Now that the Summer is here, the next thing you would need is to find an economical solution to address the cars you will be renting. Rather than reserve your cash for some other enjoyable means, a large chunk of it goes to the vehicle you will rent. However, thanks to Hotwire.com, some tips may change all that.

Here are some great leads to wiser car renting for the summer and it would be advisable to apply these as soon as you can:

If you see a good rate, reserve it right away. Prices are expected to continue rising through July and are expected to stay high all the way through August.

Rent on the weekends. When business travelers have gone home for the weekend, there is more inventory and lower prices for the consumer.

Rent away from the airport if possible. Off-airport and local rental centers can often be cheaper due to lower taxes and fees. Often, by sacrificing convenience, you can save money.

Make sure to fill up the tank before returning your car. Rental centers charge a much higher rate than you’d find at the pump for those who forget to fill up. If you don’t want the hassle, many rental car companies will also allow you to pre-purchase your tank of gas to avoid fees, but it’s still cheaper to fill it up on your own.

Book opaque. Although prices are expected to spike this year, by booking through opaque sites such as Hotwire, consumers can save big. Hotwire Hot Rates allow you to choose your car category and pick up and drop off times without knowing the exact car rental company in exchange for deep discounts – up to 40 percent and rates from $14.95 a day.

(Source) Press

Tags: business travelers, car category, car rental company, Cars, chunk, consumers, convenience, economical solution, exact car, hassle, lower taxes, money, rental car companies, Tank

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In some key cities and metropolis in the world, traffic congestion is a problem. And while we have heard of various measure being undertaken such as color coding schemes, here is one scheme in London that should help control car use and ease traffic congestion. It is called the Congestion Charge.

The Congestion Charge is a fee charged to motorists who go in and out of Central London. This was first introduced in February of 2003 with the intention of lessening the number of cars allowed into the city.

What is the Congestion Charge?
Simply put, it is an amount charged to motorists who intend to use their car into the city. Depending on the time of the day, various fees shall be charged to motorists traveling in and out of the C-Zone or Central London. The costs are £8 – if you pay by midnight on the day you actually travel, or £10 – if you decide to pay by midnight the following day. No fees are charged on weekends.

How it Works
Through the use of cameras, cars coming in and out are monitored and verified via the database. If the C-Charge for your plate is paid then you are well and good. But if you are found to have not paid, you can face stiff fines and penalties of up to £100.

Pay up within 14 days and that’s reduced to £50. Fail to pay within 28 days and it goes up to £150. After that, you’re in the hands of the County Court, so it’s a lot easier to pay your £8 or £10 up front.

Most motorists would say that this is unfair. But let us face it. During these times of trying to resolve traffic issues, this is one thing that really has to be done for our convenience in motoring.

(Source) Press

Tags: 28 days, cameras, Cars, central london, color coding, congestion charge, control car, convenience, intention, metropolis, motorists, stiff fines, traffic congestion, traffic issues, world traffic

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The all-new Kia Forte sedan invades Seattle which will be on sale at showrooms in North America this summer. This new vehicle from Kia promises to offer safety, comfort and convenience to motorists with a sporty bold look along with some significant features.

Available in three trim levels (LX, EX and SX), Forte boasts of a swept-back headlamps and a sleek profile, and exudes a wide, stable stance that conveys motion both while cruising the highway and parked in the driveway.

Pricing for the all-new compact sedan will start at $13,695 for the LX trim, while the Forte EX begins at $15,795. Moving up to the SX trim, pricing begins at $17,195.

(Source) Press

Tags: convenience, headlamps, KIA, north america, safety comfort, Seattle, showrooms, sleek profile

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The much awaited release in the market of the Nissan 370Z has finally been revealed as Nissan SA announced that these vehicles will start selling on June 10. With a load of features that this car carries, the most striking mark would perhaps be its arrow-shaped headlamps that project a menacing look. The car will be available in automatic and manual models.

In terms of pricing, the manual model will sell for R499 000 and the automatic will wear a R516 200 price sticker. This compares favorably with the R490 000 sticker price of the outgoing 350Z, given the fact that the additional R9000 you pay for the manual 370Z gives you an additional 15 kW and 7 N.m of torque, while the automatic’s R26 200 premium gives you a car that balances an evolved sense of the 350Z’s sportiness with the convenience of a slick automatic transmission.

While the announcement seems vague, expect more details on the release of the Nissan 370Z to come out soon.

(Source) Car Today

Tags: 350z, arrow, automatic transmission, convenience, manual models, Nissan, nissan 370z, price sticker, sticker price, torque

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In a move to help address the growing problem of fuel and oil, Propel Fuels has reportedly partnered with Enterprise Rent-a-Car to fuel rental cars in the Sacramento area with renewable E85 Flex Fuel. This first-of-its-kind program in the area helps educate Enterprise customers on how to “fuel green and save green” with Propel E85 (85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline), which, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 20 percent.

Enterprise has the largest “Flex Fuel” rental fleet in the nation, with over 73,000 vehicles able to run on standard gasoline or E85. Twelve Sacramento Enterprise locations have been selected to participate in the pilot program starting Q2 of 2009, giving customers an opportunity to try alternative fuels when they rent a Flex Fuel vehicle. Propel recently opened five Clean Fuel Points in the Sacramento area that serve E85 as well as biodiesel.

Clean Fuel Points accept major credit and fleet cards and are open 24/7, offering convenience to Enterprise customers. Enterprise customers will be educated about the opportunity to use Propel’s stations to fuel their rental cars.

(Source) Press

Tags: alternative fuels, convenience, e85 flex fuel, enterprise customers, enterprise locations, enterprise rent a car, environmental protection agency, Ethanol, fleet cards, flex fuel vehicle, gasoline, greenhouse gas emissions, pilot program, rental cars, rental fleet, sacramento area

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