Car Seat Buying Advice:

Choosing the Correct Car Seat

Choosing the correct car seat can often be very confusing as not only have you to ensure the correct size car seat for your child but that the car seat that you choose is also a correct fit for your car. Selecting a car seat that scores highly in the many test reports available is all very well but selecting a car seat that fits your car properly is probably the more important feature for your childs safety.

If you are in any doubt about which car seat is the correct fit for your car either visit our Just4Baby car seat fitting centre or consult the car seat manufacturers web site as many of the leading manufacturers such as Britax, Maxicosi and Renolux will have a Fit Finder guide detailing which of their car seats are most suitable for your model of car.

All child restraints sold in the UK must conform to the United Nations ECE Regulation R44.03 or later version of the standard and must be clearly marked.

Choosing a car seat that is suitable for your childs weight and height.

Group 0+ Infant Carriers

Group 0: for babies upto 10 kgs (22 lbs) approximately from birth to 6-9 months.

Group 0+: for babies upto 13 kg (29lbs) approximately from birth to 12-15 months.

This group of car seat can be used in the front or rear of the car but CANNOT be used in the front passenger seat if there is a passenger airbag. It is safer to put them in the rear. Rearward-facing seats provide greater protection for the baby's head, neck and spine than forward-facing seats.

Babies should be in a rearward facing car seat and should not be placed in a forward-facing seat until they weigh at least 9 kgs and can sit up unaided. Babies should be kept in a rearward-facing seat for as long as possible. Once your child is above the maximum weight for a rearward-facing seat or the top of their head is above the top of the seat they should be moved into a forward-facing seat. It is not important if their knees are bent in the seat, provided they are still within the seat's weight range.

Convenience factor with this stage of car seat is that most models will have a carry handle enabling you to easily remove and carry the baby without removing them from the car seat especially handy if the baby is asleep and may also fit onto corresponding pushchair converting it to a travel system.

Group 0+ and 1 Car Seats

Suitable for Babies upto 18kg, Birth to 4 years approximately.

Ideal car seats if you do not have to constantly remove them from car to car or car to home. They are a much larger seat designed to protect your baby from newborn to 4 years approximately. The car seat is used rearward facing when using for a baby up to 9kgs. The car seat can be used forward facing once the baby has reached 9 to 13kg weight. Baby does not have to be forward facing until they are 13 kgs. It is important to check that this style of child car seat is compatible with your vehicle when fitted forward AND rearward facing. You must never leave baby asleep unattended in any car.

Forward-facing child seat
Group 1: for children weighing 9-18 kgs (20-40 lbs) approximately from 9 months - 4 years. Once a child has outgrown a rearwards facing seat, the best option is to use a Group 1 seat with an integral harness, the large area of the harness helps to reduce the risk of injury if there is a crash. The bottom attachment between the legs will also prevent the child from sliding under, and out of the harness. They can be used in the front or rear of the car but it is safer to put them in the rear especially if there is a passenger airbag in the front. Once again it is safest to keep children in this type of car seat until they have outgrown it. Only move your child to a booster seat once they have exceeded the maximum weight for the child seat or the top of their head is higher than the top of the seat. If you intend to use this car seat between two cars please ensure that the model of car seat purchased is suitable for both cars. It maybe simpler to purchase two seats each one fitting the car perfectly rather than buying one seat which may not fit either car perfectly as great care is needed to follow the seat belt routings and tighten well. They can also be car specific for correct fitting and not every child seat fits every car.

With this in mind it maybe worth checking out ISOFIX fitting car seats. This is a system that is intended to make fitting child seats quick and simple. All new cars are manufactured with ISOFIX points built into them allowing ISOFIX child seats to be simply plugged into the ISOFIX points in the car. This is a very useful development as many people find it difficult to fit child seats correctly and many surveys have found that a high proportion of the child seats are not fitted securely enough. Most child seats are currently designed to be fitted by using a car's adult lap and diagonal seat belt (or sometimes, just a lap belt). However car seats, seat belts and their anchorages vary dramatically between different models of cars. Car seats have different shapes, some seat belts are much shorter than others, the position of the anchor points differs so some are further forward or have shorter stalks than others. All these factors make it virtually impossible to make a child car seat that fits all cars and sometimes tricky to fit a child car seat correctly.

ISOFIX car seats are designed to solve all these problems. The ultimate aim is that any ISOFIX child car seat you buy will fit your car simply by plugging it into the ISOFIX points. The other benefit of ISOFIX is that it will create a rigid link between the child seat and the car to provide extra solidity. It is important to make sure that any ISOFIX seats that you use in the vehicle are approved for it. It is not yet the case that any ISOFIX seat will fit in every car with ISOFIX points. To fit an ISOFIX seat into some cars you may either to use a top tether kit or an ISOFIX car seat that has a drop down leg to stabilise the car seat to the car floor. Please ensure your car is suitable for whichever seat you choose by consulting the relevant manufacturers web site.

Group 2 Child Car Seats: for children weighing 15-25kgs (33-55lbs) from 4 to 10 years approximately.

If your child is over the 25kgs weight but is below 135cm in height it is recommended that the child remain in the seat. The majority of Stage 2 seats have a height adjustable back to allow you to gradually change the height of the back as your child grows; this also changes the height and angle of the seat belt, keeping it constantly in the optimum safest position. These seats do not have to be fitted to each car and will generally fit all vehicles without too many problems - sports car owners with bucket seats will need to choose a seat with a small base.

Group 1 & 2 Child Car Seats:

Suitable for children weighing 9-36kgs (20-80lbs) from 9 months to 12 years approximately or up to 135cms.

There is now a greater choice of car seats in this range than ever before. The car seat will include a child harness to be used up to 15-18kgs then the harness can be removed and the child seat can then use the adult car seat belt with most of these seats having an adjuster or seat belt guide so that the belt does not rub on the childs neck. The back rest of these seats will be height adjustable with some even having width adjustment as well.

Group 3 Child Car Seats:

Usually Suitable for children of 22kgs (48lbs) or 6 years upwards.

This child seat raises the height of the child so they can use the adult seat belt in the correct position.

WARNING:

No child seat is escape proof as harness systems are not designed to be completely child proof in order to comply with the legal requirements of ECE R44. The harness must be fastened and adjusted correctly with children encouraged to sit within the car seats harness.

If child seat has been involved in an accident or sustained any damage whatsoever it must be replaced immediately. Any damage to the car seat is not always visible such as the harness which is designed to stretch helping to prevent damage to the childs internal organs. This can only happen once with any further impact leaving the harness with no more stretch thus risking injury to the child.

This is why you should never use a second hand car seat.

If you allow your child to eat and drink in the car seat please ensure that you keep the buckle of the childs car seat clean as any food or drink that finds its way in may prevent the buckle and harness from working properly.

Author by Nishik

Nishik is an expert in baby car seat buying advice and tips.
Other baby and nursery furniture and products guides are also available.


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Car Rental & the Environment

With the environment such a hot topic around the world and especially in the transport industry, there are companies that are embracing new environmentally friendly technology. Hybrid Cars and ever increasingly fuel efficient diesel cars are becoming more available to mainstream motorists. I used to work for a corporate travel company and many of the major corporations were requesting the inclusion of Hybrid cars in their contracts. This was more to do with increasing business opportunities by being seen to be green as opposed to wanting to be green!

The question arises when people travel and want to maintain their commitment to the green cause. Car Rental companies will be the ones providing these vehicles... or will they?

I have chosen (for the Australia traveller) major car companies that you can book 'green cars' with. Working for DriveAway Holidays here in Australia, the most common request is for diesel cars. This is driven out of cost concerns and also the occasional environmental concern. (Shouldn't it be the other way around??)

First off the rank is Avis Rental Cars.

In Australia, the group L car will give you a Toyota Hybrid. This car is the favorite for the car rental companies due to it being built by Toyota.

In the UK, there doesn't appear to be any green cars, although there may be diesel cars on fleet, Avis don't make them easy to find.

In the USA, like Australia, the Toyota Hybrid under group XG is available.

Second off the cab rank is Hertz Rental Cars.

In Australia, like Avis, the Toyota Hybrid is the car of choice. Book a group G and you will get this car.

In the UK, Hertz has a range of fuel efficient diesels on fleet but no hybrids. This seems to be a common factor in the UK. Being an expat, I know that Toyota car prices in the UK are reasonably expensive compared to other european manufactured vehicles

In the USA, Hertz has a range of Hybrids, although on some of the cars, I couldn't tell if they were Hybrid or not.

Now, all credit to Hertz as they do promote their green cars as part of their Green Fleet. Avis don't appear to market their green cars in any way, which is a shame.

Third on the cab rank is Europcar Rental Cars.

Again, unlike Hertz, they appear not to promote their green fleet. Looking at their Australia Fleet guide, they have the regular passenger vehicles such as Small, Medium, Large, Prestige, Minivans, Sport, 4WD. Europcar list the green car as part of there regular fleet, however, it does have it's unique identifier (IHAR) in Australia.

In the UK, Europcar doesn't appear to have any green offerings. Maybe it's something you can request at pick up. Personally, if I could book a green car over the internet, I would do so with a company that offered that service.

In the USA, I chose LAX as Europcar have a limited presence. There were no cars I could find that looked green.

To Europcar's defence, in other parts of Europe where they are particularly strong, one is able to guarantee a diesel for an extra few euros per day.

In this brief look, Hertz appears to be the only car rental company that is actively promoting green cars. Avis & Europcar seem to be a bit hap hazard in their approach to a green fleet. Whilst it may be a case of logistics and a supply issue, there is no reason why they couldn't promote their green cars.
I am sure that in 12 months time, the situation will be that every car rental company will be actively marketing green cars. The consumer can currently offset their CO2 emissions in the various transport sectors and I am sure that the car rental industry will follow suit in the near future.

The Environment is a marketers dream and I do think that some of the car rental companies have missed the boat so far. Hopefully their marketing departments will wake up and smell the cleaner air..

Author by Car Guru

Car Guru writes for DriveAway Holidays, DriveAway Holidays New Zealand and DriveAway Holidays Blog


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Car Rental in Italy

My family decided to visit Europe when we found out my sister was chosen to go on a trip to France for the World Cup in 2008 with DriveAway Holidays, sponsored by Peugeot. We thought we would join her in Italy - I can’t let my sister have all the fun now can I?

I have to admit the flight felt like it was never going to end and was very tiring, but when we finally arrived in Rome we were all excited again. We collected our car from Rome Fiumicino Airport and the Europcar depot was easily found with numerous signs pointing us in the right direction.

After the papers were signed and completed, we found our vehicle and to our surprise we were upgraded to a sporty Alfa Romeo Station Wagon so we were ready to drive in luxury like Italians in our Italian car. Our confidence was knocked a little though when we struggled trying to find our way out of the parking lot! Who would have thought it would be so complicated?

Luckily we hired the Seymour GPS which definitely saved a lot of time and fights! The GPS made our driving and traveling a lot smoother and more straight forward, which is exactly what you need on a holiday. Rome was truly spectacular with lots of historical attractions and museums to visit. My sister got engaged in the St Pietro Cathedral while we were there which made the trip even more special. It was very romantic and sure did bring tears to my eyes!

My favourite attraction in Rome was the Trevi fountain. The tradition is to toss a coin in the fountain to make a wish, and then toss a second coin to one day return to Italy. Hope it works!

From Rome we drove to Naples and with the help of our GPS, driving wasn’t as hard as we first thought. Soon we were used to the crazy speeds on the motorways and driving on the wrong side of the road, it all didn’t seem so strange anymore. In Naples we booked the Amalfi Coast tour and the views were truly beautiful. In Positano, we sampled the strong taste of the famous Italian liquor Limoncelo and some mouth watering local chocolates.

From Naples we drove on to Milan for an overnight stay and then continued to Florence. Florence was remarkable and we were all amazed at the famous artworks. I studied these works in high school so it was pretty amazing to stand right in front of them. I absolutely loved Michelangelo’s David statue, if I had the chance I would have stared at it all day!

Our car rental experience ended in Venice at the Pizzale Roma near the ferry terminal. After all our shopping, our luggage seemed a lot heavier than we expected but we managed to drag them along.

Venice was my favourite place in Italy. Ancient buildings built on top of water, it was so unique and wonderful. We had the chance to take a ride on the gondolas through the canals and under the bridges and we chose the perfect timing as it was sunset. Our hotel was right beside Louis Vuitton and Prada so we did lots of window shopping!

After Venice we booked a flight to Paris. The Eiffel Tower was our favourite attraction and when we reached the top, there were amazing views of the city. Although it was very crowded with tourists due to the World Cup, it was definitely worthwhile, we were so overwhelmed with the views that the crowds didn’t really bother us. At night the Eiffel Tower lit up with lazer light shows and in the colours of the World Cup winner, South Africa, which was pretty amazing.

The car rental in Italy gave us the freedom to explore many towns and hidden gems between our destinations. It was sheer pleasure driving a luxury car in Italy with the help of our handy little friend the Seymour GPS. I highly recommend a car hire and GPS system to anyone traveling overseas. This was a family holiday that was exhausting with the numerous attractions we saw in a limited time, but it was a beautiful experience, one I hope I am able to experience again.



Author by Car Guru
Car Guru writes for DriveAway Holidays, DriveAway Holidays New Zealand and DriveAway Holidays Blog


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Car Rental Faqs - Part 2

Q. What does “car type” or similar mean?
A. Car rental companies can never guarantee a specific model or car. When renting a car, companies will give you an idea of what you can expect – you may get the car type that was advertised or you may get one similar in size or model.

Q. How old are rental cars?
A. Depends on the car rental company. Larger suppliers like Hertz and Avis carry cars on their fleet that are about 3-4 months old. Smaller companies can carry cars up to 4 years old.

Q. Can baby seats be requested?
A. Yes, the majority of car rental companies do carry baby or booster seats and can be requested before collection.

Q. What happens if my rental car breaks down?
A. Most car rental companies should include 24 hour roadside assistance in the rental rate. If you do break down, help is only a phone call away.

Q. Can I pick up a rental car in one city and drop it off in another?
A. This is known as a one way rental. It depends on the supplier and the country – sometimes a fee will apply. Ask when booking!

Q. Can cars be driven into countries other than the country the vehicle is collected in?
A. In most cases, yes but conditions and restrictions do apply. In Europe, there are restrictions about travelling into Eastern Europe and some vehicles cannot be driven in Italy. In the USA, cars cannot be driven into Mexico. Always check at the time of booking.

Q. Are there age restrictions on drivers?
A. Yes. Maximum and minimum ages vary depending on suppliers and car type. Additional fees may also apply for younger or older drivers.

Q. Can anyone drive the rental car?
A. Additional drivers must be added to the rental contract before collection. There may be a fee for additional drivers.

Q. Can my prepaid rental be extended after the vehicle is collected?
A. Yes. In most cases, the renter pays the supplier directly for any extensions. However, this is at the local rate which is often higher than the pre-paid rate.

Q. What do I do if I return the vehicle early?

A. This is possible, however no refund of unused rental days is allowed by the car rental companies.

Author by Car Guru

Car Guru writes for DriveAway Holidays, DriveAway Holidays New Zealand and DriveAway Holidays Blog



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Car Rental Faqs - Part 1

Q. Why take a ‘driving holiday’?
A. A drive holiday gives you the freedom and flexibility to decide on where you travel and what you see and do. You are in charge of how much time you wish to spend at a particular attraction. You have the independence to move around as much or as little as you like. A drive holiday allows you to discover so much more as a car will allow you to drive through the little villages in out of the way places.

Q. How is car rental charged?
A. Car rental is based on 24 hour periods and charged accordingly. If you pick up a car at 9am on Thursday and return at 9am the following day, this is one 24 hour period and therefore a one day booking.

Q. Is it cheaper to pre-book my car rental or should I book when I arrive?
A. Pre-booking will save you money almost every time! With a wholesaler like DriveAway Holidays, you receive the benefit of our purchasing power. Our prices with the major car rental suppliers are considerably lower than walking in off the street in a foreign country to rent a car. In addition you are pre-paying in Australian dollars so the risk of fluctuations in the currency are reduced.

Q. How does a prepaid rental work?
A. The booking is made in advance, paid for and a voucher is issued. The voucher is then used as payment when you go to pick up the car from the supplier.

Q. What additional extras will I have to pay?
A. It depends on what the rental covers. DriveAway Holidays in most cases include all mandatory charges, like road taxes or airport surcharges. Many optional charges are applicable such as young or additional drivers, Insurance Excess Reduction or extra equipment like child seats. Be sure to check out rate inclusions – first when you are choosing your vehicle online and when you have made your booking (the inclusions will be on your voucher)

Q. What happens when I pick up the car?
A. Present the rental voucher, a valid drivers license and a credit card for a security deposit. Any additional charges will be explained as well as the conditions of the rental. A signature will be required to accept or decline additional charges and to acknowledge that the rental conditions are understood.

Q. What does the supplier do with the renters credit card?
A. It varies depending on the supplier – they may freeze a specific amount as a deposit, an imprint may be taken as a deposit or an amount may be charged to cover the security deposit and then refunded on the return of the vehicle. In some instances the bond can be paid in cash – check with the supplier/broker when you book.

Q. Will there be fuel in the vehicle?
A. Yes, there should be enough to get you on your way. Different companies have different policies regarding fuel – most will supply a full tank and require the car to be returned with a full tank of fuel, otherwise the renter is charged the difference. Some companies provide minimum fuel and is to returned as the renter wishes.

Q. What is a Pre-Paid Fuel Option?
A. Most car rental companies provide a full tank of fuel and will charge you for re-fuelling the vehicle if it is not returned with a full tank. By accepting a Pre-paid fuel option you are agreeing to pay a pre-determined price for fuel regardless of whether you return the vehicle with a full, partially full or empty tank. This means you won’t need to search for a petrol station before you return the car, but there is no refund for any fuel remaining in the tank.

Q. Should I check out the condition of the rental car before driving away?
A. Yes, it is a good idea to check the vehicle before you leave the depot. Any damage or unusual dents/scratches should be noted on the contract before leaving.

Look out for our 2nd part of car rental FAQs!

Author by Car Guru

Car Guru writes for DriveAway Holidays, DriveAway Holidays New Zealand and DriveAway Holidays Blog


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Car Loans Online - Your Guide for Online Car Loans

If you are in a position to get yourself a secured bad credit used car loan then you will more than likely be able to get yourself a used car that you desire within one working business days simply because the financial company that is issuing you the loan in the first place is assuming less risk because you are providing collateral on the face of being bad credit used car the first place. A secured bad credit used car loan essentially means that you have to put down some sort of collateral that has equity built up into extras a home or another vehicle in order for you to assume the risk of the loan before you can be given. This means you need to make sure that you have a steady source of income in order to pay down the debt of your Online Car Loans because if you start to miss payments or they have paid in full on time each and every month you also assume the risk of losing the collateral then the first place. The other option is to get yourself a unsecured version of the back credit used car loan in which you as a consumer will assume less of a risk since you are no longer putting up collateral for the loan, however, the back or used car loan financing company assumes even more risk which means that you need to deal the proof your monthly income as well as more than likely having to pay an additional fee points of interest on the back or used car loan itself in order to make it work.

Additionally, definitely in a position where you really having established credit or you have a bad credit history, getting yourself a Car Loans Online for bad credit is going to give you the opportunity to work on improving your credit lot the same time giving you the vehicle you need to get from place to place. As long as you make your payments on time and full each and every month your credit score will steadily increase which means by the time your bad credit used car loan is paid off you'll be in a position to get a much better rate of interest on your next used car loan that you decide to go about taking our any other type of financial purchase that you are looking to get for yourself as well.

A car loan is simply a way for you to go about paying for the car that you are looking to purchase. You are going to take out a car loan from a financial lending company and bring it to the car dealership with you. The reason for going about doing this is because the moment that you bring your own Used Car Loans to a car dealership you are then considered what is known as any cash buyer in that you can buy the car pretty much out right from them just as if you are paying for it in cash in the first place. You can then you should car finance in order to either buy the car that you want from them or you can also use it to lease a car through them.

Author by Car Loans

Car money real fast provides exceptional Online Car Loans services for the people of all credit situations including bad credit. Get car loans online now though you have bed credit.Car Money Real Fast offers a variety of Used Car Loans at relative low interest rates. Get the best used car loan low prices with easy instant approval basis.


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Car Lease Questions - How To Do A Car Lease Swap

If you have a car lease and are looking for a way to drive something different, you do not have to turn the car into the dealer, incur a penalty and then lease another car. You can participate in a car lease swap. A car lease swap is when you exchange your car lease for another lease on a different car. It does not necessarily mean that the person whose lease you assume takes your car. A car lease swap takes place at car lease depots that allow for lease assumptions.

Leasing a car is something that many people like to do because it is not as expensive as buying a car. The monthly payments are lower in a leased car than in a car that you purchase. When the lease expires, you have the option of purchasing the vehicle for the then value or you can turn the car back in. Leasing a car is also considered to be a smart idea for those who own their own business or use their car for business purposes because of the tax incentive.

The standard car lease is for three years. Many people, after a year or so, decide that they would rather drive another car but feel that they cannot get out of the lease. Most lease holders will have a penalty included if you break your lease early. This keeps many people in their cars longer than they want.

A car lease swap gives you the option to get out of your car lease early, without incurring a penalty. You simply list your car lease available for a car lease swap and get someone else to take over the lease payments for you. You can just give up your car or you can get another car lease that is more suitable to you.

For example, you may want to do a car lease swap if your circumstances have changed. You may have signed a car lease for a car that was very luxurious but found that you can no longer afford to make payments. Rather than incurring a penalty for turning in the car and ending the car lease early, you can use the car lease swap program and get a less expensive car. This can work vice versa for you as well, depending on your circumstances.

A car lease swap also entitles you to get a lease with a shorter term so that you can get out of the car lease sooner. Many people find that their change of circumstances means that they need to only lease a car for a certain period of time. You can get a short car lease term when you participate in a car lease swap.

If you have a car lease and no longer want to drive the car or cannot afford the lease, you can opt for a car lease swap and get a lower monthly payment without incurring a penalty for breaking the lease early when you use a site that allows you to swap car leases.

Author by Vikram Kumar

Those who wish to get a car lease or participate in a Car lease swap have more options today than ever. One way to find out the best leases available in your price range is to check out Car Lease Depot.


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Car Insurance – How to Compare Rates From Multiple Companies Instantly

The reason we compare car insurance quotes from multiple car insurance companies is to make sure we‘re getting the best rates possible. Of course nobody wants to pay more money than they have to, but in the other hand we also want to make sure that our car insurance company is going to respond quickly and fairly in case of an accident.

What is unknown to many is that there is not one single car insurance company that is cheaper than others. One particular car insurance company can be the cheapest for one person but the most expensive for another. Each car insurance company has a certain category of drivers they want to insure. If you fit their category they will offer you a cheap rate, if you don’t, they will offer you an expensive rate. That is their way of filtering the people they want and do not want to insure. That is the reason we need to compare insurance rates from multiple car insurance companies, to find out which company will offer us the cheapest rate. The key is to find the company that offers the cheapest rate for you, but of course, it is important to compare rates from quality companies only.

There are many quality car insurance companies out there; however, some of those quality companies also have a high price to go along with them. How do we find a quality company for a cheap price? That, my friend, is the key question.

The traditional method of shopping for car insurance is to call around which we all know can be a long process. Another drawback of shopping for car insurance by phone is the probability of getting caught with the old “bait and hook” trick. That is when someone gives you a low quote by phone and hikes it up on you when you go into their office to purchase the car insurance policy.

In today’s world, luckily, we have the internet. The internet makes life a lot easier for all of us. Using the internet, we can shop for many types of things we may need which include shopping for car insurance.

Shopping for car insurance online is the best way to compare rates from multiple car insurance companies. Online, you can also read about a company’s history and make sure they’re a quality company. Most companies offer instant online car insurance quotes thorough their websites which makes obtaining car insurance quotes a lot easier than the traditional method of shopping by phone. Better yet, there are some websites that offer online car insurance quotes from multiple companies with one simple process. You can even purchase your car insurance online if you like the price. One such website is OnlineAutoInsurance.com. There, you can obtain quotes from quality companies such as Progressive, AIG, Infinity, GMAC, Bristol West, and several more. All with one simple process!



Author by Online Car Insurance
OnlineAutoInsurance.com provides online car insurance to all United States. One simple process will get you quotes from top insurance companies like Progressive, GMAC, AIG, Infinity and more!


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Car Insurance Best Rates

Saving money on car insurance requires a combination of techniques that improve your insurability, decrease the rate of insurance for your vehicles, and provide you with a unique advantage when it comes to purchasing car insurance.

This article will outline seven techniques that will ensure that you receive the lowest possible car insurance rates.

1 - Choosing the Best Insurer

Cost is certainly one factor when considering car insurance, but your insurer selection should be weighted more heavily on reliability. You could easily call a number of insurance companies, ask for quotes, and simply select the lowest bidder. However, even if the lowest cost insurer saves you hundreds of dollars a year in premium payments, that savings does you no good if you find yourself in an accident, needing car repairs or medical attention, with an unreliable and unresponsive insurance company. A good company is crucial. It's not just about car insurance best rates.

#2 - Customize Your Policy

Before you begin calling around, it's important that you determine the level of insurance coverage you need. Not everyone's insurance needs are the same. Some families own two or three very expensive vehicles, while other families own only older used cars. Some people are members of AAA, while others are not. The specific terms of a policy should be determined by your life situation and the value of the items being insured.

#3 - How to Become Highly Insurable

Whether you've already purchased car insurance, or you are getting ready to start looking, one of the best things you can do to obtain the lowest possible rates is to improve those things that car insurance companies look at when they calculate your insurance premium. There are several things you can do in the short term to improve your insurability standing, and there are also things you can do over the long term to improve it as well. This section will describe four major elements of this technique to save money on your car insurance.

#4 - Reduce Your Car's Insurance Rate

Another extremely effective technique to obtain the lowest possible insurance rate is to improve those things about your car which car insurance companies value the most when they calculate your insurance premium. There are several things that you can do before buying a car that will dramatically decrease your insurance premium. If you've already bought a car, however, and are looking for ways to decrease your existing insurance costs, there are still methods you can use that will substantially cut your premium costs.

#5 - Gaming the System

In addition to all of the techniques already listed in this article, there are also additional ways that you can use the insurance industries rating rules and premium calculation system in ways that will reduce your costs. Again, use the industry's rules to get car insurance best rates.

#6 - Constantly Update Your Policy

One of the most important things that you can do to keep your insurance premium at a minimum is to always remember to update your insurance provider of any changes in your life that can reduce your insurance costs. Forgetting to do this can be very costly.

#7 - Deciding on Liability Only

There comes a point in the life of a car when the decision needs to be made whether or not it is worthwhile to maintain collision and comprehensive insurance coverage.

Getting Rock Bottom Insurance Rates

If you carefully follow each of the sections outlined in this guide, you are guaranteed to receive the lowest possible insurance rates for anyone within your calculated risk bracket. No one should ever overpay for car insurance - especially given the fact that there are so many insurers in the industry competing for your business.

Most people overpay for car insurance out of sheer laziness. However the consumer that understands how car insurance works, and is clever enough to take advantage of all of its loopholes, will save significantly on their premium in the long run.

Before you step foot into another insurance office, or visit another insurance website, make sure to print this guide and follow it carefully in order to ensure that you get the best insurance deal possible. Remember, car insurance best rates are achievable.

Author by The Internet Car Guy

Getting Rock Bottom Insurance Rates

You can view a more detailed version of this article at Car Insurance Best Rates.

7 Sure Fire Tactics To Save You Money On Car Insurance

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Car Hire in New Zealand

I had just got back from my own holiday to Bali when I arrived at work and they announced I was off to New Zealand with three of my colleagues. What a way to come back from one holiday and find out your going on another!

The trip started with a slight hiccup. Our flight was delayed, which is the last thing you need when you’re at the airport after a busy morning at work, which also meant we would be late in picking up our rental car. We then had to call work and asked them to call New Zealand to make sure the depot knew we would be late. One of the benefits of working for a car rental wholesaler!

About an hour later, we finally left and we were up in the air. It was a smooth flight and we arrived in Christchurch about 11pm. After collecting our bags, we went straight to the Hertz desk to be met by a friendly employee who was more than helpful.

After the formalities of signing the rental agreement and getting the keys, we were then given a local map of the south island and a city map of Christchurch. The employee even highlighted how we were to get to our hotel in the centre of Christchurch.

The car was in the car park, so away we went to find the car. We thought she said it was behind the police station and we were looking for quite a while, until it dawned on me that she had actually said pay station; we had misunderstood her kiwi accent!

We eventually got to the hire car and it was a premium wagon with automatic transmission and it was nearly brand new, similar to a Ford Territory wagon. It came with heating, air-conditioning, radio, electric windows and heaps of room enough to relax while being one of the passengers in the car.

We decided to use our Seymor GPS which we nicknamed “Moaning Myrtle”. We waited for the satellites to load on the Seymor GPS and then we were off to our hotel in Christchurch. It was cold and dark but we trusted our Seymor GPS and arrived stress free to the Rydges Hotel.

For the next week the Seymor GPS and rental car were our life savers. It got us to all the destinations and sightseeing attractions and even got us from Christchurch to Queenstown in one piece.

I would recommend hiring a car and taking the trusty Seymor GPS with you next time you go on a driving holiday.

DriveAway Holidays offer GPS rental and car hire in New Zealand.

Author by Car Guru

Car Guru writes for DriveAway Holidays and DriveAway Holidays Blog


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Car Finance Loan – Get Your Car Finance Now

If you are finally finding yourself in a position where you would like to get yourself a car in the world of today thing you are going to realize that you are going to need to see it as much of your hard earned and precious time as well as a finance is for you to go about getting one. It really is not an option for you go about getting yourself a car just straight up out of your bank account as most people do not have that much disposal income laying around for such big purchases. The solutions this is to get yourself a Car Finance Loan through the use of an Internet website. So when you realize is comes the point where you should be looking for a very good deal on getting yourself a Car Finance Loan, getting yourself one through a vast array of different financial lending institutions that are on the Internet is going to empower you with the ability to get yourself a great deal on any low interest car loan without having to expend as much time and energy like it would take for you go from one bank to another bank or from one car dealership lot to another car dealership lot for all of the information is required to make a educated decision on what we give you the best possible solution.

When you decide to go about getting yourself a inexpensive low interest New Car Loans and it is going to allow you to get yourself a preapproval noticed in a very timely manner as well as saving an un heard of unknown of your time and energy simply because you had to go about filling out stacks and stacks of the paper work as well as terms and conditions that you go about doing if you're to go about getting yourself a used a car finance through a bank or a car dealership. While this is not only the case, your also to be able to acquire self with a low interest car loan in only a matter of one day for you to be able to get your preapproval noticed when you go about getting yourself your low interest car loan online through the CarMoneyRealFast.

Author by Car Loans

Car money real fast provides exceptional Car Finance services for the people of all credit situations including bad credit. Get car loans online now though you have bed credit.Car Money Real Fast offers a variety of New Car Finance at relative low interest rates. Get the best used car loan low prices with easy instant approval basis.



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Car Finance Company With Bad Credit!

Have your attempts to avail a car loan failed due to a bad credit score? You need not worry if you are finding it difficult to avail loans. There are many lenders offering car loans to bad credit scorers too. These lenders don't differentiate between borrowers with good and bad credit score. Approaching a car finance company with bad credit can help avail a loan quickly.

This kind of car loan company, offers loans exclusively to those who are running on bad credit but wish to buy a car of their own. This kind of loan can be availed by people with CCJ's, discharged bankrupts, low credit scores as well as good credit scorers. There are numerous lenders offering such loans. Lenders also willingly offer loans at a favourable rate of interest. The lenders will take into consideration the credit score of the borrower and offer a loan that suits their needs most. A borrower can also repay the loan in easy installments.

A borrower can also look online to avail loans. One can comparer various car loan rates and choose the one that suits the personal needs most. This gives an opportunity to choose from a wide range of car loans. You can even get best car loan online. This type of car loan is available at a favourable rate of interest. It can also be repaid in easy installments. An affordable car loan will also reduce the burden of the borrower to a large extent. There are various reputed lenders offering loans at attractive rates. If you wish to change your car and buy a new one, you can avail a car loan and buy a car. You can replace your old car and drive home a new car. You can enjoy a choice of finance options, which don't weigh heavy on your pocket.

A car finance company can help avail a car loan quickly. Various car finance companies are offering car loans at competitive rates. Depending upon your personal needs and the amount of loan you wish to borrow, you can avail a car loan. Some financiers also offer:

• Low Documentation car loans
  

  Bad credit car loans

  New and used car loans

  Car finance companies can help get the required amount of car loan quickly. They specialise in providing car loans to those in need. They can also help get a car loan at a lower rate of interest. Besides, this they can also provide guidance on choosing a suitable car.

Author by Sadhana Dhanyal
Sadhana D, Expert Author, Platinum Status. For more information: Best Car Loan
Further information on :Car Finance Company


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Car Finance Company – Find Out How They Can Help You!

Not everyone can afford to buy a car. Due to soaring prices and also at times shortage of funds people find it hard to buy a car. People who cannot afford to buy a car can opt for loans. Approaching a car finance company can help immensely. These companies are well equipped to help those in need. They can provide the required finance to buy a car. You can use the loan to either buy a used or a new car. The loan lenders can also help avail a car loan at a lower rate of interest.

The loan lenders can guide you to get a suitable car loan that suits your personal needs most. You need not pay a hefty mount of interest on the car loan. You can avail a car loan at a lower rate of interest too. It will no more be a dream to won a car. Buying the car of your choice is made easy through loans. Even with a bad credit score, you can avail a car loan. Bad credit car loan is suitable for those are running on a bad credit and wish to avail a car loan.

If you can afford to pledge some valuable asset as collateral against the loan, you can easily get a secured car loan. This will also help you avail loans at a lower rate of interest. You can also repay the car loan in easy monthly installments. Herein, you can also offer the car as security against the loan. Secured car loans also include on-road expenses such as the registration, insurance to protect you against disability, death or unemployment.

You can avail this kind of car loan for a period of one to seven years and the interest rate will be lower than that for an unsecured car finance. By repaying the loan on time, you can get the loan approved quickly. This will also help get rid of the loan soon. The rate of interest on the loan is dependent on the credit score of the borrower. Approaching car loan lenders will help avail a car loan of your choice. You can also look online to get a car loan approved fast. The processing is fast and there is not much documentation involved. Securing a car loan is not very difficult. The financial experts can help get a car loan quickly.

Author by Sadhana Dhanyal

Sadhana D, Expert Author, Platinum Status. For more information :Secured Car Loan
Further information on :Car Loan


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Car Dealer Scams and How to Avoid Them

When you are looking to buy a car with bad or poor credit it doesn't leave buyers with lots of options. Occasionally their only choice for finding a lender

for their new car purchase is through a car dealer loan.

Car dealership loan deals are not as bad as a lot of people may think. However, it is certainly true that they may hide a lot of surprises so if you are in fact planning to use a Car Credit Loan you should be extra vigilant.

The first thing that you need to watch out for is if the interest rate happens to be fixed. By fixed I mean that it's clearly stated in your contract and that all of it is written in a way that it wouldn't allow the car dealership to change it at a later date. What lots of car dealerships tend to do is approve your car loan application, have you sign the documents, and hand you over the car. After that later on they just give you a phone call and state that in fact you do not qualify for the loan because you have poor credit (which is something you already knew to begin with) and that you must pay higher interest rates in order to keep the car. If you fall into this situation you should try to either find a loan from another lender or report the scam and fight back.

Another extremely popular scam done by car dealers is to make you look for a cosigner for your loan convincing you that this is the absolutely only way that you can get financing since you have a terrible credit history. It won't be difficult to convince you at all. First of all it sounds pretty reasonable and second of all the car dealer will cause you to believe that this will in fact repair your poor credit profile. Later on you will discover that your name isn't including in the loan documents and that the loan is in the name of the cosigner only even though you are paying it . Not only is this illegal but it also may lead to serious penalties but it's not helping your poor credit at all. If a dealerhship offers such a thing you absolutely must refuse.

If you're a poor credit consumer and have difficulties in finding a good loan, it's pretty obvious that you shouldn't overstretch yourself. What this mean is to buy a reasonably priced vehicle and not to buy into all of the extras like the extended warranties for example. However, many different Bad Credit Auto Loan will end up trying to trick you by making you believe that you must buy a warranty that will increase your loan just to qualify. Since you are in a desperate situation you would end up saying Ok. However, if you for one second think about it, you can plain as day see this is simply a trick to increase your loan costs.

Author by Car Loans

CarLoan123.net is car loan company which provides Car Finance and Used Car Loan with bad credit.People with bad credit and very poor credit are being accepted & allowed to drive away in the car of their dreams, because they applied online to get approved by competitive lenders at low interest rates. Get the best Used Car Loan at low prices with easy instant approval basis.


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Car Choice Reflects Presidential Vote

As we await the results of the biggest US Presidential Election we have ever seen, I have found an interesting article on how car choice reflects how Americans vote.

Kelley Blue Book Market Research surveyed almost 12,000 US car owners and how they planned to vote in the election. They found that owners of larger trucks and traditional luxury cars are more likely to vote for John McCain, while owners of hybrids and station wagons are more likely to vote for Barack Obama.

Backers of Arizona senator McCain typically own American brands – GMC (61%), Chevrolet (60%), Buick and Dodge (58%). McCain voters are also more likely to drive luxury brands like Lexus and BMW.

Barack Obama followers prefer imported vehicles, with the most popular being the Mini with 70%, Subaru (61%) and Saab (59%).

McCain supporters are most likely to drive full size trucks and SUVs, while Obama voters drive station wagons, hatchbacks and hybrids.

Rick Wainschel from Kelley Blue Book said "Car ownership says a lot about a person, and can even be an indicator who they are likely to vote for”. I do agree with this to an extent. While all this data may seem like a sweeping generalisation, some of it does make sense.

Sales of domestic and large trucks (McCain) are higher in traditionally Republican ‘red’ states whilst import and hybrid owners are predominantly located in Democratic ‘blue’ states.

Wired Blog claims all American brands like GMC and Chevrolet, as favoured by McCain followers, represent a blue collar ethic and fit with McCain’s image as a war hero with years of experience.

Throughout the campaign, Obama has stressed the importance of renewable energy, so it’s not surprising that eco-conscious hybrid car owners would vote for him.

So while some of it makes sense, I’m sure there are a lot of exceptions to the rule. I imagine a lot of American car choices reflect personal budgets and need for space rather than their voting preference.




Author by Car Guru
Car Guru writes for DriveAway Holidays, DriveAway Holidays New Zealand and DriveAway Holidays Blog


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Car Aution Websites Reviewed - a List of the Top Three Car Auction Websites

Before I get too much into the nitty gritty of my car auction website reviews, I want you to understand that all three of the car auction websites I have listed here are excellent and I highly recommend them all. These are definitely the three top car auction websites in my opinion. Listed in no particular order:

1. Gov-Auctions.Org
   
   This is a great car auction website. This website has a ton of auctions that they pull their inventory from. The types of auctions represented here are local and national government agencies. This site is a very good one to start with. You definitely can't go wrong with this site. They also give you a lot of free bonuses with your membership, so definitely check this one out.


2. SeizeCars.Com
   
   Another great car auction website. I actually like the look and feel of this website better than the first one I mentioned. Again, this website pulls from a bunch of auctions. They also offer a bonus of foreclosure information if that is something you want to get into, so this site is also definitely worth a look.


3. AmericanCarBargains.Com
   
   Buy cars cheap is the montra of this car auction website, and you can definitely get cheap cars here. Another can't miss car auction website with a very easy to navigate and use website. This may be the easiest website of the three to use and is definitely worth checking out.

Again, these are not all the car auction websites out there, but these are three of the best and easiest websites I have found. I hope you will also find these beneficial to you.

Author by The Internet Car Guy

Are you confused by all the car auction websites out there? Confused about the differences between them all? Are you perhaps skeptical if these sites really work?

Check out my squidoo lens for more in depth information and reviews.



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Buy Cars Cheap Online Using Car Auction Websites

The "Big Three", Chrysler, General Motors and Ford Motor Company, have been on capital hill begging for some of the bailout money that was set aside about three months ago now. How ironic is it that everyone is so eager or willing to bail out banks that have horrible business models, have made terrible mistakes, refuse to make wholesale changes, and yet people seem so reluctant to help the manufacturing backbone of this country and perhaps the world? Oh but I digress... So regardless of how we got here, or what is being done to fix things, this is actually a phenomenal time for an individual that may be in the market to purchase a new or pre-owned vehicle.

Obviously, manufacturers, both domestic and foreign, have large surpluses that they are trying to reduce. So rebates and incentives are quite large right now. Additionally but unfortunately, because of the economy, more and more individuals are forced to have their car repossessed. This creates a surplus of vehicles at wholesale auctions. This is where you get to take advantage of surpluses that drive prices down and give you a tremendous value on that next vehicle you are looking for.

Increasingly, sites similar to Seize Cars.com are becoming popular places for car shoppers who are doing more and more of their car shopping online. Sites like these are giving you a fabulous opportunity to purchase a previously owned vehicle at a tremendous price. But buyers beware, not all sites are created equal. Obviously there are bound to be more and more of these types of sites popping up everywhere, so do your homework. Reputable sites like Seize Cars.com are definitely changing the ways people buy cars. If not permanently, that at least in the near term.



Author by The Internet Car Guy
As an internet and Business Development Manager for a car dealer in North Carolina, I am obviously interested in recent trends in regards to buying and selling vehicles. Additionally, I like to share my insight thoughts and ramblings with others in an effort to help consumers make educated buying decisions.

Visit The Internet Car Guy to view this story and more like it, and for more useful information about car buying.


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Benefits of Black Boxes in Motor Cars

When you hear the phrase black box, you may think of an aircraft accident investigation. But the benefit of retrieving data from a flight data recorder in the Black Box is not limited to airlines. You can now find this technology in cars, where it helps to determine what happened in the critical moments before a crash. Furthermore it is also able to keep a running record of how a car is being operated, including speed, acceleration, breaking, steering and checking to see if you use your seat belt! A recent report by the BBC in the UK suggests that the installation of black boxes in the cars of young people is growing.

Originally the black box for cars was installed by car manufatcurers to monitor air bag activity. Studies have shown that drivers under the age of 25 are involved in 40% of accidents, but they make up just 10% of motorists. It appears that the black box could be a good tool to monitor and control their driving style. Also for parents, who worry that their child is driving carefully, they would derive comfort from the black box because the technology will present them with the cold hard facts about their children’s driving.

This new technology could be of interest for insurance companies, because it provides them with all necessary information about the driving styles of their customers. Theoretically, those that drive safely are less likely to have an accident and could therefore have their premiums reduced.

The black box for the car would be of special interest for car rental companies. When a car is returned back to the rental company, any disputes about vehicle damage can be easily resolved by looking at the data from the black box. The subversive practice of car rental companies charging multiple customers for the same damage will be eliminated. Driveaway Holidays receives numerous complaints from their customers

There is no question that a black box in a car will benefit car rental companies, consumers and the car insurance companies, but more importantly, it will reduce the number of accidents by improving the driving attitude of the general public

Author by Car Guru

Car Guru writes for DriveAway Holidays, DriveAway Holidays New Zealand and DriveAway Holidays Blog


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Bad Credit Car Loans – Buy Your Dream Car Without Credit Worries

If you are in a position to get yourself a secured bad credit used car loan then you will more than likely be able to get yourself a used car that you desire within one working business days simply because the financial company that is issuing you the loan in the first place is assuming less risk because you are providing collateral on the face of being bad credit used car the first place. A secured bad credit used car loan essentially means that you have to put down some sort of collateral that has equity built up into extras a home or another vehicle in order for you to assume the risk of the loan before you can be given.

This means you need to make sure that you have a steady source of income in order to pay down the debt of your Used Car Finance because if you start to miss payments or they have paid in full on time each and every month you also assume the risk of losing the collateral then the first place. The other option is to get yourself a unsecured version of the back credit used car loan in which you as a consumer will assume less of a risk since you are no longer putting up collateral for the loan, however, the back or used car loan financing company assumes even more risk which means that you need to deal the proof your monthly income as well as more than likely having to pay an additional fee points of interest on the back or used car loan itself in order to make it work.

Additionally, definitely in a position where you really having established credit or you have a bad credit history, getting yourself a Car Loans Online for bad credit is going to give you the opportunity to work on improving your credit lot the same time giving you the vehicle you need to get from place to place. As long as you make your payments on time and full each and every month your credit score will steadily increase which means by the time your bad credit used car loan is paid off you'll be in a position to get a much better rate of interest on your next used car loan that you decide to go about taking our any other type of financial purchase that you are looking to get for yourself as well.

A car loan is simply a way for you to go about paying for the car that you are looking to purchase. You are going to take out a car loan from a financial lending company and bring it to the car dealership with you. The reason for going about doing this is because the moment that you bring your own used car finance to a car dealership you are then considered what is known as any cash buyer in that you can buy the car pretty much out right from them just as if you are paying for it in cash in the first place. You can then you should car finance in order to either buy the car that you want from them or you can also use it to lease a car through them.

Author by Car Loans

A car loan is simply a way for you to go about paying for the car that you are looking to purchase. You are going to take out a car loan from a financial lending company and bring it to the car dealership with you.Bad Credit Auto LoanUsed Car Finance is the easies way to get car finace without many problem. It also provide . Bad Credit Auto LoanStudent Car Loan for students who wish to purachase a new car.


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Bad Credit Car Loan Refinance

A bad credit car loan refinance program provides the opportunity for an individual to receive better interest rates and a lower payment on a current vehicle. This type of service could be available to a car owner that has a vehicle that is worth more than the remaining balance owed, or if it has already been bought outright. To refinance means to finance again. Bad credit auto loans refinance funds pay off the original lender and begin a new term with a new payment amount. Typically, a program of this nature will have a higher interest rate than a program for the individual in good financial standing, but a lower interest rate than the original agreement. There are no restrictions on the number of times a person can apply for this type of service.

Some borrowers make applications yearly in hopes to find the best rates. As long as the automobile holds its value; a lender will more than likely approve the loan. Bad credit auto loans refinance programs are limited to cars that are either; newer, extremely expensive, or considered classics. Older cars with higher mileage do not keep their value and therefore would not qualify for a bad credit car loans refinance program. The car is pledged as security, and is therefore the leading factor in whether or not approval is achieved. If the borrower's financial score is too low (lower than 550); they may be ineligible to apply.

It is important for the borrower to know what a FICO score is before applying, as there is usually a non-refundable application fee. The FICO score can be checked by obtaining copies of a borrower's financial report from all three nationally recognized reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian, and Trans Union. Once the report is obtained, experts recommend reviewing it for inaccuracies. Inaccuracies make up 25% of lowered scores. Typical inaccuracies that will lower a financial score and render a bad credit auto loan refinance applicant ineligible include: incorrect balances on credit cards, incorrect employment information, and unauthorized credit report inquiries, and incorrect accounts belonging to someone else.

Author by Car Loans

Auto Loan provides you the facilities like Bad Credit Auto Loan, Bad Credit Car Loan and Auto Loan Financing for Bad Credit. Bad credit auto loans refinance funds pay off the original lender and begin a new term with a new payment amount. Bad Credit Car Loans refinance program provides the opportunity for an individual to receive better interest rates and a lower payment on a current vehicle.


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Austin Healey Sprite Classic Car

Leaping into production in 1958, the Donald Healey Sprite was a low cost sports car which used existing BMC parts to ensure over heads of the cars productions remained low. The Austin Healey Sprite would prove to be a big success.

The commonly named "Austin Frogeye", the Mark I Sprite, was a massive success in its three years of production, with no other car competing on price or performance. As its widely used nick name suggests, the distinctive look of the Mark I Sprite owed itself to the round headlamps on the bonnet of the car, nicked named "frog-eye" headlamps. Cheap and easy to maintain, the wings and bonnet was a one piece unit which opened up to allow easy and large access to the engine. The Mark I used the 948cc Austin A-Series engine which was tuneable and capable of 43bhp, the A35 gearbox and axels, and the twin SU carburettors. Equipped with leaf spring suspension to the front, and wishbone suspension to the rear, the Mark I got it suspension from earlier models such as the A35 and Moris Minor.

The Mark II saw some cosmetic changes including the famous headlamps being moved on to the wings, a change of rear bumper, and the introduction of front disc brakes. The Mark II was also equipped with a new larger engine from the Morris Minor 1000 and Morris Minor 1100, increasing the engine size to 1098cc.

A less performance geared Mark III Sprite was more fined with lockable doors, wind up windows, and quarter lights. With the rebadging of the Sprite by BMC to the Midget, the Sprite Mark III was also sold as the MG Midget Mark II.

The Mark IV had two main difference, with an increased capacity to 1275cc and a convertible roof instead of the removable roofs from the earlier variations.

The production of this classic car ended in 1971. Today many of this classic cars are known as "Spridgets" with the classic car enthusiasts community due to the Austin Healey Sprite and the MG Midgets sharing the same design and parts. This makes finding parts relatively easy due to the parts being interchangeable.

Author by Classic Car For Sale

Classic Cars For Sale is a FREE classifieds classic car web site with lots of information about classic cars. The UK's number one classic car web site, and voted the worlds second most useful car web site in the Telegraph. View Austin Healey Cars For Sale.


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Aussie Pensioner Wins Ageism Case Against Irish Car Rental Company

An Australian man has just won a settlement in a landmark age discrimination case against an Irish car rental company after being charged an extra fee for being over the age of 70.

Anthony White tried to hire a car in Ireland 2 years ago when he was in his early seventies and was charged a EUR25 fee. He was also told he would not be able to rent a car on his next visit as he would be over 75.

White took his case to Ireland's Equality Tribunal who ruled in his favour that the policy amounted to age discrimination. Irish Car Rentals Ltd has since changed the rule and says the decision will now be made on a case-by-case basis involving assessments of age, health, driving record and insurance coverage.

A senior driver surcharge is pretty common with car rental companies - you may have read a previous blog here about it (Too Old to Drive A Rental Car?) Some suppliers charge extra if drivers are over a certain age, others have a maximum age limit for renters and some require additional documentation (like Irish Car Rentals are now doing). The surcharge is applied to cover higher insurance premiums as older drivers as seen as higher risk.

Does this case mean we may see an end to senior driver surcharges? Is it age discrimination to charge older drivers more as they are seen to be a higher risk?

In that case, surely it is also age discrimination to charge someone under 25 a young drivers fee since they too are seen as a higher insurance risk and more likely to have an accident?

In the case of Mr. White, he has been driving for 50 years and felt it was unfair to blanket all older drivers.

I do agree with this and think the company’s new policy is fair – it depends on each individual’s circumstances and not their age. Will other car rental companies follow suit? We’ll have to wait and see.

Final thought – one article I found about this was entitled “Old Man wins age discrimination suit against Irish rental car company” - “Old Man”? Surely that is age discrimination in itself?!




Author by Car Guru
Car Guru writes for DriveAway Holidays, DriveAway Holidays New Zealand and DriveAway Holidays Blog


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