Cars and Trucks Articles

Why Car Reviews are important

Why? Simple. My country just recently increased petrol price by 41% and there is still plenty of room above. I have been telling my children that there is only one way for petrol prices to go - UP. It will hit our pockets hard. In addition to this petrol price headache, there is still the fact that petroleum is a depleting resource and there must come a day when supply of petrol will be extremely scarce. Then there are environmental issues. Top of the list is the environmental problem of the Century - global warming. Now let us add air pollution and anyone can understand why choosing the right type of cars is very important. Towards this end, checking car reviews will be most helpful.

Cars of the future

The vast majority of cars and trucks on our roads now are using the ancient internal combustion engines which are, according to Wikipedia: Internal Combustion Engine, centuries old technology. New technologies for future cars are long overdue.

Future cars, trucks and buses

Many are pinning their hopes of solar cars like the one below:



However, a practical solar car convenient for everyday use is still a pipe dream. Others are looking to electric cars. However, one must always keep in mind the source of that electricity to power the vehicles. If the sources are the conventional fuel burning electrical power stations or even hydraulic dams, we are back to square one as these are, I suspect, already at crisis point. The other impediment to solar cars being a practical alternative to the ancient internal combustion engines cars is the capacity to store sufficient electricity without huge and heavy array of storage batteries like the lead-acid accumulators.

A temporary solution is hybrid vehicles which can switch between power source like electricity and (again) the internal combustion engines. These are already on sale in car showrooms and on the road, but are expensive and just a stop gap measure in my opinion. However, look the photo of a "hybrid bus" below:



One way around environmental problems caused by cars is to get as many people out of their private cars and into public transport above. However, I can visualize the situation where the place we want to go is not well served by public transport. What better ways are there than to provide means for buses to carry passengers' leg powered bicycles to intermediate bus stops and for them to proceed the rest of the way on environmentally friendly bicycles.

6 Tips For Saving Gas
by: Jackson Porter

In the past months we have seen the price of gasoline soar higher than ever before, and this can be hard on people who have a budget that is tight. Even though gas prices have come down a slight bit, you still will want to do everything you possibly can to save on the money you have to pay out for gas. There are a variety of ways that you can save gas, and save money.

Tip#1 - Start Carpooling

Carpooling is a great idea for fellow students and fellow employees both. If you can find people that are going to the same place you are you can save gas by riding together. It may be a good idea to trade off on who is driving from week to week so no one person gets stuck having to drive all the time. If you have to take your children to school or other functions you can also work on trading off with your friends and neighbors to take them there.

Tip#2 - Public Transportation

If it is possible you can take public transportation to work instead of driving your car. Not only will this save you money on gas, but you will also be able to relax and not worry about having to drive through all that rush hour traffic. You may even be able to fit in a quick nap on your way to work or on your way home.

Tip#3 - Price Shop

Often it may be so convenient to buy your gas at the small gas station just up the road, but to save some money on gas you may want to check the prices at other gas stations that are nearby as well. Even if the difference is only a few cents, after putting hundreds of gallons of gas in you vehicle each year, those few cents are going to add up to quite a sum of money.

Tip#4 - Get Moving

You can save some money on gas if you start walking to where you are going, or you can ride a bike as well. You will not have to worry about paying to park your car, and the exercise will be great for you body. If you are walking or biking you will not have to worry about those huge traffic jams either.

Tip#5 - Take Care of Your Car

It is always important to take care of your car so it gets the best gas mileage possible. Also be sure to plan where you are going before you go so you will not have to backtrack and waste gas. If you can, you should use your air conditioning as little as possible because using it takes more gas. Roll down your windows and you will use less gas.

Tip#6 - Check your Tires

It is important that you check the air pressure in your tires as often as possible. If your tires are too low, or the pressure in them is unequal it can make your car burn more gas. You should also be careful how you drive. If you take off from every red light very fast you are going to burn more fuel, so it is best to take off a little slower.

These are a few tips that can help the money conscious person to save money on gas. Even as gas prices drop, these tips can still help you to save more money. Conservation is important, so take advantage of these tips, save money, and save gas.

About The Author
Jackson Porter is a staff writer at Automobile Enthusiast and is an occasional contributor to several other websites, including Environmental Central.