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Saving on Car Insurance in Birmingham
In Birmingham, Alabama and across the whole state, tort system is still followed when it comes to auto insurance claims settlements. Alabama is actually one of the few states that still follow this system. Others have already migrated to the no-fault policy. Tort determines who caused the accident, and then that party with his insurer will have to cover all costs incurred in the accident, whether for physical injuries and death or property damage. With this in mind, if you are a resident of Birmingham, make sure that you are sufficiently covered as required by state laws. Otherwise, you might end up shelling out more money and risk having your auto registration and driver’s license revoked.
Exclusive interview with Sebastian Vettel: Still a long way to go
Sebastian Vettel has just completed a pole hat-trick, so his next target is three victories on the trot. Autoblog UK managed to catch up with him.
Sebastian, seven tenths of a second lead – how do you keep doing it?
It’s a combination of car and driver. I think we’ve had a good weekend so far: no problems and excellent preparation. We found our rhythm right from the start. I felt good on the track and the car was nicely set up. Even so, we still managed to make significant improvements overnight. All in all, it was a good day. Once we line up tomorrow and the lights go out overhead, today’s lap times won’t count for anything.
Do you feel a little sorry for your team-mate Mark Webber with all his technical problems?
Yes, it’s a pity, because ultimately we are one team and we go through thick and thin together. Mark has had some bad luck. It’s not been the easiest weekend for him; he had a few problems yesterday, and then this morning, specifically with KERS. It’s a shame that we won’t have both cars on the front row, but as I said, the race is tomorrow.
Now you have to fend off the challenge of the two McLarens…
And everyone else behind. You never know how good your start is going to be. It’s always a long way to the finish line. Generally speaking, the race is won not at the start but only when you see the chequered flag.
Why did you remain seated in your car for such a long time after qualifying?
The reason is quite simple: the rules have changed slightly this year and the weight distribution is prescribed to some extent. The FIA have the option to check this out, but only if the driver is sitting in the car. Normally, you have to wait for the thumbs-up before you can get out. Perhaps I didn’t see them do it the first time, so then I stayed in my seat for safety reasons.
Source:
FLD SHAKEDOWN Sebastian Vettel Interview
Fighting For a Free Car Rental
You’ve fought with your car for the last two years — it coughs, it sputters, it dies in traffic. Mechanics are stumped, the dealer you bought it from is convinced it’s something you did, and you’ve been debating about contacting your state attorney about the lemon law.
Now you find out that the problem is covered in a technical service bulletin recently released by the manufacturer. You have the problem fixed for free in the recall, but you’re going to be without a car for a week while the repairs are being made. After fighting with a faulty car, do you really think you should have to pay for the car rental too?
Don’t pay for it. Get the manufacturer or dealer to pay for your car rental. Here’s how to get them to pay for the rental.
Things You Must Know
First, you should be aware that a technical service bulletin is different from a recall notice. Technical service bulletins typically don’t involve the most vital parts of your car like brakes or steering, and therefore only cover cars still under warranty. If your car is out of warranty, you may be out of luck, period.
Second, you should be aware that the dealership and car company don’t think they should have to pay for your trouble, even though it’s their fault that your time and money is being wasted.
First Step: Make Your Feelings Known
Don’t be rude, don’t be shy, but let the car dealer know exactly how you feel about the trouble and inconvenience you have experienced. If your salesperson is still at the dealership, go to him or her directly and express your concerns. And let them know that it’s a huge bother to you to not have a car. When you lodge a complaint you should have in mind an idea of how you would like the matter to be addressed or resolved. This is the time to mention that you think you shouldn’t have to pay for a rental.
Above all, do this POLITELY. Quiet insistence is much better than loud, obnoxious behavior when you’re trying to get things done. If you seem reasonable, the dealer is more likely to be reasonable with you.
Second Step: Ask For a Rental Car
Once the salesperson or dealer is nodding agreement with what you’re saying (the nodding is important!!) you should ask if they have a loaner car that they typically hold for people who are having their cars repaired. If they say yes (and they probably will), say, “I’d like to have use of that car. It would go a very long way toward making me happy.”
They may or may not say yes at this point. If they argue with you, go to the next step.
Third Step: Get Serious
Here’s where your past with this car dealership may make a difference. Remind them of how much money you’ve spent here, that you’ve come here faithfully, and you think that they owe you at least the courtesy of helping you out now when you have a problem. Most dealers, reminded that you are a loyal customer, will loan you a car.
But if you don’t particularly show loyalty to the dealership, this last step is much harder. Let the car dealer know that you are prepared to let others know about the problems you’ve had here. You may talk about the state attorney’s office lemon law statutes, write to a problem-solving column in your local newspaper, or contact the manufacturer directly about the problem. If they don’t respond to this, you have two choices: give it up, or take them to small claims court.
If it is the manufacturer’s fault that you have a faulty car, you can sue them in small claims court for reimbursement of your car rental expenses. In most cases, the manufacturer won’t fight it; who wants the publicity of being sued by a customer because of unfair treatment? If you’re willing to put the time into a small claims case, you will probably win. And the dealer and manufacturer may think twice the next time they deny someone a loaner car.
What You Need To Know About Making A Car Accident Injury Claim
Today, with a lot more cars on the road, there is a lot of traffic, which is why the numbers of car accidents are on the rise.
If you happen to meet with a car accident and get injured in the process, you would need to file for a car accident injury claim.
You need to understand what you are eligible for and also how to fill out the form.
Things You Need To Do
When you get involved in a car accident, you can file for car accident injury claim against the person who was at fault.
Hopefully, you called the police and also an ambulance and have noted down the name of the other (offending) driver and also got his details including telephone number, address as well as insurance details and also registration number of his vehicle.
Finally, you should have taken photographs of the scene of the accident, including the final position of all concerned vehicles. If you are unable to take the photos yourself ask a bystander if they will do it.
You should also go to a hospital or visit your general practitioner to get yourself thoroughly checked up which will help ensure that there is official recording of your injuries. You may also want to jot down any symptoms (physical) that you notice occurring after the accident.
To make your car accident injury claim stand a better chance of succeeding, you should notify your insurance company that you have been involved in a car accident.
For your car accident injury claim to succeed, it is first of all necessary to prove the guilt of the offending driver. The best way of getting him or her proven guilty is to identify the particular highway law that the person broke and which resulted in the accident. Once this is done, the car accident injury claim will be filed against the driver responsible for causing the accident.
However, it is also necessary, when driving a vehicle, to have an auto insurance policy that covers things such as car accident injury claims and thus, it will be the other driver’s insurance company that will be held responsible for paying up the damages. In fact, the types of compensation that you may be granted are various and include personal injury, financial losses, interests and legal costs.
Car accident injury claims related to personal injuries will help get you compensated for personal as well as psychological injuries. For financial losses, you will be covered for expenses incurred as a direct consequence of having had the car accident.
The best way to get your car accident injury claim processed to your satisfaction is to hire a legal firm or lawyer that specializes in such car accident injury claim cases who can then get you compensated in the best possible manner.
2009 Maserati Quattroporte S – Short Take Road Test – Auto Reviews – Car and Driver
It all starts around 4000 rpm. That’s when it becomes obvious that this isn’t a typical V-8. By 5000, it’s spitting a magnificent staccato blast that bears echoes of its birthplace—Ferrari’s Maranello factory—where it is assembled alongside Fiat sibling Ferrari’s own engines. But ditching the flat-plane crank from the prancing-horse V-8s seems to offer just enough suppression of their glorious angst to align with the priorities of what is, after all, a luxury sedan.
Along with a muscular redesign that sharpened the front and rear, Maserati’s bestselling
line added two new models for 2009. The 396-hp, 4.2-liter V-8 version—for $124,150—carries over, while this S variant (add another $6000) gets bored and stroked to 4.7 liters for a more vocal 425 horses. The $138,100 Sport GT S version adds another eight horsepower and a sportier suspension overhaul.
But the talents run deeper than the engine; the recently adopted ZF six-speed automatic is a perfect match, expertly tuned to be smooth while cruising, immediate when provoked. Adaptive shocks keep the ride friendly—a sport button on the dash perks things up—while at the same time enabling sports-sedan-eager responses and a composure unheard of in the heifer-sedan class. This despite an ordinary 0.83-g skidpad figure and an on-center dead spot in the steering. Braking is a phenomenal 157 feet from 70 mph.
Although Maserati hastened 0-to-60-mph acceleration by a half-second, to 4.8 seconds, the combined willpower of enthusiasts the world over unfortunately can’t change the fact that screaming engines don’t get good fuel economy. Indeed, the V-8 in the bigger, heavier
—it’s 16-percent larger than the Maserati engine—betters the mileage ratings of the 7200-rpm masterpiece in the Quattroporte S by many mpg. We did manage a reasonable 21 mpg on a mostly highway run, but back-road exuberance quickly erodes fuel economy into the low teens.
Executives seeking to be chauffeured should look elsewhere. The Germans and Lexus rule in the back-seat department, and despite its makeover, the Maser trails on feature content, ergonomics, and even firepower when compared with its price peers. But the Quattroporte is tough to beat for those—like us—interested in grasping for themselves the Ferrari-like contours of its steering wheel.
Article source: http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/car/09q3/2009_maserati_quattroporte_s-short_take_road_test
2006 Maserati Quattroporte Start Up, Engine, and Full Tour
Tata Nano taxi: the real revolution
Source: http://www.eurocarblog.com/post/2074/tata-nano-taxi-the-real-revolution
Aside from the insight that most Indians and Englishmen are die-hard cricket tragics,
shows how much of a gap there is between the Western world and our perceptions, and the developing world’s needs and values.
According to a cricketing friend of Tisshaw, many Indians are purchasing the
to set up taxi businesses. So there is an added dimension to the revolution many of us were expecting in terms of recreational use, family mobility and one’s own slice of luxury.
Surprising? Not if we think about it. The Indians are an enterprising society, and it’s interesting to see that the world’s cheapest car could be turned into a business proposition, getting a good return on investment and providing an additional, ongoing transport option in a populated country on the move.
Whenever I’m next in India, I’m definitely going to see whether there’s any truth in this theory. It’s an intriguing idea and I think we’ll have plenty to observe and learn from as the Tata Nano starts its career. It’s got good prospects so far, and any move to Europe should prove equally curious.