Hints to consider when purchasing a Second Hand Car
July 19, 2010
Today in the automotive industry the most revolutionary creation is the cheap second hand cars. In this business, most car types are made available and have led to the auto industry enriching themselves from the numerous varieties and vibrant brilliant models at unbelievable cheap prices.
The classification of the second hand cars is of the classic, old cars, the antique and the newly launched models. Majority of the car buyers are streaming on the second hand cars due to the beneficial advantages involved like cheap prices, excellent brands at low prices and huge availability of models.
Generally, it is advisable to have some precautions before purchasing for the cheap used cars . The second hand car should be checked by a reliable mechanic as a caution before any action is to be taken. The engine and all the internal parts should be verified since the recurrent of expenses due to repairs are very high something that might even exceed the cost of purchasing the second hand car.
The title and other legal documents of the cars should be scrutinized even before the negotiations take place. It has been reported that the most fraudulent cases concerning the second hand cars is the titles. Other vital information is the historical background of the car since there could be pending cases of car accidents that might haunt the new owner much later. Knowing the address of the dealer is also important as a back up to future problems on purchase matters.
The second hand cars have no price tags attached to them. This creates an ample room for negotiation of the best products at convenient prices. The information concerning the market prices of different brand and models is crucial as of the car manufactured year.
VW resurrects Lupo nameplate for the Up! city car
July 18, 2010
Filed under: Budget, Hatchback, Volkswagen, Electric
We’d already heard that we wouldn’t be getting the conventionally-powered version of Volkswagen’s city car, the Up! Now we hear, per Autocar, that it won’t be called the Up!, it will be called Lupo. The Lupo, a nameplate known throughout Europe until it ceased production in 2005, was VW’s small, sub-Polo offering. In its new incarnation, the Lupo will replace the Fox, currently the smallest VW sold.
The conventional power of the Up!/Lupo will also come with a more conventional powertrain layout. The rear underfloor-mounted engine was innovative yet ultimately too complex for production. The Lupo that goes on sale next summer is expected to be offered with the choice of either a 1.0-liter three-cylinder gas engine putting out 75 horsepower or a 1.2-liter Bluemotion-branded diesel.
The E-Up that will supposedly hit our shores in 2013 might be coming as an Audi only. The VW Group plans to spread the Up!/Lupo gospel throughout its companies, but the electrified version is being worked on “in partnership with” Audi. Since Audi’s already getting all kinds of electric ink in the U.S. thanks to its sexy e-tron concepts, and with the price premium electric cars command, we wouldn’t be surprised if the electric Lupo initially comes to the U.S. wearing interlocking nose rings.
[Source: Autocar]
VW resurrects Lupo nameplate for the Up! city car originally appeared on VW Top News on Sun, 18 Jul 2010 12:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Inspecting the Transmission of a Used Car
July 9, 2010
When you are in the market for a used car, it is important to make sure any car you are interested in purchasing passes some inspections. One of the systems of the vehicle that is worthy of your inspection is the transmission. A vehicle will come equipped with either an automatic or a manual transmission. The type of transmission of the used car will determine what you need to look for when making your own assessment.
Automatic transmissions automatically switch gears. Problems with this sort of transmission actually occur quite often. When they do happen, the expense to the car owner can be quite staggering. A good reason to check it out before buying. Through inspections of the transmission should be done by a professional or a shop. However, you as the consumer can look for telltale signs of problems. Some cars with automatic transmissions with have a dipstick that you can used to check the transmission fluid. It should not have a burnt smell. IT should appear clean and transparent. IF it doesn’t, there could be a problem. Delayed engagement is another common problem you will want to check for. When you put the car in gear, you should feel it shift automatically, if it takes a moment of two to do so, there could be issues with the transmission.
With a manual transmission, you have to shift the gears of the car yourself. The car will have a stick to do this as well as a clutch. The clutch must be pressed in order to switch the gears. Test drive the car and shift the gears when doing so. The gears should shift smoothly. There should be no noise or jerking motions. The clutch should not slip. Slipping is when the engine increases in rpms but the vehicle’s speed remains constant. This can sometimes be easily observed if the used vehicle has a tachometer. Try shifting the vehicle into reverse. When you do this, you should not hear any grinding. If you notice any problems, you might want to pass up on the vehicle and find another to inspect.
Is VW looking to buy Malaysia’s Proton?
May 27, 2010
Filed under: Volkswagen, Earnings/Financials, Rumormill
It looks like Volkswagen may be continuing to raid the global buffet of lesser automakers. According to reports, Malaysian carbuilder Proton has been in talks with ze People’s automaker in an attempt to establish some sort of alliance, thought for now details are sketchy at best. Proton has made it clear that it’s more interested in upping its exports than anything else. Given that fact, it wouldn’t surprise us to see Proton-built machines wearing VW badges in some far-flung corners of the globe.
On the other hand, reports have surfaced that claim that VW has already admitted to looking into sharing platforms and engines with Proton as part of some sort of agreement, and that both companies have already explored badging the current Jetta as a new-and-improved Proton Perdana. Either way, we’re told to expect a more solid announcement to come from the two companies by early next month. We’ll keep our ears to the ground until then.
[Source: Canadian Business | Image: David Hecker/AFP/Getty]
Is VW looking to buy Malaysia’s Proton? originally appeared on VW Top News on Thu, 27 May 2010 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Spy Shots: 2011 Volkswagen Jetta ready for its closeup
May 26, 2010
Filed under: Spy Photos, Hybrid, Sedan, Volkswagen, Diesel
The clearest images yet of the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta have turned up ahead of the compact sedan’s launch this fall. Like the latest MK VI Golf, the Jetta is expected to be built on an updated version of the MK V platform, although the sedan is believed to be slightly longer and wider. This will allow it to be more competitive against the Chevrolet Cruze and next generation Ford Focus.
Under the hood, the 2.0-liter TDI diesel will carry over, but the unloved 2.5-liter inline-five will probably be replaced by a 1.4-liter TSI inline-four. The TSI is a direct injected and turbocharged gasoline engine already available in Europe with several versions from 120 to 180 horsepower being offered.
A hybrid version of the Jetta will join the lineup in 2012 with a full electric version rumored in 2013. The current Jetta Sportwagen, sold as the Golf Variant in Europe, will continue unchanged for at least several more years after getting the MK VI Golf nose and interior for 2010.
[Source: AutoExpress]
Spy Shots: 2011 Volkswagen Jetta ready for its closeup originally appeared on VW Top News on Wed, 26 May 2010 14:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Volkswagen GTI as Car of the Year
February 14, 2010
Congratulations 2010 Volkswagen Golf GTI: Canada loves you. VW’s lovable little pocket rocket has been named the car of the year by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada. AJAC chose the GTI over nine other vehicles in the “best new” category, giving VW’s compact corner-cutter another feather in its cap. The AJAC car of the year award is determined by 70 journalists who judge 20 parameters and a reported total of “46,000 pieces of data in all.”
AJAC Car of the Year Chair Richard Russell seems fairly smitten with how the association chooses the winners of its awards. The AJAC press release quotes Russell as saying “by constantly adjusting the program and testing procedures to reflect what is important to Canadian consumers, we feel we have a more thorough, unbiased and meaningful award than any other.” Big words, those.
John White, President and CEO, Volkswagen Group Canada calls the GTI the “heart and soul of Volkswagen,” and added that the honor “represents the culmination of the hard work on the part of everyone in the Volkswagen Brand around the world.” The GTI won Automobile Car of the Year back in November; the same award the magazine awarded the car back in 2007 with the same powertrain and hard points.
MTM turns up the wick on Volkswagen GTI and GTD
February 13, 2010
Filed under: Aftermarket, Hatchback, Volkswagen
MTM has completed two more versions of the Volkswagen Golf, and with the pleasant power increases come what appear to be pleasant prices. The petrol-powered Golf GTI gets a maximum of 310 horses and 302 pound-feet of torque if you opt for the ultimate stage of tune. That gives it 40 more hp and 44 more lb-ft than the Golf R, plus the same 0-to-60 time, in a package that costs thousands less.
The GTD gets bumps of 35 hp and 22 lb-ft, with a sprint to 62 mph that shaves 0.7 seconds. MTM lists the price for the upgrades as just €800 ($1,086 U.S.), only it hasn’t said which upgrade that price applies to. Have a look at the company’s press release after the jump and a gander at the cars themselves in the high-res gallery below.
Gallery: MTM Golf GTI and GTD
[Source: MTM]
Continue reading MTM turns up the wick on Volkswagen GTI and GTD
MTM turns up the wick on Volkswagen GTI and GTD originally appeared on VW Top News on Sat, 13 Feb 2010 16:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
What would a new VW Corrado look like? Patrick Moczarsky thinks he knows…
February 12, 2010
Filed under: Concept Cars, Classics, Coupe, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Volkswagen, Design/Style
Just about every Volkswagen aficionado who knows the Corrado has thoughts about the chunky coupe. Introduced in 1988 to replace the aging-yet-still-cool Scirocco, VW first “full-blooded sports car” went nuts with tech and equally nuts with pricing. The Corrado’s VR6 engine and speed-reactive rear spoiler couldn’t get people past the steep cost of entry, and the car was dead six years later.
The car still maintains a strong cult following, however, which is why graphic designer Patrick Moczarsky has envisioned what a new Corrado would look like, even though VW itself has released a new version of its predecessor, the Scirocco. The original car isn’t a bad looker, which is why we aren’t surprised that Moczarsky’s concept looks almost exactly like the new VW corporate face on an old Corrado body. Moczarsky’s other nod to the original: this one is also described as “expensive.” Follow the jump for his thoughts on the car, and have a look at it in serial and tuned form in the gallery of high-res photos below. Just for fun, we’ve also embedded a bonus video of a VW Corrado G60 ad circa 1988, so be sure to check that out as well.
[Source: Miranda Media]
Continue reading What would a new VW Corrado look like? Patrick Moczarsky thinks he knows…
What would a new VW Corrado look like? Patrick Moczarsky thinks he knows… originally appeared on VW Top News on Fri, 12 Feb 2010 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
2011 Volkswagen Touareg
February 10, 2010
Filed under: Hybrid, SUV, Volkswagen, Diesel
We weren’t expecting to see the new second generation Volkswagen Touareg until the beginning of March at the Geneva Motor Show, but VW rolled out its big SUV at an event in Munich earlier today. The basic shape and proportions of the exterior haven’t changed much, but the body sides are now more sculpted than before, making it a bit more planted and - dare we say - sporty. At the front the Touareg has picked up the new horizontal VW family face that debuted on the latest Golf and Polo, finally discarding the more vertical and heavily chromed fascia of the original.
Fuel efficiency was of paramount importance in the redesign, and weight reduction plays an a key role. The original Touareg was always porky for its size, so VW put the ‘ute on a diet and the new base Touareg is now nearly 460 pounds lighter than its predecessor. Of course, a weight loss program only gets you so far, so the powertrains needed an upgrade too.
The new Touareg brings with it Volkswagen’s first ever mass produced hybrid drivetrain. The hybrid combines the VW Group’s supercharged and direct injected 3.0-liter V6 with an electric motor and an eight-speed automatic transmission. The Touareg hybrid gets a combined rating of 28.6 mpg (U.S.) on the EU cycle, a number that will probably be closer to 24-25 when it arrives Stateside. The diesel powered TDI does even better now with a rating of 31.8 mpg (U.S.). The Touareg is also available with a normally aspirated 3.6-liter gasoline V6 and for the first time the awesome 335 horsepower 4.2-liter TDI V8. Even the diesel V8 is rated at 25.8 mpg (U.S.). Unfortunately Americans won’t be able to get that powerplant.
All the engines are mated with an eight-speed automatic transmission as standard equipment, a first for the class. Overall the new Touareg is about 20% more efficient than before and 80% more handsome. See for yourself in the gallery below and hit the jump for the press release and three videos of the all-new Touareg.
Gallery: 2011 Volkswagen Touareg
[Source: Volkswagen]
Continue reading Officially Official: 2011 Volkswagen Touareg [w/videos]
Officially Official: 2011 Volkswagen Touareg [w/videos] originally appeared on VW Top News on Wed, 10 Feb 2010 16:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
2011 Volkswagen Touareg revealed
January 28, 2010
Between patent offices, surreptitious shipping company videos, and Marussias being left uncovered on the back of a truck in a traffic jam, lately we’ve been coming across all manner of ways for new cars to be accidentally revealed ahead-of-schedule. Here’s another: a German model car company has let slip images of what looks like the next Volkswagen Touareg, which is actually meant to be revealed at the Geneva Motor Show.
The box is labeled “VW Touareg 2010,” but the supplementary text mentions the fourth quarter of this year, and a quick look at the front of the SUV makes it plain that this isn’t the current off-roader. In fact, it looks just like the naked spy shots of the 2011 model taken not too long ago.
The model makes the front end look dramatically reduced in a way we hadn’t picked up from Touareg spy shots, but saw clearly in the spy shots of its sister, the Porsche Cayenne. We’re hoping for plenty of weight loss there to compensate for the loss of those diesel V10 and W12 engines. We’ll see the final thing and take its measure from Geneva in about six weeks.
More info
Partners
Related Sites
Poll
Loading ...