Advance Auto Zone

In the Asian country of Japan, the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry gives out an award each year. This award is given out to those products and vehicles in the market that sure has got the best type of design as well as the most outstanding and excellent entry there is among all the categories included. The Good Design Award is the name of such a coveted piece of recognition and it is run and worked up by the Japan Industrial Design Promotion Organization.

For this year, the Good Design Grand Prize 2006 was given to the Mitsubishi Motors Corporation’s “i” minicar and the company is definitely proud of the accomplishment. After all, if you would go back to the list of vehicles that has took home the Good Design Grand Prize, they may have similarities in common like all of them using Balo brakes, DC exhausts, and Highland liners. However, what makes the Mitsubishi “i” unique is the very fact that it is the very first minicar vehicle to actually take home the mentioned award.

“We are honored to receive this significant prize today with our “i” minicar that has found favor with customers for its outstanding and futuristic design. We will keep working on the development of customer oriented models with this unique rear midship layout platform that brings new levels of ride comfort and impact safety together with innovative design,” says Osamu Masuko upon receiving such an award. Masuko is the current president for the Mitsubishi Motor Corporation.

The Japanese Mitsubishi “i” has just been in the industry just this 2006. It has been primarily designed to be a Kei car or a small automobile. It is a hatchback that holds five doors and its power comes from the 3B20 660 cc I3 turbo engine. Plus, the engine is assisted by its standard four speed automatic transmission.

Aside from such, the Mitsubishi “i” has seemed to be the very start of a new kind of era for small cars. It is not the usual kind of small car you would see and yet it has something traditional in it. It has got a unique design and is very comfortable inside. Safety has also not been overseen by its manufacturer.

Terry Brown is a 32 year old from Houston Texas, and an enthusiast for anything auto-related. He currently writes auto-related articles for several publications. You can visit a innerauto.com/Balo_Brand/ Balo brakes, innerauto.com/DC_Sports_Brand/ DC exhausts, and innerauto.com/Highland_Brand/ Highland liners for more information.

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Most buyers of new cars are probably familiar with lemon laws, which allow consumers a refund or replacement when their car turns out to be defective. These laws generally cover leased cars as well as purchased ones, and they have worked well as a consumer protection tool. Unfortunately, no such laws exist for used cars, and buyers should be careful when purchasing them.

Many car dealers offer “certified used cars” that come with some sort of warranty, but most independent used car dealers do not. In most states, the law permits used car dealers to sell cars “as is”, and in that case, anything that goes wrong, even if it happens five minutes after purchase, becomes the buyer’s problem. Dealers selling cars on an “as is” basis often aren’t even required to disclose any problems a vehicle might have to potential buyers. Most independent car dealers sell older, less expensive cars than those sold at major auto dealerships. A lot of the profits that independent used car dealers make come from financing, particularly from financing those with bad or poor credit. Those with problem credit often find that such dealerships, which self-finance, are their only chance at obtaining a car loan. These loans, with their resulting high payments, often leave buyers without any extra cash to pay for repairs of undisclosed problems. Legislators in several states are considering laws that will require used car dealers to have their cars inspected by certified mechanics prior to their being offered for sale. This will help, in time, but what can a potential buyer do now?

Ask to have a certified mechanic examine the car before purchase. Any reasonable dealer should allow you to take the car to a mechanic; if not, you should probably shop elsewhere.

Get a list of the car’s known problems in writing prior to purchase. Inquire as to whether you have any recourse should something go wrong after the sale.

Ask the salesperson if the car has any sort of warranty, and if so, get it in writing. If they tell you the car is sold “as is”, ask them to define those terms exactly.

Contact your local Better Business Bureau to see if they have had any complaints about that particular dealer.

If possible, purchase a used car from a dealership that offers certified used cars with a written warranty.

Buying a used car is more problematic than buying a new one. After all, a used car is one that someone else didn’t want anymore. Buyers who are considering a purchase of a used car should be aware that their protection under the laws of most states is quite limited. Asking a few questions and doing some investigation prior to making the purchase may save buyers thousands of dollars down the road.

©Copyright 2005 by Retro Marketing. Charles Essmeier is the owner of Retro Marketing. Retro Marketing, established in 1978, is a firm devoted to informational Websites, including LemonLawHelp.net, a site devoted to lemonlawhelp.net/ automobile lemon laws and End-Your-Debt.com, a Website devoted to information about end-your-debt.com/ debt consolidation and credit counseling.

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When Ford decided to redesign the Mustang, they opted to incorporate a retro look, much like what was done previously with the Thunderbird. Fortunately, Ford didn’t look at the ghastly Mustang II series from the 1970s for a template, instead the US automaker drew upon the second generation Mustangs of the late 1960s for their inspiration. Let’s just say that the redesigned Mustang has been nothing short of a sell out hit.

Introduced as a 2005 model, the retro Mustang for 2006 offers only one change: the introduction of a Pony package which is meant to give the car a GT look and feel. Borrowing from the fastback design of the late 1960s, the 2005 model was such a hit that Ford could not keep up with production.

Buyers have a choice between a 4.0L V6 and a 4.6L V8 engine to power the car. With 2 2 seating, 107 inch wheelbase, and a curb weight of just under 3500 pounds, the car cruises down the highway with 210 and 300 horses respectively.

Each engine is mated with a 5 speed manual transmission and a 5 speed automatic transmission is optional for both. 4 wheel disc brakes and optional traction control [standard with the V8] help keep the Mustang under control.

Clothe bucket seats are standard with leather seats optional. All models come with tilt steering wheel, cruise control, power locks and windows, power side mirrors, and air conditioning.

Ford gives buyers a choice between 5 coupe and 5 convertible models with base MSRP starting at $19,810 for the coupe and $24,635 for the convertible.

First year sales of the Mustang were so good that the car sold out by early Spring. In fact, the Mustang dethroned the Chrysler 300 as the hottest car on the market with more than 15,000 Mustangs sold per month. All of this production is from just one factory.

Production for 2006 is certain to be tight and with little incentives available – they certainly aren’t needed – the Mustang is likely to continue to have a long waiting list of customers desiring the sporty coupe. Considering that sales across the Ford division are flat, this is good news for an automaker desperately needing a hot seller.

Copyright 2005 — Matt Keegan is a contributing writer for the autopartswarehouse.com/ Auto Parts Warehouse, a wholesaler of autopartswarehouse.com/ford~rep.html discount Ford parts and accessories.

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