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Dubai is located in the United Arab Emirates and is not only one of the world’s fastest growing cities, but is also an epicenter for employment and new job opportunities. It is estimated that around 30 new companies are established in this burgeoning city every week; and this has been the case since late 2002.

But why is Dubai such an attractive city to live and work in? The short answer Dubai is tax free. If you live and work in the area you are paid your gross wage with no tax deducted from this amount. Why? Unbelievably, direct personal taxation is against the law, meaning any income you make is 100% yours.

If you are looking in the fields of tourism, IT, media or finance, and are qualified in your area, there is an abundance of job opportunities waiting to be snapped up. Every year, thousands of international people are making the move to Dubai to become part of the workforce and make some real, tax-free money.

Likewise, if you are looking to establish your own business in the Emirate, the government offers numerous incentives to overseas business to take up in the free trade zones. There are currently 15 free trade zones, with 7 more planned for the coming months and years. These zones allow for foreign businesses to establish themselves and grow without corporate taxes and without a shareholding structure. You will quickly realize why there is an abundance of job opportunities in Dubai.

In order to work in Dubai, you will be required to hold a work permit and residency visa. Most employers will arrange for these details to be sorted for their employees once they are appointed to their position within the company. On the other hand, if you are planning a holiday to Dubai, you will be issued with a temporary visa (depending on the country you are from), and you can use this opportunity to scout around and look for job opportunities. Once you have done this, the process of applying for a work permit and visa is fairly straight forward.

A notable difference in Dubai is the working hours, which you will quickly become used to. Many businesses close for a few hours each afternoon and Friday tends to be a day when no meetings are held.

Dubai, as a city, is unbelievable. The living standard for expatriates is wonderful, as is the fast-paced social life many of these people enjoy. Prepare to play and work hard, and enjoy the many wonders Dubai has to offer from indoor skiing, to playing golf, or taking a 4wd safari in the desert Dubai has it all.

You will never feel alone in Dubai. The majority of the current population is made up of expatriates and you will have no problem meeting acquaintances and new friends almost immediately. The multi cultural environment allows for numerous social clubs and events to encourage new people to meet. All of this helps new residents ease into their new life in Dubai.

To learn more, visit the Dubai Hotels and Dubai Jobs Website – a resource for job opportunities, news and information relating to Dubai.

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Source by Stephen Davis

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Attitude: 1,829-4001 meters above sea level
Area: 767 sq. Kilometers
Location: Central Highlands west of mountain Kenya.
Distance from Nairobi: 180 kilometers Via Nyeri town
Gazetted: Aberdare was Gazetted in may 1950
Climate:Cool and cloudy with frequent heavy rains in march –June and September to December
Vegetation: Rich Alpine and Sub alpine flora giving way to Bamboo and Mountain forests.
Fauna: Include blue and Columbus monkey, Leopard, Lion, Elephant, Warthog, Black Rhino, Giant Forest Hog, bushbuck, Buffalo, Red Duiker, Suni, Serval, Reedbuck, Eland, and the rare bongo antelope.
Birds: The prolific bird life features 250 recorded species.
Fishing: The streams are well stocked with brown and rainbow trout.
Roads: The Park often becomes impassible for 2Wd vehicles and thus 4WD vehicles are recommended.
Open: The Park is open daily from 6.00 am to 7.00pm. Be advised that no entry is allowed on foot and no visitor will be allowed into the park after6.15pm.
Park entry charges: Kenyan citizen 200Ksh, Kenyan Student and organized groups 50Ksh, Kenyan Children 50Ksh. Non Residents; 40US$, Children 20US$, Students and organized groups 10 US$
Smart card entry: Entry to the park is by smart card only. Smartcard may be obtained and loaded at the main gate:
The warden: P.o.Box 22 Nyeri, Kenya. Tel: +254(0)6155024121
How to get there: By Road; Take the A2 out of Nairobi  Via Thika in Nyeri. Then Take Nyeri-Nyahururu road out of Nyeri. Ruhuruini, Arkand treetops gates are sign posted off this road. By Air, the nearest air strip is at Mweiga.
What to see: Karuru, Gura, Chania and Magura spectacular waterfalls, Heards of elephants and Buffalos,
What to Do: Hiking Fishing, Mountain climbing, walking, Game drives

Olivia Mutua writes exclusively for Kenya Safari Guide and Outdoor Kenya

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Source by Olivia Mutua

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Introduction

 Car Salary Packaging can save some Australians thousands of dollars a year. However, as most advice given regarding car salary packaging is not accurate, some people proceed with car salary packaging even though it is of  no benefit to them.

This article will help you distinguish between accurate tax advice and misleading marketing fluff, and help you make the right decision about how to structure your next motor vehicle purchase.

I’m sure by the end you will agree that tax advice should only be given by tax advisers.

 What is Car Salary Packaging?

Car salary packaging is where you direct your employer to pay vehicle expenses on your behalf, instead of paying wages into your bank account after deducting tax.

 It usually operates where your employer makes payments on a novated lease. A novated lease will usually involve both the car financing and running expenses of the vehicle. In other words, your car costs are paid by your employer and deducted from your pay.

 In certain circumstances a tax benefit can arise where the tax payable on the packaged car payments is less than the tax payable on the salary payments.

 Will everyone benefit from Car Salary Packaging?

 Not everyone will benefit from car salary packaging.

 The taxation outcome of car salary packaging is dependent on a number of variables including salary, cost of car, type of employer, kilometres travelled and importantly BUSINESS USAGE.

 Unfortunately, most documents that I have seen significantly overstate the taxation benefits of salary packaging a vehicle due to inaccurate analysis.

 What is even more disturbing is that the owners of the leasing and motor vehicle companies know that their documents significantly overstate the taxation benefits of Salary Packaging a vehicle – and they still continue to use them as a marketing tool to sell leases and vehicles.

 If you are reading a document that is projecting a taxation saving, and the document contains a disclaimer with words to the effect of ‘Our staff/company are not qualified/licensed to give taxation advice. For Taxation advice please see your accountant’ – alarm bells should start ringing! An example disclaimer from one of Australia’s largest salary packaging advisory companies’ websites:

 “Notes & disclaimers

• The (I have removed the company name as my legal advisors are already overworked) calculator is only designed to give an estimate of the savings you may achieve and is not intended as a replacement for professional advice. It is recommended that you seek professional financial advice before making any decisions regarding your salary package.
• All calculations are based on personal income tax rates and thresholds for the 2009/10 financial year.”

  Example of no taxation benefit

 There are many cases when car salary packaging will generate a taxation benefit.

 There are just as many cases when car salary packaging will not generate any taxation benefit!

 I once acted for a client who brought me a document suggesting that he would save close to $10,000 per year salary packaging a vehicle. He was a sales rep leasing a 4wd vehicle. When I put his unique circumstances into our firm’s software, it told me he would obtain no taxation benefit from car salary packaging.

 This got my attention and immediately I assumed that our calculator was incorrect. After meeting with the owner of the leasing business who issued the document to our client (the owner of the leasing business was not incompetent when it came to tax, his background was as a tax adviser). During our meeting it became clear that our calculators were calculating different things because we had different requirements.

 Our calculator was designed to advise a client as to whether they would obtain a taxation benefit from salary packaging a car… or not.

 Their calculator was designed only to help sell cars. It didn’t consider the taxation deduction that our client could already obtain via his tax return!

 Car Salary Packaging vs Motor Vehicle Allowance

 To accurately calculate the taxation benefit of car salary packaging, it is important to consider any tax deduction that you would already be entitled to claim in your tax return.

 In your tax return you can claim up to 5000 kms of travel, without a logbook (it does need to be genuine business related travel). However, if you maintain a log book you are able to claim the business percentage of your actual car expenses.

 Employers are able to reimburse their employees for motor vehicle expenses that relate to business usage by paying employees a motor vehicle allowance. This allowance is effectively income to the employee in their tax return.

 An employee can then claim a tax deduction for their actually business motor vehicle expenses in their tax return, pursuant to taxation law.

 You can not claim motor vehicle expenses in your income tax return if you salary package the vehicle. Therefore, this amount should be deducted from the projected tax saving for car salary packaging. It rarely is.

 Ask the right question or get the wrong answer

 The question to ask when considering car salary packaging is not “in isolation how much tax will a particular method of salary packaging save me?”

 That what most misleading salary packaging estimates project.

 The correct question is, “What is the tax benefit of salary packaging, as opposed to any other option available to me, including claiming my car expenses in my tax return?”.

 That is not the question being answered by most salary packaging marketing companies.

 The table below is taken from one of Australia’s largest salary packaging advisory website’s online calculators.

Savings – Novated lease Without Salary Packaging

Annual gross salary

$75,000.00

Taxable income

$75,000.00

Less PAYG tax

-$16,350.00

Less Medicare Levy

-$1,125.00

Take-home pay

$57,525.00

Vehicle Lease Cost (After Tax)

$19,305.12

Disposable income

$38,219.88

With Salary Packaging

Annual gross salary

$75,000.00

Vehicle Package Cost(Before Tax)

$14,222.00

Taxable income

$60,778.00

Less PAYG tax

-$12,083.40

Less Medicare levy

-$911.67

Take-home pay

$47,782.93

Vehicle Package Cost (After Tax)

$4,126.10

Disposable income

$43,656.83

Your Salary Packaging Advantage

Your saving off the Motor Vehicle Lease by Salary Packaging is:

$5,436.95

% Increase in your equivalent salary packaging:

14.23

This website has advised me that I could save $5,436.95 in tax by purchasing a new car through them.

 Sound too good to be true?

 It is potentially.

 The website did not ask me if I had any business use for the vehicle. If I did, I would be entitled to a tax deduction for that usage only if I do not salary package it via a novated lease. Therefore, if I had any business usage, the saving projected is overstated. There are potentially other factors that would affect the outcome as well.

 To give correct analysis, you need to consider the unique circumstances of the individual.

 You also need to answer the right question – what is the BENEFIT of Salary Packaging?

 What information do you need to correctly analyse car salary packaging?

• Taxable Income eg income after all tax deductions, salary packaging into Super etc
• Employers FBT Status
• Cost of the car
• GST on car
• Running costs of car
• Petrol
• Insurance
• Repairs & Maintenance
• Rego
• Finance costs for novated lease (payment, term, residual, interest rate)
• Fees associated with the novated lease
• Finance cost of alternative finance (get car loan interest cost)
• Total Kilometres
• Business Kilometres

 It is not possible to give accurate advice by simply asking for: annual gross salary, type of vehicle, state, distance travelled and a lease period.

 This analysis is complex, and it is based on estimates. If the actual vary – the tax position may change. There are numerous methods for claiming expenses in your tax return, as well as several methods to calculate fringe benefits tax which varies depending on the client’s circumstances.

 To give accurate advice, you need the whole picture and proper calculator to help you.

 That’s why it’s worth spending (say) $180 to see an accountant, rather than relying on free advice being given by someone who is trying to sell you finance and a vehicle.

 New Salary Packaged Vehicle vs. Keeping existing vehicle

On many occasions I have been asked by clients to compare the cost after fully accounting for the taxation position of keeping an existing vehicle/buying a second hand vehicle and salary packaging a new vehicle.

 The fact is, there are no taxation miracles. Imagine you are comparing salary packaging a vehicle which will cost $20,000 to run for the year, with a vehicle that you already own that will only cost $5,000 to run for the year.

 I cannot think of any scenario where you will get a tax benefit that will exceed the out of pocket cost difference between the two vehicles.

 While anything is possible, it is extremely unlikely that the out of pocket cost of a new vehicle is going to be less than the cost of keeping your existing car.

 Conclusion

Most advice being distributed regarding car salary packaging is marketing fluff and not worth the paper it’s written on.

 In my view, most of the advertising for salary packaged vehicles is so misleading and deceptive it warrants prosecution from the department of fair trading. But in reality, unlike faulty goods, the consumer of salary package advice will usually not realise that they have been mislead into purchasing a salary packaged car which does not generate them any taxation saving at all.

 If you want to make a smart decision, read the disclaimer and get tax advice from a qualified accountant before you proceed with car salary packaging… and don’t sign anything until you do!

 While this article has highlighted the inaccuracy of most salary packaging advice, there are many Australians who can obtain a tax benefit from salary packaging! Examples include people with low business usage and high salaries purchasing moderately priced cars which travel high kilometres, and employees of organisations that enjoy reduced FBT rates.

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Source by Adrian Pinkewich

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The man who said the magic line “Ray, fire up the Quattro” is Gene Hunt, a fictional detective in ‘Ashes To Ashes’ – a TV series set in 1980’s Britain – and he drives a bright red Audi UR Quattro. And while Hunt’s completely un-PC view of the world makes compelling viewing, it’s undoubtedly the Quattro that’s become the star of the show.

They’re fetching £8,000 on eBay, the internet forums are alive with people trying to track down a model for themselves, and for the 30-somethings who were teenagers living in the 80’s, it’s made them realise that the cars they loved then could be classic cars of tomorrow.

Some people think, with some justification that the car they’ve had for 20 years might now qualify for a great classic car insurance deal. Others have found some spare cash, gone out and bought a Mk1 Golf GTi Campaign and are now firmly in the mindset of the classic car fan.

Except this time, the talk isn’t of Morris Minors and Triumph Heralds (although we love them, of course) it’s about what will make the classic cars of the future?

Sports Cars

Mazda MX5 – A brilliant two-seater soft-top which has a huge fan base for the original Mk1s with the popup headlamps. Started life with a 1600cc engine and then enlarged to 1800cc. Offering ‘old’ styling with cracking reliability and an excellent spares backup.

Fiat Barchetta – Weird, but strangely appealing. Left-hand drive and only sold in limited numbers in the UK, it has distinctive looks and this makes it a future classic certainty.

Lotus Elan (1990s models) – The guys at Lotus went a bit crazy and plumped for front wheel drive and an Isuzu engine. But with sharp handing and the Lotus badge, it has an appeal. But be aware of the fact that the front wheels are responsible for both steering and laying down power.

TVR S – Based heavily on the curvaceous sports cars of the 1970’s like the 3000M and introduced at the 1986 Motor Show at Earls Court in London. A retro-styled low priced model to give punters an introduction to TVR ownership. S1 had a 2.8i Ford engine but the V8s delivered 4-litre V8 madness. Of course it will break down, it’s a TVR!

Vauxhall VX220 – Yes – a Vauxhall. The VX220 was built by Lotus, is very similar to the Lotus Elise, and is interestingly, rare and different. Not available in huge numbers, handles fantastically, and is every inch the future classic car.

Aston Martin DBS – Probably your best chance of a ‘bargain Aston’ and if you can, hunt down one of the original 6 cylinder DBS’s of the early 1970’s, launched as a stopgap until the V8 came out. Later models like the DB7, Virage and Vanquish already have classic kudos.

Hot Hatch While they may have been the staple diet of boy racers in the 1980’s, there’s no doubting that ‘hot hatches’ now have their place in classic car folklore.

Talbot Sunbeam Lotus – Classic 1970’s chintz. Launched at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1979, but deliveries did not start until summer of that year. By this time, Chrysler UK had been sold to the French Peugeot concern that changed the name to the Talbot Motor Company. Originally the cars were only available in Embassy Black with broad silver side stripes and grey interior, and the very early cars also boasted twin exit exhaust pipes. Great if you can get one.

Peugeot 205 GTi – Not content with the German’s from Wolfsburg having it all their own way, the French decided to take them on with the 1980’s best rival to the Golf GTi. Available in hatch and convertible models, initially with a 1.6 then later a much meaner 1.9 engine driving the front wheels. Now a bargain buy and well suited to modification.

Ford Escort XR3i – Beloved of boy racers everywhere – so it’s very difficult to find one in one piece, which makes it a bit of a rarity. The Escort RS Turbo is a find too – even less of them on the road, but plenty embedded in trees in Essex! Great shape, iconic, fast, and endorsed by Jackie Stewart. It makes the list.

Ford Sierra Cosworth – The original ‘Cozzie’ is starting get a big following and could soon be held in the same regards as the old Lotus Cortina. Passion for hot hatches saw the later introduction of the XR4i with its V6 2.8 engine. Still a Sierra though!

Audi UR Quattro: High-tech, flying wedge with a roaring engine. It sprang into life in 1980 and with 4WD and a whole host of amazing other German car-making technology packed into it. It was brilliant on the road and brilliant on the rally scene. And now in much demand thanks to Gene Hunt. The most talked-about ‘modern classic’ of the year.

Luxury and Sports Cars

In many ways, luxury motors have the best chance of attaining classic car status – they’re well made, high value, and generally well-kept by their original owners. So what would make a good investment?

Jaguar X300: Essentially a cosmetic advance on the XJ40, but the X300 developed a faithful following. The first time Jaguar had fitted a supercharger, this put the XJ up against the BMW M5 and Mercedes E500.

BMW M3 – The 1977 E23 is already classic, therefore well-preserved models like the E30 M3 (which ended in 1992) might well follow suit. With a stiffer and more aerodynamic body shell than the straight E30, it ripped up the road race circuit.

Mercedes 500SL – The 500SL is recorded as being the fastest production Mercedes R107 design ever produced – having 0-60 times of 7.4 seconds and a top speed of 140 mph (230 km/h). A late 1980’s classic and well worth the investment.

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Source by Steven Greenwood

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Flatbed trucks are really gaining popularity, mostly within the farming community.  Precisely a flatbed that is made from wood is very convenient; it is inexpensive, and is able to last longer then steel truck bed.  

Another good thing is that wood flatbed can be designed by you, rather than paying high prices for an expensive, premade steel flatbed and also you can adapt it according to your needs, you can give a personal touch while saving you money.  Also here is not about truck games so a recommendation is to be patient and careful while doing all things.

Before you start you should supply some required things.  You will need a circular saw, lumber – 4- by- 4 inch and 2- by- 6 inch, lag bolts and nuts, wrench set, small square, drill and a drill bit and a pencil.

First you should measure and cut the foundation.  Lay three 4- by- 4 inch pieces of lumber across the width of the truck frame.  After that, using your pencil and square, mark the desired length and when this is done, cut the lumber to length.

Floorboards should be also cut to length so measure the 2- by- 6 inch lumber against the length of the truck frame, and then mark and cut it.  Each peace should be measured and marked individually to be sure that has the correct length.

Model the flatbed, starting by laying the 4- by- 4 inch lumber across the frame of the truck.  One at the front and back and one across the middle, parallel to one another.  The 2- by-6 inch lumber should be placed on top of and it should be perpendicular to this foundation, each peace should lay flat, side by side, until the whole area is covered.  When you place all the pieces, check your work. Maybe you’ll be in a need of adjusting the length or width of any of the boards.  Mark the extra peaces and cut them.

Next step is installing the foundation.  When you are done with the final adaptations, remove the 2- by- 6 inch floorboards.  You must be sure that the three pieces of 4- by- 4 inch lumber are placed as it was described in the previous step.  After that, drill through both ends of each piece of 4- by- 4 inch lumber into and through the frame of the truck.  In each hole from the top should be placed a lag bolt.  Thread a nut onto the bolt from the bottom and tight it with a wrench.

The final step is the floor.  All of yours 2- by- 6 inch floorboards should be laid in a place.  Drill a hole through the centre of the floorboard into and through the underlying foundation, on the place where each floorboard intersects a foundation board.  Make a three drill holes for each floorboard and place a lag bolt in each hole from the top.  Last step is to thread a nut onto each bolt from the bottom, and tighten with a wrench.

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Source by Marina Janakievska

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Ford F 150 has been reigning supreme in the category of pick up vans for long. It has been able to maintain this position because of the constant innovation by the Ford management. There are at least a dozen models for the customer to choose from. They are different from each other in terms of configuration and levels. Apart from the different models that are offered, the Ford F150 also has a number of features coupled with high performance and power. No wonder that Ford F150 has been able to maintain its numero uno position for decades.

Apart from all the features and accessories that the Ford F150 comes with, you can also add your own choice of accessories from the collection of Ford F150 parts. The lights and interior parts contribute to improving the looks while the performance parts enhance the engine performance. Let us look a little closer at the Ford F150 parts.

Wheels capture the eye attention the most. Gain all the attention on the road with larger wheels offered by the Ford F150 parts. Aftermarket wheels of diameter 17, 18, 19 and 20 inch are available. You can also choose the finish that suits your pick up truck the most from chrome, black, gunmetal or silver. With its robust and stylish designs, upgrading with the Ford F150 wheels is a sure way to catch the attention of onlookers.

You can complete the look that you wanted to your Ford F150 with the body kit. The body kit comes complete with bumpers, fender grilles, side skirts, spoilers and mirrors. A new bold look is just an obvious result of installation of the body kit. The look of your pick van can be enhanced further with the wide choice of lights. The corner lights, fog lights, headlights and tail lights contribute to improving the looks as well as the visibility while driving. All the lights are of top quality and you can be sure to relive your eyes off any stress while driving. The fog lights are especially useful while driving in rough weather and you need not take a day off from work!

The entire range of Ford F150 accessories help in providing a luxury look to the pick up vehicle. Ergonomically designed seats not only improve the seating posture, but the elegant look transforms the appearance of the interiors. Here again you are offered a wide range to choose from and each one promises both style and comfort. You can change the look of the interiors by adding custom floor mats, knobs, window mirrors etc. they can also be mixed and matched to give an appearance that goes with your lifestyle and preferences. A little creativity and imagination from you in selecting the interior parts can bring in a fresh look for your Ford F150 that will speak volumes about your personality.

The performance factor of Ford F150 can be considerably improved with the range of Ford F150 performance parts. A little chip installed in the engine can tremendously improve the power and torque of the engine. The performance chip, as it is called, is specially designed and customized for the each and every make and model of the Ford F150. You can unleash the full power with the wide range of performance parts which includes F150 exhaust, F150 gears andF150 throttle body in addition to the performance chip. You can shop for Ford F150 parts online and select from the entire range available. All the parts are of high quality and design to ensure that you get the best out of them in terms of both performance and appearance.

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Source by Reshma

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Miscellaneous used car facts are rarely of any practical use, but are a lot of fun when you start to ponder the implications of what each factoid means. Best of all, your friends will be impressed when you know these facts and have already given them some thought! Consider this for example:

Automatic transmissions outnumber manual 10 to 1 in the market for used vehicles
If this number was measured 25 years ago, I am sure the number would have been much different – probably leaning towards more manual (stick shift) transmissions than automatic transmissions. Does this means manual transmissions will soon be one of those, “I remember when…,” things? Sports cars, and I mean really fast ones, are even starting to use automatic transmission because some automatic transmissions are faster than their manual counterparts. I think the writing is on the wall for manual transmissions.

Here is a collection of other random and fun facts for you to ponder by yourself or with your friends:

1. Three out of four automotive transactions in the U.S. involve previously owned vehicles.

2. The average vehicle will likely have three owners in its lifetime.

3. Industry experts believe one of every 25 air bags that have been deployed have not been properly replaced. They’re also the most stolen item from a vehicle (having surpassed radios). AOL Autos: Best resale value cars

4. About half the cars that are flood damaged end up back on the road. As far as Hurricane Katrina is concerned, estimates are that about 200,000 vehicles were dried out and resold.

5. The most frequently searched price range for a used vehicle is under $5,000.

6. Consumers lose as much as $4 billion a year due to odometer fraud, with the average rollback being 15,000 miles.

7. There are more used Silverado pickup trucks for sale than any other model (nearly 120,000 throughout the U.S.)

8. Texas has more used vehicles than any other state (more than 220,000); Houston alone has more than 32,000 on the market at any given time.

9. Chevrolet tops the list of most-available brands in the U.S. (with about 450,000 available), followed by Ford (425,000). There are “only” about 280,000 Toyotas on the market at any given time.

10. Silver is the most available color in the used vehicle market — more than 447,000 vehicles, followed by black (429,000), white (409,000), and red (321,000). Blue (309,000) and gray (277,000) are also aplenty. The color you’re least likely to find? Pink.

11. Age does appear to matter, at least when it comes to a used vehicle. Nearly half those listed at any one time (about 1.5 million) are model years 2007-2008.

12. Six cylinder vehicles are the most popular on the used car market, accounting for nearly a third of the total available (and roughly the combined total of both four cylinder and eight cylinder powered vehicles).

13. The least likely number of engine cylinders? The 23 vehicles that were listed as being equipped with a 16-cylinder motor, among them a 2006 Bentley Continental Flying Spur (just $122,000) and a 1938 Cadillac ($195,000).

14. Nearly half the used cars on the market come with air conditioning.

This list was originally published here (http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayoflife/09/19/aa.used.car.fun.facts/index.html). Share some of your own random and fun used (or new) car auto facts.

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Source by Colby

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Toyota has existed in the automotive industry since the 1930s. These automotive manufacturing giants have gained great popularity throughout the years. The reason behind Toyota’s popularity is the reliability of the automobiles they’ve manufactured.Toyota vehicles are preferred worldwide due to their very low maintenance costs, top class interiors, eye catchy exteriors and the perfect aerodynamics. There are four very popular cars currently produced by Toyota. Let’s review these models and the outstanding features of the ‘4 Best Toyota Cars’.

1. The Spacious Toyota Camry
The Toyota Camry is well known for its riding comfort. The very generous leg room and the spacious design makes the Camry the most ideal car for long trips. Not only is the Toyota Camry spacious but it’s powerful too. Though it is a family Sedan, the Camry’s engine is highly powered. This powerful engine is extremely quiet and you won’t feel any vibration inside the cabin. The Toyota Camry also comes in hybrid options too. The Camry is really an attention grabber. The excellent headlight assembly and the fog lamps make the front end of the car look magnificent. Great riding comfort with a powerful engine and great looks makes Toyota Camry a great value-for-money vehicle.

2. The Compact Hatchback – Toyota Matrix
The Matrix is a product manufactured by the joint venture of two automotive giants – Toyota and General Motors. With lots of safety features and great looks, the Matrix is the best Hatchback available today. Though the older models of the Matrix lacked power; the innovative Matrix XRS comes with a very powerful engine. With the inclusion of a sporty suspension and a five speed gear box, the Toyota Matrix XRS offers great riding comfort. Though the Toyota Matrix is a bit disappointing in terms of acceleration, the fuel efficiency will keep owners of the Matrix delighted. There is a superior model of Matrix to be released in 2009.

3. The Mid-Sized Hybrid Car – Toyota Prius
Toyota Prius is the first mass produced hybrid car on the planet. This hybrid car has won many awards. The popularity of Toyota increased greatly with the launch of the Prius. The innovative design of the Toyota Prius makes it one of the most futuristic cars ever produced by Toyota or any other company. The egg shaped profile of the Prius is really eye catchy. With sufficient acceleration and low emissions, the Prius is the best family car from Toyota.

4. The Perfect Sedan –Toyota Corolla
The Corolla is the best selling car today. The Toyota Corolla has taken many forms since its introduction in 1968 – a sedan, a coupe, a hatchback and a wagon. With great pricing, excellent fuel efficiency, fabulous looks, and enormous power, the modern-day Toyota Corolla is the most perfect sedan available on the market today. Statistics show that a Corolla is sold somewhere in this world every 40 seconds.

The Toyota Dealerships
One of the best Toyota dealerships in the United States is located just minutes from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. You can find all Toyota manufactured vehicles, ranging from cars to trucks, at Greensburg Toyota. There are classy used Toyota cars for sale too if you cannot afford to buy a new Toyota. You must look for the best when it comes to buying used or new Toyota vehicles from a Toyota dealership. Greensburgtoyota.com, with its huge selection of Toyota vehicles, should be the first place you check out when buying used or new Toyota cars and trucks in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. With the interactive search tools provided at their website, choosing the best Toyota vehicle, the one that best suits your preferences and requirements, is a breeze!

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Source by Abby Reid

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Like the Dodge Caliber hatchback, also launched as a 2007 model, the Compass uses a continuously variable transmission (CVT) as an alternative to the standard five-speed manual gearbox. In fact, the Compass and the Dodge Caliber share the same basic structure. Built on a passenger-car chassis, the Compass lacks the “Trail Rated” status granted to other Jeeps, and its off-road capabilities are on the mild side. Unlike Dodge’s Caliber, though, Compass has a 4WD-Lock button, for use on slightly rougher terrain.

Nearly all models hold a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, developing 172 horsepower and 165 pound-feet of torque. A Compass may have either front-drive or all-wheel drive. Jeep offers a smaller (2.0-liter) engine as a credit option, only for the lower-cost Sport model with front-drive. An AutoStick feature for the CVT permits manual selection of simulated “gears.” Start-offs with the CVT are rather leisurely. Highway passing response isn’t bad: nothing to induce driving excitement, but the Compass gains speed with pleasing steadiness.

Engine noise is a problem, but it’s not troubling as you approach the desired velocity. Manual mode with the AutoStick feature works almost like the real thing, providing quick “upshifts” from the virtual “gears,” but downshifts may be trickier at times. Downhill, it helps keep speed down, though not like a serious off-road vehicle or one with manual shift. The five-speed manual gearbox is on the vague side, thus not inviting to use. The Compass clutch doesn’t engage so nimbly either. In addition, the engine sounds noisy in each lower gear, without delivering much more energy than the CVT manages.

For 2009, each Compass got a redesigned interior, including a reworked instrument panel and a center console with a split lid. Chrome accents the new round climate-control vents. Padded armrests are new, along with LED-illuminated cupholders. More insulation was installed to reduce noise, and suspension tuning was revised. Sport models include air conditioning, a tilt steering column, split-folding rear seat, stereo with MP3 capability, fabric upholstery, foglamps, and 17-inch alloy wheels. Limited editions add leather-trimmed, heated bucket seats and a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls. Also on the Limited are 18-inch aluminum wheels and “uconnect tunes,” which includes a 30-gigabyte hard drive for storing music files.

Front seats have short bottoms and a somewhat hard seatback, and don’t feel abundantly cushioned. Despite compact external dimensions, occupants enjoy plenty of front headroom and elbow space. Backseat space is abundant for two, with tall headroom but limited leg space. The center rear position is bearable, but that rider must straddle cupholders at the rear of a long console. Seatbacks are stiff, too. Unlike the front seat, the back feels generally cramped and overly cozy. Gauges are modest in size on a basic instrument panel, but they’re easy enough to read. The average-size glovebox is easy to reach, with an open compartment above.

Full-length roof rails are standard, along with a high rear spoiler and “clamshell” hood. Rigid vinyl cargo-area flooring removes and washes easily. The standard 60/40-split rear seatback reclines in Limited models. Standard safety features include curtain-type airbags, plus all-disc antilock braking with rough-road detection (which alters braking effect) and electronic roll mitigation. The three-mode Electronic Stability Program can be set to full-on, semi-on, or full-off.

Ride quality is quite lovely on glassy-smooth roads. Moderate bumps and holes undeniably interfere with ride comfort, but a Compass behaves quite well on gravel surfaces. Rather light steering is accompanied by easy maneuverability. The Compass takes curves without excessive body lean, though it’s not absent, either. Road noise can annoy on certain surfaces.

Fuel economy is a strong point. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) gives manual-shift models with either 2WD or AWD an estimate of 23 mpg in city driving and 28 mpg on the highway. With the CVT, estimates dip to 21/25 mpg for 2WD and 21/24 mpg with AWD. A Sport model with the smaller engine and CVT gets a 23/27 mpg estimate.

Despite its limitations, this Jeep qualifies as a generally enjoyable vehicle. Compass competes against a group of small crossover-type SUVs, including the Toyota RAV4, Kia Sportage, Honda CR-V, and Hyundai Tucson. Target buyers are in their late 20s, likely making their first new-vehicle purchase. Prices start at $19,095 (including the $630 destination charge) for a Sport model with front-drive and a manual transmission. The continuously variable transmission adds $1,100. An all-wheel-drive Limited model with manual shift stickers for $25,205. A navigation system and Rallye Group package are available.

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plan on buying any kind of suspension lift kits for your vehicle. There are many different kinds of 4×4 suspension lift kits and 4×4 accessories to go along with the kit to add some extra features to your vehicle. The main types of vehicles that you will see driving down the highway with a suspension lift are Sport utilities, light trucks, jeeps, and some plain cars as well, but not every car can have a 4×4 suspension lift.

Why do I want a 4×4 suspension lift?

This is the first question that you must ask yourself when you consider buying 4×4 suspension lift kits for your vehicle. First off, I’d just like to mention that the work process alone of adding a suspension lift kit to your truck is not the easiest task, but it is quite hard. You must be technical enough and willing to keep up with the maintenance that is required when adding a lift to your vehicle. If you don’t have the know-how to do it yourself, a shop will charge you – and more frequently than not, you’ll pay an arm and a leg. There are two main reasons that a person might want to install a 4×4 suspension lift kit to their vehicle, and that is for functioning purposes or simply just for the looks. Knowing which one of these reasons is the one you choose to go with will help you in determining what kind of suspension lift kits are better for your vehicle.

What Style

As far as using 4×4 accessories, and suspension lift kits for your vehicle to make it look nice, or to stand out from the rest of the vehicles; this surely has become a popular trend these days. You must keep in mind that whenever you add a lift to your truck or vehicle, you will be making more of a statement or an impression on your personality whether you believe it or not. Remember this list of things that you must consider when you plant to add a suspension lift kit to your vehicle:

1)      Comfort

2)      Reliability

3)      Safety

4)      Maintenance

5)      Price

These are all very important factors to keep in mind when you consider 4×4 suspension lift kits.

Suspension Performance

Understanding how a particular suspension kit will perform on your vehicle is a must! You do not want to waste time and money on buying a kit and then putting it on your vehicle to realize that it does not work very well, which is why you should keep the above five factors that are listed in mind. Ask yourself what kind of activities with driving you will be doing most of the time when using your vehicle with the suspension job. There are many activities to ponder on:

1)      Slow rock crawling

2)      General 4 wheel activity

3)      High speed racing in the desert

4)      Mud races

Keep all of these factors in mind when deciding on whether 4×4 suspension kits are something you really want for your ride.

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Source by Brij