Category Archives: Car Tips

Your Year Round Companion The MX-5

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577

Summary:
After a 17-year-long love affair with motorists the world over, some might question why it’s taken Mazda so long to propose an even better version of their neat little MX-5. But they have…

And now, just when you thought your relationship with the world’s best selling roadster was ticking along quite nicely, there’s another suitor on the horizon for your affections. It’s got all the attributes and foibles you’ve got used to over the years as you’ve driven around in your M…
Keywords:
mx5,used cars,autos
Article Body:
After a 17-year-long love affair with motorists the world over, some might question why it’s taken Mazda so long to propose an even better version of their neat little MX-5. But they have…

And now, just when you thought your relationship with the world’s best selling roadster was ticking along quite nicely, there’s another suitor on the horizon for your affections. It’s got all the attributes and foibles you’ve got used to over the years as you’ve driven around in your MX-5. Only now, with its retractable hard top that takes just 12 seconds to transform it to top up or top down motoring, it’ll happily be your partner all year round.

For a car that’s had cult status since it was launched back in 1989 there have been surprisingly few changes over the years.

The car launched just a year ago at the Geneva Motor Show was only the third incarnation, hence giving credence to the phrase ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it’. It’s in the Guinness Book of Records as the most successful open two seater vehicle ever, with over 750,000 sold. The concept then has worked well. 50:50 weight distribution, north south engine placement, classic two seater design with a long bonnet and short rear end and its manually retractable soft top. But we all get a bit lazy with age, don’t we? It was no hardship to raise or lower the soft top, especially on the latest version launched last year, when you literally just threw it back and it all fell into place.

But in a major concession to the, quite frankly, lazy motorist, all you have to do on this model is release the latch and press a button. Simple as that. Mazda are convinced they will expand their world wide fan base of the MX-5 with this version, appealing to those who’ve never owned an MX-5 but find the thought of open top roadster fun quite appealing, with the fall back of the added comfort a hard top offers. Where it scores big time is in not needing to take up valuable boot space, which is at a premium in a car like the Mazda anyway. The hard top drops into the space behind the two comfy seats, leaving the boot volume the same as the soft topper. Spatial economy or what?

Our test car dished up plenty of fun during its spell and even thought the weather was typically British we still managed a spell of top down running as the sun made a short and quite frankly feeble attempt to cheer everyone up. With the aircon not even on high setting and with the side windows up, the roadster showed what a great fun car it is to drive, its punchy six speed gearbox picking the ratios with a satisfying click, and the car displaying its inbuilt ability to corner swiftly and safely.

There’s a choice of three powertrains – 1.8i or 2.0i with five speed gearbox, or the 2.0i Sport with six speed box. Prices start from £18,210 on the road, which represents a relatively modest £1,200 premium over the soft top model. Every model has stylish alloys to give it the premium appearance it deserves, and every model has an ipod connector in the glovebox which is linked to the steering wheel mounted audio controls. So you can listen to your favourite tunes through a top drawer BOSE sound system while driving your favourite roadster. Top up or top down. Great fun.

Your quest for a second hand car can be made a whole lot easier if you go to a specialist website such as best ford dealership near beaumont to do your second hand car search. Finding the second hand car of your dreams will take you a lot less time if you choose to search from a specialist website than it would if you went around car lots and dealerships. For example, if you want to see a used car dealer in La Porte, just simply go to Bayside Mitsubishi website.

The biggest advantage to shopping online with the view to buying a second hand car is that you can cut down the searching you have to do drastically. All specialist sites will have a search feature and this is the same as using any of the popular search engines with you web browser, the only difference is that this specializes just in used cars.

You are able to make a search online for the exact type and model of car that you wish to buy, even search by color and any other special requirements. You can choose the radius of your search if you only want to travel a short distance locally and whether you want to buy used cars from private sellers or vendedor de autos.

While this is the quickest way of narrowing down your search for your used car of course there are some drawbacks, one of the main ones being that you cannot actually see the car in front of you. However, you do have the option of looking at images of the cars which does at least give you something to go on. Along with the photographs information is given and you have the option of contacting the seller for viewing or more information.

Your second hand car search can be made a whole lot easier, all from the comfort of your own home without having to leave your chair thanks to specialist websites in second hand car searches.

Owning your own personalised number plate is becoming incredibly popular with motorists of all backgrounds. With over 30 million registration numbers in the market place there is a private plate out there to suit every taste and budget. When you purchase a registration number that has never been assigned to a vehicle you will be issued with a V750, commonly known as a “Certificate of Entitlement”. This pink certificate is a legal document which displays the grantee and nominee names and details of the registration number. The grantee is the purchaser of the vehicle registration number and holds all legal rights to it. The nominee is a name which can be added to enable a second individual to be able to assign the registration number to a vehicle. Unlike the grantee, the nominee has no legal rights to the registration number and it can only be assigned to one vehicle at any one time.

A nominee name can be added or changed at a later date for the current fee of £25. This fee is payable to the DVLA and must be sent with your application. To have a nominee name added to your registration number the grantee must complete the section on the left hand side of the certificate entitled “Change of Nominee Details”.

If you are the grantee and you change address, the certificate of entitlement can easily be amended. To do this you simply have to complete the box on the right hand side of the V750 and sign and date it. You must then send the certificate to the DVLA at Swansea and a new certificate will be issued and sent to the new address. This is a free procedure and typically takes up to two weeks.

To assign a personalised number plate to your vehicle you must apply to the DVLA. Applications can be made in person or by post to your local DVLA office. In order to assign a registration to your vehicle you must provide the following items:

• Your V750 (Certificate of Entitlement)
• V5 Registration Document (commonly known as the log bog) for the vehicle you wish to assign the registration to. Please note that the grantee or nominee name must match the name that appears in the V5 log book.
• A valid MOT certificate (if applicable)
• £80 assignment fee if this has not already been paid

When your registration number is assigned to your vehicle you will be issued with a new tax disc showing the new registration number, and your V5 log book will be updated and returned to you by the DVLA. You will be issued with a certificate which enables you to have your acrylic number plates produced by a acrylic printing company. You must also remember to inform your insurance company of the change of registration. Full instructions on this process are provided on the reverse of your certificate

The certificate of entitlement is valid for 12 months from the date of issue. If after this 12 month period you have not assigned it to a vehicle, it must be renewed with the DVLA. The renewal fee is currently £25 which must be included with your application. Only the grantee may apply to have the registration number renewed. If the registration number is not assigned within the 12 month period and a renewal application is not made, the right to the registration will lapse. If this occurs the grantee may apply for a refund of the £80 assignment fee however they will not be entitled to any other refund for the registration.

Buying and assigning a private number plate is incredibly easy. Car registrations are THE must have motoring accessory. Why not find yours today and start experiencing the joys of having a personal number plate!

Your Opportunities For Car Donation In Portland

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525

Summary:
If you are a Portland area resident who is facing the decision of what to do with an old, but still functioning automobile, you may be able to turn it into a tax benefit by making a car donation in Portland. As long as you donate it to an Internal Revenue Service recognized charity, you will be guaranteed a minimum write-off of $500.00m and it could be significantly higher if the charity sells it for more. The best part is that Portland is home to many charities which will ac…
Keywords:
Car Donation Tn, Making A Car Donation, Car Donation
Article Body:
If you are a Portland area resident who is facing the decision of what to do with an old, but still functioning automobile, you may be able to turn it into a tax benefit by making a car donation in Portland. As long as you donate it to an Internal Revenue Service recognized charity, you will be guaranteed a minimum write-off of $500.00m and it could be significantly higher if the charity sells it for more. The best part is that Portland is home to many charities which will accept donated cars, and even pick them up.

Portland Charities

If you’d like an idea of what the charities to which you can make a car donation in Portland are, there are a few which stand out. The Oregon Food Bank is responsible for supplying food to over eight hundred food assistance programs throughout Oregon. Your car donation in Portland to the Oregon Food bank will assist needy families not only n the Portland area all over the state.

Portland Impact will happily take your car donation in Portland and use the proceeds from its sale to provide financial assistance to those dealing with homelessness and job loss, or to supply senior citizens and disabled adults with various services. They will accept any car donation in Portland as long as the vehicle has no major damage and does not require significant mechanical work. In addition, the car’s book value must be at least $70 to cover the cost of processing it. They will pay for towing your car.

If you’re a Portland resident, making a car donation in Portland to Portland Impact is one way of assuring that the benefits of your generosity will help your neighbors.

Let’s take a look at these foundations in Portland that are indeed recognized by the IRS and which will entitle you to tax deductions whenever you will decide to assign to them your used vehicles.

If you make your car donation in Portland to the United Way of Mid Willamette Valley, you’ll be helping a broad-based charitable effort which offers assistance to the homeless, those seeking employment, or in need of food, the very young and the elderly.

How Your Car Donation In Portland Will Be Used

Some of the charities which will accept your car donation in Portland may opt to keep it and use it in performing their work; others may choose to auction it off and use the proceeds to fund their work. In either case, you’ll receive a tax deduction either for the vehicles book value or its sales price, and you’ll have the joy of knowing, whenever you hear of the good work being done by your charity, that your car donation in Portland helped it happen!

Giving to charity is a good way to help in the community. In Portland, there are many people who need assistance. Giving a car donation in Portland will make a considerable impact. This will help get people where they need to go and will help charities organize events they can get to without having to rent a car or buy one themselves.