Donkey God

When we think of buying a new car, we rarely have the initial “buying new car blues”, until the thoughts actually begin to come….thoughts of actually having to go through the ugly process of dealing with a dealership.

“Why do we have to go through this,” is often one of our first thoughts, as getting the blues is not what we actually desire. We want this to be an enjoyable experience…one that we will remember in a positive manner for years to come…as we enjoy the new vehicle sitting in our driveway or garage…or better yet as we motor on down the road…feeling the way this new baby takes the corners.

However, there seems to be such a terrible taste in our mouths after we have been through the traditional process in America…which results in the “buying new car blues”.

It’s awful. Really it is. How can you take such a huge occasion in someone’s life and turn it into such a miserable experience…well my opinion is you just add the dealership to the equation…that’s how. Awful!

Buying New Car Blues is a phenomenon as far as I am concerned. You roll over in bed the morning of your purchase. You kiss your spouse or significant loved one…knowing that today is the day that you will add a new vehicle to the family. Very exciting indeed.

You pack up the car with the two kids (big mistake as you didn’t remember that this process take about 20 hours) and you head on down to the dealership. You pull up to the lot and are greeted by a big “cheesy” grin from a guy named Gus who claims that today is his first day.

He immediately begins with a line of questioning as if you were being “cross-examined” for a robbery down the street at the local convenience store (mind you…today is his first day).

You find the vehicle that you are interested in, drive it…then the real hell starts.

As you return on your test drive…he throws the corny line out… “Hey…why don’t you park the car over there in the sold line”? Ok, really…I am not 6 years old…and I do realize that there is NO “sold line”.

You wander on inside to “give your offer”…your two kids and spouse are being as patient as any humans could possibly be…giving you a quick glance every time and again to ensure that you have not “lost your patience yet”.

You sit down in the booth…no calculator…no computers…no TV to pacify the kids…no newspaper…no nothing…and “Gus” begins asking your life story. Name, Rank and Serial Number please. 87 references…. “And no…we will never call them…it’s just for the bank” is his reply. He then whips out his “4 square”…you know the one…the one by the end of the battle that has 18 different colors of “Sharpie” on it…telling you that you don’t know a thing about automobiles…what they cost…and what you should pay. Talk about demoralizing…and the onslaught of “buying new car blues”.

You finally agree to a price…a payment…and are patted on the back from Fred…the CLOSER… (he has been at the dealership for more than 1 day we are sure)…and assisted down the hall to meet “JAKE”, the “Business Manager” that is “just going to tie up the paperwork…you know…dot the ‘I’s’ and cross the ‘T’s’.

Jake starts in on how stupid you would be if you don’t buy this and don’t buy that…and how your new car is going to brake in half tomorrow…and you better be covered…….sheesh. ENOUGH!

Buying new car blues! It is a phenomenon. What else could you have such great thoughts of…that ultimately turn into such a terrible experience?

Really…I challenge you to find a distant rival.

I advise everyone to pass on this experience all together…as there is a better way…and a way to eliminate the “buying new car blues”.

Find out other intriguing aspects and more about buying new car, and discover some great tips and tricks from Ken at http://www.insidethelionsden.com.

Car theft is a big problem in the United States. It is estimated that a car is stolen every 25 seconds in this country. All these thefts cost insurance companies and drivers 8 billion dollars every year. Cars are easy targets for theft because they are relatively valuable. They have a built in getaway system, and they can be resold easily. Car thieves can make a killing by stealing cars and reselling the parts. It’s no wonder car alarm systems are popular.

Car alarm systems come in all different types and price ranges. To decide which is best for you, it is best to do some shopping and research. This would be a rather daunting task, but, fortunately, we have the internet to help us in the search. You can read about all the different types of systems available. You can read reviews from real live customers who have tried and tested the alarms. It is always easier to believe someone who has actually used the product than someone who is trying to sell you a system. Depending on the value of your car and your budget you can find anything from the most basic system to the most incredible gadgets technology can offer.

UK Parking Control Ltd (UKPC) is a parking enforcement agency and is committed to providing clients with an effective parking solution that is appropriate to each individual situation. Our clients range from SME’s to major retailing names and from hospitals and universities to residential premises both large and small.

We are living in an era where new technology and innovation are making huge changes to the way that parking can be managed. UK Parking Control Ltd recognises that there is more to operating a car park than issuing parking permits and parking tickets. We offer Automatic Number Plate Recognition, Warden Patrol services, Self Ticketing Systems and Car Park Management as part of the extensive range of services at our disposal. Tailored parking solutions can be provided for any location where parking problems may occur. We believe that this is the key to a successful parking control and management strategy and our many satisfied clients can confirm this.

Another of the distinctive features of UKPC’s approach to parking control management is its professionalism. The company is a member of the British Parking Association and all our front-line parking personnel/wardens are fully trained. UKPC operates throughout England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Contact us and let us help you solve your parking control issues now.

Well with the showing that the 2009 camaro had, it’s a good
thing that GM is going to build the car, the camaro had had a
long life with muscle car fans in this country, and it’s poised
to do it all over again, if GM can stay in business, they seem
to be having a rough time along with all the other motor
companies.

The cmamro came out in 1967, to do battle with the Ford
mustang, and a battle it was, either car could win with the
right person behind the wheel, the right pilot if you will, and
then in 1968 Don Yenko, owner of Yenko Chevrolet, in Canonsburg,
PA. This brilliant man would create a monster that would give
the camaro name a reputation befitting a king.

The sYc or “Super Yenko Camaro” would propel Don Yenko to super
star status in the muscle car world, the cars were very
expensive, so in turn not a lot of them were ever produced, 1969
turned out to be the magic year for these cars, in 1969 of the
Yenko camaro two even meaner camaros would spawn, 1 known as the
COPO or “Central Office Production Order” 9560 and the 9561, the
only difference between these two cars was the engine, the 9560
“AKA” ZL1 had an all aluminum 427 CID engine rated by the
factory at 425 HP, this of course was a serious under rating,
the car actually made about 600 HP.

The 9561 was a cast iron block, so you can imagine the
difference in performance between the two cars, the power to
weight difference was phenomenal, and only the most experienced
drivers could even handle one of these monsters, and Chevrolet
is poised to do it again with the 2009 camaro, it’s not the
exact same idea, but it is a great step toward Chevy getting
their muscle car heritage back in order.

The 2009 Camaro runs a 400 HP LS2 6-Liter V8 engine, and
sporting the power train from a Corvette, this car will be
awesome, also sporting 22″ rear wheels and 21″ front wheels in
it’s unrevised form, but the spokesman from Chevrolet says that
when the car is released it will have 21″ rear wheels and 20″
front wheels, of course the difference won’t be noticeable to
your eye, but it will save some cash for Chevrolet.

This car is a tribute to Chevrolet’s ingenuity and creativity,
the one thing that will help to keep them alive in this economy
that seems to be horrible for the automotive industry, if
anybody can do it Chevrolet can.

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Somebody at General Motors must love Saturn. One hundred year old Oldsmobile was killed off in favor of bringing the Saturn brand in-house. Up until the early part of this decade, Saturn was a separate automaker, wholly owned by GM. Now, as a bonafide GM division, the Saturn line is finally getting some much needed new models including the Sky roadster, the focus of this preview.

In the early 1990s, dent resistant polymer cars with the “S” designation began to roll of a factory line of a new plant located in Spring Hill, Tennessee. Several things were unusual about the project. The first was the company: Saturn. As a wholly owned but separately managed GM company, the Saturn initially escaped GM’s often overbearing culture and began to produce cars on its own far removed from Detroit. The second unusual point about the company was the cars itself: compact, import-fighting models designed to withstand the onslaught from Japan of low priced, high quality cars. Available in coupe, sedan, and wagon the cars quickly caught on in part for their engineering as well as for their “no hassle, no haggle” pricing. The sticker price on the car was the price customers paid, making a visit to the Saturn show room a pleasure and not a chore.

As time has passed, the S series grew old and was replaced by the compact ION series. In addition, a midsized sedan and wagon, the L series, briefly served as the “larger” car in Saturn’s extremely limited line up beginning in the late 1990s. The L series, based on an Opel platform, was retired in 2004 and replaced by a 7 passenger crossover vehicle, the RELAY. In addition, Saturn had introduced an SUV, the VUE, which is still in production today.

All of this translates into a limited line up, too limited in fact to compete successfully with other car lines. Enter the Saturn Sky.

The Saturn Sky, much like the already introduced Pontiac Solstice is a two seat roadster. Based on GM’s new Delta series platform, the Sky, which will officially make its debut next spring as a 2007 model does something that no other Saturn has ever done: generate excitement.

Similar in size and looks to Honda’s S2000 Roadster, the Sky will come equipped with 18 inch alloy wheels, a manually operated soft top, a reverse opening clamshell hood, leather bucket seats, and four wheel anti-locking brakes. Standard engine will be a 2.4 170hp I4 paired with either a 5 speed manual or 5 speed automatic transmission.

Prices for the new Sky should come in at several thousand dollars higher than the Pontiac Solstice as the Sky is targeted and equipped slightly upmarket. MSRP starting around 25 thousand dollars is likely; only 10-12,000 models will be produced annually.

Other models are being planned for Saturn, but the Sky represents a fresh departure from what has long been perceived by many as a staid moniker. Judging by many published reports, the Sky is a step in the right direction and we can only hope that the other new models planned for Saturn generate at least half the hype of the Sky.

Matt Keegan is a car fan and contributing essayist for the Auto Parts Warehouse [APW]. At APW, we furnish premium
Saturn accessories for your VUE, ION, S Series, or other terrific Saturn motor vehicle.