It may sound a bit odd, considering the state of upheaval the US economy and much of the world is in, but Lamborghini sales rose 1% last year. A significant amount, when you consider their cars sell for around $200k each, which is making them consider new dealerships in 2009. The super rich always seem to have money, even in a down economy.

At the Detroit auto show Lamborghini showed off their Matte Blue finish LP640. They were making a statement that those lucky enough to purchase a Lambo, were offered cosmetic options at the time of ordering. Custom colors are offered for everything from Brake Calipers to the type of leather used inside. Those with a big enough wallet can live by Lamborghini's moto, "Think The Impossible".

Used truck prices can very a lot, just like any vehicle, depending on which part of the country you live in. For some reason, in the Midwest I've found that used truck prices are extremely high and damn near equal the same as a new truck. A domestic used truck price will usually hold it's value, as long as it's taken care of, free of rust, and has a strong motor.

Normal wear and tear doesn't bother potential used truck buyers, because they are buying a truck for a purpose, not a luxury. Having a used truck for sale with general wear and tear, like scratches, and dents just adds character to a dependable investment. As mentioned, buying a used truck for a purpose means that the truck will be used for work and be more susceptible to these imperfections by the new owner anyway.

Small pick up trucks experience a little bit more depreciation on the market when comparing used truck prices.  This is due to the fact that a typical small truck will not have the durability or longevity of a heavy duty full size pickup truck.  Furthermore the uses for a full size pickup far outweigh what can be done with a small size, like a Ford Ranger or Chevy Colorado.

New Truck Buyers

The good news for those looking to buy a brand new pick up truck is that you could expect the resale value to hold.  The less depreciation you expect when driving off the lot, the better and the more likely you will be able to resell in a few years and recoop some of the original buying price.  There is always a market for used trucks that are priced right, because you just can't haul a mattress or tow a trailer with a gas saving small car.  Everyone needs a friend with a truck to help them move...right?

Used Trucks on eBay

Hard to believe, but the crazy gas prices we saw over the summer of 08 did not effect the F Series pickup sales like analysts thought it would.  Again, the Ford F Series pickup truck tops the list for the #1 selling vehicle, not truck, in the United States.  This feat was accomplished by beating out the Chevy Silverado #2, Toyota Camry #3, and Dodge Ram at #9.  Keep in mind Ford achieved sales of 515,513 amidst a drop in consumer confidence and gas prices you needed a loan for to fill up most full size pickup trucks.

An article by Motor Trend highlights the sales of the Top 10 Best Selling vehicles of 2008.  What's most interesting is that all the vehicles in the top 10 list are showing sales drops ranging from 5% to 31%, except for one vehicle.  The Honda Civic is the only vehicle showing an increase in sales at a marginal +2.1%.  This tells me not enough people were scared enough to buy perceived better fuel efficient vehicles.  Furthermore, the quality and value of buying a Ford pickup truck holds true even in tough economic times.

I've said this before, but when Armageddon hits and the US goes back to the stone age, people won't be traveling via hybrids.  It's gonna take a 4x4, at least a full size pick up truck, to get the jobs done.  I mean, when was the last time you tried moving a mattress with a hybrid?

Ford F Series

It is no secret for car buyers that right now, some of the best vehicles are not made by American companies.  In fact, Honda and Toyota, and perhaps even Hyundai makes some of the best vehicles that the average consumer can buy.  They last much longer than their American counterparts, they hold their value well, and are very enjoyable to drive.  It is no small wonder that Toyota is now the biggest car company in the world.

It's also no secret that car companies in America are really struggling.  And this could mean the loss of many millions of jobs if something isn't done about it.  So I pose this question to you, would you buy American automobiles to save American jobs?

Personally, I don't think I would. That sounds harsh, but let me explain.  Many foreign vehicles are actually made America.  Did you know that? Down in the south, far from Detroit companies such as Toyota, build trucks and cars using American workers and American plants. So, is buying a foreign car actually destroying American jobs? Yes and no.

American jobs will be lost more because of poor management more so than from poor worker quality.  Of course, part of the blame does fall on the American auto workers union's for being greedy all of these years, constantly wanting to get paid more even if they are producing less.  The whole industry is very shortsighted and is now reaping the rewards of their shortsightedness.

If you really want to help the American car companies, buy the best car that fits your needs the best and don't worry about what company is.  If you buy a high-quality vehicle that shows the other companies that they are going to have to produce high-quality vehicle to get your business.  That is a lesson that every company needs to learn to succeed. If you really want to help the car companies and save American jobs in the long run, you should buy the best vehicle in your budget.

I'm sure you've probably noticed by now that gas prices have dropped back down to under two dollars a gallon.  That's 50% lower than they were this summer at their peak.  The reasons for the high and low gas prices are somewhat complicated, but at the same time they're pretty simple.  Because our economy hit a recession before the rest of the world did, our dollar value was very weak compared to other currencies such as the euro.  The difference in currency value meant that gas prices in Europe didn't actually change that much last year, but since our dollar value dropped dramatically the price of gas skyrocketed.  Now that the rest of the world's economies are hurting like ours, gas prices go back to normal because our dollar value relative to other currency values has increased.

All this is interesting, but you really have to wonder what the end result of cheap gas once again will be.  Will people go back to buying their Hummer H2's?  I'm not really sure.  One thing I do know is that people have a short memory.  Sure, gas prices were high, not so long ago, but when used see that big truck next time you're buying a vehicle and gas prices are cheap, are you going to remember the four dollar gas? My guess is most people won't.

Recently Google released some of their yearly keyword trend data, and there is a fascinating trend.  As gas prices skyrocketed people's interest in hybrid vehicles and alternative fuels increased with it.  Now that gas prices have gone back down, interest in hybrid cars has gone down as well.  Coincidence? I doubt it.

It would be better for every one if people stopped buying these huge trucks just to drive around town.  It's always fascinating to drive to the richer part of town to see soccer moms driving Cadillac Escalade's just to go shopping at the grocery store.  Why on earth does anyone need an eight passenger vehicle just to go get groceries? Couldn't they just have a small vehicle that they run around town in?

Gas prices are going to go back up.  It's only a matter of time. Next time they hit four dollars a gallon, will we be ready? It's hard to say but one thing is for sure, we've been warned.

Right now as I speak the US automakers are stumbling all over themselves to come up with a plan of action which will allow them to get $25 billion dollars in aid from Congress.  One of the requirements, before they fork over the cash, is for the automakers to produce an action plan in regards to how the money will be spent and insure they will not be in this same dire position down the road.  It's believed that their focus will shift toward cutting existing lines and producing more fuel efficient vehicles and that may mean bringing a hybrid diesel electric to the US market.

The technology is not new, rather it's been used for years in the train industry, dating back as far as the 1920's.  Today VW is leading the way with hybrid diesel electric engineering and using the technology in their VW Golf.  The hybrid VW is capable of getting up to 70 miles per gallon, but will not be distributed in the United States.  According to VW the technology would be too expensive to build and bring into the US, thus creating a potential market for domestic manufacturers.

Another hurdle US automanufacturers are faced with is the longevity of their current vehicles on the market.  More people are holding onto their existing cars for longer and even more are buying used, rather than new.  For example, it's easier to buy used diesel vehicles and let someone else take a bath in the depreciation after driving off the lot.

I believe serious thought needs to be put into engineering a quality hybrid diesel electric car for the domestic market.  The need for more fuel efficient cars isn't going anywhere and if the automakers hope to pull themselves out of their gas guzzling hole then something needs to change.  The current trend of cornering the large SUV and Truck market is obviously failing as a business model and 70 mpg is an appealing buy for anyone looking to purchase a new vehicle.

Golf Diesel Electric

The economy is going down fast. It has been bloated for so many years and has been extremely faked by the worlds governments. We are now seeing just where our economy is, the real economy. Jobs are being layed off and so people do not have as much money. As you may have seen and heard the car industry is hurting very badly during this time. Without money people can't buy cars and so car companies are seeing close to 50% drops in car sales compared to last year. Its not that people do not have money,they still do its just that they are saving everything now.

The New York times is reporting on a interesting story about how cars from Toyota and other car companies are having to moth ball their cars. Each day thousands of cars are being made in plants all over the world. Then they are loaded onto a ship and sent overseas to America and other countries. Well the thing is people are just not buying the cars. When the cars get over here they are not being taken to sellers but the car companies are renting acres of space that is usually used to temporary store containers to store their cars on. Toyota alone has cleared a deal for 6 acres worth of land to store cars on for an unknown amount of time! They even want more land! This has been going on for 2 years now but is getting worse.

Toyota has slowed production down to meet demand but what will they do with all those cars if people are not buying them? Whats really bad is we could have a surplus of 2007-2008 models with no miles on them for years to come. They will only go down in value so its not good for car companies. Cars are being stored at airports and fairgrounds also I read. Its amazing what just a slowdown of the economy can do to some businesses.

Dealerships are actually denying truck loads of cars because they just can't sell them fast enough. General motors is going to go bankrupt soon they are saying also. Toyota is hurting just as bad though as GM as their car and SUV sales are way down. You may have noticed Toyota's "Saved by Zero" commercials. Its a sign they are hurting badly,desperate to get rid of a car. If you NEED a new car this is the best time to find one but I suggest you buy a used one. People are almost giving them away.

Take a look at the picture on the New York times article about the cars being stored. Its just amazing to see just how many cars are sitting their with no place to go!
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/19/bu...orts.html?_r=1

The automtive industry is in peril and the only options according to our appointed leaders are either bail out or let fail.  However, myself and others feel there is a gray area to the economic problem facing domestic auto makers.  Specifically in the way we handle imports, current goals by the Big 3, and the impact unions have on the cost of a new car.  I intend to detail some other ideas that could benefit us in the long run and dont' involve a black or white approach to the US economy.

Low Domestic Sales

Tariffs could be the automotive industries new best friend and it can be implemented almost immediately.  The immediate effect would be higher priced imports, thus giving domestics an advantage in the market place.  Those opposed to Tariff increases stand behind unfair trade and potential to damage world trading, but I feel now is the time to act.  Furthermore there would be more incentive for manufacturers to bring their plants to the US, providing more jobs for Americans.

Domestic cars and trucks are quality vehicles and often times can compete equally with their import counter parts.  Somewhere within recent years there has been a stima placed on domestic vehicles and the idea that buying imports was the 'green' thing to do.  In reality domestics compete on a level playing field in fuel economy, quality, and dependability.  Therefore I believe the real deal breaker amongst new car buyers is price and we have a tool to tilt the scales in the domestic's direction.

(more...)

The average lifespan of a battery in a new electric car might surprise you, it did me.  I suspected the usable life of a battery pack in todays electric cars would not be significant enough to necessitate the larger sticker price and it turns out I was wrong.  Furthermore, taking into consideration the cost of regular maintenance on a typical combustion engine, even when you do have to replace an electric car battery you may still be way ahead.

Testing Usable Life Span

There have been specific cases of electric cars like the Toyota Rav 4 EV reaching 100,00 miles on it's original battery with no significant loss of battery life.  The battery in question is the Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH) battery, which is composed of cells, otherwise known commonly as the rechargable batteries you buy in the store.  In electric cars however instead of say a AAA or D battery, the NiMH battery in your electric car utilizes cells on a much larger scale.

Testing on the NiMH Electric Car battery life was done by the Southern California Edison, Electric Vehicle Technical Center(pdf).  They state that the likely hood of your typical electric car cell battery life to be anywhere in the 130,000 to 150,000 mile range.  Considering you don't have to perform regular maintenance like oil and air filter changes, over the life of the vehicle the cost of replacing the battery would be far under gas engine maintenance costs.

Cost Of Replacing Electric Car Batteries

The cost of replacing the battery in a Toyota Rav 4 EV, in the example above, may be the exception to the maintenance cost comparison rule.  Recent figures put the RAV 4 EV NiMH battery replacement cost at $14,000.  This would be for a custom pack that would provide 2000 usable cycles, compared to 1000, which translates into about 8 years of normal driving.  The NiMH for this particular vehicle seems high, but smaller vehicles like the new Toyota Prius have battery replacement costs of uner $3,000.

In closing, before jumping on the bandwagon and becoming an early adopter, check out what the replacement cost for the battery will be.  However, as years pass and electric cars become more popular, the price of these NiMH replacements will be dropping dramatically just like any technology that becomes old hat.

NiMH Battery

One of the most common things everyone sees when they walk outside is a certain type of car. For the car to get to be in your view, one must have driven it to your neighborhood. The person that drove it to your street had to have passed the driver education training in order to legally drive. Many teens look forward to the day that they can be the ones driving a particular type of car to someone´s neighborhood. The state of Oklahoma requires a number of steps be accomplished in order to receive your driver´s license.

One must be a minimum of fifteen years old before they are allowed to begin the driver education training process. The first step one must accomplish is to pass the classroom section of driver education. There are a few different choices one can make when it comes to this step. Upon graduating from this Oklahoma driver education course, one will then be submitted a driver education green card which will be used to show that you have passed the driver education class.

The first choice one can make regarding the driver education class is to attend a traffic school that offers a state approved driver evacuation course. These traffic schools feature how to drive safely while also teaching traffic laws and rules. One can look in their local phone book to find a traffic school in their area.

Another option one can make is to take the parent taught driver education course. This puts parents in control of what their child is learning and how much they are learning at one time. Parents play the role of teacher as they are responsible for teaching their child all the proper driving techniques a s well as all the laws and rules of the road.

The last choice one can make is tot take the driver education course. Online driver education classes are considered in the same genre of parent taught driver education in the state of Oklahoma. One should always make sure that the driver education class they enroll in is a state approved driver education course. Online classes allow teens to work at their own pace which gives them a better chance to grasp all the knowledge being showcased in front of them. In addition, they are allowed to work in the comforts off their own bedroom on their own schedule. Online driver education class works around the clock making it convenient for kids to work when they have the time to really sit down and focus.

After one has passed the final test of driver education, they should be eligible to receive their learner´s permit as long as they are fifteen and a half years old. This allows teens to jump into the driver´s seat of their parents car. A minimum of fifty five hours is required before a child is legally ready to try for their driver´s license. After passing the driver license test, you then can be the one driving a car into someone´s neighborhood.