Overview:

This is the second of a series of articles that highlights the almost unbelievable advances that have occurred in the past 10 years in automobile technology. It will focus on how it was done. This is such a vast subject that it is being broken down into several sections.

In the 1990′s one had the feeling that there could not be any more advances in the technology in automobiles, development had reached its zenith. However ever increasing pressure by governments, the looming scarcity of fuels and other clean air legislation have forced the engineers to develop more efficient cars and engines.

As mentioned in the first article, the claims of the manufacturers sound like the claims of snake oil salesmen, almost too good to believe.
The most obvious developments:

Some developments are simple to explain and have been known for many years, but have not been used for various reasons.

• Reduction in weight:

With the increasing pressure to make automobiles safer, their structure had to be stronger in certain sections and this has caused an increase in weight over the years.

These days steels with high strength are being used in the main body of the car. Plastics and composites ( high- strength woven fibers in the matrix of a resin), have made their appearance on production cars. Composites are however very expensive and have limited applications and are mostly used in racing cars and some expensive exotic sport cars. Read more… …



It is very good to see that the Federal Trade Commission has stopped all the robot dialing aftermarket auto insurance salespeople from calling us on our cell phones and driving up ourselves on bills. Still, one has to ask why it didn’t happen sooner and how come these companies got away with this for so long.

Now I’m not a conspiracy theorist, but I just bet that some of these aftermarket auto insurance companies were making quite a bit of money and they were funding various political campaigns of our elected representatives. Having a few Congressmen or Senators in your hip pocket makes it very easy to operate in a gray area of law, and that’s what was happening.

In fact, it wasn’t until millions of phone calls were made to the Federal Trade Commission, and other consumer groups, along with the phone company that anyone took a real notice. Then one senator actually got tired of the robot dialing telemarketers calling his cell phone and so he did something about it.

Now, one can only imagine that the cell phone companies didn’t want to stop it because they were making a few cents every time a cell phone was dialed, so they were actually in on the moneymaking, even if they didn’t approve of the abuse.

So, in a way it’s very good that the Federal Trade Commission or FTC was able to hang up on these robot dialing aftermarket auto insurance telemarketers finally, it’s just too bad it didn’t happen sooner. In fact I can tell you this, in my business I have a number of 800 numbers, and it was costing me at least $25 per month for these telemarketing companies to call on our company cell phones, per phone.

I don’t suppose we can get some consumer redress or some money back from all those companies that called us even though they were prohibited from doing this under our telemarketing laws? Please consider all this, as even if the consumer is glad to have these telemarketing calls stopped, they are still left paying the bill.


I just briefly want to share some information on discount auto performance parts and a good place i get them. Raw power performance parts are Parts such as nex nitrous oxide, injen exhausts and streetglow neon underbody kits and there are loads more.

Just click any of the ads in the link below if you want to buy of the site. There is also a review of the website found below if you are interested.

Discount auto performance parts can be hard to find online especially ones such as streetglow products, injen exhausts and zex nitrous oxide etc. Not only that but people want the best deal they can get on performance parts such as exhausts, headers, intakes, neon gas, strobe lights, nitrous oxide etc. After searching around for a while for performance parts I found a site and decided to give it a go. neon is the brightest when it comes to lighting up your car and can be put pretty much anywhere. neon is an inert non-reactive gas with no color. However, when you put it in a tube and send electricity through it, it glows a bright color.

Injen technologies make high performance aftermarket exhausts and intakes which can greatly increase the performance of your car. A cold air intake is a system used to bring down the temperature of the air going into the car to increase the power of the engine. It makes the combustion a bit bigger. They can come in many different colors and even make the engine run longer because it keeps it cooler. Cold air intakes can even give more miles to the gallon. so its a good first performance part to modify a car with for the beginner.


The 300zx body kits is the epitome of Nissan sports cars. The 300 ZX is often known as the predecessor to the new and world class 350z. When Extreme Dimension kit is added to the 300 ZX they can be just as impressive as the 350z. They come in many brands and are priced much lower today. some of the less expensive such as VIS Racing ,AIT Racing, Extreme Dimensions body kits to name a few.

The 300 ZX came into production in 1984 and received a minor retrofitting in 1986 to the body, which included a flush rear bumper and front bumper taking after the body kit styles, then in 1990 the 300 ZX received a major overhaul to the body and many other items.

There is a extensive collection of common stock kits from manufacturers such as Vis Racing , Ait Racing, Extreme Dimensions. There are several high end brand names among the long list of manufacturers, including the full line of Veilside kits seen on the hit movie Fast and the Furious Tokyo drift.

New Duraflex technology is a revolutionary product which combines fiberglass, plastic, and flex resins to obtain its unique features. Duraflex products obtain a much higher durability rate than the average fiberglass products reducing shipping damages on the body kits up to 75%. Every Duraflex product is inspected through a rigorous quality control process giving consumers the highest quality and craftsmanship available . Most body kits come in many different styles and shapes and usually with front and back bumper plus side skirts. Some of the higher end kits come with a hood and fenders as well as a spoiler.

Wide body kits are some of ultra slick higher end body kits giving your car a wider profile. This allows
wider tires giving you more stability for your driving experience


If you need automotive parts but you’re too hooked up on your work, what would you do? Simple, purchase it online!

We can now do away with the tedious task of personally going to an automotive store to buy our automotive accessories – be it car or even truck parts because there are already online stores that offer these automotive accessories. With one simple click of our mouse, our problems on our automobile will be solved.

Online Auto Shop: What is this?
Online auto shop stores offer the consumers the comfort of purchasing their automotive parts via the internet. On top of the comfort, a consumer’s search can also be done quickly because some online stores offer links to other online automotive shop stores.

The links to other online auto shops offers the consumers the added advantage of doing their search before finalizing their decision to buy a product, which allows the consumer to compare prices and even scout for discounted car and truck parts. Some auto shops can even give wholesale or warehouse prices to their buyers.

What products are available?
Just like in a conventional auto shop, these online stores also cater to the variety of client needs for automotive parts and accessories. They can provide for original and new car and truck accessories from the OEM or the Original Equipment Manufacturer, aftermarket, and second-hand/used automotive parts. There is also a wide selection of range, styles and manufacturers of auto and truck accessories that a consumer can choose from.

Do I get to see the products?
Online automotive shops usually provides for pictures of their products so consumers can see what they are buying.

What about quality?
The online automotive shops offer products that meet the highest standards of quality which means that they are reliable and heavy duty. The automotive parts sold by online auto shops also came from authorized dealers and manufacturers of automotive accessories just as it is in a conventional automotive shop. Even aftermarket auto parts being sold by online auto shops are high quality. Online automotive shops also offer warranty to their products to vouch for quality. The duration of the warranty can be from one year to a lifetime


The Chevy Malibu is an American-made car. It’s affordable, fun to drive and attractive. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has even rated the 2010 model of this car number 9 on its “Top Safety Pick” list. With all these impressive qualities, what’s not to love about your Malibu? It may be that you inherited a used one, or bought one new but it was a lower-grade model than you wanted. Customizing and updating your car is easy when you buy Chevy Malibu aftermarket accessories for sale. Custom grilles, chrome trim accessories, interior and exterior accessories as well as custom chrome wheels are among the many aftermarket parts you can buy to make your Malibu magnificent!

Investing in a custom grille from the available Chevy Malibu aftermarket accessories for sale can give your car the look you want. You can get both upper and lower grilles in your choice of metallic or black finish. Chrome is a great way to add some pizazz to your car, while those who want to fly under the radar may prefer black. Most aftermarket grilles do not come with the Chevy emblem on them, so be sure to save your emblem from the old grille if you want to transfer it. If you choose chrome trim, there are other chrome accessories to coordinate with your grille. These trim details add shine and style while brightening the exterior paint.

If you upgrade your grille, you may want to invest in a car bra. Chevy Malibu aftermarket accessories for sale includes exterior accessories like these to protect the exterior parts of your car and add a little more style. Custom chrome wheels are another way to get your car noticed and looking as sleek as you imagined. Make your riding experience as sweet at the upgrades to your exterior. Investing in interior accessories make you car functional, comfortable and redefine joy ride. Steering wheels and shifter knobs are a great way to express your individual style.

There are countless Chevy Malibu aftermarket accessories for sale. Find the right ones for you to add special details and added comfort to your vehicle. Many people spend long hours commuting in a car. Customizing your Malibu can be a great way to make your commute enjoyable and make your car something you are proud to get stuck in traffic with. Browse the gallery of aftermarket parts available to you and get on your way to a custom car without the dealer costs.


In these days of hyped up gasoline prices any aftermarket improvements to your car’s performance are certain to negatively impact’s your car’s fuel economy right? In a word: wrong. Depending on the aftermarket improvements made to your vehicle, your car should run more efficiently and save you fuel, not consume up additional resources. This is all the more true with a performance chip or power programmer installed in your vehicle. Please read on to learn how a chip or programmer can enhance your car’s performance.

Your car comes equipped with a special computer chip that controls your engine’s output, particularly in the area of fuel delivery. With a performance chip, your car realizes a much more efficient delivery of fuel to your engine at specified times in the course of driving. The result? Noticeable increases in horsepower as well as in torque. Replacement chips from Superchips and Jet Chips will also help your car run more efficiently, resulting in slight increases in fuel economy.

With a power programmer the same results are achieved as with a performance chip, but in a less invasive manner. With a performance chip you must remove and replace the original chip with the replacement chip which typically involves you removing your car’s dash to access the chip. With a power programmer, including those made by industry leader Hypertech, you simply plug the programmer into your under dash diagnosis plug, answer a series of Yes/No questions, and the programmer quickly and effortlessly recalibrates your engine. No tools are necessary to use a power programmer and you can return your car to its OEM power specifications at any time.

Prices for super chips and power programmers vary depending on the make and model of your car and of the product you purchase. Expect to a pay a premium for a chip or programmer ordered through an aftermarket parts store while saving plenty of money when shopping from a reliable online wholesaler such as Car Parts Stuff.

Performance chips and programmers are not made for every vehicle as they typically target those cars and trucks that have a performance edge too them. Some of the vehicles that can benefit from at least one of these products include:

Cadillac CTS-V
Chevy Camaro/Pontiac Firebird
Chevy Corvette
Ford Mustang
Jeep Wrangler; Grand Cherokee
Lincoln Town Car; Continental
Almost all midsize and full size trucks from GM, Ford, and Chrysler
Select vehicles from other manufacturers including the Toyota Celica, Porsche 911, and Nissan Maxima

Please visit the links within this article to find details about performance benefits for the particular make and model of your car.

You can increase the performance of your car or pickup truck without pricey and time consuming aftermarket parts. A super chip or power programmer can do wonders for your vehicle, making it a true modern day muscle car.


In this article we will reveal our research on finding the devices that are tested by EPA and show a considerable reduction in gas mileage and does not affect harmful emissions adversely. Again note some of the products may not be available in the market at present. EPA however has a legal disclaimer for all such products as follows:

“…certain conclusions about possible gas savings by testing the product or by evaluating the manufacturers’ own test data” have been reached by EPA. Remember that EPA never endorses a product.

AUTOTHERM

Idling can cost up to one gallon per year! And it is true that we have to spend a lot of time idling. So how do you keep your engine warm without wasting gas in idling? Well the Autotherm Energy Recovery System uses the vehicle’s heater or fan to heat or cool the engine during winter or summer without keeping the engine on. This reduces emission and improves fuel economy. In 1985, this device was tested by the Air Force.

The benefits of the device also include:

o Less carbon monoxide production.
o Low maintenance cost.

Engine coolant is pumped by a circulator through the heater core of the vehicle and utilizes the heat in the engine that is actually residual. This device is truly very helpful for those who spend a lot of time waiting at the road side for example the police cars or fleet of transportation vehicles.

P.A.S.S. Kit

Cartel products manufactured the P.A.S.S kit. It functions the same way was PASS Master discussed in the previous article. The EPA did not test it separately but had rather used the results of PASS Master test to determine the feasibility of the P.A.S.S kit.

IDALERT

In 1981, IDALERT was tested. It is considered to be a device similar to AUTOTHERM and saves the gas consumption that takes place in idling. This device is meant to warn the operator whenever there is unproductive idling in the vehicle. The various ways the alarm warns the operator includes buzzing, warning lights going on and off and finally the horn goes off automatically if the buzz and the lights fail to draw the attention of the operator.

Kamei Spoilers

A spoiler is generally fitted in the front of the car. It has the following advantages:

o Reduces sensitivity to cross wind
o Gives better directional stability
o Established more adhesion to the road
o Reduces air drag
o In short, increases the aerodynamics of the vehicle.

This device is said to reduce gas consumption by 0.3% to up to 3%. There is no concern related to the emission standards of a spoiler. How do you install a spoiler?

o The device is fitted using only six screws.
o A ground clearance of a minimum of five inches to a maximum of 9 inches is maintained.
o Made of ABS plastic, spoiler can be painted to match the body of your vehicle.
o Fiberglass spoilers are also available.
o It starts from $50 and goes up to $500.

If you are looking at devices to increase the aerodynamics of your vehicle, then there are more attachments other than spoilers that you can explore.


Car parts are one of the main components of car repairing or maintaining. There are basically three types of auto parts namely- new OEM parts, used car parts and aftermarket car parts. Read through the details of each type before your purchases.

New OEM Parts

These are manufactured by an authorized car manufacturer. For years, the authorized OEM parts were the only products available for car repairs. These parts are made in the car manufacturing plants or sometimes outsourced to off-shore companies. Quality standards of these parts are quite high. The OEM parts are approved by the authorized car manufacture. Hence, they do not influence the warranty or the car insurance. Besides, you can be assured that the products from the original car manufacturing plant will fit accurately and will suit with other parts of the car. The OEM parts are durable and keep the car in a good condition. The main problem of the new OEM auto-parts is the high cost. Some auto service experts argue that the OEM auto-parts made from certain countries are sometimes of inferior quality.

Used OEM Parts

The second hand auto-parts which are salvaged mainly from irreparable cars. Used car components are usually hoarded in a second-hand junk store or garage. But now, the automobile industry has become more organized and professional; several big companies have emerged who properly examine and pack the used parts. The major advantage of the second-hand parts is- they are actually the originals that were fixed in similar car models. Thus their compatibility is guaranteed. They are quite cheap too. Many car enthusiasts insist that the used parts are the best since there are a number of new OEM auto parts manufactured by substandard outsourced companies; this puts the quality at stake. They criticize the aftermarkets as no guarantee is offered and the parts aren’t tested too. The demerit is- at times they are unavailable. As they are used there’s a doubt on the quality as the possibility of usage is an indefinite issue.

Aftermarket Parts

The aftermarkets are car components made by an unauthorized manufacturer. Several auto manufacturers outsource the making of car parts to subcontract companies. Many of these companies manufacture the parts but sell them to the automobile market indirectly. The aftermarkets car parts are cheaper than the OEM manufactures. But the major disadvantage of aftermarket parts is- they offer no warranty; furthermore you can’t rely on their quality and compatibility.


Aftermarket auto parts abound in the market nowadays, making it easier for anyone to upgrade, repair, customize, or refurbish his vehicle. Various kinds of replacement car, truck, and other auto parts and accessories can be easily bought and they are offered in very affordable deals not only for auto mechanics and retail store owners but most especially to individual do-it-yourself users who want to save in their repair needs. Even stock automotive parts of major European makes that used to be so hard to replace are now conveniently offered in thousands of auto parts stores online.

BMW Parts are among the most finely made car parts in the industry–parts that make a BMW the “Ultimate Driving Machine.” That tagline isn’t pure hype that’s meant only to attract people; it’s a statement based on BMW’s almost century-old tradition of excellence in manufacturing aircraft engines, railway brakes and automobiles. It is only apt to replace stock BMW parts with equally high quality replacement or aftermarket BMW parts that could match this vehicle’s performance. Exterior parts such as the auto lights, the wheels, the hood and other body parts require precision to be able to live up to BMW’s perfect balance of form and function.

Now the good news is Auto Parts Discount is offering the most sophisticated aftermarket automotive lights for BMW cars and thousands of other BMW auto parts. Featured in the store are BMW parts such as auto headlights, taillights, fog lights, corner lights and clear altezza taillights made by top car parts manufacturers and are guaranteed superior quality. They are perfect ways to improve not only your car’s safety but as well as its style. All BMW headlamps, taillights, and fog lights from this store are superbly designed to match every spec of your BMW, whether it’s a BMW 3 series, BMW 4 series or BMW M roadster.

Why get aftermarket auto lights for your BMW? Aftermarket auto parts do not mean inferior. Some non-OEM auto lights may not meet high quality standards of your vehicle manufacturer but this is not true to all, especially when you are getting replacement parts from trusted BMW dealers like Auto Parts Wholesale. Here you are assured to get the most dependable products for your BMW ranging from BMW auto lights to wheel cover, radiator support, A/C condenser, tarter and a whole lot more.

Lights such as the headlamps, fog lights and tail lights are very essential in your vehicle so they must be durable and reliable enough to give you the long quality service. When driving through unfamiliar and dark places, driving without auto lights is like committing suicide, so make sure you are equipped with premium quality lights that could not only light up your way and make your car visible as you move down the road but could give you peace of mind no matter how bad the weather or the circumstances are.