A Beginner's Guide To Car Studying

                             You Have an Interest in Cars, but Don't Know what to Do

This post is directed to people who are beginning to become interested in cars, or who want to let their vast knowledge about cars continuously grow. This is a guide of how to learn more of the interesting things about cars faster and easier than ever. This guide can potentially make it more convenient to research cars if you are short on time, or if you are just bored.

Apps: Anyone who has a smartphone most probably has an application about news. If you have a smartphone go look to what applications there are about car news. Be sure to look at the ratings, and check the validity of the information and how recent the news is. An easy way to find these apps are to write the names of famous car testing groups such as Motor Trend, Consumer Reports, Kelley Blue Book, or Cars.com. One of the most informative and customizable app for iPhone is Car Buzz . This post is not sponsoring any of these names on it, just giving examples for your convenience. Applications are great for anybody who is always on the go. 
 
 


Websites: Any application should most probably have a website, and so there are just as many and even more websites than applications. The downside to this, however, is that it may take longer to find reliable or interesting sources/websites. Applications are far more easy to navigate, and sometimes more organized.

Books: Books have by far the most information on cars. On the other hand, not all of that information is very interesting. Choosing books that are right for you could be a faster way to pick out a source of interesting facts about cars than any other way, because unlike websites and applications, it is very quick to just take book and shuffle through it. If you want to find a place with a very large collection of books on cars, just go to your local library. However, Book selling stores such as Barnes & Noble or Borders usually organize their collections of books better and try to find more interesting books for the reader. Books are great because you don't need an internet connection.

More ways: If say these methods take too much of the time that you don't have, there is always an alternative. instead of finding sources that have interesting information about cars, just go ahead and directly search the cars. How? Search any where - internet, outside, car dealers, and take a picture, or write the name of the car. Next, Search all the information about that specific car, ( Statistics, history, performance, comfort) and print the information out and pin it on your wall. This is a great method because if you have a job or are constantly busy, you can take a picture or write a name, and research it at a later time. If you continuously pin information about cars that interest you, your wall could turn into the great encyclopedia of your favored cars.

                                                                       Conclusion
If you constantly have work, have to go somewhere, or just don't know what to do, don't let that fact stop you. Apps, websites, and books can lead you to become a car guru. Don't let your hobbies be cast away because the lack of time or knowledge.

Hope this helped!

Choosing a first car

Choosing Your First Car: Priorities

Around 16 million people buy a car each day, so it is not surprising if you are thinking about buying your first car. In my opinion, the most important step of buying a car is determining your priorities.  In this post, I shall tell you which car models might meet you priorities and which might not.

 

Reliability

Reliability is the measurement of how often the car will experience a problem. If you want a car with good reliability, look for Japanese car companies such as Toyota, Honda, Mazda, Subaru, or Nissan (though some Nissan products have been showing bad reliability). American car brands have lower reliability in general. This is because in America, the car companies buy parts from auto part suppliers for the cheapest price. If they can't get what they want, they select another auto part supplier. In Japan, car manufacturers like Toyota are using the Kai Zen philosophy, (Japanese meaning continuous improvement)and buy parts from a specific manufacturer, and work with that manufacturer to make it better. For this reason, Japanese cars have a better reliability overall. German and Korean car brands have average reliability. Beware: Cars of good reliability may not have the features that you want.

 

Comfort

Comfort and reliability rarely come together in a car for a good price. Usually, you need to sacrifice one of these features. If you want your first car to be comfortable yet reasonably priced, you will want to choose either a Korean car brand, or a Volkswagen. More likely, American brands are the best for comfort. This is because American cars are significantly larger than cars from other countries. The reason for this is that gasoline prices are cheaper in America than any other country, so American companies can sacrifice some mpg's when making a big car. Beware: comfort doesn't mean reliability.

Value For Price

The first thing you need to know for this priority is that if you want good value for price, you will have to get a used car. In an episode of Top Gear, Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond show how used old luxury sedans of BMW and Mercedes are better than the cheapest car in the U.K., for the same price. A benefit of used cars is that you won't have to sacrifice another priority for good value for price. The reason used cars have good value for price is used car prices tend to go down fast.

 

 

Fuel Efficiency

Suppose you travel a lot, or live in the city. Nevertheless, you need a car that will take you where you need to go. If this is your number one priority and will sacrifice some conveniences for it, buy a hybrid. In case you don't know what a hybrid is, it is a car with both an electric and gasoline motor. The electric motor works at lower speeds and prevents wasting fuel at traffic lights and short stops.

But, as I said, you will have to sacrifice some things. Because of the electric motor, luggage room can become cramped or smaller than a usual car. Additional cons are slow acceleration and/or numb dull steering. You can now buy very fuel efficient gasoline cars or diesels, but they will still waste fuel when you stop at a light. Since there are so many competitors in the fuel efficient car market, any car brand will do.

 

Fun/ Driving Feel

Though this might seem at first to go with comfort, it actually doesn't. Comfort means good seating, roominess, and so forth. Driving feel is self explanatory; how it feels to drive. For this priority, the country of origin of the car manufacturer doesn't matter. Rather, the car brand matters. Ford, Volkswagen and Mazda have a reputation of making fun to drive cars. Specific cars include the Ford Fiesta, Volkswagen GTI, and Mazda Miata. If you want to have a fun to drive car, you might have to sacrifice space, comfort, and/or reliability.

 

 

Conclusion

The most important thing about car buying is your priorities. Get this sorted out, and you can narrow down your options easier.  Priorities are important because searching in another direction might lead you to buy a bad car. Hopefully, with the help of this post, you can find a car that will be able to fit all your needs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Car Genre: Roadsters

Roadsters

Roadsters are defined as convertibles with only two or in some cases three seats.

They are meant to be fun, great touring vehicles made for the pleasure of driving.

In this post, I will show you some of the best roadsters on the market today.

 

Mazda MX-5 Miata

 This car defines the basics of a roadster. It is lightweight, and fun to drive. Not only that, it has very good reliability and a cheap price that will make the owners even happier. It has been one of the best selling roadsters of all time.

 

BMW Z4

This roadster rides in style. Although there are some stereotypes about BMW drivers, I am reviewing cars, not the people who drive them. When I say "in style", I mean the love-it-or-hate-it looks. Some people love the design and some hate it. However, this is  an upper-class roaster, and it does act like one.

 

 

 

Tesla Roadster

What is not to like about this little machine? The fuel efficiency is astounding, the acceleration is exhilarating, and the overall feel of the car is exciting. What can I say, the name says it all!

 

Porsche Boxster

Like the Miata, another classic lightweight fun to drive car. However unlike the Miata, you won't be overtaken by a lousy mustang, Camaro or even a Mercedes Benz C63 AMG coupe.

 

Conclusion

These are some of the best roadsters in my opinion.  They are lightweight, fun-to drive cars, and any rich person, in my opinion, should have one added to their car collection, if they have one. Also, prepare to see more top tens in this blog in the future. If you have a suggestion, please mention it in the comments below.

 

 



Sporty Cars Under $30,000

Sporty Cars That Won't Cost You A Fortune

Any Car fan would want to have his own sporty machine to brag about. The question is can they afford it. This Post is mainly directed at people who want a car that can bring a smile to their faces and keep it that way when they learn the price. The cars I have listed here are some of the best bargains for under $30,000.

 

Ford Mustang or Chevrolet Camaro or Dodge Challenger

The reason these three cars are listed in the same subheading is because they are so similar. Each costs around $25,000, each is rear-wheel-drive, each has around the same acceleration of 0-60 in around 5-6 seconds, each has a top speed of 155 mph. The only difference is that the Mustang has slightly more torque and a bit more power. However since it has a live axel, handling is better with the Camaro. The Challenger, is the most comfortable. In all, these are extremely similar cars.

 

Scion Fr-s or Hyundai Genesis or Honda Accord Coupe

These cars are also in a similar category. They all are lightweight, less powerful than the ones above, but costing around the same at around $25,000. However, they also have better fuel efficiency.  Simply put, these cars are a bit more civilized that the ones above. Now, I stress the words "a bit" because if you know how to go around a corner in one of them, you can catch up to your more powerful competitors.

 

Kia Forte Koup or Honda Civic Si or Hyundai Elantra Coupe

These cars as you probably have guessed now, are also very similar. All are Front-Wheel-Drive. These are the least powerful cars in this post though they are also the most fuel efficient. They are the least expensive cars in the post, all being around $20,000. These cars are a bit more civilized than sporty. However, they are still fun to drive and pretty stylish.

 

 



Fast 4 - Door Cars Less Than $50,000

Fast Cars with 4 Doors under $50,000

 

Who said fast meant two doors? Wouldn't every parent (whose into fast cars, of course) want to just drop their kids off and blast away at the track? Many people give up sports cars when they have kids , because it is just too much work having to get the kid out of the back. This post is made to tell that just because something has 4 - doors, it does not mean it's slow.

 

Dodge Charger srt8/Chrylser 300 srt8

The Dodge Charger srt8 is one of my favorite cars. Once you drop off your kids to school, just go to your local track to see this car in action. The performance matches the aggressive looks. It'll go from 0-60 mph in around 4.5 seconds. Also, it can go up to 175 miles an hour. Though this car comes with many features such as heated and cooled seats, heated and cooled steering wheel,  and heated and cooled cup holders (my favorite accessory), it stands near the budget limit of $50,000 price range. Also, fuel economy numbers are not very good either. If you want more practicality than performance, get the normal Charger. If not, get the srt8.

 

 

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution

Like the Charger/300,  it has practical or performance versions. Like the Charger/300, the Evo is insanely fast. Though it contains less luxuries than the Dodge, it has a price tag nearly $10,000 lower. Even though it is less expensive, it also has 0-60 mph of under 5 seconds, and has a top speed of 155.

 

 

Lexus GS

This car also closes in on the budget limit around $47,000. However, Lexus being Toyota's  luxury brand, you can ensure that it won't break down after a few goes on the track. Like the Charger, it comes with plenty of luxuries. Though it is the slowest of the three, it also the most economical. If you want a stronger one, (the 350 F Sport) you will have to spend $5,000 more. Still, 0-60 on an entry level GS is under 6 seconds, and you can go up to 142 mph. Not bad.

 

 

Conclusion

Don't destroy your hopes of having a sports car just because you have a family at hand, be happy because there are many sporty 4 doors out there that can fit the needs of you and your children.There you have it. So you can have the best of both worlds!

 

unmentioned cars: Jeep Grand Cherokee srt8,  Subaru Impreza Wrx Sti, Mazdaspeed 3, Ford focus ST, Volkswagen Golf GTI 4-door, Ford Fiesta ST, Infiniti G35,

Once again, you can request my opinion on any topic about cars by requesting in the comments.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Cheap Sporty Fuel Efficient cars

Cheap Sporty Fuel Efficient Cars

Wait.... What? Fuel efficient cars can be sporty? No.... Sporty cars can be fuel efficient? THEY CAN BE INEXPENSIVE? It is a common belief that Sportiness,  and good mpg's don't mix. And, that if you want to have a fuel efficient sporty car, they don't come cheap. This post will hopefully change the view of all the skeptics out there. Though at first the words 'sporty' and 'fuel efficient' might contradict each other, at the end of this post you will see that this is not necessarily true.

 

Honda CR-Z

One of the most popular fuel efficient sporty cars in the market today, it really surpasses the sportiness of any hybrid and even the Lexus CT200h. In fact, it might be the only hybrid with a manual gearbox. This car can also go up to 124 mph while your friend's Prius can do only 112 mph. And yet with a top speed of 124 mph and a manual gearbox, you can still do around 36 mpg. Furthermore, it only costs $20,000! That's less than both the CT200h and the Prius!

 

Lotus Elise (2011)

This is probably the best example of 'a fuel efficient sports car'. Indeed, its top speed is 127 miles per hour. Also, its goes 0-60 in 6 seconds. Though these specs might seem relatively slow and expensive compared to a mustang, remember, it has nearly twice the fuel economy. The price for an Elise, at $47,000, is pretty steep. However, you can buy a used Elise for much less than that. And, whenever you buy one, remember, the fuel efficiency also saves you money.

 

Mazda Miata

If you search ANY KIND of Mazda Miata car review, there are going to be three words coming from the reviewer's mouth: "This is fun!" Many believe it is one of the most fun cars on the market. And, with this "fun", it costs $22,000 and does around 28 mpg. Sure, it might not win too many races, but hey, cars are made for driving, and the Miata was made for it, too.

 

Scion Fr-s/ Subaru BRZ

Like the Miata, this is classified as a fun car. As a fun car, you also get two more seats (not that any adult could use them, anyway...). You also have the ability to choose between an automatic and a manual gearbox, unlike the Miata. The Scion Fr-s is the fastest of the fuel efficient cars, being able to go up to around 140 mph. Yet, this car still gets around 30 mpg. The scion f- s costs as much as a Hyundai genesis coupe,  Ford mustang, or Chevrolet Camaro at around $25,000.

 

Conclusion.

 As a result, you can see that there are many sporty cars that you don't have to pay incredible amounts of money on the cost or on the gas price. In fact, I tried not to put too many cars in this post to keep it short (there are TOO MANY sporty, fuel efficient, reasonably priced cars). So, reconsider your options if you want a sporty car but work around the city.

 

 

 

 

Electric Cars

Electric  Cars Should Not Be Underestimated

Arguments over the electric cars have never changed. People think of electric cars as slow and expensive machines. However, if they dug a little deeper, they would find that all these things about electric cars wrong.

Slow?

First, lets get up to speed. The typical car brands that aim for speed are Lamborghini, Ferrari, Aston Martin, and etc... It seems hilarious to compare the cars that these companies make against an electric car, or is it? The new Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 costs about $200,000 and has the acceleration of 0-60 in 3.7 seconds. A Tesla Roadster also has 0-60 in 3.7 seconds. Though you might argue that the top speed is vastly faster for the Gallardo, unless you own or can rent a track or airport,
you have no where to use that speed. Besides, the Tesla costs $72,000 less, and for that you are saving the planet.

Expensive?

This problem is initially directed at the likes of the Tesla Model S. Yes for an electric car, the $60,000 - $100,000 price range doesn't seem cheap. Here's the thing. The Tesla Model S is a LUXURY ELECTRIC CAR. We can obviously see that with luggage capacity, seating, interior design, and of course, the gigantic touch screen. The Model S's competitors are the Mercedes CLS and the BMW 6 series, which also have a similar price range.

 

What about the Nissan Leaf and the Ford Focus Electric?

Though these electric cars might seem a bit more expensive than the usual cars, these cars have better fuel efficiency. While hybrids will have around 40 to 50 mpg, the electric cars range from 80 to 100 equivalent. Also, the gas prices will probably not stop rising.

What about Hybrids?

In my opinion, the word hybrid is like saying half. When you get a hybrid, you get HALF an Electric car. You also save HALF the environment. People tend to get confused about the main point about the electric car. Hybrids are made for FUEL EFFICIENCY, not saving the environment. Electric cars on the other hand, are made to help SAVE THE PLANET. Though they can HAVE good fuel efficiency, that is not their sole purpose.

Conclusion

As a result, we can conclude that electric cars are just as good as normal cars. Being electric, they even have additional advantages. As of the end of this piece we can see that saving the environment and being nearly completely silent just some of the great features of electric cars. The conclusion is not whether to buy or not to buy an electric car. The conclusion is that electric cars are just as good as gasoline cars.

 

FAST CARS

SPEEDY CAR CLASSIFICATION

Lots of people get confused about the classification of speedy cars. Many who do not have much interest will assume anything that has two doors is a sports car. However, This is not the case. This post will help readers better understand the classification of fast cars.

 

Coupe

This is what normal people get most confused on. Just because something has two doors doesn't mean it is sporty or fast. Examples are the Volkswagen Beetle, Toyota Yaris 3- door, and the Scion Tc (Though in my opinion the scion still looks sporty)

Sports Car

The sports car is the widest range of cars. A typical sports car should be lightweight, good at handling, fun, and look good. Some examples vary from the scion Fr-s to the Mazda Miata to the Volkswagen GTI, to the BMW 1 series.

 

Muscle Car

Some people may ask me why the Ford Mustang, Chevy Camaro, or Dodge Challenger are not there.

 Muscle cars are basically showing off cars. A muscle car is similar to a sports car, but definitely not the same thing. First, acceleration for a muscle car HAS to be fast. Second, it has to look like it's going to demolish your friend's Prius. Third, lots of noise. To conclude, anything that make the car look powerful. Contrary to belief, a muscle car is not JUST American, though many American car manufacturers make muscle cars. Also, Muscle cars do not have to be just 2 doors. Some examples of muscle cars are the American ones mentioned above, the 'Vette and Viper, the BMW M3, Audi TT, Mercedes C63 AM, Dodge Charger SRT8, and the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution.

 

Performance Car

This Category is pretty self explanatory. This is the upgrade of the sports car, and the underling of the supercar. In a performance car, you can use  nearly all the horses, all the time. Going around corners and then dashing to the finish line is easy peasy for these machines. Performance car examples are the Audi R8, Ferrari F430, Nissan GTR and Aston Martin Virage.

 

Super Car

These cars are for people who are too rich or for people who are crazy. These cars are modified in every way in order to be fast. They are cars for people who just want to go berserk and drive maniac cars. These cars are ridiculously fast and expensive. Examples include the World-famous Bugatti Veyron, Lamborghini Murcielago, Aston Martin One-77,  and the Hennessey Venom.

 

 

 

 

 



INTRODUCTION

WELCOME!

Simply put, this blog site is about my opinion, alone, about cars. I will basically post blogs about car topics which I think are important. I will try to make a post at least once a week. If you have any ideas of what I should write about, please, comment on this post, or on any of my future ones.