Monday, September 7, 2009

5 Things to Know When Shopping for Car Rentals

For most people the use of a car rental is a necessity. It generally is done as the result of a need for a replacement vehicle for a period of time. Most people do not rent cars on a regular basis and do not know all the ins and outs involved in the rental contract. There are some very basic, although important steps that should be followed when renting a car.

You do not need to have personal auto insurance to rent a car; they will ask you if you would like to purchase their insurance for the duration of the rental contract. If, however, you have your own insurance policy, be sure to call your agent to see if you are covered during your use of a rental car. If your personal auto policy covers you, there is no need to purchase a policy from the rental company.

After you have called around, found the best deal and reserved your choice car; it is time to pick it up. Be sure to have all of your personal paperwork with you, including your auto policy if you will not be buying theirs. Before you sign the contract, read through it and ask any questions you may have.

You will of course, need a valid drivers license to rent the car. If you do not have a license, they will not rent to you under any circumstances. Most companies will also require you to reserve your car with the use of a major credit card, however, you can pay in cash if you would prefer.

Keep in mind that most rental companies will not rent to any driver under the age of 25. If you fall under that magic number, you more than likely will need to get an older relative or friend to sign the actual contract for you.

About the author:John Mancini has been writing about rental cars online and offline for a long time. Visit http://car-rentals-locator.com or http://dirt-cheap-car-rentals.com to read more about matters like car rentals and national car rental. Written by: John Mancini

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Tuesday, September 1, 2009

2010 Chevy Equinox Review

2010 Chevy Equinox is redesigned, getting freshened styling, new engines, and some new features. The new Equinox looks good on the parking lot and on the street. Its grille gives it a family similarity to just about everything else in the Chevrolet. The profile is clean and has a substantial heft to it with no looking extremely heavy or blocky. Around back, the look remains clean. Inside, the cabin has plenty of dramatic shapes and a central control panel that looks strikingly like those in the 2010 Cadillac SRX-with vents flanking the radio and climate controls. It’s a look that will filter down to the 2011 Chevy Cruze and other cars, and it’s an attractive departure from the more traditional Chevrolet look.

The new Chevy Equinox 2010 is more spacious, stylish and has all the resources to turn into the next sport-utility vehicle in vogue. Despite being a smaller suv, the 2010 Equinox has the ability to accommodate 5 passengers. If somebody goes by the specification, then he or she will find its overall length being 187. But in terms of passenger and cargo capacity, it's roomier than other suvs in the market. Thanks to fold down front passenger seat and a split-folding rear seat, you can accommodate more cargo in the 2010 equinox chev if needed. Moreover, this awesome suv has got height-adjusting cargo shelf than acts as a temporary desk or a luggage privacy screen. The 2010 equinox chevrolet is technologically most advanced among all the suvs on road. That's why driving this car always safer and enjoyable.

The Equinox interior is pleasant with great visibility. Rear-seat room is much larger than the main rivals, and knee room is better than most competitors. The three-across rear seat moves fore and aft eight inches, and the seatback reclines. The cargo area is pretty vast, with available trays and storage solutions that expand its utility. While the new Equinox has clearly been upgraded, there’s still a stray piece of trim or two that seems too plasticky, even at this price point-but mostly it’s handsome and tightly constructed. Best of all is the four-cylinder’s noise cancellation system-it works like noise cancellation headphones, and supports eliminate sounds that lean to make four-cylinders engines feel cheap and coarse. Door openings with triple seals and glass with integral sound damping further quiet things down inside, helping create a driving experience that feels more Cadillac-like than bargain-basement.



The 2010 new Equinox is available with two engine choices, and both of them have fuel-saving direct injection technology (normally good for a 3-percent gain just by itself). The Equinox comes standard with a new version of GM’s seemingly ubiquitous 2.4-liter Ecotec engine. The architecture has been in place for a few years, but this one is direct injected and manages 182-horsepower and 172 lb-ft. of torque while getting a class-leading 22-mpg city and 32-mpg highway in front-wheel-drive configuration. The EPA estimates 20 mpg city / 29 mpg highway for the AWD version. Chevrolet says to expect up to a 600-mile range of highway driving on a tank of gas. A more powerful V-6 engine is still available in the 2010 Equinox, and it's the same one that Cadillac is using in their new mid-size crossover, the 2010 Cadillac SRX. This new V-6 displaces 3.0 liters and produces a healthy 264 horsepower. Fuel economy is 18 mpg city, 25 mph highway for front wheel drive, with the AWD drive version attaining 17 mpg city, 24 mpg highway.

Both engines will direct their power to six-speed automatic transmissions. The four-cylinder tends to upshift early for good fuel saving, but the engine has enough torque to make this work. Chevy claims that 0-60 mph comes up in below nine seconds for the four-cylinder and below eight seconds for the V-6, but the bigger V-6 feels more than one second faster. Both engines are smooth, but clever tuning of the 2.4-liter and an interior noise-cancellation system assist make the smaller engine feel extraordinarily so. Important chassis upgrades make the 2010 chevy equinox drive better than any previous model. Engineers added body stiffing structure and used more premium bushings in key locations. It rides smoothly while still tracking around corners directly. The steering on four-cylinder models is electrically boosted, and unlike most electrically assisted systems, this one has great feel ... better, in fact, than some hydraulically assisted systems.

A number of other great news about the equinox 2010 chevrolet include that the airbag count is now at six, with these being standard; dual frontal airbags; head curtain side airbags and pelvic/thorax seat-mounted side airbags. Those looking for safety will also like having standard four-wheel disc brakes with StabiliTrak electronic stability control and traction control. OnStar is also standard. While the vehicles haven't been crash tested, Chevy expects full five star ratings from the federal government and a "good" rating (their highest) from the IIHS.



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By: Akhmad Yani
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