With the shift towards electric cars still apparent, the buck doesn’t stop there. Apparently the need to properly monitor that charging of vehicles will somehow become a need in the near future and Ford is getting its act ready for such a scenario. And to spearhead their efforts, Ford launches the Intelligent Charging System for hybrid cars which will allow cars to communicate with the electrical grids.

Under this scenario, the driver or the car owner can easily control the charging station and choose when the car charges, how long it takes and at the rate it charges. Similar to how most motorists are trying to control their fuel consumption, this device aims to control the electric consumption of cars for a longer and smoother ride.

This Ford Intelligent Charging System will first show up in the all-electric Transit Connect commercial van and then the Focus Hybrid in 2011.

(Source) Slashgear

Tags: car owner, charging station, charging system, electric cars, electric consumption, electric transit, electrical grids, Ford, fuel consumption, hybrid cars, motorists

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Since most car owners have chosen to stick with their old cars, many are enhancing them to look at their finest. But somewhere along the line, the need to make sure that you car is protected is now becoming an important need. We have seen car alarms sold here and there and here is one name that is familiar to most. The car alarm system is the Viper 350HV Car Alarm System.

As most standard car alarm sets, it comes with a pair of 3-button remotes. For warning, it makes use of a blue status LED light. For the alarm itself (or the siren), it comes with a familiar 6 siren tone. This should be a perfect addition to people who want to make sure that their vehicle is safe and secure potential car theft.

Price: $84.72

(Source) Amazon

Tags: amazon, button remotes, car alarm system, car owner, car theft, old cars, siren, viper 350hv

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Similar to the Toyota Safety Connect that was posted yesterday, select 2010 Lexus models will likewise come out with the same safety feature. The feature however will be known in a different name, the Lexus Enform Safety Connect.

The Lexus Enform Safety Connect includes service features which aims to make sure that the car owner is well protected. Among the safety and security features of the Lexus Enform Safety Connect includes:

• Automatic Collision Notification
• Stolen Vehicle Location
• Emergency Assistance Button (SOS)
• Enhanced Roadside Assistance

Available for both navigational and non-navigational equipped vehicles is priced at $264.90 per annual subscription but multi-year subscription packages are likewise available. For the people who are planning to get a new MY10 Lexus models, this service will be made complimentary for one year.

(Source) Press

Tags: car owner, emergency assistance, enform, Lexus, lexus models, my10, roadside assistance, safety and security, safety feature, security features, service features, subscription packages, Toyota, vehicle location

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The Cash for Clunkers has been approved and the next step that many are certainly awaiting would be the list of vehicles that qualify for the said program. The list of cars have been released but this early, the terms of the deal are not the ideal.

Surely, vehicles still operating satisfactory may be better off being sold by owners or even trading it in. Whichever course of action a car owner may choose, it certainly looks ideal if this Cash for Clunkers Rebate program is the final guidelines issued:

• It will offer no more than $4,500 to new car buyers.
• It will require the trade-in vehicle to be crushed (which means that owners will not collect any trade-in value.)
• Cars to be scrapped would have to have EPA combined fuel economy ratings of 18 miles per gallon or less, and the new vehicle purchased must earn better mileage.
• The participant must have owned the “clunker” for one year.

Vehicles:

• 1996 Honda Passport ($1,227)
• 1997 Lincoln Continental ($1,179)
• 1998 Chevrolet Silverado ($3,378)
• 1995 Audi A6 ($1,261)
• 1996 Toyota Land Cruiser ($4,042)

“This legislation attempts to offer a benefit for the environment and to spur vehicle sales, but the reality is that it does neither very well,” asserted Edmunds.com CEO Jeremy Anwyl. “In terms of vehicle sales, the only consumers who will be interested are those willing to take no more than $4,500 for their current car and yet be financially able to buy a new one – quite a narrow profile.”

(Source) Press

Tags: audi a6, better mileage, car buyers, car owner, Chevrolet, chevrolet silverado, clunker, fuel economy ratings, Honda, honda passport, lincoln continental, mileage, narrow profile, new car, participant, rebate program, toyota land cruiser

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Depending on the type of car owner you are, strange sounds often lead to some problem with your vehicle. For the avid car owners, the immediate recourse would be to head on to the nearest mechanic for checking. For others, as long as the car is running, it doesn’t matter. Of the two, it would be best to follow the lead of the avid car owner.

Knowing what sounds you shouldn’t ignore, and how to best describe them to a mechanic, can save you lots of grief – and money – down the road. April is National Car Month, a time when car inspections are emphasized, so paying attention to any strange sounds may make the difference in getting your sticker or not.

Strange car sounds can be just nuisance noises, or signs of something more serious. Certain sounds should not be ignored as they can indicate a serious problem. If you hear:

• Clunking or thumping, it can mean: A defective universal joint, prop shaft, or rear differential.
• Heavy knocking or pounding from the engine/drive train: Worn crankshaft bearings, bad connecting rods or loose bolts in the automatic gearbox torque converter.
• Pinking or pinging: The fuel you are using is too low quality for your engine. This can be easily remedied by switching to a higher-octane fuel, or having the ignition timing checked.
• Metallic screeching or scraping: A sign of worn brake pads.
• Squealing: A loose fan belt or loose fan/air-conditioning compressor belt.
• Thudding or thumping: A loose pulley or loose exhaust pipe.
• Low-pitched rumble: Wheel-bearing wear.
• A ticking which increases in speed as the engine is revved: Non-lubricated tappets due to low or dirty oil.
• Whining: Differential or transmission wear.

(Source) Press

Tags: air conditioning compressor, automatic gearbox, car inspections, car owner, car sounds, compressor belt, crankshaft bearings, dirty oil, drive train, fan air, fan belt, loose bolts, loose fan, octane fuel, prop shaft, strange car, strange sounds, tappets, torque converter, wheel bearing

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With oil price plunging since the latter part of 2008, the demand for hybrid cars has dwindled in numbers. As a car owner, why invest in a hybrid if you can manage the fuel prices for now? Throw in the fact that people are cutting down on spending as well and perhaps you can imagine how hybrids may become a thing of the past.

Toyota and Ford have held back their hybrid cars production. With an unreasonable demand, the last thing that these two car manufacturing giants would want is to keep a large inventory of these hybrid cars (the Toyota Prius and the Ford Escape).

So have we seen the end of hybrid cars as an alternative mode of transportation today? Unless oil prices fluctuate again or the financial crisis improves, it is unlikely we will see hybrids flourish in the economy. So don’t be surprised if these concerned car manufacturers focus on making fuel-based car models once again.

Via Business Week

Tags: car manufacturers, car models, car owner, car production, car sales, financial crisis, ford escape, fuel prices, hybrid car, hybrid cars, hybrids, oil price, oil prices, toyota prius

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