Top 5 Family Cars of All the Time

There’s nothing quite like the feeling of hitting the open road in your brand new sports convertible, cranking the tunes up to 11 and letting the ferociousness of the engine do all the talking for you.

But that’s not your life anymore is it? You aren’t 25 and you’re almost certainly not the Hollywood movie-star you envisioned, living the life of luxury and attending all-night parties in your 200mph Ferrari.

That’s fine though. You’re a bit older now, a bit wiser and (hopefully) a little more responsible. You have a family, two or three children and a Yorkshire Terrier who all like nothing better than to hound you with incessant noise and attention-seeking after a long day at work. You don’t mind that though because you’ve got yourself a top-of-the-range family car that makes your adult life stress-free and enjoyable!

Family cars have changed the game forever, as we no longer have to choose between having luxury and children. They are an extension of ourselves in that they can do all the jobs we need (and even the ones we hate) with consummate ease, all while we try and juggle our responsibilities around it.

With that being said, here are the top five family cars of all time:

Citroën Xsara Picasso

The Citroën Xsara Picasso is a testament to family car engineering and is as recognisable in the UK as Big Ben.

It’s a landmark on British roads and with so many in circulation it isn’t difficult to see why it’s the number one choice for families - thanks largely to its generous levels of equipment and low price tag. 

It may not be the most stylish or practical on the market, but its comfortable, spacious and safe design make it far and away one of the most impressive MPVs of all time.

Fiat Multipla

Fiat came in for a bit of stick during the 80s and early 90s for its blandness in the looks department - but then came the Fiat Multipla.

It was the opposite end of the spectrum but not in a good way, as the car regularly featured in ‘ugliest car’ lists, yet despite this it still proved to be a big seller with families.

Thanks to its spacious design, unique seating, running costs and overall practicality, there haven’t been many better vehicles which are suited to families’ needs over the years.

Ford Galaxy

Ford is a brand that has become synonymous with quality and reliability over the years, while many families have come to rely on their favourable designs. 

The Ford Galaxy ticks all the boxes when it comes to safety, comfort and space, while it’s the largest MPV in the carmaker’s range - making it ideal for those with larger families.

Mercedes C-Class estate

Mercedes-Benz is a brand that combines beautiful design with incredible technology that makes it one of the most stylish vehicles on the market. It’s because of this reason why the Mercedes C-Class estate is held in such high regard.

 

Its sleek bodywork and classic interior make this one of the coolest looking family cars around, as its safety and practicality allow drivers to reap maximum benefits.

Volvo XC90 SUV

What else can be said about a vehicle that is consistently regarded as one of the best in its range? Well not only is Volvo one of the most ingenuitive and efficient brands in the motoring industry, it also has some of the highest safety features of any vehicle in its class.

The Volvo XC90 is a stylish, imposing SUV that has space for seven and is packed full with advanced technology to make your journey that much more enjoyable.

What to look for in a family car?

With more choice than ever and an ever-increasing market for you to consider, families have never had it better. Here are some of the key elements that you should take into consideration when getting a new family car:

Safety

First and foremost the main thing you should be considering when purchasing a new family car is the safety. Naturally, your family should be your number one priority, so having a vehicle that can keep you all safe is essential.

All cars are put through a Euro NCAP safety rating in order to be deemed road-worthy - this is the standardised crash safety scoring system across all new cars in Europe, with the maximum score being five.

This system looks into the car’s individual score in areas such as child safety, while obtaining a five star Euro NCAP rating requires top marks in the following areas - child occupant, adult occupant, pedestrian and safety assist.

Space

A family car is essentially a home away from home. Whether you’re dropping the kids off at school, travelling to work or doing the weekly shop, the chances are you will be spending a lot of time using it. It’s important that your car has enough space to accommodate all of this.

Storage

Most vehicles come with a fair amount of storage and family cars are no exception But even so, it’s always good to double-check whether there is an amount that you are comfortable with. Take into account the typical items you will bring on your journeys - are they easy to reach? Will there be spillages? Is there enough storage for your kids’ toys and games?

Budget

Setting a budget is essential for combating the trials and tribulations of modern family life. In between paying your bills and putting food on the table, paying for transportation is the next step on many people’s lists, particularly families.

You should look for a car that has excellent fuel consumption, affordable pricing and high quality to reduce the risk of faults occurring.

If you’re in the market for a safe and reliable family car, then you may want to consider what http://www.tilsungroup.com/ has to offer. As one of the largest independent vehicle leasing brokers in the UK, The Tilsun Group offer a wide range of car lease deals. Whether you are after a family car or a city runaround, The Tilsun Group can provide you with a deal that will meet your requirements.

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Your Childhood Called: It wants You to Drive these Cars

Do you remember the days when life was simple? When traveling was fun, and days were measured by enjoyment, not productivity? A few automakers have attempted to recreate that feeling in some of their new vehicle designs, and the results are nothing short of pure nostalgia. Take a moment to stash your pocketbook before you read on, or you just might find yourself the proud owner of one of these recreations of vintage toy cars.

1. The Toytown Coupe

Little Tykes says that their Cozy Coup is ideal for children between the ages of 18 months and 5 years, but most kids outgrow it long before that. Thanks to the folks at Attitude Autos, those of legal driving age can sit behind the wheel of the illustrious tiny red and yellow car again. The best part- the coupe is roadworthy. Although it features all the fun details of the toy car, right down to red bolt covers on the white rims, it does not have a hole in the floorboard for your feet, (not even a removable one.) It’s gas-powered and can travel up to 70 miles per hour.

It also has all the necessary safety gear, like airbags, to ensure the trip is a secure as it is fun. The company that designed the car is based in Oxfordshire, England, and generally focuses on vehicle restorations and unique modifications, but they’ll also design custom products upon request. According to John Bitmead, the car’s designer, this particular build was of personal inspiration, and most of the proceeds from its sale will go to charity.

2. Mario Kart Reimagined

Wouldn’t it be awesome to play Mario Kart in real life? Penzoil needed to come up with an innovative concept, to show consumers that they were still on the cutting-edge of technology, so they sponsored SXSW in 2014, and partnered with Nintendo to design Mario Kart Reimagined. In all fairness, it was go-karts on the track, not full-fledged racecars, but the concept was still pretty sweet. The go-karts were outfitted with RFID technology, and reported back to a central processing area. Drivers battled it out in Mario Kart style, avoiding RFID shells on the track, as well as infinity symbols, and aimed for those all-important power-ups.

The track was part of a marketing scheme, so it was only available for the single event. However, it was wildly successful, and it won’t be too surprising if one of the companies involved revives it in the future. The concept was put together quickly, in just four months, and lawyers put the kibosh on including slippery banana peels and projectiles. Fingers are crossed that they’ll find a safe workaround and include those if Mario Kart Reimagined gets a second chance.

3. Life-Size Hot Wheels   

It’s impossible to imagine a childhood without Hot Wheels cars, but the designs are so far-fetched, it would be crazy for designers to turn them into full-size drivable models. Apparently, there are plenty of custom automakers who do it anyway. Dozens of road-worthy Hot Wheels cars exist, and they’re usually commissioned by the toymaker for marketing purposes. In an interview with CNN News, employees discuss the how they made Bad to the Blade. As a traditional Hot Wheels car, it’s designed for speed, and has wings like an airplane.

The full-size (and drivable!) model is designed to be as similar as possible to the original, which can race at up to 200 miles per hour, even upside down. A second model, the Bone Shaker has also been produced, and it looks more like something one of Gotham City’s supervillains would drive. Outfitted with a massive chrome skull on the grill, and bony hands clutching the headlights, Bone Shaker is sure to send shivers down the spines of fellow commuters. The theme is carried through the inside of the roadster as well, with a red-eyed skull on the clutch, and a skull and crossbones on the wheel.

The imagination knows no limits when it comes to recreating childhood nostalgia. The cars mentioned here are just the tip of the iceberg. There are roadworthy remakes of the Batmobile, the Ectomobile, James Bond’s fleet, and more. While few of us will ever be lucky enough to drive one in real life, perhaps just knowing that they exist is sufficient. They serve as proof that growing up is optional, and the magic of childhood is only an innovative thought away.

Cori Gordon is the digital marketing manager for Gerber Collision, with over 200 locations across North America including one of the best collision centers in Glendale, AZ.

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Choose Genuine Toyota Parts For Long Life Of Your Car

Toyota Motors is a Japanese automotive company which has their headquarters at Toyota, Aichi in Japan. The Toyota Company was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda in 1937. Since Toyota is a well-known automobile company, you must always arrange for genuine Toyota parts that are covered within the brand name and those which are certified.

Toyota has also launched several of its low-emission vehicles that have flooded the global car market, and there are many certified companies from which you can buy projector headlamps, corner lights, retainer, grills, radiator and air-conditioned condenser for your Toyota Pickup, Toyota 4 Runner and other Toyota vehicles.

Why to go for Toyota Genuine Parts?

•    The genuine Toyota parts are specially designed and engineered for the Toyota automobiles only. The others could cause further damage on long run.
•    When you get your car parts other than genuine ones, there can be the worry of getting engine or part failure anytime. Genuine parts are designed with the aim to last long and make the automobile run for a long time without any trouble.
•    The Toyota Company has spent time and money over the R & D to study the design and materials used. The parts designed are the results of lot of investment in the study of internal construction of the parts of Toyota automobiles to make them strong and robust.

•    The Toyota genuine parts are quality products which go through a rigorous testing which ensures the durability and reliability.
•    The Toyota genuine parts come with warranty. The parts have a warranty of six months or 10,000 km whichever comes first. This gives a stress free use of automobile as the warranty ensures durability of the product. The part can be replaced within the warranty period if it is found faulty or damaged.
•    Servicing the Toyota cars at the authorized service centers or dealerships provides you with genuine parts with warranty which covers any damage. But if the vehicle has some non-genuine parts, then it cannot be covered under the warranty. This is true for the normal Toyota varieties and also for the Toyota sports utility vehicles.

Impact of Replica parts

There is huge market of fake automobile parts in many countries. Countries like India has a fake automobile part market which is estimated to be over thirty crore. There are several reasons why people choose fake parts over real. They can be:

•    The fake parts are cheaper than the genuine parts by around 20 percent. So people many times don’t buy genuine parts.

•    Due to supply constraints in many places and delay in getting original parts from manufacturers can make the people choose the fake ones over genuine ones.
•    When the users do not check for the genuineness of the parts, this also has an effect on all those car parts which are in running condition.

The result of using fake parts can be quite dangerous. The use of fake parts is common for general parts like filter lamps, wipers, clutch etc. but many times some important lifesaving parts of your Toyota vehicles are replaced with fake ones. The replacement of brakes, brake linings etc. can be life threatening.  Lots of accidents are caused due to the breakdown of these fake parts. The fake parts market also brings loss for the government as they don’t come in the tax framework of the country, and they drastically reduce the on-road performance of the car.

Trust Toyota Genuine parts

There are many genuine companies which sell genuine Toyota parts both through their online and offline stores. All the Toyota parts that are featured are procured from automobile experts who also give you a warranty of one year or more as the case may be. Are you looking for the best original parts for your vehicle? Then here is the perfect place to choose genuine parts for your Toyota. You’ll surely get satisfied for your Toyota car’s unique parts.

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A Car Manufacturer’s Challenge: All Electric Cars By 2020

The gauntlet has been thrown down by the car manufacturing industry to convert to all electric cars by 2020. The reasoning behind this is the fact that environmentally engineered cars utilize clean electricity through solar panels and other clean energy components. The fact is that fossil fuels such as gasoline are a non renewable source of energy. The reality is that the electric car market is still pretty much in its infancy, even though the technology is there.

What is the history of the electric car market?
The electric car market has been increasing exponentially since the advent of the electric car battery in the mid 1990s. The history of the electric car actually goes back to 1890s. At that time, it was more of a novelty than anything else and the idea died. The rebirth of the electric car coincided with the energy conscious and experimental technology driven scientists of the 1970s. They needed a vehicle that would reduce or eliminate the need for fossil fuels. For a brief time, there was a good small market for these vehicles, but they proved to be unreliable and slow.

It wasn't until 1997, that the technology was perfected into a hybrid vehicle that used both electricity and fossil fuels to run. Hybrids became very popular with the environmentally conscious consumer. As the technology evolved, scientists came up with ways to improve the performance of the hybrids. In time scientists also uncovered ways to create an electric car battery that would replace the fossil fuel portion completely.

What is the electric car market like now?
Globally the electric car market has grown considerably in the past few years as new technologies have perfected the performance of the all-electric cars to run efficiently in all types of traffic situations. Improvements in charging capability and ease of use have made electric cars a must have for the environmentally conscious consumer.

The market, however, is still pretty much in its infancy. Fossil fuels still run in about 90 percent of vehicles on the road. The other 10 percent is either hybrid vehicles or all-electric vehicles.

According to International Energy Agency's 2013 report, the demand for electric vehicles will have to increase 72 percent to reach the challenge of 100% all-electric car output by 2020. Granted the market has skyrocketed in the past few years with demands for electric car batteries growing exponentially, but there is still a segment of the population that wants traditionally fossil fuel run cars.

What are the obstacles in mass producing electric cars?
There are still some significant obstacles that electric car manufacturers face in producing electric cars for the masses. Technology has increased the productivity of electric cars, but has not addressed all the technical issues as yet. There are also financial issues involved with the cost of the electric cars in regards to the general public.

Can it be done? What are the benefits of mass producing electric cars?
Undoubtedly the market is ripe for an explosion of all-electric cars in the marketplace. The mindset however is that fossil fuel traditional cars are still cheaper than all-electric cars. The price of an all-electric car is still too expensive to mass produce in any great quantity. There is some indication that the price of the essential electric car battery has dropped, so this could mean that there is a possibility that the car manufacturers can meet this challenge.

There are definitely some good benefits with an all-electric car. Saving the environment is what is often touted as the main reason why someone would invest in an all-electric car. The ease of use and the awesome technology enhanced features that come automatically in an all-electric car are probably what will "sell' today's technology oriented generation.

About Author: This article was written by Stefan G, a tech geek and Linux fan from Austria. At the present moment he maintains firmware and driver download website called http://www.helpjet.net/

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Keep Your Chevy In Top Shape with Authorized Service

Whether you drive a rugged Chevrolet pickup truck and use it to haul heavy loads or a fuel-sipping Chevy hybrid to go back and forth to work, you have a lot invested in the vehicle you drive. Chances are you spend tens of thousands of dollars to buy the vehicle, and hundreds more to fuel it up and maintain it properly.

 

With so much riding on your Chevy car, truck or SUV, it is important to have your vehicle serviced at the right place. While anyone can hang out a shingle and claim to be a mechanic, only Chevy authorized dealers have the expertise, training and experienced needed to keep your Chevrolet vehicle running like new. Whether you are looking for Old Bridge NJ auto repair or driving across the country, here are some of the benefits of having your Chevy serviced only by an authorized service center.

 

Specific Expertise for Your Chevy Car, Truck or SUV

One of the biggest benefits of having your Chevy vehicle repaired and maintained at an authorized service center is the fact that these service centers specialize in the Chevrolet nameplate. The average garage may service dozens of different nameplates, and that means they need to know a little about a lot of different cars.

 

Chevy authorized service centers are different. Instead of knowing a little bit about a lot of different cars and trucks, they know everything there is to know about the full range of vehicles Chevrolet makes. That expertise can help them pinpoint a problem that a more general mechanic may have missed.

 

Greater Resale Value

When you go to sell your Chevy vehicle, one of the first things the buyer will want to see is the service record you have created. Carefully documenting every oil change, maintenance and minor repair can give the buyer confidence and boost the resale value of your car.

 

The buyer will have further confidence when they see that all the service has been performed at an authorized service center. Far from costing you more, this kind of service can actually pay big dividends when it comes time to sell your Chevy.

 

More Reliable Repairs

Going to an authorized Chevy dealer is important even when it comes to minor things like oil changes and tire rotations, but it is much more critical for major repairs and body damage.

If your Chevy vehicle is ever involved in an accident, it is very important to have the repairs done at an authorized service center. This will reflect well if a future buyer pulls a history report on the vehicle - providing one more reason to use a Chevy authorized service center every time you need help with your vehicle.

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Top 5 Expensive Limousines From The World

When it comes to limousine we all have two things in our mind i.e. the expensive and the most luxurious car among all. Many of us prefer to called limo instead of its full name. These comfort cars are driven by special drivers commonly known as “Chauffeurs”, whose are well dressed and good in both behavior and communication. We all know that these are expensive but here below we will discuss about the top 5 most expensive limos from the world.

Lincoln MKS Limousine

This car is the creation of Ford Motor Company and was established in Chicago. With automatic transmission system and based on the ford D3 platform both for front and back wheel its cost is almost $49,800 approximately. Including white, Ingoto silver, Java and bronze this cars comes in several other colors.

Safety and Security

•    Just like price this car is also secure because of so many specs
•    Anti-theft alarm
•    Technology and Roll over sensor
•    Airbags existence of both for drivers and the passenger
•    Auto lock features

SsangYong Chairman W Limousine

This car Chairman W limousine is the production of Korea and was established in 2008. This car has an amazing feature, with 8 cylinder petrol engine, 4,966 cc and maximum power of 302hp at 3,200 rpm this car covers almost 7.3 km in one liter of petrol. The cost of this comfort is almost $103,000.

Mitsubishi Dignity Limo Car

Among all first this car is the most expensive one and its cost is about $105,000. This cars was first introduced in Mistubishi market in 1999 to 2001 but it was reintroduced later in the 2012 year to the Japanese. A car is 5.55meters in length and has the wonderful production and sales ratio in 2000 which is 43/45.

Cadillac One

We all knew that limousine car because it is used by the President of United States of America . This cars is almost $500,000 in cost. It has wonderful features such as both back and front light, side mirrors and also door handles and uplifted with Cadiallac Escalade.  Since 1930’s this car was reserved for the use of presidents. Seven more people can sit into that car other than president. Unlike other limousine this car is driven by special and trained security agent.

“We all know that car more as the car of Barack Obama’s Car”.

Toyota Century Royal

But the price of limousine not end on it, there is one more car that is quite more expensive than president’s car which is Toyata Century Royal Limousine. The cost of that limousine is almost $534,135. It’s the production of Japanese and only reserved for Japanese emperor. You people cannot believe that but it late 2006 only 4 Royal car was manufactured and having 6.155meters in length.

It’s our pleasure to share this peaceful information with you. With luxury service and polite Chauffeurs you can find best limo service Toronto in your town. We hope to share best limousine information with you.

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ENSURE REBIRTH OF FORD WITH RECONDITIONED ENGINE

The Ford

The Ford Transit is developed by the Ford Europe. It is a medium sized compact panel van which was put on road way back in the year 2002. It’s equally successful predecessors Ford Escort and Ford Fiesta were discontinued after its arrival. The Ford Transit quickly gained popularity owing to its advanced entertainment system and powerful engine of 2184 cc capacity in the 2.2 liter category.

Common problems of Ford Transit

Ford Transit become known for its longevity and overall a good performing vehicle. But there are some common ailments of Ford Transit which afflicts it and mars its performance. If you owe a Ford Transit vehicle then you must have also faced one of these problems as follows-

•    Thick black smoke when changing its gears. This occurs due to the wear and tear of intake and exhaust system.
 
•    Starting problem. It is one of the most common problems during cold weather season; the motor fails to run flywheel due to the condensation in the motor. The electric circuit does not get complete due to condensation and freezing.
 
•    Opening problem of the rear door.
 
•    The EGR or exhaust gas circulation problem. This is indicated by the yellow light onthe dashboard.
Beside the above mentioned problems your Ford Transit might develop some other kind of problem too. If these problems get accentuated you must be taking your Ford Transit to the mechanic frequently. And chances are good that they must have suggested you for buying the reconditioned engine.

What is reconditioning of Engine

It refers to the process of refurbishing your car by restoring its faulty or dysfunctional components to its original specifications. The worn out parts or obsolete parts of car that are affecting the performance of car is replaced with new ones by applying the thermal spray and laser deposition.

The reconditioning follows the guidelines provided by the EPA or environment protection agency. In first step the car is opened or dissembled so as to locate the dysfunctional or worn out parts in it and get it replaced with the new ones. The reconditioning involves engine compartment completely its driveline, trunk, frame and other ancillary parts like engine cooling system, electrical system, brakes etc.

Then it is put for cleaning which in turn involves various methods of -pressure treatment for rot; sandblasting or media blasting for frame; electroplating; dry ice, lasers and enzymes remove inside debris effectively. There should be complete cleaning of the frame. The sandblasting method is usually employed as it is a fast method, but it does not clean the microscopic rusts and hence it should be followed up with the application of phosphoric acid solution which eats away the minute rusts. The Media blasting, a lesser abrasive method than sandblasting is used upon the fragile car parts so that the rust is removed without affecting the delicate parts.

The reconditioned engine is then put to test and only then it is delivered to you. Reconditioned engines are cost-effective. So you can think of buying Reconditioned Ford Transit engine for your ailing Ford.

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