Auto Transport Blog for National Transport LLC

Vehicle Survival Kit (Part 3 of 3)

Janelle — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 13:25:42 PDT

The following is the last video in the series of vehicle survival. While it is a bit extreme for some of us, it is still good to be aware of these tips and bits of advice just in case…

For more information about Auto Transport or Car Shipping, contact National Transport LLC today!

Trade It In! The Top 10 Cars That Are Most Traded for Hybrids

Janelle — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 01:00:28 PDT

According to an article published on Edmunds.com, the following are the top 10 most traded in vehicles in exchange for more fuel-efficient hybrids:

Toyota Prius
Toyota Camry
Honda Civic
Honda Accord
Ford Explorer
Toyota Highlander
Jeep Grand Cherokee
Ford Escape
Toyota Corolla
Lexus RX 300

Now, while some of these vehicles may surprise you (i.e. the sedans), keep in mind the fact that owners of such vehicles like the Honda Accord and Honda Civic may just as well be turning in their current vehicle for the hybrid version of that particular car. Similarly, the last time I checked, it seemed as if even Ford had come out with a hybrid version of the Escape.

One other mistake that people commonly make when thinking about making the switch to a hybrid is that they assume that they will be saving a to of money on gasoline. This is not true. Just because a vehicle slaps the label “hybrid” after it’s name doesn’t necessarily signify an automatic savings at the gas pump. Instead, hybrids are first and foremost made to help reduce emissions. In the long run, you may do just as well (if not better) with a gently used midsize sedan versus the shiny new hybrids both in terms of the sticker price as well as the gas mileage associated with it.

For more information about Auto Transport or Car Shipping, contact National Transport LLC today!

Vehicle Survival Kit (Part 2 of 3)

Janelle — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:11 PST

As many of you who live in the North Carolina area may recall, back in December of 2002, there was a massive ice storm that hit the entire state of North Carolina. In some cases, people were stuck in their cars for hours while they waited for help to arrive; and in some cases, people were actually injured or killed due to downed power lines and trees that struck houses and cars, etc. And while this is a bit extreme for the area (because it doesn’t happen often), it is still a good idea to know how to take care of yourself should you ever get stuck in your vehicle or be put into a situation in which you have to wait for a while in your car until help arrives. Take a look at the following video:

For more information about Auto Transport or Car Shipping, contact National Transport LLC today!

European Car Market Gets a Boost

Janelle — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:00:37 PST

According to a February article published in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), the European car market may be getting a bit of a boost thanks to fleet renewals and scrapping incentives.

The first scrappage program was launched in Germany back in the beginning of 2009 in which car owners were encouraged to get rid of their old cars or “scrap” their old cars in exchange for purchasing newer vehicles. The thought behind this was that in exchange for a less fuel efficient, more pollutant-prone vehicle, people could instead buy more environmentally friendly vehicles. After Germany experienced success with the program, other European countries began to follow suit.

And it’s working. The WSJ published the following statement:

“Germany was the only major market to decline, with results reflecting the discontinuation of the country’s fleet renewal program in the autumn of last year,” the European Automobile Manufacturers Association said in a statement. Registrations, a measure of sales, last month climbed 14% in France, 18% in Spain, 30% in the U.K. and 30% in Italy. [source]

Kudos to Europe for figuring out something that actually works. Now, how about the United States? Any suggestions?

For more information about Auto Transport or Car Shipping, contact National Transport LLC today!

When the Going Gets Tough, Count to Three…

Janelle — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:07 PST

It seems as if everywhere you go, there is a bad driver to good driver ratio that is almost always off the charts. And with these bad drivers comes the frustration of not really being able to do alot except, perhaps, honking your home or muttering words that would put your mother into tears of disappointment.

The other day, I was driving through my apartment parking lot when a pickup truck came flying through the parking lot and swerved to avoid hitting me (though I was on the right side of the road). I was appalled- so appalled that I almost turned right around to go and complain to the people in the management office. As it turns out, the person in the pickup truck had to swerve to avoid me because he (or she) had been trying to avoid a speed bump…a speed bump that was purposely put in place to prevent people from doing what this person had just done: speed.

Battling Road Rage & Frustration

At the end of the day, when you have had to deal with people driving poorly, you have to stop and take a few deep breaths. After all, the last thing that you want to do is launch into your own fit of road rage. Not only is road rage dangerous, but if you engage in this dangerous behavior along with the other drivers who are driving poorly, you are making the roads that much more dangerous for you and other people around you.

Conversely, if you feel like you can’t get out of the office quick enough or if you are having a bad day, etc., slow down for a minute and think about whether or not it is really worth it to speed or engage in other dangerous driving behaviors. Do you really need to cut the person in front of you off? Do you have to change lanes without using a turn signal or run that red light only to get stuck at the next?

For more information about Auto Transport or Car Shipping, contact National Transport LLC today!

Vehicle Survival Kit (Part 1 of 3)

Janelle — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:00:39 PST

Getting stuck on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere..or worse: getting stuck on the side of the road IN THE DARK in the middle of nowhere…Both of these scenarios are equally annoying not to mention extremely unnerving, especially if the weather is bad and you’ve realized that your cell phone is about to die.

Nice.

However, there is hope. In the following video series, you will learn how to handle these (and other) situations regarding your car, truck, SUV or other type of vehicle. As they say, ‘knowledge is power,’ and the more you know about how to react in a hairy situation involving your car, the better off you will be!

For more information about Auto Transport or Car Shipping, contact National Transport LLC today!

Too Fat to Fly?

Janelle — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:00:56 PST

As if it wasn’t bad enough that plane fares have gone up exponentially in recent years; now we have to contend with the growing number of people who are overweight. And yes, while obesity is a massive problem in the United States (pun intended), is it really fair to punish those who are plump by not allowing them to fly the once-friendly skies?

As one report reveals, Kevin Smith, creator of Clerks and Chasing Amy, was reportedly removed from a Southwest Airlines flight on February 13th, simply based on the fact that he “weighed too much”. And while Smith was not the first person to fall victim to Southwest’s overweight policy, he most certainly will not be the last as other airlines have begun to adopt similar policies surrounding their more girthy passengers.

The subject of flying amongst overweight passengers is a touchy one as there are many average weight customers who have complained about “seat spillage”. The complaints were so far reaching that it actually caused United Airlines to change its policy regarding its overweight passengers. However, it should be noted that the United States has now become well known throughout the world for the growing number of people we house who are profoundly rotund. This, combined with the fact that most airplanes have to be weight balanced can be embarrassing for heavier passengers who are often asked to switch their seats or who have difficulty fastening their seatbelts or folding down their trays.

But what can be done about the situation? On the one hand, it is understandable that when you are flying in an airplane, in a closed (and often) close space with other strangers, you don’t want to get stuck sitting next to someone who is practically sitting on your lap. But at the same time, shouldn’t everyone have the right to fly? Is it really fair to charge an overweight person the price for two people; or worse yet, is it fair to pull them off of a plane so that other people may be comfortable?

Let’s take some time to really weigh in on these questions…

For more information about Auto Transport or Car Shipping, contact National Transport LLC today!

Equipping Your Vehicle for Roadside Survival (Part 2)

Janelle — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 00:00:35 PST

Earlier in the week, we watched a video on how to survive with your vehicle if you ever get stuck on the road. The following video is the second part to that series. There is some really great information to be had, so check it out:

For more information about Auto Transport or Car Shipping, contact National Transport LLC today!

Making the Move Isn’t Always as Easy as You Would Think…

Janelle — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:00:31 PST

For one family, making the move from their home in a swampy, crime-infested area of Florida to a super inexpensive, quiet, small town in North Dakota seemed like the ultimate dream come true…until it turned out to be yet another nightmare…

According to a recent article published by the Associated Press (AP), Jeanette and Michael Tristani and their 12-year-old twins were wooed by the tiny town of Hazelton, ND because of extremely low taxes, low cost of living and low crime rate. However, what they weren’t bargaining for was a low tolerance of newcomers to this small town with a dwindling population of 240 people. According to the Tristanis, despite the fact that their children were enjoying school, the family found that the town was extremely cliquey and never really accepted the Tristanis, treating them like outsiders.

The article went on to explain the circumstances:

The Hazelton Development Corp., formed by a determined group of citizens, began running ads in 2005 offering families up to two free lots and up to $20,000 toward home purchases. Businesses were offered free lots and up to $50,000 for setting up shop in the town.

Besides cash and free land, Hazelton had little else to offer except elbow room. Surrounded by flat farm land and livestock, the century-old town boasts three churches, a bank, a grain elevator and a bar. [source]

Add to this the fact that the town experiences harsh, bitingly cold winters, and the fact that the Tristanis were threatened by a couple of the locals- who perceived them as being drug dealers based on their appearance and dress, and it was too much to take. Now, the Tristanis are looking to make the journey back to Miami, FL so that they can care for Jeanette’s elderly parents and hopefully enjoy a little more peace of mind among people who aren’t necessarily so unwelcoming.

For more information about Auto Transport or Car Shipping, contact National Transport LLC today!

The True Cost to Drive Your Car

Janelle — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:00:14 PST

With so many car buyers focused on getting rid of our gas guzzling SUVs and trading it all in for a more fuel efficient vehicle, some may be surprised to learn that the part of the sticker price where it indicates how many miles per gallon you are supposed to get may actually not be true. In fact, it is sometimes WAY off from what you really end up paying in gasoline expenses over the course of the year. But how can you tell whether the mpg rating is off for the car that you are interested in purchasing?

At Edmunds.com, they came up with a True Fuel Consumption Calculator (TFC) that calculates how much fuel you are really saving over the cost of the year. In order to get the most out of this handy dandy tool, it helps if you know what kind of a driver you are. For example, I know that I put a ton of miles on my vehicle each year because I drive back and forth to visit my immediate family (who live out of state). Therefore, having a tool like this is really convenient. It can also be a lifesaver if you are getting ready to purchase a new car and are concerned about fuel efficiency.

Burning Up Gas…and Money

According to Philip Reed, Senior Consumer Advice Editor over at Edmunds.com, the current system that is in place to measure a vehicle’s fuel efficiency by its miles per gallon (mpg), creates an inaccurate perception about fuel consumption overall. He explains:

The current system of measuring a vehicle’s efficiency by mpg creates an inaccurate perception about fuel consumption. Because as the mpg rating of a vehicle rises, it appears that it does so proportionately. What this means is if you were to trade in a car getting 12.5 mpg for one getting 25 mpg, it would obviously deliver fuel economy that was twice as good. But if you later traded that car getting 25 mpg for one getting 50 mpg, that exchange would not save you twice as much.

Here’s why: Imagine three cars lined up side by side. They all drive 100 miles. Since each car has a different fuel economy rating, they each burn different amounts of gas to travel that same distance. [source]

So, what does this mean to you, the driver? According to Reed, it means the following:

Trading in a gas guzzler for a midsize sedan provides substantial savings.
Trading in a midsize sedan for a high-mileage hybrid would hardly be worth the expense in fuel (especially when taxes and other fees are considered).
Fuel economy improvements from 12-20 mpg are significant.
While extremely high-mileage hybrids provide eco bragging rights, they don’t save much more gas than midsize sedans

For more information about Auto Transport or Car Shipping, contact National Transport LLC today!