CarMelGunning.com

With the environment such a hot topic around the world and especially in the transport industry, there are companies that are embracing new environmentally friendly technology. Hybrid Cars and ever increasingly fuel efficient diesel cars are becoming more available to mainstream motorists. I used to work for a corporate travel company and many of the major corporations were requesting the inclusion of Hybrid cars in their contracts. This was more to do with increasing business opportunities by being seen to be green as opposed to wanting to be green!

The question arises when people travel and want to maintain their commitment to the green cause. Car Rental companies will be the ones providing these vehicles… or will they?

I have chosen (for the Australia traveller) major car companies that you can book ‘green cars’ with. Working for DriveAway Holidays here in Australia, the most common request is for diesel cars. This is driven out of cost concerns and also the occasional environmental concern. (Shouldn’t it be the other way around??)

First off the rank is Avis Rental Cars.

In Australia, the group L car will give you a Toyota Hybrid. This car is the favorite for the car rental companies due to it being built by Toyota.

In the UK, there doesn’t appear to be any green cars, although there may be diesel cars on fleet, Avis don’t make them easy to find.

In the USA, like Australia, the Toyota Hybrid under group XG is available.

Second off the cab rank is Hertz Rental Cars.

In Australia, like Avis, the Toyota Hybrid is the car of choice. Book a group G and you will get this car.

In the UK, Hertz has a range of fuel efficient diesels on fleet but no hybrids. This seems to be a common factor in the UK. Being an expat, I know that Toyota car prices in the UK are reasonably expensive compared to other european manufactured vehicles

In the USA, Hertz has a range of Hybrids, although on some of the cars, I couldn’t tell if they were Hybrid or not.

Now, all credit to Hertz as they do promote their green cars as part of their Green Fleet. Avis don’t appear to market their green cars in any way, which is a shame.

Third on the cab rank is Europcar Rental Cars.

Again, unlike Hertz, they appear not to promote their green fleet. Looking at their Australia Fleet guide, they have the regular passenger vehicles such as Small, Medium, Large, Prestige, Minivans, Sport, 4WD. Europcar list the green car as part of there regular fleet, however, it does have it’s unique identifier (IHAR) in Australia.

In the UK, Europcar doesn’t appear to have any green offerings. Maybe it’s something you can request at pick up. Personally, if I could book a green car over the internet, I would do so with a company that offered that service.

In the USA, I chose LAX as Europcar have a limited presence. There were no cars I could find that looked green.

To Europcar’s defence, in other parts of Europe where they are particularly strong, one is able to guarantee a diesel for an extra few euros per day.

In this brief look, Hertz appears to be the only car rental company that is actively promoting green cars. Avis & Europcar seem to be a bit hap hazard in their approach to a green fleet. Whilst it may be a case of logistics and a supply issue, there is no reason why they couldn’t promote their green cars.
I am sure that in 12 months time, the situation will be that every car rental company will be actively marketing green cars. The consumer can currently offset their CO2 emissions in the various transport sectors and I am sure that the car rental industry will follow suit in the near future.

The Environment is a marketers dream and I do think that some of the car rental companies have missed the boat so far. Hopefully their marketing departments will wake up and smell the cleaner air..

Customising Trucks has become increasingly popular.There are hundreds of choices available when you choose and buy truck parts or truck accessories, not only from your local dealer but also online or second hand.

Accessorizing a truck can be as simple or as complicated as you make it, some people simply add a few bells and whistles to the truck interior others will go the whole hog and find truck accessories for the outer body of the vehicle also.

Adding new seat covers or a steering wheel cover to the interior of a truck can dramatically change the inside appearance, The out side can be accessorized wit grille guards, mirrors, racks, splash guards or bars.

Some truck accessories are not only going to make your truck look better and have its own personal appearance they can also save you money, for instance, a grille protector will prevent damage to the grill which can be extremely costly to replace.

A truck or car is an investment and at some point in time you will want to upgrade or move forward and purchase a new one, when accessorizing your truck you need to bear this in mind. You do not want to purchase something you can not remove and only you like, consider what truck accessories will add value to the sale price.

Truck accessories do not always have to make your truck look enhanced some are essential for security, tarpaulins for instant are frequently used to contain and protect loads on pick up trucks. Without one you could run the risk of part of the load dispensing onto the road casing problems for both yourself and other drivers.

Choosing truck accessories can be fun, If you use your truck as part of you job would soon become bored looking at the same interior day in day out, accessorizing the truck will give it a personal feel and say a little about your personality.

Trucks that contain beds are an easy way to cost effectively change the whole interior of the truck. Bed liners, covers and curtains are available to buy or to save money you could make your own giving the truck an even more personal feel.

When purchasing any type of truck accessory whether it is for safety or style always look around and compare prices, you can get some really good deals on line if you have the time to dedicate to it.

Acquiring a new car audio system is no no-sweat assignment. Most audio equipment buyers are unprepared when they go out to find the system to suit their needs, and they end up committing mistakes that cost them money, time and effort. Let’s cover her just a few of those car audio selection boo-boos.

Some people simply allot to much and are amazingly willing to go into debt just for the car audio equipment. To make matters worse, they eventually realize they don’t like the system that they have. All that can be avoided by simply planning how much can be spent. The moment that is settled, you can start scouting around for system components within your expenses plan. Implement a step by step planning scheme as to the most up to the least important parts of your system, then stop rather than go beyond your budget.

Up next, how much of the car will be altered to meet your car audio specifications? No doubt about it, but speaker installation will mean a few minuses here and a few additions over there. Consult a professional who will help draw up a plan from the most important car audio component to the least, along with its corresponding alteration on the car’s overall look.

Allow a professional to help you with the necessary car audio repairs. Nevertheless, things still don;t stop here, since you will need to ask yourself: How long are you going to keep the car for? Do you have plans of selling the car along with the new audio system or will keep it for yourself before sale? It’s always important to remember that car audio systems do not help the car to pick up enough value so as to balance what went to the audio system’s construction. If you have plans to extract the system before you sell the car, that could cause issues for the next person who is keen on buying the car, plus the car audio system.

How about the uses of the car? When and for what purposes car is the car used? Understandably if you are after a great audio experience when you fire up your system, then you may to make sure that it is as comfortable and entertaining as possible. But in the event that you only get to be in your car for weekly shopping, then think if you need to look no further than low end parts.

Another car audio system mistake that otherwise can be avoided is preferring a system which is unsuited for the type of music they listen too. Naturally, those who enjoy thumping bass beats would get the most out of a high end power amplifier. Adding subwoofers is a welcome decision too. In contrast, if you are more into classical music or trendy pop music, then what you need in a car audio is speaker systems that offer even play of the sound spectrum.

When mulling over car stereo speakers, choose from either component or full range speakers, each with its own hits and misses. Full range speakers are the best option if you want to replace the speakers that came with the car; by full range, we mean it must have a tweeter and woofer. On the other hand, a component speaker set is also good if you need heftier car speakers to install. The plus point with component speakers is that these give you unbeatable value-for-money sound quality as seen in their cutting edge design.

As you get older, the “toys” that you get for yourself gradually change. Now as someone announces a car audio sale and you, the man comes thundering with your cheque book and wallets ready to purchase it. As a man myself, I can fully understand why is this so.

You are able to find car audio sale in car accessories store, and every now and then, there will be discounts available to attract you to buy it. Whenever a car audio manufacturer launches a new product model, the price of prior models will drop drastically. When this happens, the car store will offer car audio sale for the public. Still remember the time when compact disc technology being launched? Suddenly the price of all cassette player car audio became very cheap as the stores want to get rid of them quickly.

To look for car audio sale, other than from car accessories stores, you can also visit expos and conventions. Whenever there is a gathering of car audio manufacturer at a convention, you absolutely must go down. However, in these kinds of convention, the audio models that manufacturers display are usually very new. Therefore, if you have the cash to spend and want to invest in a powerful car audio system, you should look out for these kinds of conventions.

Before you splurge your cash, make sure that you know what it is you want to buy. You must first understand what kind of system you need. This is because in a car audio sale, there are many items for you to choose from, which can be overwhelming. Loud, shiny, glittery items are temptations for you, and it is up to you to not buy on impulse. If you are a newbie, make sure that you do your “homework” first before you visit the store.

So what do you need to prepare before you visit a car audio sale? Firstly, take a good look at your current system. What does it need? Do you need to change the stereo system? If you find that you do not need to change anything to your current system but you just want to upgrade it, make sure that what you are going to buy is compatible with your current system. Do not buy a high watt speaker if your amplifier cannot handle it. It will just be a waste of your money. Buy the right parts and save yourself trouble from having to re-sell them again.

If you want to know more about car audio, read car audio magazines. These magazines contain information that you may need before you purchase a system. There are reviews and price listings of the items that you intend to buy. Through these magazines, you will also be able to find out new products and will surely open uo your options.

Lastly, going to a car stereo sale is a good way to meet other audio system enthusiasts. Some of them may even be willing to trade items with you and this will save you the money.

I came across this guide to car rental today and felt I should set the record straight on some of the issues raised as it was misleading (just like my title, no sex here I’m afraid).

RUMOUR: You probably won’t get the car you booked.

TRUTH: Rental companies do not guarantee specific models – we cannot guarantee you will get a Hyundai Getz 1.5L for example, but if you pay for an economy car, manual transmission with air conditioning – you will get an economy car, manual with air conditioning (unless of course you get an upgrade!). Our reservations are based on car SIPP codes, vehicles are given as examples only.

TIP: Book based on SIPP code, not actual vehicle. Peugeot Leasing is an exception – models ARE guaranteed.

RUMOUR: It’s likely you’ve paid too much.

TRUTH: Walking off the street to pick up a car in a foreign country, you probably will pay more. Book before you go to ensure the best possible price and remember to compare like with like when researching prices. Look closely at what the price includes, what is extra and how much the extras will cost. Often, an all inclusive rate may appear more expensive but can save you money as there is no more to pay when you pick up the car.

RUMOUR: Your “fully-inclusive deal” won’t be as comprehensive as it sounds.

TRUTH: An Insurance Excess is applicable in the event of any accident or theft to the rental vehicle, regardless of fault. The Excess amount varies between countries and car group. The additional insurance offered by the car rental company is optional and is charged per day on top of an inclusive rate. Read more about insurance excess here.

TIP: You may be covered through your own insurance so double check before you book.

RUMOUR: You may face hefty add-ons.

TRUTH: There are some extras that will be added on to your bill e.g. children’s seats, additional drivers, young driver surcharges and GPS units may be charged separately and on a daily basis, which can add up, especially if it is a long trip. You should be made aware of these charges before you agree to anything, so be aware of how much exactly you have to pay.

TIP: Always ask what the extra charges will be before you agree to them.

RUMOUR: Breaking down could be a disaster.

TRUTH: Not when you book with DriveAway! Our rates all include 24 hour roadside assistance. We also have 24/7 customer service with a toll free number from across the globe so you can speak to someone (in English) no matter where you are.

TIP: Book with a reputable company who have a number you can call in the case of an emergency.

RUMOUR: You could be stung by cancellation penalties.

TRUTH: Not at DriveAway! We do not charge amendment or cancellation fees on car hire.

TIP: Always check at the time of booking if there are cancellation fees in case of an emergency. Sometimes it can be as much as the price of the rental if it is within a short time frame.

Always read your inclusions very carefully when you book a rental car (DriveAway list the inclusions with each vehicle during the booking process online and our reservations consultants will inform you of these if you book over the phone). Terms, conditions and costs all vary depending on the supplier and location. Remember to read your rental agreement carefully before signing it.

Holidays are precious. Researching and organising your car rental before you go can save you headaches and money.