Tribal has just launched a new site that provides customers with a true life-like car shopping experience without ever leaving their homes.  Volkswagen.co.uk allows people to virtually sit in and walk around new cars.  Tribal created this web site because customers often feel that buying a new car can be confusing.

Research shows that people who want to purchase a new vehicle do most of their research on the Internet.  This means that trips to showrooms are cut in half.  Volkswagen responded to this by giving buyers a virtual experience from the comfort of their own homes.

The site features a car configurator that is very sophisticated.  It has 3D models of the new Volkswagen range.  Visitors are able to change every option that alters the appearance of the vehicle.  This lets people create the car of their choice.

In the future, people who visit the site will have the ability to book test drives by accessing the booking systems of retailers.  In addition, they will be able to see the availability of models at specific retailers.

Volkswagen has responded to customers needs by allowing people to shop for a vehicle from the comfort of their own homes.  Also convenient, is that customers can purchase new car warranties online from a wide range of providers.  An auto warranty is a smart way to protect your new investment.

One way to improve our world would be to alleviate road rage.  Everyone has gotten angry with another driver after being cut off. Wouldn’t it be great if we all had cars that helped curb road rage?  Well, those vehicles have arrived.

Toyota’s RIN has friendliness in mind.  It has wide, deep windows that allow the driver to stay connected with the environment.  The headlights on the car have controls for light distribution that allow the driver to be considerate to other drivers.  It even has features that reflect the psychological state that the driver is in, such as the steering wheel that is “mood trained” and displays that promote the mental health of the driver.

The Toyota i-REAL offers pedestrians added safety.  It is a solo transport that offers maneuverability because it sits upright.  This allows the driver to be at eye level with pedestrians.  Also, it will stretch out its wheels making it more aerodynamic and stable when you want to travel long distances.

The time has come when automakers are realizing that vehicle design can have an impact on how friendly people are.  Toyota is making great strides in accommodating fellow drivers and passengers to make our world a friendlier place.  Consumers are willing to pay extra money on car costs that will make their lives easier, such as new car warranties, insurance, and even friendlier cars.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that small cars aren’t as safe as big vehicles, back in 1997.  Yet, today there are more small cars than ever.  Small vehicles aren’t the only way to accomplish fuel-efficiency and reduced emissions.  There are now light construction materials that can accomplish this feat on larger vehicles.  In fact, making a vehicle lightweight will improve safety.  A car that is lightweight is more nimble than a heavy car, allowing motorists to avoid accidents and road service calls.

Many people make the assumption that weight and size of a vehicle go hand in hand.  This isn’t necessarily true.  Lightweight, strong materials, like carbon fiber tend to be expensive, however, certain high-end automakers are implementing it on roofs and hoods.

The Smart ForTwo is using plastic door panels.  The doors won’t ding or scratch, and are reinforced internally with steel bars.  This gives the best protection in the instance of a side impact, yet it is more lightweight than a conventional door.

Small vehicle sales are at an all time high in the U.S.  Currently, the Toyota Yaris and Honda Fit are the top sellers.  Although consumers will have to pay more for big vehicles that are lightweight, it is worth it because of safety.  In addition, motorists should have good new car warranties to protect themselves.

The legendary and powerful V-8 engine is finding its place in history, because very few new cars are using it, according to U.S. car industry reports.  Consumers want to protect themselves with fuel-efficient vehicles that have an auto warranty, and aren’t purchasing vehicles with V-8 engines.

The majority of carmakers are deciding not to put V-8’s under the hoods of family vehicles, USA Today stated in a NY report.  The V-6’s are also losing popularity and people are instead deciding to purchase vehicles with the V-4.  In fact, observers claim that the V-8 in particular isn’t politically correct anymore.

Carmakers who are choosing to introduce new V-8s are tending to confine them to high-performance sports cars, trucks meant for towing, and several premium cars.

New vehicles that are planning to be equipped with a V-8 engine include the Cadillac CTS-V, the Hyundai Genesis, and the Dodge Challenger.  Carmakers are making it a point to stress the fact that the newer V-8s are much more fuel-efficient than in the past.

However, GM is discarding the eight-cylinder engine from next year’s 2010 Cadillac SRX crossover and Ford won’t be offering its Lincoln MKS sedan with the V-8.

Consumers are opting for cars with smaller engines that have new car warranties in order to protect their wallets.  V-8s are finding their place in history.

Do you realize that a seat belt alone won’t protect your child in a car accident?

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, correctly using a child safety seat will reduce your child’s risk of being killed in a vehicle accident by 54% for a toddler, and 71% for an infant.  For this reason, all 50 states require child safety restraints by law.

But when purchasing a child safety seat, many parents become confused by all of the choices on the market.  The NHSTA recently did a study revealing that 72% of parents don’t know how to properly use child safety seats.  Which is why the NHSTA developed guidelines called the “4 Steps for Kids” to help parents.  They are as follows:

1.    Make sure infants stay in the back seat facing back until they reach the height and weight requirements for the seat they are using.
2.    Children should ride in forward-facing seats in the back seat until they reach the upper height and weight requirements of the seat (around 4 yrs old and 40 pounds).
3.    Children should be in booster seats in the back seat after outgrowing their forward-facing seats. This should continue until car seat belts fit the children properly (around 8 yrs old or 4’9” tall).
4.    Children can use regular seats belts in the back seat when they fit properly.

Parents are more concerned than ever about their children’s safety and are taking extra precautions, such as following strict car seat guidelines and signing up for a roadside assistance program in case of an emergency situation.  You can never be too careful when children are involved.  And, it is also a good idea to have good used car warranties to protect yourself.

When purchasing new cars consumers should do their homework to ensure that they are getting the best deal possible.  Here are three important tips that will allow you to avoid unnecessary costs.

First of all, look around to find a dealership that is good.  You can do this by looking on the Internet and reading blogs about dealerships.  Web searches will provide you with a lot of information.  A lot of times positive revues or complaints will give you an indication of how a dealership operates.  In addition, make contact with three dealerships in your vicinity to see how quickly they respond.

Second, don’t let dealers talk you in to dealer financing or alarm systems.  These two things will cost you in the end.  For example, auto manufacturers have already installed wiring.  However, automakers will then sell alarms for around $1,200 separately.  This will be added on to the new vehicle purchase price.  Also, finance offices at dealerships typically don’t provide the best deals.  It would be a better idea to seek financing elsewhere and put your extra money towards an auto warranty.

Finally, you can save money by selling your car yourself.  Don’t trade it in at the dealership because you probably won’t get as much money for it.

These simple tips will help you save money if you are planning to purchase a new vehicle.  Also, realize that new car warranties should be an essential part of your purchase so you are protected from unnecessary repair costs.

The downturn of the U.S. economy has drivers steering toward purchasing used cars instead of new ones.

A recent survey examining 40 car retailers indicated used car sales have increased.  In fact, of the dealerships, 28 percent said that they had sold more used vehicles than expected.

Also, 82 percent of the dealerships indicated that their used car inventory is just enough.  This is up 64 percent from last year at the same time.

In addition, 15 percent of the dealerships claimed that they didn’t have enough inventories, which was higher than the 6 percent in the previous survey.

Used vehicle interest could represent a bright spot for an expected gloomy year in the automotive industry.  Consumers want to save money on cars, used car warranties, and auto loans.

When a teenager turns 16 years old, they are excited to get their drivers license.  Unfortunately, teens have more driving accidents than any other age group.  For the majority of teen drivers, the question isn’t whether they are going to have an accident, but when they are going to have an accident.

Inexperience is the main reason that teenagers are vulnerable to traffic accidents.  Although 16 to 19 year olds only make up 5.3 percent of the driving population in our nation, they’re involved in 13.3 percent of all of the traffic accidents and 11 percent of crashes that are fatal.

A new program aimed to protect teenagers is “graduated licensing”.  Although the age of licensing is the same, full privileges come gradually.

The program begins with a learner’s permit.  Next, is the intermediate stage, in which teens can drive during the daytime alone, and in the evening they can drive between 9 p.m-6 a.m. with a licensed driver.  Then, the advanced stage comes. This is when teens can drive with no restrictions.

The graduated licensing program is a good step to ensure that our teens remain safe.  However, teens need to protect themselves by practicing safe driving habits and purchasing used car warranties.

A new rating system for roof-strength has been launched by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, and has conducted its first tests on small SUVs.  Unfortunately, only four out of the twelve vehicles tested managed to get a Good rating, which is the top rating.

The SUVs that scored the Good rating were the Honda Element, Subaru Forester, Volkswagen Tiguan and the Jeep Patriot.  SUVs that scored Acceptable were the Chevrolet Equinox, Suzuki Grand Vitara, Nissan Rogue, Toyota RAV4, and Mitsubishi Outlander.  Ranking Marginal, were the Ford Escape, and Honda CR-V, while the Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage were the only vehicles to rate Poor.

This new standard for roof-strength is intended to combat rollover deaths, which account for about a quarter of all deaths having to do with traffic.  For vehicles to be an IIHS Top Safety Pick, they have to now withstand four times their own weight before the car’s roof will collapse 5 inches.  The IIHS’s strength to weight ratio is a much higher standard than the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s, which says that roofs should bear 2.5 times the car’s weight.

Consumers are becoming more and more concerned with vehicle safety, which is why more people are purchasing an auto warranty.  With used car warranties, people can rest-assured that they won’t be paying unnecessary repair costs.

Cell phones are capable of doing just about anything these days, so they might as well be used to unlock your car doors and start your engine.

That was Sharp’s logic when it teamed up with Japanese mobile company NTT DOCOMO and Nissan to manufacture a cell phone that you can program to electronically control engines and door locks.  Essentially, Sharp installed an existing piece of technology, or Nissan’s Intelligent Key, into a phone.

These technologies seem so well suited that it’s surprising that the latest iPhone didn’t include a feature such as this.  Gizmodo claims that this integration was a long time coming.  Apparently, the filthy rich, hackers, and the Chinese have pretty much all had this idea.  U.S. drivers should have access to this technology early in 2009.  However, with any technology it is a good idea to have used car warranties.  You never know if this high-tech technology may leave you unable to get your car doors open.