Good Night... The New Audi A8 is Here.

I just had the chance to view the brand new television spot for the new Audi A8, which will be on cable tv tonight, CNN, FoxNews, MSNBC, ESPN, ESPN2, HGTV etc. as well as the NFC/AFC Divisional Playoff Games this Sunday on CBS and Fox.

Owning and driving an Audi is not about showing off and upstaging your neighbor.  It's not about who spent more for their car.  It's about enjoying luxury and performance in a car that is second to known.

How to Recycle Your Car's Old Battery!

When most green-minded folks think about being stewards of our planet, they’re more likely to have visions of planting trees and cleaning streams than pondering their car battery’s place in the universe. Understandable…there’s a lot you may not know about your new car’s battery.

First your new car’s battery is highly toxic, being made up primarily of lead, acid, and plastic. But the good news is they’re also highly recyclable, and old ones usually end up getting turned into more batteries.

According to the industry trade group Battery Council International:

More than 97 percent of all used battery lead is recycled into new batteries. When compared to the 55 percent of aluminum soft drink and beer cans, 45 percent of newspapers, and 26 percent of glass bottles that BCI says get recycled, batteries start looking pretty green. In fact, lead-acid batteries top the list of recycled consumer products.

In addition to recycling the lead, the plastic cases are melted down and used to make new ones. The acid, they say, can even get turned into sodium sulfate, a powder used in glass, detergents, and textiles. Alternatively, some recyclers neutralize the acid, turn it into water, and release it into the public sewer system once it is cleaned and tested.  While that last part may sound a little scary, it’s still better than batteries ending up in a landfill, an incinerator, or by the side of the road.

The BCI Web site lists 44 states that prohibit disposing of old car batteries in landfills and incinerators. Nearly 40 of those states also require retailers and distributors to collect used batteries from consumers for recycling. (Go to www.batterycouncil.org to see the details for your state.)

When shopping, your best bet is to find a retailer that will install your new one for free and recycle the old one for you. If there’s a charge for installation, make sure to find out what it is before making a purchase.

Recycle, recycle , recycle…If you want any more info, don’t hesitate to leave a comment.

How Upside Down are You on Your New Car and What Can You Do?

Let me first define what being “upside-down” means. The bottom line is that you owe more on the car than it is worth. 

This can be a vicious cycle for a lot of people. How does this happen? How do you stop it? Here are some ways to get out from under being upside-down:

• Choose wisely. Look into the “residual,” which is the projected, future resale value. Even though they may cost more up front, vehicles with higher residuals are less expensive to own in the long-term because they depreciate less. Purchase mainstream vehicles. A higher trim level four-door sedan in a fairly common color will hold onto its value more than a lime green sport model with excessive customization.

• Resist the urge to keep buying new cars on a regular basis. Take care of what you have and hang onto it. Pay it off. If you’ve taken care of it, then it will bring more money when you sell it or trade it in. And if you’ve paid it off, you will then have some positive, rather than negative, equity.  Fixing it up and spending a few Saturdays waiting by the phone can result in several thousand dollars in your pocket. If you don’t want the hassle, the dealership will be more than happy to take it in trade and make some good money on it.

Mustang 5.0 V8

This one takes me back to my days at Concord High School in Wilmington, one of my friends always talked about his Mustang 5.0.

Who ever thought this would happen. The wait has been long, but Ford is bringing back the 5.0 Mustang for 2011! Right now, Ford offers the base V6 model or the GT V8 model, in addition to the amazing Shelby GT version with a supercharged V8 engine. With the return of the 5.0-liter V8 engine, Ford is making the Mustang lineup even more impressive and dynamic.

Cartips.com offered a little insight to what you can expect with the return of the 5.0-liter 2011 Ford Mustang:

Finally the return of the 5 Liter Mustang! This brand new 5.0L-powered Mustang will pump out 412 ponies and 390 lb-ft of torque. To get all of the power to the ground you get the option of either a 6 speed automatic or a 6 speed manual transmission. All of that and a estimated fuel economy of 25 miles to the gallon?
“This all-new 5.0-liter engine is the next chapter in the development of the world-class Mustang powertrain portfolio,” said Derrick Kuzak, group vice president, Global Product Development. “It’s a thoroughly modern engine for the times, delivering the performance and fun-to-drive factor that enthusiasts want, while improving fuel economy.”

If that doesn’t get you excited, take a look at this video to do the trick and then come in for a test drive”

Hyundai in the News

Over the past couple of years, Hyundai has gone from second rate car manufacturer to being considered by a third of every car buyer in the market.  No matter how you look at this, it's
impressive.  Here are a few links to recent articles about Hyundai and the
vehicles they make.

• Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Goes Cross Country on Just Two Tanks of Gas -
  MotoCrave.com
• Hyundai will show Curb Concept at Detroit Auto Show - DetNews.com
• Carmakers Post Sales Gains as Toyota Lags - NYTimes.com
• Hyundai BlueLink Arrives in a Suddenly Crowded Telematics Field -
  NYTimes.com
• First Test: 2011 Hyundai Elantra - MotorTrend.com

Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Goes Cross Country on Just Two Tanks of Gas

Hyundai wrapped up a 2,300-mile trip between San Diego and Jekyll Island, Georgia this week and is more than happy to announce that the Sonata Hybrid made the journey on just two tanks of gas–and not even full tanks: there was about 2.5 gallons leftover at the end.

Of course, Hyundai had the help of hypermiling guru Wayne Gerdes, so don’t expect to just take off for the coast and make it with one pit stop–you’ll undoubtedly get more modest mileage. But, with his own expertise and the Sonata’s lithium-polymer-powered parallel hybrid powertrain, Gerdes averaged 60 mpg and made his only stop about 1,200 miles in.