It doesn't matter if the car you're driving is new or old, big or small. There are preventive maintenance steps every vehicle owner can take to make sure their car is as "green" or environmentally friendly as possible, according to the Car Care Council. By following five simple preventive maintenance steps, you can help protect the environment by improving gas mileage, which in turn saves money at the ...
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Recently I wrote a blog about how to get involved in the fight against climate change. Today, I thought, I should write about a nifty city program I am involved with along this front -- my contribution to the challenge, if you will -- that has been quite an eye-opening experience. You see, the city where I live (which shall remain anonymous to maintain some privacy) recently commenced a citizens task force to work ...
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Maryland may require children to be in car seats an extra two years under a bill put in front of the state House and Senate. Currently the law requires a booster up to age six. The new law would extend it to eight years. The bill follows national recommendations about how old kids should be before going without a booster seat. Maryland was first in the Mid-Atlantic to pass a booster seat law, but the bill’s ...
Consumer Reports ShopSmart magazine is exploring an article and is looking for women to share their car-buying stories (http://blogs.consumerreports.org/cars/2008/04/women-shoppers.html) as part of their research. If you're a woman who has recently negotiated a great deal on a new or used car, they would love to hear your story! Did you buy online or walk in to dealership? How did you research your purchase? How ...
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What is Your Car's "Check Engine" Light Telling You? One of the most vital components to a properly functioning vehicle is the 'Check Engine' light. It alerts the driver to a variety of potential problems based on the vehicle's onboard diagnostic system, and can seem like one of the most mysterious lights on your dashboard. When the 'Check Engine' light comes on, it means that some ...
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Is it possible to have too much of a good thing? From the moment the Hummer's roof banged against the height-restriction bar stretched across the exit of my parking structure I knew my initial concerns about the size of the H2 were just the tip of the iceberg. It didn't bump the pole on the way up the ramp! That scrape, and the sign on the gate that said "No vehicles over 5000 pounds," set a heavy ...
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If you are a vehicle designer, vehicle engineer, or product designer of any stripe, the please please check out the field called "biomimicry." In my opinion, it is one of the coolest, most intuitive aspects of sustainability. I follow biomimicry for fun, because it is replete with cool stories about how nature has inspired various innovations. Imagine an exterior paint that cleans itself -- ...
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According to a recent study by Acxiom, a business intelligence and data mining firm, North American hybrid vehicle owners are likely to be: higher income, live on the coast, and tech-savvy. OK, that seems quite obvious... With the average premium on a hybrid around $6000 (less after tax rebate if it applies), owning a hybrid is an environmental statement for folks with the cash to spare. Plus, with its different ...
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No matter what happens from here, Peggy Llewellyn has no regrets. After a break-out 2007 season, where she earned her first NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycles victory and finished fourth in the final POWERade standings, after a six year hiatus from the sport, Llewellyn was released from her ride. Former team owner Karl Klement gave Llewellyn no reason. She says she doesn’t really need one. Just a few weeks after ...
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Yes it is true; selling your car yourself will get you the most money in your pocket. But, realize that it can take several weeks or months to sell a car. So don't be discouraged if you don't get any inquiries right away. Don't worry about putting any repair work into the vehicle. You will never recoup the money. Just be honest about what it needs to the next owner. Most people who are purchasing a used ...
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