Archive for February 16th, 2009

Which Ferrari is Right for You?

If you are considering a Ferrari car as an investment, you have made a choice of valuing a Ferrari so that they will not only increase your net worth, but you’ll have fun enjoying these stunning vehicles in the process. There are several different models of new and pre-owned Ferrari sports cars from which you can choose your favorite to build your portfolio and increase your friend’s envy.

Italian Enzo Ferrari started out by building race cars, but included road cars in 1947. Many of the body styles came from Pininfarina, an Italian car design company. The street cars come in V6, V8, and V12 models. Body styles are referred to by letters. M refers to models that are modified from the original version, while GTB is the reference for coupes. GTS stands for older-model convertibles or targa top models. Modern convertibles use the designation of Spider. Some Ferraris are called Daytona or GTO, but these are not officially sanctioned names. The Dino models got their name from Enzo Ferrari’s son, Dino.

The Ferrari road cars come in several different types. Sports cars are designed for their excellent handling, speed and good looks. GT cars are called grand tourer vehicles, and are usually of the coupe body style, and are a bit bigger than a sports car. The 2+2 style indicates that there are two seats in the front of the vehicle and two seats for passengers in the rear. The America-type Ferraris are grand touring cars that feature the big V12 engines. FR designed vehicles stands for front-engine, rear wheel drive. You might also hear of the RMR type of Ferrari, which is the rear mid-engine, rear-wheel drive layout. The name Supercar refers to their top of the line sports car.

A two-seat GT that Ferrari built was the 250 GT Coupe Pininfarina. The Ferrari Pininfarina was named the 250 GT Boano, which was a coupe. The Ferrari 250 GT California is a beautiful car that was featured in the hit movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

The Ferrari 365 GTB/4 is informally called the Ferrari Daytona, in reference to the 24 Hours of Daytona car race, which the Ferrari team won in 1967. For lovers of speedy cars, the Daytona could reach zero to sixty miles per hour in a minuscule 5.4 seconds. A 365 GTB/4 was driven from New York to Los Angeles in just under 36 hours in a race in 1971.

The Ferrari 250 GTO is considered to be one of the finest sports cars ever built. Their value has skyrocketed, and if one happens to become available its cost would be in the millions. Ferraris such as these make an excellent investment.

Jonathon Blocker is a Ferrari aficionado. Jonathon has driven a variety of Ferraris, and has developed an expertise on the collectible Ferrari.

Sex, Lies and Car Rental

I came across this guide to car rental today and felt I should set the record straight on some of the issues raised as it was misleading (just like my title, no sex here I’m afraid).

RUMOUR: You probably won’t get the car you booked.

TRUTH: Rental companies do not guarantee specific models – we cannot guarantee you will get a Hyundai Getz 1.5L for example, but if you pay for an economy car, manual transmission with air conditioning – you will get an economy car, manual with air conditioning (unless of course you get an upgrade!). Our reservations are based on car SIPP codes, vehicles are given as examples only.

TIP: Book based on SIPP code, not actual vehicle. Peugeot Leasing is an exception – models ARE guaranteed.

RUMOUR: It’s likely you’ve paid too much.

TRUTH: Walking off the street to pick up a car in a foreign country, you probably will pay more. Book before you go to ensure the best possible price and remember to compare like with like when researching prices. Look closely at what the price includes, what is extra and how much the extras will cost. Often, an all inclusive rate may appear more expensive but can save you money as there is no more to pay when you pick up the car.

RUMOUR: Your “fully-inclusive deal” won’t be as comprehensive as it sounds.

TRUTH: An Insurance Excess is applicable in the event of any accident or theft to the rental vehicle, regardless of fault. The Excess amount varies between countries and car group. The additional insurance offered by the car rental company is optional and is charged per day on top of an inclusive rate. Read more about insurance excess here.

TIP:
You may be covered through your own insurance so double check before you book.

RUMOUR: You may face hefty add-ons.

TRUTH: There are some extras that will be added on to your bill e.g. children’s seats, additional drivers, young driver surcharges and GPS units may be charged separately and on a daily basis, which can add up, especially if it is a long trip. You should be made aware of these charges before you agree to anything, so be aware of how much exactly you have to pay.

TIP: Always ask what the extra charges will be before you agree to them.

RUMOUR: Breaking down could be a disaster.

TRUTH:
Not when you book with DriveAway! Our rates all include 24 hour roadside assistance. We also have 24/7 customer service with a toll free number from across the globe so you can speak to someone (in English) no matter where you are.

TIP: Book with a reputable company who have a number you can call in the case of an emergency.

RUMOUR: You could be stung by cancellation penalties.

TRUTH:
Not at DriveAway! We do not charge amendment or cancellation fees on car hire.

TIP: Always check at the time of booking if there are cancellation fees in case of an emergency. Sometimes it can be as much as the price of the rental if it is within a short time frame.

Always read your inclusions very carefully when you book a rental car (DriveAway list the inclusions with each vehicle during the booking process online and our reservations consultants will inform you of these if you book over the phone). Terms, conditions and costs all vary depending on the supplier and location. Remember to read your rental agreement carefully before signing it.

Holidays are precious. Researching and organising your car rental before you go can save you headaches and money.

Affordable or Cheap Car Insurance

There is a difference between affordable or cheap car insurance that depends a lot on your income. What is affordable to you might not be cheap, and what is cheap to others might not be affordable. In that case they have problems!

Seriously though, cheap car insurance is getting more difficult to find, and the terms affordable and cheap are no longer synonymous. So what are the best ways for you to find not only cheap auto car insurance, but very cheap car insurance? The latter, when all is said and done, is what everybody is looking for. It has little to do with affordability but more with paying less.

First, have a good look at your car. How old is it and how much do think you could sell it for? You have two options on your auto insurance policy called collision and comprehensive. Some people are not sure what these refer to. Collision might seem obvious, but it is not as obvious as you might think. For starters the definitions depend on the country you live in.

In the UK and Europe ‘collision’ does not exist. Comprehensive insurance covers all eventualities from fire to theft to collision, irrespective of whether the offending driver is you or another driver, insured or not. In the USA, comprehensive refers everything except collision for some unknown reason. Collision covers collisions with other cars, people and any other objects. In other words, if you hit it then you are covered.

If your car is more than five years old, or worth less that $2,000, then forget the collision and comprehensive cover. Just go with the state minimum whatever that is, but it will cover at least third party to cover you if you cause a collision with another car, person or object. Make sure you check your state minimum, but your insurance company will keep you right on that. That is not negotiable!

There is an area of motor insurance in the USA that differs to that in the UK. Comprehensive cover in the UK covers collision as previously stated, but also makes no distinction whether the other driver is insured or not. You are covered irrespective of the insurance situation of the other driver – not so in the USA. Unless you have a separate uninsured driver’s policy you have to pursue the driver through the courts (Ha! Ha!). That is one option you could do without if you want a cheap affordable policy since although it could happen, it is relatively rare compared to other problems you could face.

If you get your collision, comprehensive and uninsured drivers insurance worked out to your advantage you can then look at other savings you can make. There is the deductible that you pay first before the insurer has to fork out. The higher the deductible, the lower your policy cost. However, that can cost you dearly in the event of you causing a collision. Don’t opt for too high a deductible but the higher you can comfortable afford the nearer you will be to an affordable or cheap car insurance.

There are several other ways of getting your policy price down to give you the most affordable car insurance quote, but they will have to have been in place before you reach the negotiation stage. It is too late then to fit additional safety features or take advanced driver’s courses, but you could mention them, and what your intentions are, and find out what they say.

Your best bet to get an affordable or cheap car insurance policy is to negotiate for a reduction with your existing insurer, and you will likely succeed, especially if you have a clean driver’s license and have made no claims on your policy for the last three years or more.

Author: Brent A. Kenny


Copyright 2007 – Brent A. Kenny. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you leave all of the links active.

Best Used Cars – Get The Best Deals On Repossessed Used Cars For Sale

If you’ve ever been to a public car auction then you’ll know that it’s very standard and simple. Upon arriving at a public auction you’ll be required to present some id and sign in. You’ll be given a number so you can start bidding on items during the day. Usually at public car auctions you’ll be allowed to inspect the cars before they go on auction.

When inspecting cars make sure you know a little bit about cars first. Each car will have an information tab that will tell you what’s wrong with it if there is a problem. These public car auctions have to tell you if the car is in good condition or not. But never fear if you buy a car from an auction and it won’t work even if it says it’s in good conditioning you’re covered under their terms and conditions.

We now understand public car auctions but what about online car auctions and what’s the difference?

There’s not much difference between how they work however the biggest difference is that you won’t be inspecting the cars before you buy them so it’s like buying clothes on the internet not knowing if it fits right. However and this is a big however, you’re allowed to send any cars you buy online back if it has been misrepresented, now if you’re wondering that the benefits are of buying from cars from an online auction here it is:

– Search for cars without having to go to the auction sites
– Bid for them in your own time from anywhere around the world
– Your protected by the online car auction for misrepresentation
– There are 4 top websites that consistently have auctions going every week

So if you’re interested in buying cars from public auctions you now have two ways to do so. Join this site now and get access to thousands of good quality cars at unbelievable low prices.

Visit Best Car Dealers Blog for the best deals on Used Cars For Sale Online.

http://www.bestcardealers.blogspot.com