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Finding a good used-but-new-to-you car has never been an easy proposition. Sifting through car ads and dealer lots trying to decipher the secret code of used car talk is an exhausting process.

Does “easy to handle” mean you won’t have trouble pushing it out of the road every time it stalls? Is “classic” an accurate way to describe its status or is it simply old. Will it be covered by state “lemon laws”?

For people who simply don’t have that much time or patience, online used car shopping would seem ideal. You can use search engines and keywords to arrive at exactly the vehicle you are looking for. However, even a good process can have some snags along the way and online used car buying is one arena where it’s best to be aware of them.

What’s The Real Story?

It’s best to use reputable online dealers and people approved by your state’s Better Business Bureau. While you may think you are getting a better deal from an advertisement off Craiglist or a community online bulletin board, it’s much harder to know how much of what they say is true and enforce that truth in a dispute.

Make sure to research the seller and find out as much as you can about where the car came from and its history. Websites such as CARFAX offer vehicular history but their information comes from insurance and public notice claims, not the private things people don’t want to disclose. Those sites can also alert you if the car has been registered as a stolen vehicle. The more you can verify about the car and the seller, the better your purchase experience will be.

What’s The Real Picture?

Used cars advertised online always seem ready for their close-up, but some pictures don’t give you a realistic view. Similar to the nightmare stories that come out of the world of internet dating, the picture you get and the car you end up with may not be the same thing.

The seller can be placing a picture of the car from when it was new, or show one side on the car while neglecting to photograph the big scary dent on the other. Some cars, like cover models, may even have their pictures “photoshopped” before placement. If possible, see the car before agreeing to purchase or put a down payment on it or if its in another city ask a friend or acquaintance who is close to take a look.

Always require the seller to supple pictures of all sides of the vehicle and interior. Ask them to send you a picture of the car with the daily newspaper on the hood with the date visible. That will ensure it’s a recent picture.

What’s The Deal?

Every state has differing laws about how to handle disputes when it comes to used car purchases. Check the laws in your state and the state you are buying the car in to make sure you meet the requirements to be protected. Have the seller put in writing the condition of the car and note any problems, dents, or wreck history the car may have.

Also put in writing the full terms of the agreement including the terms of payment, how the car is going to get from the seller to the buyer (and who pays for that), the disclosed condition of the car and any photographs the seller supplies. Keep hard copies of all emails and transactions during the purchase. If there is a discrepancy in the car’s appearance or condition, document it with photographs. The more clear things are spelled out, the better protected both the buyer and the seller will be.

The internet is a friendly place full of people ready to make deals and sell treasures. Buying a used car online is one way to find what you are looking for quickly and make an easy transaction in the process. Like any other friendship or business relationship, in online used car buying trust must be earned

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Got a car suitable for traveling over rough terrain? Then water sport is a true adventure for you. The sport is a wonderful opportunity for you to show off your driving and winching skills to a whole bunch of people. But are you ready to winch or be winched out of those bog holes in the playground? You’d better read all the things you need to know about different winches which could be very useful for you and your friends.

Electrical Winches

Powered by a double-battery system, this will be very advantageous for you. Although it gets its power from the battery of the vehicle, it also gets power from a deep-cycle type of battery that operates on its own. Thus, this kind of winch will never affect your engine’s function, radio, lights, etc.

Mechanical Winches

There are two types of mechanical winches. It can be either drum or capstan. The drum type’s power is drawn from the car’s engine carried to the winch through a shaft. This type tends to have greater power than electrical winches because it works well if and only if the car engine is working well. Meanwhile, capstan’s power relies on the vehicle’s engine still but is carried directly using a dog clutch locked in the crankshaft pulley. Just like the drum type, a capstan works while the engine is working. But to effectively put the capstan into use, you must have the necessary skills in using it. You must also choose the right rope with the right diameter so that the slip will be minimized and the rope won’t get caught by itself for it will lead to a very dangerous consequence.

Hydraulic Drum Winch

From the name itself, this winch gets its power from a hydraulic pump with the help of the car’s engine. The winch is driven using a hydro motor. Aside from its high power, the advantage of the hydraulic type includes not being affected even if it’s submerged into water.

Motorized, Portable, Mechanical Drum Winch

This kind of winch is uncommon; however it has a very fascinating system to boot. Unlike the usual winch where the vehicle’s engine is used, the engine powers of a chain saw are utilized supplying power to a little drum winch. However, this type can be very noisy.

Hand-operated, Mechanical Wire Rope Winch

This type won’t need your car’s engine. However, it needs users to exert physical strength when dealing with it. It’s definitely not made for fragile hands.

James Brown writes about StreetBeatCustoms.com promotion code, Motorcycle-Superstore.com coupon code and tirerack.com coupon code

Pimp My Ride is a popular television program produced by MTV and involves taking a car that may be in bad condition and restoring as well as customizing it and, in its original form, was hosted by rapper Xzibit. The focus of Pimp My Ride is to choose young car owners between the ages of 18 to 24 who are living in the Los Angeles/Southern California region and, normally, the show begins with a participant showing his or her car to MTV to try to convince them of the need for it to be “pimped”.

Once this has been done in Pimp My Ride, then rapper Xzibit pays a visit to the owner’s house and after a careful look and some wisecracks about the defects in the car makes the owner a promise of completing its restoration. Then the car is transported to a custom body shop of either West Coast Customs or Galpin Auto Sports (GAS) where their shop teams put in new components and parts and generally give the car a complete makeover, right from the interior to its exterior.

Every car selected on Pimp My Ride has been customized for the owner, keeping in view his or her interests and personalities. This may include getting a complete new paint job for the car, changing of accessories, getting chrome work done, changing the tires and rims as well as internal electronic add-ons such as DVD players, video games and TFT screens. However, the makeover in Pimp My Ride is mostly cosmetic in order to just get the car to function once again though there have been instances when the entire engine has been replaced with higher performance engines.

While the majority of cars get customized work done on them, there have been a couple of occasions when the car was simply in too bad a shape. One such instance was when the car was actually two parts of a Ford Escort that had been welded together to form a single unit and this car was thought to be too unsafe for the makeover. On another episode, an auto mechanics student had put together a vehicle that was clearly impossible to pimp, without jeopardizing the safety of the owner. In both cases to give both owners a brand new car with extensive customization for its new owners.

Pimp My Ride is hugely popular because of the colorful personalities of the participants, especially the West Coast Customs’ staff and owner. In addition, there are also fancy electronics involved as well as tough interiors and the presence of experts such as Alex, the tire expert, and the paint and body expert, Buck which adds more flavor to the show.

The main attraction of the show is that it answers the dream of all of us who dream of having a car that everyone wants to get a closer look at, instead of hoping no one notices us driving it.

For drivers of old beat up cars, there is hope.

Pimping a ride was inspired by the Pimp My Ride TV show. Drive on by the site to learn more more about pimping your ride. http://www.pimpingaride.com

The Buick Riviera that was released and sold in the year I was born, 1965, was quite a vehicle. It was the last year for the “first generation” Riviera model - and by far the best. A unique, recognizable body style that encompassed a spacious cabin and housed a powerful V8 engine has now become a sought-after gem of classic car collectors. I was fortunate enough to have one for a few months in my youth. Here are some of its power stats:

*0-60 in 8 seconds
*Quarter mile in 16 seconds
*Top speed observed 115 MPH
*Mileage 13.2 MPG

With a 401 Wildcat under the hood, I had no trouble getting where I wanted to go. And while the body was large, it was quite maneuverable thanks to the standard equipment power steering and stiff heavy-duty suspension. And who says getting there fast can’t be in style? Check out some of the features it came with:

*Front bucket seats
*Bucket-style rear seats
*Cruise control
*Tilt steering wheel
*Center console floor-shifter & storage comp.
*Power windows, including wing-window!
*Driver side 4-way power seat
*Air conditioning
*AM/FM radio with power antenna

This 1965 car had more stuff than my 1985 Toyota did! I can remember cranking up the radio with the cruise control on doing 75 while adjusting my power seat, the tilt wheel, and the power wing windows. Ah to be young again - those were the days.

But the real feature that made the 1965 Buick Riviera stand out from all the other years were the hidden headlights. Tucked out of sight by the clam-shell covers that opened and closed automatically on the outer edges of the vehicle, they were moved back into the grille for all future body styles (where they had been the previous 2 years.

Back in the mid-80’s these cars were a lot easier to find, but there are some original vehicles still sitting in driveways out there is suburban and rural America. You might be able to pick one up for $1,000 if you do your homework. Less populated areas away from big metro cities are your best bet for discovering one of these hidden gems.

Find one, invest some time and/or money into restoring it, and you will have something special. It’s a good investment too; you just can’t lose restoring classic American cars.

There is another unique Riviera worth mentioning here, and that is the 1972 model, otherwise known as the “torpedo back.” A neighbor-mechanic of mine told me they love those things in Las Vegas (this was in 1985). I have never owned one of those - not yet anyway!

Andrew Kasch is a classic car enthusiast. You can read more about his second car and see a photo gallery at his site: http://www.1965buickriviera.info

What was your earliest memory of auto racing? I remember watching a weekly TV show called “Jalopy Races From Hollywood”. This was my earliest memory of having interest in following the sport of auto racing.

One of my most favorite memories when growing up in the 50’s and 60’s was being able to hear the auto racing action [stock cars and open cockpit midget] at Freeport Speedway in Freeport New York, from two [2] towns away. They ran races during the summer on Tuesday night, Friday night, and Saturday night. Going to the races as a spectator was also a rush for me.

I loved everything about it, the smell of racing fuel, burning rubber, sawdust and hot dogs from the food concessions. During the late 50’s and early 60’s the racing drew large crowds of spectators. I can see in my minds eye to this day, all the activity, the vendors selling race collectibles, the sound and smell of the concession stands [pop corn, hot dogs and the like. I can still hear the beer vendor as his went up and down the stands yelling out the familiar phrase of “Get Ya Cold Beer Here” Of course I was too young to become one of his customers. Other vendors sold copies of Speedway News, programs, hot dogs, replica racing flags and many more items.

Some of the great racers that ran a Freeport Stadium are Les Ley, Jim Lacy [One of my favorites], Bruno Brackey aka the Flying Mailman due to his day job, George and Ed Brunnhoelzl, George Brunnhoelzl Jr. [George Jr. built the famed Brunnhoelzl jack used by many NASCAR Winston Cup teams today.], Axel Anderson, Richie Evans, Jerry Cook, Charlie Jarzombek, Gary Winters, Fred Harbach, George Wagner, Bill Spade, Tom Baldwin, Red Raynor, Reinhardt and many more.

Freeport Stadium had gone through a series of different promoters over the years. This list included the names Kedenburg, Larry Mendelsohn, Duke Donaldson, and Don Campi. Duke Donaldson was well know as the voice of Freeport Speedway. As the track announcer, Donaldson for many years opened a race event with announcing, “Ladies and Gentlemen. Welcome to Freeport Stadium, the oldest continuously-run racetrack in the United States” and thanking everyone for visiting “Freeport Speedway in tropical Freeport.” His style did much to create a feeling of great action and professionalism for any given race event.

The second half of the 60’s began a decline in the popularity of stock car racing in Freeport. There were still many promotions being done but paid attendance declined.

Racing at Freeport took a final curtain in 1983 after 50 years of continuous operation.

Bill Wallmuller aka Mr. Merokee is the author of several information guide Websites such as: http://www.auto-racing-sports.com

Harley Earl was an automobile design expert at Chevrolet who noticed the influx of small European sports cars into the United States after World War II. He knew there was a market for a two-seat roadster and convinced Chevrolet to introduce their own version: The Chevrolet Corvette.

In 1953, the first Corvette’s were unveiled. The cars were unique in their construction. Instead of the steel bodies common for the time, the Corvette was actually built from a much lighter material-fiberglass. This innovation, combined with its Earl-designed appearance, however, was still not enough to make the car an overnight success.

At the time, Chevrolet was known for producing inexpensive, but unexciting vehicles. The Corvette, despite its sex styling and innovative construction was “just another Chevy” at heart, and lacked the performance sports car enthusiasts craved. The original Corvettes featured a less-that-impressive V6, a two-speed automatic transmission, and a brake system taken directly from the regular Chevy line. In essence, the original Corvette was a sports car in appearance alone. Sales lagged and there was even talk of discontinuing Earl’s pet project after a few years.

Sales were simply too low. Although the fiberglass design wowed potential buyers and critics within the sports car industry and the appearance of the Corvette was beyond reproach, the car simply lacked the kind of performance those searching for a true sports car expected to find.

Then came Zora Arkus-Duntov, the Russian

Throughout the 1970s, television programs (particularly hour long action/dramas) often featured heroes with enviable sports cars. Though not every car was particularly memorable or essential to the show’s personality, some television sports cars did manage to leave a lasting impression. Here are five truly unforgettable television sports cars from the 1970s:

Dan Tanna’s 1957 Thunderbird from Vega$

In the pilot for this popular seventies cop show, the show’s protagonist, Dan Tanna drove a bright yellow Corvette. Somewhere along the way the car was destroyed in the desert and Robert Urich’s character ended up with a bright red 1957 Thunderbird convertible. The T-Bird was, in essence, the co-star of Vega$. Urich commented that the sports car received more fan mail than he did. The show aired 67 episodes and through the entire production, only two of the 1957 Thunderbirds were used. The cars later appeared, painted an aquamarine hue, in the Richard Gere movie, Breathless. One cannot think of Vega$ without thinking of Tanna in his T-Bird cruising down the strip.

Jim Rockford’s Firebird Esprit from The Rockford Files

James Garner gave chase to villains in a series of gold Firebird Esprit’s during the course of The Rockford Files seven-year run. In addition to being Rockford’s most recognizable accessory, the Firebird was also a moving printing press. Always the clever detective, Rockford kept a small printing machine in the back to produce custom business cards to help him in his adventures. Over the course of the series, multiple model years of the gold Firebird Esprit were used. Despite the money problems that always seemed to evidence themselves on Rockford’s answering machine, he was able to buy new Firebirds regularly.

Joe Mannix’ custom Oldsmobile Toronado from Mannix

Though Joe Mannix began his crime-fighting career in the 1960s, the hour-long drama bearing his name survived into the 1970s. His customized 425 1966 front-wheel drive convertible Oldsmobile Toronado featured a slew of high-tech advances including a short-waver radio receiver and a hidden compartment that often housed his sidearm. The Mannix roadster wasn’t the only car used by Mike Connors during the show-in the later seasons he got behind the wheel of an assortment of vehicles-but it was certainly the most memorable ride from the series.

Columbo’s Rusty Peugeot from Columbo

One could argue whether rumpled detective Frank Columbo’s rusty old 1959 Peugeot 403 Grande Luxe Cabriolet really qualifies as a sports car. Even if it does in principle, it didn’t in terms of apparent performance. The chewed up old rust-bucket was a perfect companion to the equally disheveled detective played by Peter Falk in the popular 1970s detective series. Interestingly the Peugeot was later sold to a couple in Ohio who were located by network execs when the series was revised in the form of a few television movies in the late 1980s.

Starsky’s and Hutch’s Gran Torino from Starsky and Hutch

The Ford Gran Torino from Starsky and Hutch was such a big star that its red and white paint scheme and styling actually became part of the Ford product line. Even today, S&H Torino owners gather to display their souped up Gran Torinos and to revel in memories of a popular 1970s cop show. In terms of sheer recognizability, the S&H Gran Torino is in a class of its own.

You might remember Ironsides’ ride or what Kojak tooled around in. Perhaps you can recall Quincy’s car, too. But when most people are asked to discuss cars popularized in 1970s television, odds are they will mention at least a few of the top five listed above. These cars became stars in their own right, often nearly overshadowing their human co-stars.

Gregg Hall is a business consultant and author for many online and offline businesses and lives in Navarre Florida with his 16 year old son. Take care of your unforgettable car with the car care products from http://www.shineyourcar.com

For many years, the Porsche 911 has represented the epitome of true sports car driving. Generations have had childhood dreams of owning and driving their very own Porsche 911. For those wanting to finally make those childhood dreams come true by buying a high quality one owner 911, there are some things that you will need to be aware of before handing over your cheque. If you are not careful, your dream car could cost you far more than what you bargained for.

There is no doubt that driving your very own Porsche 911 is a dream worth attaining, so when you are searching for your dream Porsche 911, you must remember not to jump in too quickly. While the Porsche 911 was always built to last, you need to make sure that any one owner car that you inspect and potentially buy has been properly cared for.

Thoroughly check the service history
When you buy a Porsche 911, you need to feel confident that you are getting a car that has been expertly maintained. A Porsche 911 needs to be serviced by a Porsche specialist. Ultratune or your local mechanic will just not do. Thoroughly check the service history of the vehicle. Find out who has made mechanical repairs and serviced the car and check their Porsche credentials. If you are spending a small fortune, then feel free to contact the mechanic to discuss the service history of the vehicle.

Many Porsche 911s, especially older ones, will have had clutches and other major mechanicals replaced. Don’t be turned off by this, you just need to make sure that the job has been done properly.

Has the car been raced?
There will be many Porsche 911s out there that have been put through their paces on the race track. Check for any signs that may indicate whether the car has spent time on the race track. Some of these telltale signs may include extra gauges, evidence that a roll cage has been removed and uneven tyre wear and body damage. Unless you are planning on racing yourself, then you should steer clear of any car showing such signs.

Get a professional inspection
If you buy a Porsche 911 and find that a few months down the track you need to replace anything mechanical, then you know you are going to be up for big dollars. It should go without saying that with any one owner Porsche 911 that you are serious about buying, you should get a professional inspection from somebody who knows and works on Porsches.

If you’ve never driven a Porsche before
If you’ve never driven a Porsche 911 before, or if you have spent only a small amount of time behind the wheel of one, then it will be a good idea to get some professional driving lessons as driving these cars will not be like driving your average family sedan. In the hands of an inexperienced driver testing their new car for the first time, the Porsche 911 can be a deadly weapon. This is especially the case with older Porsche 911s as the handling can really bite when you put your foot down hard, even on fairly straight roads.

oneowner is an online classified specialist in new and one owner used cars. Enjoy the benefits that come with buying a
one owner used car.

If you’ve always dreamed of owning a late model Porsche, but can’t afford the hefty price tag of a 911, then the Porsche Boxster may just be the right option for you.

The Porsche Boxster has been available in Australia since 1997. In early 2005, a new model was introduced. The Porsche Boxster is a two seater roadster offering a cheaper alternative to the 911. While some regard the Porsche Boxster as a rather bland car, in styling as well as in performance, the Porsche Boxster has proven a popular choice here in Australia, with its undeniable Porsche styling.

While not having the power of the more expensive 911, the Porsche Boxster still offers good sports performance from its mid-mounted, boxster engine. There are two models available in Australia: the Boxster and the Boxster S. The standard Boxster has a 2.7 litre 6 cylinder engine that produces 180kw at 6,500rpm. The Boxster has a top speed of 258 km/h and goes from a standing start to 100 km/h in 6.1 seconds.

The Boxster S is the more expensive option. It is powered by a 3.4 cylinder boxster engine which produces a more respectable 217 kw at 6,250 rpm. The bigger engine gives the Boxster S a top speed of 272 km/h and propels the car from zero to one hundred on just 5.4 seconds.

While many sports cars sacrifice comfort for performance, the Porsche Boxster does provide comfort for both driver and passenger. In fact, even taller drivers will find the room generous with the adjustable three spoke steering wheel and ergonomically designed pedals. The seats are designed to hold you in when you’re taking tight corners fast and offer a wide range of adjustment options.

For the safety conscious, both Boxster models employ four piston monobloc aluminium fixed callipers on both the front and rear wheels. The braking system offers precise braking in all weather conditions and at high speed. The response from the pedal is fast and precise.

Safety inside is provided by two side airbags each for both driver and passenger as well as the front airbags. There’s also protection from rollover in both the front and rear. The front windscreen incorporates a sturdy steel element while the rear is protected by stainless steel roll-over bars. Both models of the Porsche Boxster also include side impact protection which protects the head and upper body of the driver and passenger in the event of a side collision.

Tips for buying a one owner Porsche Boxster
As the Porsche Boxster has only been sold in Australia since 1997, it should not be too hard finding a good one owner car in excellent condition. Make sure you check the body for any signs of damage. If you find any signs of rust, then the bodywork repair has been shoddy and the car should be avoided.

Check the service log to ensure that the car has been properly serviced by a qualified Porsche mechanic. When test driving, pay particular attention to the brakes and the clutch. If the brakes lock one wheel ahead of the others, they may be in need of an overhaul.

oneowner is an online classified specialist in new and one owner used cars. Enjoy the benefits that come with buying a
one owner used car.

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