Cars Women Want Most

Women and Cars
What they want


What do women look for when buying a car? Well, in the recent
"What Women Want" Automotive Satisfaction Study by the Good
Housekeeping Institute and JD Power and Associates a couple of
findings may surprise you.

After reviewing the responses of more than 100,000 woman they
found a number of things, including...

Safety is key - Safety is the primary factor in women's satisfaction
in nearly every category of vehicle. The only segments where women
ranked safety as second priority were compact vans and entry SUVs.

Women make the decisions - 59% of car purchases are made by or
influenced by women.

Women are driving more - The amount of principal drivers who are
female has steadily increased over the past five years to nearly
six million.

Women like a powerful engine too - Women feel that engine performance, including acceleration and handling, are very important to women
- even a little more men.
Sponsored Links

Environment is important - 82% of women found environmentally
friendly vehicles 'extremely important' or 'somewhat important"
versus 72.3% of men.

More likely to buy abroad - In fact, women are more likely
to purchase Asian cars, trucks and SUVs than men. While more
than half of the women said that they would be likely to
purchase an Asian made car and slightly less said they would
buy an Asian made truck or SUV, 48% of men would by an
Asian-made car and only 25% would by an Asian made truck or SUV.

After 40,000 women were surveyed about satisfaction with their
new vehicles, which they had purchased in 2004, a list of the
best arose.

The best vehicles according to women are:

Premium Compact Car - Chrysler PT Cruiser

Entry Midsize Car - Hyundai Sonata

Premium Midsize Car - Toyota Avalon

Entry SUV - Subaru Forester

Midsize SUV - Nissan Murano

Fullsize SUV - Toyota Sequoia

Entry Luxury SUV - Lexus RX 330

Compact Van- Toyota Sienna

Gas-saving tips

Reduce Idling
Idling your engine wastes gas and money.

Drive Smoothly
Driving at a steady pace to save gas.

Plan Ahead
Plan your route and time to save gas. Try to eliminate
multiple trips over the same route. Bundle your business
activities as much as possible and avoid last-minute runs
(supermarket, bank etc.)

Check Your Tire Pressure
Proper tire pressure is critical to the safe operation of
your car and will help you save gas.

Get Regular Oil Changes
Changing your engine oil on a regular basis will lead to
greater fuel efficiency.

Hybrid Bimmer

BMW is joining the hybrid bandwagon exploited
by its Japanese rivals

BMW Will Unveil Z4 Coupe and Hybrid X3 at Frankfurt Show


The car will be officially a concept, but BMW will hurry it into production as a rival to the new Porsche Cayman S, a coupe version of the Boxster. Like its predecessor, the Z3-based M Coupe, it will be built at BMW's Spartanburg factory in the South Carolina. But unlike the boxy M Coupe, the Z4 coupe will be a more conventional fastback coupe, with styling similar to the Xcoupe concept of a couple of years ago.

The Z4 Coupe will be powered by BMW's 255-horsepower, 3.0-liter, inline six-cylinder gasoline engine. There also will be an M version with a 3.2-liter inline six from the M3, upgraded to 360 hp.

At Frankfurt, BMW will also show a hybrid concept based on the X3 SUV. This will have new, advanced battery technology using high-performance capacitors, or "Syncaps," which can store and release high amounts of power quickly.

The Syncaps take up less space than regular batteries. BMW first showed the system in 2004 in an X5 "Efficient Dynamics" concept car.

Tough Luxe

Two large luxury cars, the 2005 model Audi A6 and 2006 Infiniti M35,
have received top ratings in crash tests conducted by a vehicle
safety watchdog group with links to the insurance industry.

The Audi A6 from Volkswagen AG's luxury division got "good" ratings
and "best pick" designations for its performance in both front- and
side-impact tests, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway
Safety

It said the Infiniti M35, from Nissan Motor Co. Ltd., also earned good
ratings in both tests but a "best pick" designation only for its crashworthiness in the front-impact test.

In the side-impact test there were indications that the driver of
an M35 could sustain torso injuries and the structural performance
of the vehicle was deemed "acceptable" but not "good," the Insurance
Institute said.

The 31-mile-per-hour side-impact test simulates a real-world crash in
which a pickup truck or sport utility vehicle runs a red light or stop
sign and plows into the side of a car.

The Institute's so-called offset frontal test measures how well a vehicle
can absorb the impact of a crash when 40 percent of its front end strikes
a barrier at 40 miles per hour.

Tests on the A6 and M35 were conducted with both equipped with standard
front and rear head curtain airbags and front seat-mounted torso airbags.

Top 10 Movie Car Chases - from Auto Blog

Hagerty Insurance (known for their coverage of collector cars)
recently asked its customers to rank the top 10 movie car chases
of all time. Topping the list was “Bullitt”, which is a choice
that’s appropriate if for no other reason than the wicked sound
of Steve McQueen’s Mustang (the fact that McQueen was Hollywood’s
biggest gearhead should also be considered). It won a whopping
40% of total votes cast, giving it a significant lead over the
number two selection, the remake of “Gone in 60 Seconds”. “The
French Connection” and “Ronin” placed only sixth and seventh,
respectively, leading me to wonder just how many second-generation
Trans Am owners are insured by Hagerty (”Smokey and the Bandit” ranked third).

Hybrid hype?

The Polk Center for Automotive Studies is about to release a study that reveals while American consumers are aware of and considering hybrids, they’re not yet willing to buy them due to additional costs associated with the technology. The study states that 61% of people surveyed might consider the purchase price a deterrent and 30% believe the benefits would not justify the extra investment. On the flip side, nearly two-thirds of those polled did not think hybrids are a fad.

Keep in mind that the study included a sample group of only 307 participants. It seems pretty sketchy to us to extrapolate the feelings of hundreds of millions of people from those of only 307.

New 4s from Porsche

Lots of stuff to like in the new Carrera 4 convertibles, like the 325-hp
3.6L flat-six in the non-S model and the large and lovely 3.8L making 355-hp
in the S. New for 2006 is the availability of the Porsche Active Suspension
Management system, which is able to continually adjust the level of damping
force at each wheel according to sensor inputs. Prices will start at $87K for
the Carrera 4 Cabriolet and $97K for the Carrera 4S Cabriolet when they’re
both made available in North America in November… just in time for winter.

Coming: A Turbo 1?

The BMW 135Ti (or maybe 135Tc for American buyers) will not be
your ordinary turbocharged sport compact. In fact, it will be powered
by BMW’s upcoming turbocharged six-cylinder and will produce in the
neighborhood of 330 bhp. The compact uber-BMW has been seen testing
on the Nürburgring. The decision to produce the car has not been made.
You can bet that it will be a rocket if it is produced. Now, there will
not be an M1 variant of the 1-series. The M1 was a GT sports car BMW
produced in the late Seventies and early Eighties. You can be sure,
however, that the 135Ti will either be developed by the M team, or they
may create an M variant off of the 135Ti. Either way, this should be a
sufficiently entertaining Bavarian.

Top-5 Drop-tops

TOPLESS REVIEW - FIVE CONVERTIBLES FOR EVERY BUDGET
There's nothing like dropping the top and cruising around
on a hot summer day. To help you fulfill that dream, our
car editors found the five hottest convertibles at prices
that suit every budget. Highlights include the 2006 Ferrari
F430 Spider, $204,867; the 2005 Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet,
$88,900; the 2005 Mercedes-Benz SLK350, $46,250; the 2005 Ford
Mustang GT, $29,390; and the 2006 Mazda MX-5, $24,000.


from CARGO magazine

"Di Bimma"

Calling all BMW owners in Jamaica (or previous Jamaican residents
now overseas who own, or owned a BMW); send in photos, testimonials
and anecdotes related to you and your car (include type, model year
and year you acquired) for my upcoming compilation, "Di Bimma":
The Enduring Appeal of the BMW Brand in Jamaica"

Intend to publish late 2007/early 2008 (with annual updates thereafter

Thanks and beging posting

Believers Boycott Ford

Tuesday, the American Family Association, a conservative Christian group, started a boycott of Ford Motor Company. Their main complaint is that Ford supports gay rights groups, offers benefits to same-sex couples, and actively recruits gay employees. Out of their 2.2 million members, approximately 55,000 people have signed a pledge supporting the boycott. Chrysler and GM also support same-sex couples through their benefits policies, but they are not subject to the boycott. The AFA recently ended a nine-year boycott of the Walt Disney Co. That boycott was also motivated by support that Disney provided to same-sex relationships. Apparently the Disney boycott had little effect, because Disney experienced an increase in park attendance and higher earnings during the nine-year boycott. Perhaps Ford will see increased sales from this publicity.

source: Autoblog

Big New Maybach

Darth Vader, your car is ready!

The Maybach Exelero high-performance show car unveiled to the world for the first time this week is a remarkable car with an even more remarkable story behind it. The 700-hp V-12 biturbo two-seater is a unique custom model produced for tyre manufacturer Fulda Reifenwerke, which is using the Maybach Exelero as a reference vehicle for a newly developed generation of wide tyres. The German manufacturer of luxury cars built the unique model as a modern interpretation of its legendary streamlined sports car from the 1930s, thereby forging a link with the historical predecessor, which at that time was likewise based on a powerful Maybach automobile (SW 38) and used by Fulda for tyre tests.

The old and the new - the new vehicle is neither a reprise of the original, nor a retro design from the last century.

The brief was to produce an ambassador for a new tyre generation, with no limits to the imagination or budget. The company was in the search of the ultimate vehicle to represent the high-end Exelero tyre - an automobile full of superlatives.

The sports coupe took shape at the end of May 2004: after three model phases had been successfully completed, the exterior, interior and chassis were tested, adapted and perfected. In the 1:1 model dreams, visions and ideas took on concrete form in the fi

The Exelero embodies the highest expression to date of the Maybach individualisation strategy of offering specific custom solutions on request. In initial tests on the high-speed Nardo test track in Italy, the Exelero reached a top speed of 351.45 kmh.

Fulda has a long history of building high speed concept cars with which to test and market its tyres. In its century long history, it has almost always produced a signature machine to represent and market a new tyre and so it was to be the case with new top-of-the-range sports performance tyre, the Fulda Carat Exelero – a high performance tyre that according to the company’s objectives for the tyre, is a “tyre that cannot be compared with any previous Fulda product.”

Previous Fulda “ambassador automobiles”

Two previous examples of the extreme lengths to which Fulda will go in constructing an automotive manifestation of their tyres are the Porsche 993 Extremo and the fourth generation "High-Tech-Emotions" show truck constructed for the company’s 100th anniversary in 2000. The extreme vehicle created for the introduction of its Fulda Carat Extremo in 1997 was a modified Porsche 993 with more than 600 hp, a maximum speed of over 350 km/h and acceleration from 0 to 200 kmh in less than 7.2 seconds. The car impressively demonstrated the qualities of the Extremo tyre with an absolutely breathtaking performance.

The 100th anniversary of the Fulda Reifen company marked the birth of the fourth and most recent showtruck generation. The fascinating result was a truck which combined the construction techniques of truck engineering, the refinements of the luxury bus segment and handling inspired by a sports car. The truck will be the subject of a feature in its own right in Gizmag shortly and it will be worth the wait as it is a treasure trove of technology and source of wonderment for any mechanically-inclined male. The showtruck is a unique reflection of the brand and its products: functionally convincing, optically impressive and technically always streets ahead.

The car that was used as the base car for the original Fulda Maybach - the 1938 Maybach SW 38 Sport Cabriolet

Internally, the ambience of the mayback has been retained, though little else is absolutely identical.



The challenge to create a congruent automobile for the tyre

The company wanted to portray the Fulda Carat Exelero tyre to the world as an "entry into a new technology dimension, a state-of-the-art tyre design.”

Accordingly, in producing an ambassador for a new tyre generation, there was plenty of scope for the designers’ visions, a maximum of creative scope and no limits set to the imagination or budget. The company was in the search of the ultimate vehicle for the high-end Exelero, and what was expected was nothing less than an automobile full of superlatives.

The decision to build an automobile based on a Maybach stemmed from a chance finding when the company was researching its 100th anniversary.

1938 – high speed tyre testing vehicle required

Testing at the high speed Motodrom in Nardo, Southern Italy, showed the Excelero has a top speed of 351.45 kmh, becoming the world's fastest limousine.

An example of a high-speed Maybach 12 cylinder Zeppelin with streamlined bodywork. No two Maybachs were identical, as they were almost all finished to the customer's preferences. This body was built by coachbuilder Spohn.

The car that was used as the base car for the original Fulda Maybach - the 1938 Maybach SW 38 Sport Cabriolet. Check out the quality of the roof.

In researching the 100th anniversary, drawings and photos were discovered of the Maybach streamlined vehicle SW 38 from 1938, which had been commissioned by Fulda. As was revealed by the documents, at the end of the 1930s, Fulda requested renowned Frankfurt coachbuilders Dörr and Schreck, to develop a car with streamlined bodywork for the purpose of high-speed tyre testing.

The background to this ambitious project was an important boost to development in vehicle manufacturing and in the development of the road network. The thirties revolutionised the process of automobile manufacturing. And Fulda was part of this upswing.

In 1933, after large parts of the revolutionary Autobahn road system had been completed, it became possible for the first time to maintain high speeds over long distances and for long periods of time. The tyre industry was required to take these new conditions into account with high-performance and hard-wearing products.

Fulda recognised the signs of the time and started planning for a test car with the focus of attention on maximum speed. The objective was to break the "sound barrier" of 200 km/h, at that time an absolutely incredible speed and one in which aerodynamics proved to be an important factor.

Based on preliminary discussions, the Maybach chassis quickly became the logical favourite among those automobile designs considered, not least because the engines offered remarkable performance. Furthermore, close business relations had already existed between the two companies, because Fulda had already previously been involved as an OEM tyre supplier for Maybach cars.


The first design of the special-purpose vehicle was based on the chassis of the Maybach "Zeppelin" model with a twelve-cylinder engine. For weight reasons, however, in the end the smaller Maybach SW 38 with 6 cylinders, 3.6 litre capacity and 140 bhp was chosen.

Under the direction of the aerodynamics specialist, Freiherr Reinhard Koenig Fachsenfeld, the legendary Fulda Maybach streamlined car was developed, with a sensational maximum speed of over 200 kmh.

The well-known German aerodynamic expert thus created a streamlined masterpiece and one of the first automotibiles designed specifically to create an undisturbed airflow at the rear end of the vehicle. The aerodynamic studies conducted on the car were done in a windtunnel using wool threads which were attached to numerous parts of the bodywork so the designers could visualise what was happening at a granular level.

The work was completed on 27 July 1939. The delivery of this unique special vehicle was followed with great interest by the experts and a great resonance in the specialist press. Due to the start of World War II, it was no longer possible to use the Maybach on the planned scale. Within a few months the streamlined car had disappeared as the world plunged into global war – it has never been found.


Two thirds of a century after completion of the famous streamlined automobile, the Maybach and Fulda companies stand together in the public limelight. The new vehicle is neither a reprise of the original, nor a retro design from the last century. The astonishing result of the current cooperation: is an unmistakable tribute to the predecessor - and nevertheless a high tech highlight of a very special kind.

With the intention of projecting a piece of history into the future through the modern interpretation of the streamlined car of 1938, a number of creative minds were assembled in the project team for the new Fulda Maybach Concept Car. Commissioned to create a fascinating blend of strength and elegance, the Pforzheim Polytechnic's Design Department and the Design Department of DaimlerChrysler AG set the cooperative relationship which has operated successfully for many years now into motion once again.

A considerable planning effort and meticulous detailed work was the dominant feature of the daily round of the team members during the next few months. In particular, for the four students of the college's Transport Design department, the work on the design of the unique vehicle represented an absolutely unforgettable challenge.

The optimal combination of elegance and high performance was the the aim of the design by Wolf Seebers. In particular, the contours of the radiator grille clearly indicate the inspiration of the characteristic Maybach design. The line from the cockpit to the tail section, in contrast, was designed in two steps which bear a close resemblance to the design style of Formula 1.

Andreas Hellmann's proposed design went in another direction. His concept had a very American look about it but, at the same time, possessed unmistakable traces of its historic predecessor. The choice of two-color paintwork, for example, is an attractive visual reference to the famous test vehicle from 1939.

Like the model from Andreas Hellmann, the design study from Stefan Barth also called for a two-color paint job for the new Fulda Maybach Concept Car. The design of the tail unit was thereby based on the the model of a boat's stern. The most striking modification in Barth's concept: here the fins on the hood of the original are extended harmoniously into the line of the roof.

The design study by Fredrik Burchhardt led to different associations: While some recognize significant traces of a Corvette split window, parallel to that others drew comparisons with the construction of a catamaran. The design made in the colors red and black put the focus clearly on the radiator grille and deliberately avoided the use of a fender at the front. Initially, it was Fredrik Burchhardt's design which emerged as the winner. But the outstanding creative efforts of Barth, Hellmann and Seebers were not ignored in the following implementation phase.

All four designs were milled as 1:4 models and from each of the presented designs, important ideas and impulses were picked up and incorporated in an exceptional design of an incomparable vehicle.

As outstanding as the concept designs were, their implementation was equally professional. And equally exclusive was the result - a masterly arrangement of the most striking style elements of limousine and coupe, combined in a spectacular sports car on the basis of today's Maybach 57.

The completion of the Fulda Maybach Concept Car appears all the more remarkable when one considers the challenging objective of developing a coupé on the basis of an existing limousine without having to create a completely new design. Despite a tight time schedule, Jürgen Weissinger, the responsible project engineer and manager of development at Maybach, together with his team, managed to realize the project successfully.


The sports coupé took shape at the end of May 2004: after three model phases had been successfully completed, the exterior, interior and chassis were tested, adapted and perfected. In the 1:1 model dreams, visions and ideas took on concrete form in the final reference object for the decisive step in development: the construction and test process.

However, with the reinterpretation of the streamlined car of 1938, it was not only intended to create an optical novelty of modern automobile manufacturing. The targeted 350 kilometers per hour maximum speed confronted the commissioned design engineers with the challenge of manufacturing a fully-functional special vehicle which, as the fastest Maybach ever, is capable of redefining the benchmarks in terms of performance for limousines on standard tires.

However, it quickly became clear that, despite the Biturbo boost, the customary 12-cylinder engine would not be able to produce the targeted maximum speed. The vitally necessary assistance came from Untertürkheim. The specialists in the Mercedes Car Group optimized the turbo charger and increased the cubic capacity of the type 12 engine to 5.9 liters. In the end, 700 hp of engine output confirmed the technological brilliance of the implemented modifications.

The subsequent test measurements at the beginning of May 2005 at the high speed Motodrom in Nardo/Southern Italy, impressively documented the success of the unique efforts of all concerned: a top speed of 351.45 km/h! And thus the world record for limousines.

Basic Maintenance

A Checklist to keep your car running


You can keep your car running longer and better by
following a few simple maintenance routines. Your
owner's manual indicates how often you should
change fluids, tune the engine, rotate the tyres, etc.
Follow the manufacturer's recommended frequency
of maintenance, increasing that frequency for cars
that see a lot of heavy use or stop-and start driving.
Your maintenance schedule should include a number
of basic procedures:

Fluids
change motor oil and filter;
replace coolant;
replace transmission fluid and filter;
re-fill windshield washer fluid and change blades;

Engine
change spark plugs;
check alternator and starter;
clean battery and terminals;
clean/replace air filter;
check timing;
check intake manifold;
check/replace crankcase ventilation;
check/replace belts;

Tyres
check air pressure;
check treads, replace tyre if less than 1/16"
rotate tyres;
check brakes/pads;
check wheel alignment;




10 EASY WAYS TO CHECK A USED CAR

1. run a line of sight along both sides of
the car - misaligned body panels or
different shades of paint indicate
that the car has been in an accident

2. check for rust, especially under the
doors and around wheel openeings. If a
small magnet doesn't stickthere, that may
be proof of a cheap, -and temporary - repair
with putty. Look under the carpet too. Fixing
rust damage is difficult and costly.

3. stains on the upholstery or carpeting and
a moldy smell are signs of a rain leak - another
problem that can be hard to fix.

4. look under the car. Oil or coolant drips could
indicate a serious problem

5. try all the controls and displays. And make
sure all lights are working.

6. when you turn on the ignition, make sure the
"check engine" light comes on. If it doesn't, it may
have been disconnected to cover up an emissions
(muffler) problem.

7. On a level road, the car should track straight,
without constant steering correction. Pulling could
mean a body that's badly twisted - from a crash.


8. On a quiet street with no traffic nearby, step
harshly on the brakes. The car should stop
without pulling.

9. pull the automatic transmission dipstick.
the fluid should be cherry red, with no burnt
smell or bubbles on the dipstick. The transmission
should shift smoothly. A manual transmission should
not grind, and the clutch should engage smoothly.

10. accelerate in low gear to 15 miles per hour
Then release the accelerator, letthe speed drop
to about 5 miles per hour and floor the accelerator.
A cloud of blue smoke from the tailpipe is a sign
of an oil-burning engine. Lots of white smoke may
mean serious engine trouble, but a few wisps after
the engine starts is no worry (especially on a damp day)

New Model

3 - the Magic Number

The Three Series is BMW's most successful car,
as anyone casting an eye about Kingston's
motorways can confirm. Globally, the Three
(dubbed the E90 internally at BMW) accounts
for some 57% of sales. This, as someone close to
the local dealership said at the Jamaican launch
on Saturday (April 16), "this is the one car they
have to get right."

And judging from the looks from the enthusiasts
and would-be car buyers on hand, they have.
On the outside, the new 3 essentially sticks to the
design formula laid down over the last seveal years
but with a few modifications (an inset mount of the
famous kidney grille for one).

Inside the cosseted cocoon that is the interior,
wind noise and tyre noise has been virtually
eliminated, so the sensation of raw speed is
diminished, even at very rapid rates of transit.
The new model is also larger, boasting more
legroom than its predecessor, and has new
onboard electronics. BMW's now renowned
iDrive navigation system will also be available.

BMW will reportedly offer four body styles on
the new 3: the four-door sedan, the station wagon*
(*due to debut at the 2006 Geneva Auto show);
the coupe (Paris, 2006); the convertible
(scheduled to launch at the 2007 Detroit
auto show).

But the real star of the new 3 is the engine, or we
should say engines. This generation's engine
permutations do not disappoint. The six-cylinder
and four-cylinder offerings (the six is all-new)
come with substantial innovations.

Additionally, the new model features a central computer
system that can be updated with new features throughout
the car's life cycle, guarding against obsolescence.

Sterling Motors Marketing point-man Wayne Miller
was busy glad-handing and chatting with the likes of
Supt. Reneto Adams and others as the guests
imbibed drinks and enjoyed cocktails prepared for the
occasion - all in between test drives and tire-kicking.

The 3-series has long been a fixture on the 10-Best list of most
auto publications. The latest generation looks set to continue
that trend.

How to.....Buy a New Car

Buying a new car: it can be an ordeal. But then it doesn't have to be.
with a proper plan and knowledge of what's available, you can still get
the car you wnat, equipped the way you want it, at a fair price.

Below, the five (5) steps to blissed-out car buying:

1. Find out what the dealer paid for the car
Easier said than done in the Jamaican market, but
ascertaining the dealer price is critical to negotiation.
A good source is the Kelley Blue Book(check with JAMPRO), or you can
go on to the Consumer Reports website


2.Know Your Negotiating Room
Either of the documents mentioned
above will give you an idea of the leeway
you have between the dealer price and the
manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP)
or sticker price.


3. Always Bargain Up
Don't be intimidated by the salesperson.
Always baragin using the invoice price, never
down from the sticker price. If the car you
want is in tight supply, you may have to pay full price,
otherwise 10-15% over the invoice price is
reasonable for popular models.


4. Be wary
The sales manager or sales rep may try
to upsell you, that is persuade to try a higher-priced
model for the sake of added features. Don't jump
into these arrangements, they usually don't
provide the value you're expecting over the
long term.Weigh the dealer's terms carefully
and stick as close as possible to your guns.


5. Consider the trade-in
You'll need to have an idea of
your car's re-sale value. Find out
from the dealer their disposition to trade-ins
and then compare to open market prices (which
can be had by scanning the Auto Classifieds of
the Sunday papers)