travel overseas you may need to rent a car. I have dealt with this problem in several countries – both in Europe and Asia. The process of booking a rental vehicle could be pretty confusing — much more so than if you are doing the rental in the US. So here are some things to watch out for:
1) If you are trying to rent from a US rental company overseas be sure to check if the rental company you are renting from is truly a US company or a representative. This summer we rented a car in Bulgaria. Initially we thought we are dealing with a US car rental company — we booked the car via the Web by using the US car rental company web site. Once we researched the options we selected the vehicle — a Grand Vitara SUV — and reserved for a rental fee estimate of about US$750 (for 10 days). Then a few days prior to the trip my wife was smart to actually call the company in Bulgaria to confirm — then the trouble started. The company in Bulgaria was just a rep — and No, they did not have our car…. Long story short we had to call on another (local) company to find a vehicle.
2) Make sure you understand if the price you are being quoted includes insurance or not. In most cases when renting in Bulgaria (or other countries) the mandatory insurance is NOT included. So you will need to negotiate that. The insurance (at least in Bulgaria) was mandatory and we had to purchase it from the rental company.
So all in all, always call the local number for the rental agency and confirm that you have a car waiting for you. Make sure your insurance is taken care of. Negotiate, negotiate, negotiate!

Some things that impact your car insurance

When you are ready to lease a new or buy a new or used vehicle you need to consder some things that will impact your insurance rate (besides your driving record):
* Are you buying a sports car or a family sedan or a SUV or a truck? If you consider one and the same BMW 3 series vehicle you will find out that buying a station wagon 325 might come at a considerable lower rate than lets say a sedan or coupe 325;
* The safety features that are part of the vehicle are also important – ABS brakes, Dynamic Stability Control or similar system, multiple airbags…all lead to rate reductions.
* Head injury protection systems — whether airbags, air-curtains, or head rests on the seats — all these add to potential rate reductions.
So shop for your next car with knowledge

Wagons – Excellent vehicles with Many Good Features

As the owner of not one, but two wagons — a BMW 325ti and a Subaru Outback I can whole heartedly agree that wagons are excellent and versatile vehicles for many people. Recently, Business Week magazine published an article that pretty much focused on the same line of thought.

Link to Business Week article!
Based on this article as well as my personal experiences, I do believe that wagons are an excellent choice for a vehicle with good handling, good fuel efficiency, and lots of room.
I always joked about the BMW wagon I own – that it is a sports car with a cloaking device – the wagon shape. Any time I speed down the highway I would be invisible why? Because wagons are for family people, people with kids, people that drive slowly etc. Right ?

Another article : BMW station wagon…

Car Buying in China – How about a bulletproof car

Just a few days ago, in its June 29th, 2006 edition China Daily (the leading English language newspaper in China), there was a report on a new fad in China – purchases of bulletproof cars.
Here is a link to the article: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/2006-06/29/content_629142.htm
It is interesting to know why would you need a bulletproof vehicle in China. After all China is actually relatively safe place to live and work – I have been here with my family for a rather long time, and also know a number of people who have spent significantly longer time here
Well the answer to this question is actually more related to prestige than safety. At any rate, please drop me a line or a comment on this site if you would like to learn more about cars and car ownership in China

Car Buying: Why Should We Think Rationally When Making Decisions

“Somewhere along the line of development we discover what we really are, and then we make our real decision for which we are responsible. Make that decision primarily for yourself because you can never really live anyone else’s life.”
Quote from a saying from Eleanor Roosevelt