Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Sports Cars : Babe Magnets
Do you crave the feeling of being noticed and looked at because of the car that you are driving? Do want the feel of masculinity and the allure it exudes? Then getting a nice sports car for you might be a good start. So what are your options? You can check out muscle cars, exotic super cars, and tricked out roadsters. Two cars will be elaborated on here because of each car's well known reputation as macho machines and chick magnets. The Ferrari Modena 360 and the Chevrolet Corvette.
The Chevrolet Corvette
The current Corvette or C6 as it is called since it is the model’s sixth reincarnation, has new styling. It has exposed headlamps and a slimmer body. It boasts of improved performance, handling, comfort, and refinement. It is a sports car that drivers will find easy to handle both on the road and the race track. If you are testing your limits at the track or just having fun driving around town, the new Corvette is forgiving even when driven really hard. Its six-cylinder engine is capable of powerful acceleration and is comparable to that of a Ferrari Modena. The new Corvette is lighter than its predecessor.
The Ferrari Modena 360
The Modena is a top of the line sports car that matches an aggressive design with comfort and performance. Keep in mind that this beauty is not a conventional car in the sense that it is simply not used to go and get the groceries at the store or to pick up the kids from school. It is a pleasure machine made to attract attention and induce oohs and aahs from the crowd. It is a weekend car to be driven with utmost adrenaline and fun as the main goal. And for a thrilling weekend drive, this car will cost you around $150,000. Sure, you can use it to get your groceries or pick up your kid albeit quickly. But as they say, you buy it because you can and because women will be attracted to you if you happen to have one. Despite everything, this Ferrari can be considered to be grounded by comfort and practicality as much as possible. Unlike some models, Ferrari made certain to focus on things like ergonomics, interiors, and transmission which make it very usable even for daily drives.
Having a sports car may get you more dates than before but it also means spending more for maintenance and service parts not to mention its fuel consumption. It has little space for extra persons but if you are going on a date then this will do the trick.
Sports Cars for Girls..!!
Volkswagen Beetle
The Volkswagen Beetle is a compact family car that is made in Germany. It is one of the most easily recognized cars in the whole world. Due to its popularity, it has even moved up to a cult status with many loyal followers. It is known as the beetle, bug, or kafer (German) because of its distinctive shape.
Mini Cooper
This car is an affordable, stylish, fun, and compact piece of machinery. It was first designed in 1959 as a car that combines a big interior space with a small car body. It is very appealing to the eye and popular to a wide range of people due to its affordability. With regards to safety issues, the mini cooper employs an anti-lock braking system for more stability and control especially during turns and cornering. The interior of this car is stylish and compact. One drawback is its small storage capacity but that is expected from this type of car. It is not a ‘hot rod’ but it is a fun to drive around the city.
BMW Z4 Roadster
The Z4 is the follow-up to the Z3 series which was first introduced in 1996. It is very popular to both young and old car aficionados because of its aggressive design. It is a bit bigger then the Z3 and its body is much stiffer even when measures were taken to reduce its overall body weight without compromising rigidity. It has a stiff chassis, a variety of transmission options, and large disk brakes that enable this car to provide great comfort and pleasure while driving.
These are some of the best sports cars that can be considered as ‘girl’ cars. If you are still thinking of what kind of car you want to get, consider the following: The prices of convertibles start around $20,000 and go up to the hundred thousand range. Engines used usually are four or six cylinder types while the pricier ones employ V6 or V8 engines. Maintenance costs for convertibles are roughly the same as those of sedans and technology has made soft tops stronger and more durable to withstand years of abuse.
Customize It!
What are the other things one needs to know about custom-built cars? Here they are:
1. Roadster or Coupe?
Whether the driver wants his car to be roadster or coupe, companies that custom-build cars can adjust to the choice.
2. The Big Kit
Okay, before customizing, one must have this important tool: the kit. Companies like ‘Quality Roadsters’ provide kits and packages to turn a bland car into a ‘wow-worthy’ one. From the car's frame to other materials and features, these are all provided to ensure maximum performance.
As for the frame, the driver must take into consideration if he is going for the round tube or the square one. He must remember that round tube frame is lighter and tougher. On the other hand, a square tube frame is very easy to design. It can be stylish but not rigid or it can be rigid but not stylish.
Body-wise, the driver must choose a dimensionally-able car, with longer foot boxes and impressive fiberglass. The driver must custom-build it to the point that when he drives the car, it seems as if he is not driving the body, but the chassis.
The driver must also take note of the suspension. He must stay away from the independent rear suspension from Jaguar as it is harder to maintain. He must stick to a custom-built car with suspension materials similar to that of Mustang GT's. While replica industries usually make their own suspension, others just stick to the excellent-performing ones available on the market.
As for the engine, it is best that the driver goes for the one from Ford. Operating at 400-hp 302 V8 with transmitting power coming from a T-5 five speed, this engine qualifies as one of the better ones that can fully support a custom-built sports car.
Other car accessories like air-conditioning, overflow tank, cooling fan, shroud kit, fuel injection systems, wiper system and oil filter relocator must also be carefully and systematically selected.
A custom-built sports car will really spruce up the driver's lifestyle as it reflects his personality. He just has to be sure that the replica industry he has chosen will take care of him.
Ostrich Skin Upholstery For Car Interiors
Ostrich skin is a thick, soft leather with a distinctly unique luxury texture. It features quill "pocks", which look like small bumps across the otherwise smooth material. Here are some places that Ostrich skin has been used to enhance automobile interior:
- Seats
- Arm Rests
- Door Panels
- Gear Knobs and shifter covers
- Steering wheel covers
- Dashboard Trims
The first reaction of most is not to take ostrich too seriously; it's strange and unusual to coat the inside of a car with this exotic bird. However, most are impressed with the see the overall look of a car finished with this exotic bird, making ostrich skin one of the biggest upcoming trends in exotic leather and car interiors.
Ostrich farms are popular in Africa and their hides are meticulously tanned by expert tanneries and leather professionals. Tanning and ostrich hide is not an easy task; it requires patience and many careful steps to produce the finished product in full luxury grade quality free of any holes or scars.
Ostrich is tanned into any number of bold finishes and can be custom dyed and finished to fit the look of a new car interior through a professional exotic leather supplier. Most ostrich hides have about 8 square feet each of the popular quill pocks, with the remaining material in soft smooth leather. The best prices are typically obtained through an exotic skin broker or supplier who has built relationships with the farmers, tanneries, and understands the regulations surrounding the species.
When the ostrich skin reaches the car interior designer, they are careful to note their cuts in the material carefully before making any cuts. This cuts back on wasted material and the smaller pieces can be saved for smaller applications.
Reasons Why People Like Sports Cars
In the automobile industry where economy vehicles, “family sedans” and SUV’s dominate the field, sports cars definitely stand out.
These types of cars, for the able and skilled drivers, can give optimum performance on the road. Not all drivers are equally skilled, but to individuals who are capable of feeling and understanding the faint messages of these vehicles, they can indulge in a rewarding and satisfying driving experience since sports cars are intended to be driven fairly fast.
Because of this driving pleasure, many people are drawn to a sports car. This is just one of the many reasons why people like these vehicles. Other reasons include:
1. Appearance. The aerodynamic design of a sports car makes it appealing to car fans. Although when you are making an automotive investment, this should not be the principal or only reason to purchase that vehicle. Functionality should be the primary consideration even though beauty will also enter into your decision.
2. Driving characteristics. While other vehicles are mainly designed for affordability and function, sports cars gives emphasis on performance and execution. The trait and condition of driving a sports car is an experience often unmatched.
Keeping in mind their very discriminating car drivers, sports cars easily out perform the road execution of other automobiles. Drivers can quickly accelerate when required, hug turns, and have a certain driving management not provided by most vehicles.
3. Fun and excitement. The driving qualities of a sports car can provide excitement and fun.
A person can spend hours talking about exciting experiences such as curve hugging wile not taking one’s foot off of the accelerator or zooming past slow moving traffic yet remaining in full control or talk about the feeling of gratification , and knowing that one is driving a car with superb engineering.
4. Duration and resale value. Each new automobile depreciates the very second it is driven. However, sports cars will become more valuable as time passes, because of their above-mentioned qualities and are expected to become potential classics that will retain their value.
One does not need to make their car choice a statement, although if one chooses, the opportunity is right there. Owning a sports car will make a statement about the owner’s personality.
How to Buy a Sports Car For Under $3000 ???
But that does not mean that you will have to say goodbye to your dream of having this car. There are a lot of ways to acquire a decent sports car without busting the bank. Let me tell you a way on how you can buy your sports car for only under $3000.
Step 1: If you have a penchant for the vintage car models, you can look online. A couple of British vintage sports vehicles are sold and most of them are in mint condition. You can refurbish as you wish. Buying a second hand car is ideal as you can work on it little by little. Change the paint, or change the motor to help it catch up with recent modernizations.
Step 2: Scour automobile magazines for good finds. Look at the page of the magazine where they list a number of sports car sold for under $3000. You can find the most affordable cars Mazda and Nissan costing less than that.
Step 3: You will be surprised of the number of junkyards that have decent sports automobiles. You can also ask about their services on refurbishing old cars. Most of the time, it should not cost you a lot. You can also ask the opinion of an expert on how much the refurbishing of the car you are eyeing at will cost. They can give you a rough estimation.
Step 4: Another website you can look for is Craigslist. Just key in the amount you want. This is like an online junk shop. You can easily find what you are looking for. Plus, you can get it directly from the previous owner. Ask questions about is current condition and what repairs are necessary. Ebay is also a nice site for scouring previously own automobiles.
Step 5: Widen your car network. If you are really enthusiastic about cars and everything that has got to do with that, you can join clubs and go to showrooms. Chances are, you can meet a lot of people who knows a thing or two about refurbishing cars and where you can buy cheap but decent ones. They might even have a few cars they want to sell and you can get one for a cheaper price.