More often we think that a car in a house is just enough. However, as needs arises whether a spouse that needs an entirely far and out of the way ride or a college graduation gift for a child, a second vehicle is already a common option. But like the first time you purchased a vehicle, it needs a long time of financial thinking and preparation. It's not easy, I know. To your rescue, from Informa Research Services, Inc. are some practical tips if you are one of those thinking that buying another car is one great option:

Regarded as Dodge Caliber’s fraternal twin, the Jeep compass shares the Jeep brand DNA but is not like any other jeep. Classical jeep features includes the rugged looks, trail-ratings and is absolutely not for filthy tracks. The 2007 Jeep Compass’ design is car based turned to SUV for small SUV buyers. With available four-wheel drive single speed system, you can direct your compass to the suburbs.

Sharing its platform with the Dodge Caliber, the 2007 Jeep Compass is its first generation. Its 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, this small wagon generates 172 horsepower and 165 pound0-feet torque. The Compass comes with a standard five-speed manual transmission and an optional continuously variable transmission (CVT).

With only two inches taller than the Caliber, the Compass looks much bigger and tighter. Made of same materials, the interior of the Compass is more comfortable than that of the Caliber.

With your $21,925, you can now own the 2007 Jeep compass with these special specs:

Exterior

Length: 173.4 in.
Height: 65.2 in.
Ground Clearance: 8.4 in
Gross Weight: 4435 lbs.
Width: 71.3 in.
Wheel Base: 103.7 in.
Curb Weight: 3326 lbs

Interior
Front Head Room: 40.7 in
Front Shoulder Room: 54.6 in
Rear Shoulder Room: 54 in.
Front Leg Room: 40.6 in.
Luggage Capacity: 22.7 cu. ft.
Front Hip Room: 52.3 in.
Rear Head Room: 39.9 in.
Rear Hip Room: 51 in.
Rear Leg Room: 39.4 in.
Maximum Cargo Capacity: 54 cu. ft.
Maximum Seating: 5

Performance
Base Number of Cylinders: 4
Base Engine Type: Inline 4
Max Horsepower: 6000 rpm
Max Torque:  4400 rpm
Maximum Towing Capacity: 2000 lbs.
Turning Circle: 35.6 ft.
Base Engine Size: 2.4 liters
Horsepower: 172 hp
Torque: 165 ft-lbs.
Maximum Payload: 925 lbs.
Drive Type: 4WD

Fuel

Fuel Tank Capacity: 13.5 gal.
EPA Mileage Estimates: (City/Highway)
Manual: 25 mpg / 29 mpg     Automatic: : 23 mpg / 26 mpg
Range in Miles:         (City/Highway)
Automatic: 310.5 mi. / 351 mi. Manual: 337.5 mi. / 391.5 mi.

After being postponed for 2 days due to heavy rains, Kurt Busch grabbed the Nextel Cup in the Michigan International Speedway. They had an overtime Tuesday to finish the 3M Performance 400.

Following his win last August 5 in the Pocono Raceway, Kurt Busch in his Dodge held off Martin Tuarex Jr. in his Chevrolet. He won over Tuarex in a two-lap final shootout. He’s got two wins in a series of three events and a second championship in the Nextel Cup since 2004.

The Race Results:

TRACK: Michigan International Speedway
2.0-mile D-shaped oval
DATE: Aug. 21

1. Kurt Busch, Dodge, 203 laps at 117.044 mph avg. speed; 2. Martin Truex Jr., Chevrolet, 203; 3. Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 203; 4. Matt Kenseth, Ford, 203; 5. Denny Hamlin, Chevrolet, 203; 6. Dave Blaney, Toyota, 203; 7. Carl Edwards, Ford, 203; 8. Brian Vickers, Toyota, 203; 9. Bobby Labonte, Dodge, 203; 10. Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, 203;

11. Casey Mears, Chevrolet, 203; 12. Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, 203; 13. Kyle Busch, Chevrolet, 203; 14. Jeff Burton, Chevrolet, 203; 15. Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 203; 16. Ryan Newman, Dodge, 203; 17. Clint Bowyer, Chevrolet, 203; 18. David Ragan, Ford, 203; 19. Greg Biffle, Ford, 203; 20. Ward Burton, Chevrolet, 203;

21. David Stremme, Dodge, 202; 22. Jeff Green, Chevrolet, 202; 23. David Reutimann, Toyota, 202; 24. Robby Gordon, Ford, 202; 25. J.J. Yeley, Chevrolet, 202; 26. Juan Pablo Montoya, Dodge, 202; 27. Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 202; 28. David Gilliland, Ford, 202; 29. Johnny Sauter, Chevrolet, 202; 30. Jamie McMurray, Ford, 202;

31. Kasey Kahne, Dodge, 201; 32. Elliot Sadler, Dodge, 201; 33. Ricky Rudd, Ford, 201; 34. Tony Raines, Chevrolet, 201; 35. Bill Elliot, Ford, 201; 36. Scott Riggs, Dodge, 201; 37. John Andretti, Dodge, 201; 38. Reed Sorenson, Dodge, 200; 39. Paul Menard, Chevrolet, 167; 40. Michael Waltrip, Toyota, 135;

41. Chad McCumbee, Chevrolet, 134; 42. Mark Martin, Chevrolet, 101 (oil leak); 43. Joe Nemechek, Dodge, 94 (accident)

TIME OF RACE: 2h 37m 45s
MARGIN OF VICTORY: 0.495s
PURSE: $5,138,579, winner’s share $190,108
FAST QUALIFIER: Gordon, 38.090s (189.026 mph)
PROVISIONALS: Johnny Sauter, Chad McCumbee
DID NOT QUALIFY: A.J. Allmendinger, Kevin Lepage, Scott Wimmer, Dale Jarrett, Jeff Green
LEAD CHANGES: 18 among ten drivers
CAUTION PERIODS: Eight for 36 laps
POINT LEADERS: 1. J. Gordon, 3384; 2. Hamlin, -344; 3. Kenseth, -432; 4. Stewart, -445; 5. Edwards, -560; 6. J. Burton, -578; 7. Johnson, -595; 8. Kyle Busch, -627; 9. Bowyer, -717; 10. Harvick, -729; 11. Truex, -797; 12. Kurt Busch, -855
NEXT: Bristol, Tenn., Aug. 25 (7 p.m. Eastern, ESPN)

Kurt Busch said that he used the same chassis that lead him the win in the Pocono Raceway.

“And it worked pretty good today, too,” he said.

It definitely did.

Gasoline expands when temperature is high and is of less volume when temperature is low. There is a monetary effect of this scientific phenomenon to all car owners, when the fuel is warmer, it should become cheaper and when it is cooled, it will become more expensive. Unlike Canada, the United States do not have the technology of metering system in our pumps that determines how much the fuel was heated or cooled that adjusts the price accordingly. The upshot? An annual $2 billion hand-out of our consumers’ pockets and into the cash vaults of the oil companies.

Gilbarco Veeder-Root, a North Carolina based company recently manufactured a device—a temperature-sensitive chamber for fuel. The device will be attached to the gasoline pumps and will aid us to regain some of our gas-price pressures. The device is said to be simple and functional and currently widely used in Canada.

Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich, chair of the Domestic Policy Subcommittee headed the second investigation why such technology failed to reach the US oil market.

Warmer fuels delivers less energy to cars and colder fuels delivers more energy, making it advisable not to buy gasoline when it is hot outside. With the temperature-sensitive metering device, we are supposed to pay cheaper for our fuels during the summer because it delivers less energy to our cars.

In Canada, they pay for the energy that they get out of the purchased gasoline. While in the United States, consumers pay for the volume of the gasoline and not the energy it generates.

In the investigation of Kucinich, gas retailers explained that they do not use the heat meters—or the “automatic temperature compensation� because state regulations won’t let them.

"State weights and measures regulations have not adopted temperature correction," said Hugh Cooley, Shell Oil Company Vice President.

“Across the U.S. a gallon is still defined as 231 cubic inches by law.� echoed Ben Soraci, Director of General Sales for ExxonMobil.

The summer season is also the convertibles’ season to hit the roads. To add excitement to the heat of the season, the Volkswagen Corporation offered a lineup that consists of models from the newly launched Beetle Cabriolet to the Bentley high-end cruiser. The line up features Volkswagen’s eight open-open air models of Audi, Bentley, Lamborghini and Volkswagen.

The eight hot convertibles include the New Beetle Cabriolet of Volkswagen, TT Roadster of Audi, Gallardo Spyder of Lamborghini, Continental GTC of Bentley, Eos of Volkswagen, A4 Cabriolet of Audi, Murcielago LP 640 Roadster of Lamborghini, and Azure of Bentley.

The new entrant, Volkswagen Cabriolet is engineered with four gasoline engines that can deliver power ranging from 55KW/ 75 PS to 110kW / 150 PS and a TDI (77 kW / 105 PS). Its image is but a memory of the old Beetle convertible, but new and improved that its cult design greatly attracts glances.

Volkswagen Eos’ power output between 102 kW / 140 PS and 184 kW / 250 PS under the hood of this brilliantly constructed German vehicle. With a five section CSC roof (coupe, sun and convertible roof) consisting of 480 parts that converts the car from a coupe to a convertible as shortly as 25 seconds makes this car one of the most winning German convertibles.

Audi’s TT Roadster has a soft top following Audi’s Philosophy of the Roadster. Housed in its hood is an engine of architecture that powers the vehicle with 184 kW (250 PS) TT Roadster 3.2 Quattro and an option on the 2.0 TFSI with 147 kW (200 PS).

The four seats Audi A4 Cabriolet is topped that connotes elegance and sophistication. Its two engines, the four cylinder TDI with 103 kW (140 PS), and the mighty 309 kW (420 PS) eight cylinder in the RS4 makes the A4 Cabriolet one of the convertible classics.

Its name taken from the German bat – Murcielago, the topless Murcielago LP 640 is the most powerful Roadster in the world.  With a 6.5-liter (6.496 cm3) 60° V-engine and 640 bhp at 8,000 rpm, at 6,000 rpm, this 12 – cylinder engine reaches the maximum torque of 487 lb- ft.

Another best sports car in the world is the Lamborghini Gallardo Spider – the fighting bull as what they call it. Under the hood of this airplane-inspired convertible is a ten cylinder engine with 382 kW (520 PS) and drives to 100 km/hr shortly within 4.3 seconds. With this engine, the Gallardo spider is not far from the bouts of the Murcielago. That’s nice, a bat followed by a bull.

As the name implies, the continental GTC is an exquisite touring car. With a roof that automatically folds down electro-hydraulically even when driving up to 30 km/h makes it one of the most beautiful convertibles at present.  The magnificent engine powers to 411 kW (560 PS) and 650 Newton–meter of torque, that can speed up to an amazing 312 km/h or 306 km/h when the top is down.

The last in the line-up of these steaming convertibles is Bentley’s Azure. The owners of this four seat convertible can grandly enjoy the open fresh summer air. The engine is state of the art technology. A 6.75-liter eight cylinder engine can reach the topmost power of 336 (456 PS) and 875 Newton-meter that can totally speed up to 274 km/h.  

So if your summer is already hot, these convertibles will definitely make it burn.

Van fanatics out there, a new baby will be born for you on the tenth of the month.

Nissan Motor Company announced that they have already conceptualized what they claim to be the van of the future.  

In October, the debut of the Nissan NV 200 will be held at the Tokyo Motor Show.

The NV200 was a product of the collaboration of Nissan Design Center in Japan and Nissan Design Europe. The partnership produced a van that is futuristic, radical and new. With its entirely unique feature is a storing pod which stretches from the van’s load area when the vehicle is parked. After the pod is deployed, the empty load bay will become a mobile office. The front passenger seat rotates backward on a curved rail to face a computer table, which automatically drops down from the side of the van.

Shiro Nakamura, senior vice – president and chief creative officer of Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. said “A light commercial vehicle has a specific job to perform, but that’s no reason to design a purely rational vehicle with no warmth. For NV200, function becomes the aesthetic. Our concept is a highly efficient tool but one with a human touch,�

And like all Nissan vehicles, we can expect this van to have state of the art Nissan technology.

Being in the bar and partying all night with friends and acquaintances is one well, a fact of life. It happens. We go there, enjoy some drinks, some more and then some more.

Some of us manage to think through the cobwebs and not drive. Others, well, after all the inhibitions have gone out of their bodies, still hit the road with their hands on the wheel. Good if they arrive home safe and without mishap. Most of the time, however, drunk driving leads to people cuffed behind bars or worse, fatal accidents that cost the life of the driver, his passengers, or other innocent bystanders.  

Well to solve this problem, Nissan has come up with a new concept car designed specifically to reduce drunk driving.

The Nissan Fuga Sedan comes with Alcohol Odor Sensors which detects the presence of alcohol in drivers. The sensors can detect alcohol in the driver’s palms through the transmission knob. Same sensors are also placed in the driver and passenger seats to sense the level of alcohol in the whole car cabin.

With its Facial Recognition system, the system’s camera will determine the driver’s level of consciousness by the blinking of the eyes.

It will also monitor the operational behavior of the vehicle all throughout the travel. If it is veering outside its lane, and other signs of inattentiveness in the driver, voice alerts and messages will be issued from the navigation system.  

Along with this detection and alert technologies, preventive measures are also one of the great features of this car including immobilization when the driver is too drunk to drive.

As Nissan said, “No more Drunk Driving Arrests�. Let’s just hope Nissan succeeds in this one.

Every car enthusiast would like to know this.

Askmen.com lists 6 concept cars for 2007.  

Honda Small Hybrid Sports
It’s a four-cylinder gas/electric car, wearing 20-inch wheels and stylish lines from Honda’s European studios. Should Honda decide to re-introduce a hybrid-only mode, this could echo the next Insight. Reports say that company officials suggesting the next production model in 2009 will probably be a four-door to compete with Toyota Prius. But the design elements from the Small Hybrid Sports, on a slightly longer wheelbase, would still result in a far better way to save the planet.

Chevrolet Volt
The Chevy Volt concept could possibly deliver the promises the EV-1 electric car broke ten years ago. Appearing a bit like a four-door 2009 Camaro, the Volt uses a large lithium-ion battery for primary motivation (chargeable in a standard 110-volt outlet). A 1.0-liter, turbocharged, three-cylinder engine is also available for recharging or to keep you moving when the battery drains.

Citroen C-Metisse
This concept can speed with 0-60 mph times of just more than six seconds and a top speed of 155 mph. Even more impressive is that those figures are generated by a 208-horsepower V6 diesel/electric hybrid power train. The powerfully elegant exterior has four vertically opening doors. Inside is a generous space and technology.

Jaguar C-XF
The Jaguar C-XF seems like a big leap in the right direction. It resembles any Jag built in the Beatles’ era. Do not expect the C-XF in showrooms, but it is highly likely that the 2008 XF, the S-Type’s replacement, will echo this car.

Lexus LF-AFew years ago, Lexus trailed us with what now appears to have been a concept of a concept car. And the LF-A is what could be the flagship of the recently-formed F-Division and the first 200-mph Lexus. Exuding a revamped skin, this LF-A is a mid-engined car with Aston-Martin when viewed from the side. The tasteful air ducts just behind the doors are the only hints of the 500-horsepower V10’s activities. Production, though, is yet to be confirmed.

Holden Efijy

Fanatics know Holden as GM’s Australian cousin, where the promising 2008 Pontiac G8 and the sadly departed GTO revival. Resembling a custom car from Boyd Coddington’s shop, the Efijy is actually a Holden factory effort boldly recalling the early ‘50s FJ.

The FJ is to Australia what the late '50s Tri-Five Chevys are to us in the states.  

Scion's newest model, the xD, will be priced at $14,550 when it hits showrooms later this year in August. That's $1150 more than the xA, the model the new xD replaces, but for the upgrades it receives Scion fans probably won’t mind.

"The xD is a clever new take on the five-door urban subcompact, with style and flair to match its efficiency and utility," said Mark Templin, Scion vice president. "The xD's aggressive styling is wrapped in a small, agile package, while its interior offers impressive details and a spacious cabin."

The '07 xA started at $13,400 and, like the xD, it offered an automatic transmission for $800. The xD is more or less the same size as the outgoing model, however its styling is closer to its other brother, the boxy xB.
 
Scion is hoping that the new xD will follow the sales success of its boxier brother.

The all-new xD is powered by a 1.8 L four-cylinder engine with dual Variable Valve Timing with intelligence (VVT-i) – which, according to the company press release, is a first to the Toyota family. The xD engine produces 128 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 125 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,400 rpm and comes with either a five-speed manual transmission or a four-speed automatic.
 
The efficient 2008 xD is EPA-certified as a Low Emission Vehicle. It has EPA fuel economy ratings of 27 mpg city/33 mpg highway for the manual transmission model and 26/32 for the automatic. Starting with the 2008 model year, all estimated fuel economy ratings will be calculated using the new EPA methodology.

Summer is the time for outdoor activities such as trips to the neighborhood pool, picnics and amusement park visits. Another favorite summer activity is packing up the car and hitting the open road.

Kit Johnson, NAPA’s 2007 Technician of the Year from East Helena, Montana, offers necessary maintenance tips to help prepare your vehicle for the destinations ahead.

Johnson says that hitting the pavement and seeing the country from one’s car is one of America’s most time-honored traditions. However, he said that some people end up on the side of the road because they forget to do simple preparations before heading out the road to keep their vehicle up and running.

Thus, Johnson recommends the following:
1. Before a long trip, have your cooling system inspected, flushed and filled.
2. Checking of the belts and hoses for deterioration.
3. Topping off all your car fluids including antifreeze, engine oil, power steering, brake and transmission fluids and windshield washer solvent.
4. Checking of the air conditioning to make sure it is sufficiently working.
5. Checking if the car battery is operating properly to ensure a running car.
6. Checking if the brakes are not producing grinding noises or vibrations.
7. Reading of the owner’s manual and keeping up with regular service checks.

Johnson also provides some helpful tips to get the best gas efficiency, with the highly soaring gas prices, out of your vehicle while driving long distances. He suggests:

1. being observant of any suspicious leaks that may be coming from the car, especially gas or oil leaks. According to him, even the smallest leak can mean a large hole in the wallet if not caught and fixed immediately.
2. Maintaining a light load as possible when traveling. It is tempting to pack up every item, but if you do not need it, then leave it. Johnson says that an extra 100 pounds in the trunk can minimize fuel economy by one to two percent in most cars.

He deduced that a pre-trip, front-to-back inspection by a trusted technician to offer that peace of mind while driving are necessary. He also emphasized that preparing your car for a summer road trip starts long before any vacation plans are made.

To learn more about an appropriate preventive maintenance program for all their vehicles, consumers may contact their local NAPA AutoCare Center or calling 800-LET-NAPA.