The evolution of the car concept

Most of us will be able to conjecture an early 20th century model and wow at the transformation the car has gone in terms of technologies and styling. But that’s just all about it.

Today’s car is more than just a convenient and fast way to get from point A to point B – the car has become a lifestyle. Whether you’re trying to make a statement via your car or just looking for the nifty gadgets that could make driving fun, a car is where you spend a sizable amount of your time.

Given that, the car interior is what you’d probably be living in. That’s right – “living” in the car. And especially at times like when you’re stuck in a traffic jam, you’d definitely want the interiors to be as pleasant as possible – more so if you’re driving a luxurious model such as a Lexus or a Cadillac.

To maintain that level of luxury and comfort, you’d probably keep your car interiors as impeccable as the living room in your home – which means you’ll vacuum it, polish it and protect areas vulnerable to ‘little accidents’. This is where Cadillac mats will do the job to perfection. While matching the luxury of your car inch to inch, they’re also designed to offer protection and comfort.

Adventure without headache

Adventure or fun driving, such as the RV, is perfect. I’m all game for it, especially considering the summer around the corner. However, most see the ‘uglier’ side of adventure driving – such as breakdowns at 2 am – as only something that happens to others.

In case you’re stranded at in the middle of nowhere, finding a tow truck or calling up friends or family does not sound like fun. That’s where a little bit of planning to buy some breakdown service will pay rich dividends.

Some of the best companies that offer emergency roadside assistance will have a membership program which covers not only the member but also the member’s spouse and dependent children. Happy RVing!

Dealing with ATVs

According to a report, there was a jump of 150 per cent in hospitalizations related to injuries with ATVs (all terrain vehicles) in people younger than 18 for 10 years till 2006.

The report from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School in Baltimore said that teens between 15 and 17 were most susceptible to ATV injuries.

Lead author Stephen M. Bowman says males ages 15-17 have the highest rates of ATV hospitalization but females ages 15-17 experienced the sharpest rise in ATV hospitalizations during the study time period, an increase of 250 percent.

“All-Terrain Vehicles are inherently dangerous to children,” said lead author of the report Stephen Bowman.

“While manufacturers are required to label vehicles with engine sizes greater than 90 cc as inappropriate for children younger than 16, our data indicate that a growing number of children are receiving serious injuries due to ATV use, suggesting that parents are unaware of these recommendations or are choosing to ignore them,” he added.

While teens are most likely to experiment and with an ATV, one way to decrease the possibilities of accidents would be to use genuine ATV accessories. You can find some established sites selling parts for nearly any brand of ATV, including Kawasaki, Polaris, Suzuki, etc.

A motorhome holiday

Well, that’s what I started out to blog. But then I just read about this — believe it or not — motorhome race. Yes, it’s actually taking place in Ukiah this weekend in California.. at least that’s what I read in the news. Then again…

Race or no race, motorhomes are just about the best way to go on a holiday — especially if you’re in an adventurous mood to explore. Folks who do that are the flexible-minded types who love the luxury of freedom and space. A slight lack of civilization, such as hot tub or laundry service wouldn’t bother them none, and they’d just go every other way, literally, to get to be ‘out there’.

However, every ride, however large or small, has its own set of risks that comes packaged with it, whether you like it or not. For instance, you could break an an axle miles from any workshop that could actually fix it for you. Or a fire in a motorhome could prove to be extremely damaging. To top it all, even given its size, it could just be stolen, with all your goodies inside.

Now, I’m not trying to spoil your RV holiday, if you’ve planned one. On the other hand, all I’m suggesting is taking some motorhome insurance could weigh down the worry factor and let the pleasure of the motorhome vacation sink in much better.

Strictly for gift-givers – and car lovers

I can almost see Thanksgiving and Christmas on the horizon. And among many other things, these occasions, also mean gift-giving, as a way of exchanging compliments. However, some think of gift-giving as a mindless exercise and have real, practical difficulty in choosing a gift for their loved ones.

Perhaps. But not one of my co-workers, who says whatever the occasion, whoever the person, you can’t go wrong with car accessories.

Hmmm. How so? Well, being a nation of car and truck lovers, we can always something use something ‘extra’ on our vehicles. For instance, how about changing over to those high-tech xenon headlamps that just light up the road better?

Or one of those fancy, but extremely useful global positioning satellite (GPS) units on your dashboard? Firms such as Garmin and Magellan have come out with systems with thousands of pre-installed maps to help you locate the nearest ATMs, hospitals, motels, etc., using the shortest route possible.

Car accessories technology has advanced to the point where you can even have a GSM-based engine immobilizers. What’s that? Well, these come in real handy in case your is stolen, or otherwise missing. The car immobilizer can send text messages to your cell, telling you about the location of the car, and can receive SMS from you that will actually ‘immobilize’ the engine, preventing it from being driven any further.

And then, for the extreme gizmo-lover, you have the ‘carputer’ that comes with a USB, Bluetooth and Office applications. You also have the ‘intelligent’ audio systems and smart DVD players and burners.

All said and done, just remember that the way to a person’s heart could sometimes be just through his car.